Both the marketing tech landscape and the SI/agency space is in need of greater definition. Too many grey areas that compound the confusion for all involved.

Scott, your work has helped the space mature by working towards categorical buckets of technology. It might be interesting to do the same for the services side – currently we have Systems Integrator, Systems Implementer, Custom Developers, Digital Agencies, Brand Agencies, Marketing Agencies, Ad Agencies, Consultancies, etc… How does one differentiate these providers? Perhaps it should be based on core competencies they have in particular technologies in combination with the services they provide around them. (Most of the SI’s now refer to themselves as digital agencies or some variation of that, but few call themselves a Systems Integrator/Implementer.)

We see many larger companies (and even mid-markets) starting to build an agency/vendor stack for services just like they do with technology. This seems to stem from the robust CMS platforms that require highly specialized experience and knowledge (whereas many of the point solutions are managed by the provider, not the services vendor/agency). We typically see that a digital shop specializes in a handful of major platforms and then becomes expert at integrating them (but they’re not necessarily experts at what it’s integrating with). I would love to see further maturity on these industry areas.