IDC To Expose RFID 'Compliance Cowards' and 'Pilot Prisoners'

You have to love analysts with their turn of phrase, don't you?

In this news, IDC announces a new forum and tells us that at this inaugural event they will identify three groups of RFID user and provider types: two that are bad and one that is good.

They lead off with their current assessment of RFID on the launch pad and their reasons why this is happening...

...this new enthusiasm is a result of a few key shifts in the strategies that companies are adopting to create value through the use of RFID technology. Manufacturers are shifting their focus away from compliance projects and are focusing more toward business scenarios that involve combining RFID with bar-coding, sensors, actuators, and wireless networking, enabling a much more powerful platform with greater potential of return on investment.

But here's the good part: Are You a Compliance Coward? A Pilot Prisoner?

According to Bob Parker, Vice President of Manufacturing Insights [an IDC company], and chairman of the of the conference, "There is a clear segmentation when it comes to RFID adoption. The 'Compliance Cowards' are companies faced with a customer-mandated requirement and make minimum investments to comply, with equally minimum prospects for an acceptable financial return. The 'Pilot Prisoners' explore potential applications in trial projects, but, without an ability to articulate any significant business value, never achieve any significant implementation."

What's the third type?

'Option Optimists'

I'm sure there's merit to these types and the descriptions of each provided. But I'm a Buzzword Barfilator and Tagline Tromp-a-stomp-a-lus and so must go now.