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Barcelona / 4-5 February 2002
Monday, February 4
MORNING'S THEME: PERSPECTIVE FROM THE TOP
Morning sessions on Day One of the Conference will provide a ‘view from the top’ and deal with the larger management and regulatory issues that DA/DQ service providers are facing in the evolving European Directory Marketplace in 2002.
OPENING REMARKS
Stu Whitaker, Conference Chairperson
CEO PANEL: ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVES
Panel. A distinguished panel of executives from leading DA/DQ companies will provide perspectives on industry trends, emerging opportunities, and the competitive challenges they face in Europe’s evolving Directory Services marketplace.
Topics to be covered include:
- The overall health of the industry and growth prospects
- The most significant regulatory developments and related concerns
- The most important technological developments and their implications
- What’s next / forecast for 2002
REGULATORY INITIATIVES RESHAPING THE INDUSTRY--A PANEL OF EUROPEAN
UNION AND COUNTRY AUTHORITIES
Panelists: Being invited are industry regulatory authorities of the EU and of those countries undergoing the most significant regulatory charges. The session will assess proposed or recently approved directives of the European Commission and also provide an overview of new ‘regs’ in Spain and the UK.
Topics to be covered include:
- Scope and implementation of recently approved regulations
- Nature and timing of new regulations under consideration
AFTERNOON'S THEME: TECHNOLOGY & EVOLVING BUSINESS MODELS
CONFERENCE. Afternoon sessions will look at (i) successful applications of Speech Recognition technology, (ii) customer receptivity to automation and specific new services, and, more generally, (iii) new and competing Business Models (both voice- and web-based).
EXPO: The Exhibit Hall will open all afternoon following lunch for coffee and visits.
BUSINESS MODELS Session #1 –
Case studies: Successful applications of Speech Recognition Technology in DA/DQ Panel. Representatives of SR technology firms will describe successful partnerships with DA/DQ operators that demonstrate the feasibility of applying their innovations to achieve cost reduction in providing traditional or enhanced DA/DQ directory services and/or in augmenting revenues.
Topics to be covered include:
- Alternative automation levels
- Cost reduction potential
- Measuring customer satisfaction and acceptance
- Comparative advantages vis-à-vis traditional models
BUSINESS MODELS Session #2 –
Automation: Just how much? Thoughts on measuring what customers want
Panel: A panel of marketing and product development professionals from leading DA/DQ technology firms and service providers will share their experience with DA/DQ automation and insights derived from market studies and customer feedback.
Topics to be covered include:
- Platforms: Levels of automation – examples / case studies
- Balance between cost savings and service quality
- ‘Differentiating’ services for an effective ad campaign
- Comparative advantages of traditional and new models
- Measuring customer satisfaction and acceptance
BUSINESS MODELS Session #3 –
Competing models: Voice Portals versus Web-accessed Enhanced DA
Panel: MarketingFirms offering competing Voice Portal and Web-accessed information services.
Topics to be covered include:
- Comparative advantages of Voice Portals and Web-accessed DA
- Web-accessed DA alternatives
- Operator-assisted Web-based DA
Tuesday, February 5
MORNING'S THEME: MARKET DEVELOPMENTS
Morning Sessions on Day Two will provide a more detailed look at market developments in Europe generally, but particularly in three countries – Spain, Britain, and Italy – which are in the process of opening their DA/DQ markets to competition and which many view as having the greatest growth potential in the near term.
EIDQ PRESENTATION ON MARKET DEVELOPMENTS
Speaker: Liselotte Vincourek, EIDQ Chairperson
This session will provide an overview of recently approved and proposed EC Directives; the role that EIDQ has played in fostering full discussions of them and in bringing pressure to bear against proposals that would seriously impair the growth of the DA/DQ industry.
Topics to be covered include:
- Recently approved EC Directives and EIDQ’s role
- New EC Directives under way
- Protocols and other EIDQ initiatives
GEOFOCUS #1: THE SPANISH MARKET
Panel. Spanish regulatory authorities and firms with DA/DQ operations in Spain will discuss and interpret new government regulations, their implementations in practice, and the new direction they are expected to give to the Spanish DA/DQ market. Being invited are representatives of:
- Ministerio Ciencia y Tecnologia /Dirección de Telecomunicaciones
- Comisión del Mercado de Telecomunicaciones
- Executives of firms active in the Spanish DA/DQ marketplace
GEOFOCUS #2: THE UK MARKET
Panel. Officials of Oftel and firms active in the British DA/DQ marketplace will be invited to lead a discussion of recent regulations approved by Oftel, the form and timing of their implementation, remaining issues, and the new opportunities that they open in the UK.
GEOFOCUS #3: THE ITALIAN MARKET
Panel. Representatives of the Italian regulatory office AGCOM and leading business executives from firms active in the Italian DA/DQ market will access the present market situation, anticipated regulatory developments, and their expectation in terms of timing and implementation.
AFTERNOON'S THEMES: OTHER BUSINESS ISSUES (CONFERENCE) &
PARTNERING (EXPO)
CONFERENCE. Afternoon sessions will focus on additional business issues being faced by European entrepreneurs as the DA/DQ marketplace continues to evolve.
EXPO. The Exhibit Hall will be open all afternoon for executives wishing to explore partnering opportunities with technology firms and investment companies there.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS:
DATA: ACCESS, INTEGRATION AND OTHER ISSUES
Quality content is central not only for traditional DA but also for the burgeoning variety of voice-accessed information services the industry is beginning to offer. In this session, panelists look at how their companies have overcome difficulties in obtaining and integrating data and what challenges remain to be overcome.
DA & CALL CENTER MODELS
DA/DQ service providers and Call Center operators use much of the same technology. In this session, panelists look at those technologies and companies whose business models build on the same platforms to off both types of services, usually with live operators.
VALUE-ADDED DA/DQ FEATURES: SMS AND MORE
Here we look at both the competitive advantages and revenue enhancing potential of certain features that can be added to voice DA/DQ services. With wide acceptance in Europe, SMS is one of these.
EXPO – PARTNERING / INVESTMENT FORUM
The Exhibit Hall of EDM2002 in Barcelona is to serve as a forum for leading players in the DA/DQ Industry to meet and explore possible synergies and partnering opportunities.
A variety of firms are expected to have stands in the Expo area, including:
Platform providers for DA/DQ, Call Center, and Voice Portal services
Data and other content providers
Speech recognition software and voice solutions companies
Directory software companies
DA/DQ outsourcing firms
Investment firms involved in the Industry
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