IBM Stakes Leadership Position in e-business for Growing Enterprises
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White Plains, NY (September 28, 1998) – IBM is extending its leadership position in e-business into the small and growing business arena by providing a comprehensive range of e-business solutions and programs that will help growing businesses compete with larger enterprises.
With today’s announcement, IBM is introducing broad new initiatives and strengthening its existing portfolio in the areas of e-business packaged services and supply chain management. A key highlight includes online activation of ServicePac®, IBM’s packaged technical support for small and growing businesses. In the supply chain area, IBM is announcing new joint marketing activities and customer education and outreach programs targeted to help companies integrate their supply chain, which connects them with their suppliers, distributors, and customers. Enhanced supply chain management enables companies to increase speed to market, improve product availability, and reduce inventory.
“Today we are adding new initiatives and extending some elements of IBM’s recently announced Supply Chain Management Initiative for Growing Businesses,” notes Peter Rowley, general manager, IBM Global Small and Medium Business. “IBM’s hardware, software and services capabilities, combined with the applications provided by our relationships with independent software vendors, and our new customer education and outreach programs, now gives IBM the ability to meet all of our customers’ supply chain management needs,” added Rowley.
New Joint Marketing Announcements
IBM and its Business Partners together have a unique ability to help customers in the wholesale, retail and manufacturing industries identify and integrate leading-edge global solutions across the supply chain. These solutions span a complete range from network-delivered applications to customized IBM servers available with preloaded, preconfigured software. New marketing activities announced today include the following:
Application Partners, Inc. — Joint marketing of API’s group of Lotus® Domino®-based supply chain applications called Pulseware on IBM platforms including Netfinity®, AS/400®, and RS/6000®.
Baan — IBM plans to add a server performance warranty for the IBM RS/6000 Baan Solution Offering, which supports pre-tested Baan software on a wide range of RS/6000 configurations.
i2 — Release of i2’s 64-bit version of RHYTHM Supply Chain Planner (SCP) software on IBM’s RS/6000 Model S70, enabling multi-site manufacturers and distributors to more rapidly optimize their internal and external supply chains.
JDA — Introduction of a customized AS/400 solution for retailers. The solution consists of JDA’s Merchandise Management System on an AS/400 server, optimized for JDA’s merchandise management application and rapid implementation services. The JDA software features merchandising, financial, and warehouse management applications. The customization solution allows enterprises to simultaneously run legacy and client/server applications on one hardware platform, quickly resolve Year 2000 issues, and realize business benefits much quicker than normal.
Lilly — An IBM/Lilly Software Associates global seminar series to educate CEOs of small and midrange manufacturers about new management tools focused on leveraging their supply chains for increased efficiency and profitability.
QAD — IBM and QAD will expand the scope of their ERP solutions featuring QAD’s MFG/PRO running on IBM RS/6000 and Netfinity servers. The solutions are designed for select industries including automotive, consumer products, electronics, food and beverage, industrial, and medical, and utilize rapid implementation for accelerated return on investment.
STS — Joint marketing of STS retail enterprise management solutions available on IBM’s RS/6000 platform, including such applications as inventory control, logistics and warehouse management, and decision support. IBM and STS also will jointly market an STS integrated in-store, point-of-sale application on IBM’s 4694 POS platform.
Syncra Software — Joint marketing of Syncra Ct software on IBM Netfinity servers. Syncra Ct software helps retailers and their suppliers synchronize planning processes while reducing inventory costs and raising customer service levels.
Tomax Technologies, Inc. — Joint marketing of Tomax Technologies’ LifeCycle TM software on IBM Netfinity servers. LifeCycle is an IBM Netfinity ServerProven solution that delivers workflow and business process automation.
Several solution developers key to IBM’s initiatives have completed the testing of their software on IBM’s Intel-based Netfinity servers which minimizes the integration risk for customers implementing supply chain solutions. These Netfinity “ServerProven” solutions are now being offered by (but not limited to): QAD, Symix, EMS, Lilly, J.D. Edwards, DataWorks, Fourth Shift, JDA, Synchronics, Infocorp, Computer Solutions Ltd., Retail Technologies International, Datafit, Inc., CFT Consulting, Inc., BHR Software, Micro-MRP, and Intuitive Manufacturing, Inc.
In addition IBM also announced today a wide range of independent software vendors that are integrating IBM software — including DB2 Universal Database®, Lotus Domino, MQ Series® and Net.Commerce® — into their supply chain management solutions. These software companies include Astera Software, BHR Software, BIS Computer Solutions, Commercialware, E-Com Systems, Fisher Technology Group, IMPAC, NetWARD, and Stirling Douglas Group.
Supply Chain Consulting Practice
To further support its supply chain initiatives, IBM has created a Supply Chain Management Consulting Services practice for growing enterprises. The practice, which will be rolled out initially in the U.S. and expand globally during the coming months, plans to focus on such processes as transportation and logistics, demand forecasting and planning, customer fulfillment, and sales force automation.
Customer Education and Outreach Programs
Supply chain integration is key to enhanced productivity and competitiveness for both large and small enterprises. Many large enterprises have achieved some level of supply chain integration due to their expertise in technology and logistics processes. However, smaller businesses do not have the same resources to devote to technology and process expertise, and therefore face a greater challenge in understanding and implementing supply chain integration. The following IBM customer education and outreach programs are designed to help meet this challenge:
The IBM Supply Chain Executive Conference in Orlando, Florida, from January 17-20, 1999. Highlights of the conference, which will focus on the manufacturing/industrial and distribution industries, includes leading speakers such as author Tom Peters and former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Schmidt, over 80 breakout sessions, and 150 product and services demonstrations.
IBM’s sponsorship of the Independent Retail Conference Track at the National Retail Federation’s January 17th conference in New York City. This track is specifically designed to address industry trends and the technology needs of small and growing retail enterprises.
A Web site and book series tailored to the needs of the wholesale distribution industry. The Web site ( http://www.ibm.com/businesscenter/wholesale) contains Solution Modeler, a program for wholesale distribution industry executives who can answer questions and receive a matched list of solutions appropriate for their budget. The IBM Distribution Business Series is a set of six publications that focus on key industry issues and trends.
A Year 2000 supply chain kit available via the Web or in hard copy to help executives assess the Y2K readiness of their trading partners. The unique Web version is easy to understand and provides checklists and tools to aid small companies in resolving Year 2000 readiness issues with their supply chain business partners.
Availability of the Business Needs Analysis Tool (BNAT) in nine languages including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish. BNAT is a free analysis tool enabling companies to evaluate possible business operations that could benefit from technology improvements.
Updated schedule for a seminar series hosted by IBM and APICS, The Educational Society for Resource Management. Seminars will take place next year in March for Chicago and Toronto; April for London and Frankfurt; July for Tokyo and Singapore; September for Rio De Janeiro and Buenos Aires; and October for San Francisco and Philadelphia. These seminars are targeted to company CEOs and presidents and are focused on improving business performance through supply chain management.
Expansion of IBM’s Supply Chain University program to include seminars held in Latin America in October, 1999 (Universidad Austral in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tecnologico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico; and Universidad de Sao Paulo in Brazil), and in the United Kingdom in June, 1999 (Cranfield University, located near London). These seminars, designed for IT and supply chain management executives, highlight how to maximize the benefits of supply chain management.
e-Business Packaged Services
IBM also introduced a variety of new e-business packaged services designed to provide enterprises and IBM Business Partners with increased flexibility and availability. “IBM’s ServicePac was among the first packaged technical support approaches to services,” said Mark Shearer, general manager, Small and Medium Business Services, IBM Global Services. “IBM is leading again with the introduction of Internet-enabled packaged services, making it so much more convenient for customers.”
IBM’s new packaged services include:
EServicePac — ServicePac is IBM’s packaged technical support for small and growing businesses providing such benefits as on-site repair or exchange. Customers use a “credit card” to register the product for service and call a toll-free number to place a service call. With ServicePac Online Activation (or EServicePac), customers have another method of activation in addition to the toll-free number. Other key benefits include quick, 24×7 activation of services, and a simple procedure of logging onto a secure IBM Internet site which allows global access. The first IBM ServicePac to be offered with the electronic activation feature is the ServicePac for Warranty and Maintenance, which provides various maintenance services such as courier pick-up and delivery.
ServicePac for Netfinity Servers — This ServicePac can be purchased simultaneously with a Netfinity server. It provides on-site, affordable loading of the network operating system (Windows NT, Novell Netware or OS/2), as well as installation, configuration, and training services. This ServicePac is available globally and can be activated online.
ServicePac for PC Clustered Servers — This ServicePac provides affordable, speedy and efficient IBM installation services for customers purchasing two or more IBM Netfinity servers and Microsoft Windows NT clustering software, a typically complex operation. Highlights include installation and configuration services of complex Microsoft clustering software, ensuring that all the components of the server software solution are tuned for optimum performance.
Internet Services Packages — This program was developed to provide businesses with a simple, scaleable, packaged solution for Internet access and presence, simplifying the purchase process and lowering the total price. There are 11 packages divided into three categories: Internet Starter Kits, IBM Content Hosting Kits, and IBM Domino Hosting Kits. The kits provide a range of bundled e-business services for a monthly price. The services include establishing a Web presence on IBM shared or dedicated servers with Internet dial connections, leased lines and secure connectivity, as well as the ability to implement Intranet/Extranet functions.
IBM also is extending by two years its world class maintenance services for select IBM PSC (Printing Systems Company) printers beyond the initial manufacturer’s standard one-year warranty. With IBM extending maintenance services, the customer’s investment is even better protected
Source: IBM