The communities that form around software companies and their products, made up of both individuals and other firms, come into being naturally over time. But just because such a corporate ecosystem exists does not mean that its potential is known or is in any way being realized.
The knowledge of the connections between a software company on one hand and the people involved with it — Employees, alumni, customers, former/inactive customers, fans, influencers, affiliates, power-users/mavens, advocates, detractors, allies — is typically spread all across the corporation. The Sales team knows some of them, as does Support, Customer Success, Marketing, Training, etc., but such dispersed knowledge has limited utility. While it may help tactically, it’s not strategic.
The purpose of a Corporate Ecosystem Review is to bring together all of the pieces of the puzzle; to identify them, evaluate them, understand how they might be connected, and above all, how they might be welded into a force for increased profitability. It begins with the creation of an Ecosystem Map, and to explore the potential of the components and of the whole.