Ann: Intiger Market Update, page-629

Here's a thought from left field...

You're a member of the board of a large household Aust. fin. institution.

You've been aware of this Intiger startup promising to drop your back office costs by 40% - contractually. You're a bit sceptical about this given your experience and history, but they're being backed by some big names in the industry.

So, you've agreed to go through the due dil. to see whether this upstart can even deliver on what a.) they promise and b.) your org. requires in order to protect both your customer base _and_ your bus. rep.

You're at a Board meeting not long before Christmas and it seems this startup upstart has passed a 19 step process, but you're still not convinced - still a bit wary. After all this upstart wants access through your security measures directly into your databases and systems in order to offshore process your customer data. And you've been told for decades by your IT boffins how complex are your IT systems.

And one of their big pushes to you has been how they've already engaged with one of your - albeit mid-tier only, but nevertheless significant - competitors.

So, being the conservative ,fiscally-minded, mature, educated businessman you are, what do you do?

Do you take the leap now before Christmas, or do you just wait and see how this upstart's New Year pans out?

Do they manage to actually close the deal with this other mid-tier competitor thereby effectively validating the product/service? And so you're willing to make the leap?

Or will the mid-tier competitor end up saying; "Thanks, but No Thanks."
In which case, for you and your org, it's a case of; "Thanks fellas, but it appears you've got a bit more work to do before you're a BIG Business ready product. Come back and see us then." "Phew, we dodged a bullet there for now."

Besides, we've got another Board meeting in Feb, and then again in Mar, etc.,etc., etc.

What would you do?