Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your WCM

You have to watch this first:

I wish I could pull off a suit like the one George Michael is wearing, but it's just not meant to be for me... Anywho...

I had a conversation the other day with a client that was considering leaving Ektron (I know, how dare they even consider the possibility of another Web Content Management System!). We discussed some of the concerns they had with Ektron and when I asked which version of the Ektron WCM they were using, it turned out that they hadn't upgraded in more than four years, which in technology time, is like twenty-five years!

Our conversation turned to discussing the newer versions of the WCM and how many of the concerns they had about the product had been resolved in newer releases. However, similar to the words of George Michael and Elton John, they were indeed letting the sun go down on their WCM by not giving it the love and attention it needs.

Like any piece of software, if you don't maintain it/upgrade it/continue to take advantage of all it has to offer, it's functionality is going to get outdated and it's going to seem like it no longer meets your needs (even though it very much can).

For example, from the release that they were on to the current release, here are a few of the enhancements that have been made:

• Updated Workarea Design/UI
• Support for .Net 4.0
• Additional Support for the new Framework API
• Support for a 3-Tier Architecture
• Search integration with MS Search Server and FAST
• Enhancements to the Multilingual Capabilities
• New diagnostic tools for Ektron eSync
• Integrated E-Commerce Functionality
• Marketing Optimization and Personalization Enhancements
• 301 Redirect Management in the Workarea
• New Ektron Digital Experience Hub Technology
• New Ektron Cloud Manager Technology
• Enhanced Mobile Support

To be blunt, that's a ton of new enhancements. And yet, the client was considering leaving the platform simply because they weren't aware of all this new functionality.

We believe that Ektron is a long-term solution, and that as your needs continue to evolve and grow, our approach to supporting that vision will continue to adapt to support your initiatives. So don't let the sun go down on your WCM and save that for relationships and other less important stuff...

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