July 8, 2008 Dear Quest Members and Subscribers, As I write this, I have just returned from the Quest Board of Directors’ annual strategy meeting,  where each year the board takes a fresh look at the changing world of Quest members and devises short- and long-range strategies to ensure Quest provides value in that world. One of the things we did to prepare for the strategy session was the “mega issues” survey that has been distributed to between 75 and 100 Quest members -- selected at random from our global member list -- each month for the past three months and will continue for the next several months. In addition, the same survey data has been collected from leaders of the user groups affiliated with Quest and from Quest Australia and New Zealand Chapter leaders.

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DeLaine Bender Executive Director, Quest International Users Group

The format of the survey is open text, not a pick list of options, because we didn’t want to limit answers to pre-selected categories. As a result, we have some fresh insights into the challenges that Quest members are dealing with and some intriguing ideas on how Quest could provide assistance for those challenges.

The survey is a short one – the questions are
1. What are the 2-3 biggest business issues you expect to face this year?
2. Is there one service or program that Quest could offer that you would use no matter what?
3. What business need or issue are you not getting enough help on from any source?
4. What else does the Quest board need to know?

The responses have been enlightening for the Quest Board of Directors. For question 1, the answers varied greatly. Some respondents identified specific product problems; others were focused on broader topics such as the U.S. economy. The most frequently identified emerging business issues included: upgrades and implementation, integration, funding/costs and time challenges, international and emerging markets, and dealing with mergers/acquisitions and expansion.

For question 2, we received some suggested services and program ideas as well as some suggestions on ways Quest’s current programs could be enhanced. Specific suggestions could be lumped into the following categories: product “how to” training, conferences, networking tools, training on upgrading and migration, and support for user groups and special interest groups.

For question 3, the vast majority of the responses centered on helping members know more about Oracle product functionality and enhancing training and educational opportunities.

In the coming months, we’ll be communicating some of the enhancements we are making and how your feedback had a role in those enhancements.