The consulting firm Leonardo Group Americas, LLC (LGA), is expanding its Lean manufacturing consulting and training services into the European Union following a recent agreement with the Zurich-based Leonardo Group AG. LGA is now able to offer its clients lean consulting training and implementation services in nine languages and all the countries of the European Union as well as North and South America.
The consulting firm Leonardo Group Americas, LLC, is expanding its Lean manufacturing consulting and training services into the European Union following a recent agreement with the Zurich-based Leonardo Group AG. Leonardo Group Americas, LLC (LGA) formerly operated under the name TLR Solutions.
Founded in 1999, Colorado-based Leonardo Group Americas, LLC, has worked with clients in the United States, Mexico, Europe and South America. Specializing in implementation projects, training and software for Lean manufacturing, Lean logistics and supply chain management, LGA has carried out successful Lean projects in hundreds of client firms and organizations. The principals of Leonardo Group Americas, LLC, are also the authors of Fundamentals of Flow Manufacturing and Aerospace Flow.
"With this agreement, we can now offer our customers with plants in different countries uniform training and methods for setting up and expanding their international production systems," commented Richard Rahn, a principal with LGA. "We now operate on both sides of the Atlantic, providing client training and services in nine languages." Rahn added that all LGA consultants are industry veterans with advanced business and technical degrees and more than fifteen years' experience in Lean implementations.
Leonardo Group has become the consulting leader in flow manufacturing through its practical training programs, management coaching, knowledge transfer, and successful implementations at client firms in numerous industries, including aerospace, automotive, electronics and healthcare. It also operates Lean Factory© training facilities in Germany and Hungary, with additional Lean Factory© locations currently being built in Hungary, the United States, and Mexico.
Contact:
Barry Neighbors, VP of Sales and Marketing
Leonardo Group Americas, LLC
9053 Arrow Grass Way
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80303
1-303-495-5585
www.leonardogroupamericas.com
Thursday, November 27, 2008
TBD Consulting Announces Learning Services Promotion
Karen Trog has been promoted to Director of Learning Services.
As a key member of the leadership team, Trog will continue her focus on directing all client training development projects for the performance improvement consulting company.
"Karen's background in instructional design, project management, and organizational development has proven to be a great asset to our clients," stated TBD Consulting President Jonena Relth.
"COREformanceTM Learning Assessment Design is the most recent offering that Karen has brought to our clients. This course has received many accolades from its participants and provides sound methodology and concrete techniques for designing and developing high-impact assessments. A recent client stated, 'We really enjoyed the course, and we now have an extremely solid foundation on which to begin using assessments!'"
TBD Consulting's standard course offerings provide customers with an in-depth understanding of performance improvement tools such as process mapping, documentation, instructional design, coaching and facilitation. These courses are patterned after TBD's own consulting methodology which has proven to be very effective in driving measurable business results through expense reduction and quality/productivity improvement.
About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD Consulting creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness - tangible business impact, not just strategies. TBD Consulting, Inc. is a certified woman-owned business, proudly headquartered in the Phoenix area for more than 17 years.
Further information is available at www.tbdconsulting.com.
As a key member of the leadership team, Trog will continue her focus on directing all client training development projects for the performance improvement consulting company.
"Karen's background in instructional design, project management, and organizational development has proven to be a great asset to our clients," stated TBD Consulting President Jonena Relth.
"COREformanceTM Learning Assessment Design is the most recent offering that Karen has brought to our clients. This course has received many accolades from its participants and provides sound methodology and concrete techniques for designing and developing high-impact assessments. A recent client stated, 'We really enjoyed the course, and we now have an extremely solid foundation on which to begin using assessments!'"
TBD Consulting's standard course offerings provide customers with an in-depth understanding of performance improvement tools such as process mapping, documentation, instructional design, coaching and facilitation. These courses are patterned after TBD's own consulting methodology which has proven to be very effective in driving measurable business results through expense reduction and quality/productivity improvement.
About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD Consulting creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness - tangible business impact, not just strategies. TBD Consulting, Inc. is a certified woman-owned business, proudly headquartered in the Phoenix area for more than 17 years.
Further information is available at www.tbdconsulting.com.
Consulting Firm Ernst & Young Answers Key Credit Crunch Questions
The credit crunch is already hitting the bottom line at Canadian businesses. On Friday, Ernst & Young's Managing Partner, Fred Withers, along with partners Gary Miller, Larry Prentice and Bruce Sprague, will discuss how the crisis is affecting companies in Canada at a Financial Executives International (FEI) Canada breakfast in Vancouver.
Ernst & Young's presentation will touch on important questions business
leaders are thinking about now, such as:
- How can I maintain the confidence of markets and customers?
- How can I assure liquidity and financial flexibility?
- What, if any, opportunities does the current situation present?
Audience members will then be encouraged to pose questions of their own.
What: Ernst & Young discusses the credit crunch at FEI Canada's
November National Breakfast Seminar series
When: Friday, November 28, 2008 (7:30-9:30 a.m.)
Where: Hyatt Regency, 655 Burrard Street
Georgia Ballroom
>>
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and
advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 people are united by our shared
values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by
helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their
potential. For more information, please visit ey.com/ca.
Ernst & Young's presentation will touch on important questions business
leaders are thinking about now, such as:
- How can I maintain the confidence of markets and customers?
- How can I assure liquidity and financial flexibility?
- What, if any, opportunities does the current situation present?
Audience members will then be encouraged to pose questions of their own.
What: Ernst & Young discusses the credit crunch at FEI Canada's
November National Breakfast Seminar series
When: Friday, November 28, 2008 (7:30-9:30 a.m.)
Where: Hyatt Regency, 655 Burrard Street
Georgia Ballroom
>>
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and
advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 people are united by our shared
values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by
helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their
potential. For more information, please visit ey.com/ca.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Vana Consulting Launches New HR and Talent Management Consultancy
Vana Consulting Launches New HR and Talent Management Consultancy, leading a fundamental shift to strategy and business process consulting complemented with targeted technology implementation that show considerable value to the business quickly, cost-effectively, and on-demand.
Consulting On-Demand
Vana Consulting On-Demand delivers consulting and advisory services in a subscription based model, consistent with how Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has changed the availability, delivery, and cost model of HR and Talent Management solutions.
Our services offer complete flexibility in providing HR and Talent Management strategy, technology, and advisory services - all from one vendor, without the limitations of large and disruptive capital and project-based expenditures.
On-Demand services include specified consulting hours, on-going email and phone advisory support, ask-the-expert, and membership to the Vana Consulting Community, an exclusive online community where HR, IT and Business Leaders can connect, collaborate, and network with industry peers, and receive advice from leading industry experts.
Strategy and Technology Consulting
Vana Consulting Strategy and Technology Services assist organizations to acquire, develop, and manage talent to meet business and financial strategies and expectations by substantially increasing the productivity, alignment, and engagement of your workforce. Our agile technology services include the full life-cycle strategic roadmap, vendor selection, implementation, and deployment of enabling technologies to support and align to human resource and talent management strategies to create and sustain true business value. Vana Consulting Strategy and Technology services include:
Talent Management - talent management services assist organizations to acquire, develop and manage talent to meet business and financial strategies by substantially increasing the productivity, alignment, and engagement of your workforce. Services include talent acquisition and recruitment, learning and development strategies, performance management and engagement, compensation, career and succession management.
Human Resource Management- human resource management services assist HR organizations in transforming workforce service delivery to take advantage of new and innovate sourcing and delivery opportunities including SaaS, outsourcing, and subscription based models.
Workforce Management - workforce management practice enables organizations to increase employee productivity, reduce compliance risk and administrative costs associated with workforce management processes including time and attendance, absence management, labor scheduling optimization, and travel expense management.
Workforce Planning and Intelligence - workforce planning and intelligence service prepares organizations to meet today's operational workforce challenges and strategically plan for tomorrow's needs by analyzing, identifying and planning the talent, competencies and capabilities of your workforce.
Workforce Collaboration, Communication, and Social Networking - Vana Consulting helps organizations with strategies including corporate workplace social networks, talent profiles, employee collaboration, workforce communication and portal initiatives.
"Especially in these times of economic uncertainty, HR and IT organizations are looking to do more with less -by delivering agile and cost-effective strategies and technologies that show value quickly to the organization. Vana Consulting's On-Demand services approach delivers on that promise, " said David Vanheukelom, President and CEO, Vana Consulting.
About Vana Consulting
Vana Consulting is a global management consulting firm focused on creating a high-performance and engaged workforce by delivering on-demand human resource and talent management strategies, technology, and advisory services. The company enables organizations in defining, creating, and implementing innovative, agile, and fit-for-purpose human resource and talent strategies, supported by the implementation and deployment of enabling technologies to deliver substantial and sustainable competitive advantage from their workforce.
Founded in 2008 by senior HR and Technology executives, services include on-demand subscription based consulting services, HR and Talent Management strategy and technology consulting, and the Vana Consulting Community, an exclusive online community where HR, IT and Business Leaders can connect and collaborate with industry peers, network, and receive advice from leading industry experts.
For more information, visit: http://www.vanaconsulting.com.
Consulting On-Demand
Vana Consulting On-Demand delivers consulting and advisory services in a subscription based model, consistent with how Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has changed the availability, delivery, and cost model of HR and Talent Management solutions.
Our services offer complete flexibility in providing HR and Talent Management strategy, technology, and advisory services - all from one vendor, without the limitations of large and disruptive capital and project-based expenditures.
On-Demand services include specified consulting hours, on-going email and phone advisory support, ask-the-expert, and membership to the Vana Consulting Community, an exclusive online community where HR, IT and Business Leaders can connect, collaborate, and network with industry peers, and receive advice from leading industry experts.
Strategy and Technology Consulting
Vana Consulting Strategy and Technology Services assist organizations to acquire, develop, and manage talent to meet business and financial strategies and expectations by substantially increasing the productivity, alignment, and engagement of your workforce. Our agile technology services include the full life-cycle strategic roadmap, vendor selection, implementation, and deployment of enabling technologies to support and align to human resource and talent management strategies to create and sustain true business value. Vana Consulting Strategy and Technology services include:
Talent Management - talent management services assist organizations to acquire, develop and manage talent to meet business and financial strategies by substantially increasing the productivity, alignment, and engagement of your workforce. Services include talent acquisition and recruitment, learning and development strategies, performance management and engagement, compensation, career and succession management.
Human Resource Management- human resource management services assist HR organizations in transforming workforce service delivery to take advantage of new and innovate sourcing and delivery opportunities including SaaS, outsourcing, and subscription based models.
Workforce Management - workforce management practice enables organizations to increase employee productivity, reduce compliance risk and administrative costs associated with workforce management processes including time and attendance, absence management, labor scheduling optimization, and travel expense management.
Workforce Planning and Intelligence - workforce planning and intelligence service prepares organizations to meet today's operational workforce challenges and strategically plan for tomorrow's needs by analyzing, identifying and planning the talent, competencies and capabilities of your workforce.
Workforce Collaboration, Communication, and Social Networking - Vana Consulting helps organizations with strategies including corporate workplace social networks, talent profiles, employee collaboration, workforce communication and portal initiatives.
"Especially in these times of economic uncertainty, HR and IT organizations are looking to do more with less -by delivering agile and cost-effective strategies and technologies that show value quickly to the organization. Vana Consulting's On-Demand services approach delivers on that promise, " said David Vanheukelom, President and CEO, Vana Consulting.
About Vana Consulting
Vana Consulting is a global management consulting firm focused on creating a high-performance and engaged workforce by delivering on-demand human resource and talent management strategies, technology, and advisory services. The company enables organizations in defining, creating, and implementing innovative, agile, and fit-for-purpose human resource and talent strategies, supported by the implementation and deployment of enabling technologies to deliver substantial and sustainable competitive advantage from their workforce.
Founded in 2008 by senior HR and Technology executives, services include on-demand subscription based consulting services, HR and Talent Management strategy and technology consulting, and the Vana Consulting Community, an exclusive online community where HR, IT and Business Leaders can connect and collaborate with industry peers, network, and receive advice from leading industry experts.
For more information, visit: http://www.vanaconsulting.com.
Leading IT Consulting Firm Opens New Corporate Headquarters in New York City
VIRTERA, a leading virtualization professional services and consulting firm specializing in maximizing virtualization ROI, announced today the grand opening of its new corporate headquarters in New York City.
This expansion follows a dynamic twelve-month period which included the addition of many large enterprise customers across the financial services, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries; prestigious partner-of-the-year awards from several leading virtualization vendors for technical competence in architecting complex virtualization platforms; the introduction of a comprehensive suite of virtualization-specific professional and consulting services, and a year-over-year revenue growth rate of approximately 600%.
"Our new facility allows us to accommodate our rapid customer and employee growth while enabling us to more effectively deliver multi-vendor, enterprise level service engagements to the growing number of organizations adopting virtualized IT environments," said Howard Pavony, CEO of VIRTERA. "We're pleased that our proven vSpectrum methodology continues to be embraced by leading organizations and we're confident that our unique business solution offerings and vendor agnostic approach to virtualization technologies will continue to position us for strong future growth."
VIRTERA's strong customer growth and recent accolades have been driven by the rapid adoption of its industry leading vSpectrum consulting methodology. vSpectrum is based on a set of repeatable processes designed to help enterprise customers quickly adopt and realize the benefits of virtualization while mitigating the risk of introducing such a disruptive technology into their environment.
VIRTERA's professional and consulting services are designed to solve many of today's most complex business and IT challenges, including:
-- Desktop Optimization
-- Accelerated Application Deployment
-- Data Center Optimization
-- Green IT & Consolidation
-- Remote Office Optimization
-- Security & Compliance
-- Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
Steve Baxter, IT director for CooperVision, one of the world's largest contact lens manufacturers, relied on VIRTERA for their year-long data optimization project in 2007.
"With VIRTERA operating as a trusted third-party consulting partner, our virtualization deployments went smoothly and we were able to quickly recognize a solid return on our IT investment. Our expected cost savings should exceed $1M over the next three years, including $250,000 in maintenance and Total Cost-of-Ownership (TCO)."
VIRTERA has built a highly accomplished management and technology team comprised of virtualization industry leaders and employs the largest contingent of virtualization certified professionals on the East Coast. The company continues to expand geographically while increasing its technical depth and expertise and is certified in all leading virtualization technologies including VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix.
Additionally, VIRTERA's expertise in understanding the interdependencies between the various IT infrastructure elements (servers, desktops, storage and networks) allows them to architect highly adaptive and responsive end-to-end virtualized environments for their valued customers.
VIRTERA's new facility is conveniently located on the 6th floor of 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY. For more information about how VIRTERA can help your organization to maximize its virtualization ROI, please visit www.virteratech.com.
About VIRTERA
VIRTERA is a vendor-agnostic, independent Information Technology (IT) professional services and consulting firm delivering virtualization technology solutions and services to companies nationwide. VIRTERA's proven vSpectrum consulting methodology uniquely assists customers in the successful and rapid adoption of virtualization technologies while delivering an optimum return on organizations' IT investments.
VIRTERA's team of certified solution architects and business consultants help clients' develop, deploy and manage Virtual Infrastructure (VI) solutions designed to solve today's most challenging IT issues while its industry-unique Strategy group tests and analyzes virtualization trends across the entire virtual ecosystem. VIRTERA was founded in 2007 and maintains its corporate headquarters in New York, NY. For more information, visit www.virteratech.com.
This expansion follows a dynamic twelve-month period which included the addition of many large enterprise customers across the financial services, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries; prestigious partner-of-the-year awards from several leading virtualization vendors for technical competence in architecting complex virtualization platforms; the introduction of a comprehensive suite of virtualization-specific professional and consulting services, and a year-over-year revenue growth rate of approximately 600%.
"Our new facility allows us to accommodate our rapid customer and employee growth while enabling us to more effectively deliver multi-vendor, enterprise level service engagements to the growing number of organizations adopting virtualized IT environments," said Howard Pavony, CEO of VIRTERA. "We're pleased that our proven vSpectrum methodology continues to be embraced by leading organizations and we're confident that our unique business solution offerings and vendor agnostic approach to virtualization technologies will continue to position us for strong future growth."
VIRTERA's strong customer growth and recent accolades have been driven by the rapid adoption of its industry leading vSpectrum consulting methodology. vSpectrum is based on a set of repeatable processes designed to help enterprise customers quickly adopt and realize the benefits of virtualization while mitigating the risk of introducing such a disruptive technology into their environment.
VIRTERA's professional and consulting services are designed to solve many of today's most complex business and IT challenges, including:
-- Desktop Optimization
-- Accelerated Application Deployment
-- Data Center Optimization
-- Green IT & Consolidation
-- Remote Office Optimization
-- Security & Compliance
-- Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
Steve Baxter, IT director for CooperVision, one of the world's largest contact lens manufacturers, relied on VIRTERA for their year-long data optimization project in 2007.
"With VIRTERA operating as a trusted third-party consulting partner, our virtualization deployments went smoothly and we were able to quickly recognize a solid return on our IT investment. Our expected cost savings should exceed $1M over the next three years, including $250,000 in maintenance and Total Cost-of-Ownership (TCO)."
VIRTERA has built a highly accomplished management and technology team comprised of virtualization industry leaders and employs the largest contingent of virtualization certified professionals on the East Coast. The company continues to expand geographically while increasing its technical depth and expertise and is certified in all leading virtualization technologies including VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix.
Additionally, VIRTERA's expertise in understanding the interdependencies between the various IT infrastructure elements (servers, desktops, storage and networks) allows them to architect highly adaptive and responsive end-to-end virtualized environments for their valued customers.
VIRTERA's new facility is conveniently located on the 6th floor of 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY. For more information about how VIRTERA can help your organization to maximize its virtualization ROI, please visit www.virteratech.com.
About VIRTERA
VIRTERA is a vendor-agnostic, independent Information Technology (IT) professional services and consulting firm delivering virtualization technology solutions and services to companies nationwide. VIRTERA's proven vSpectrum consulting methodology uniquely assists customers in the successful and rapid adoption of virtualization technologies while delivering an optimum return on organizations' IT investments.
VIRTERA's team of certified solution architects and business consultants help clients' develop, deploy and manage Virtual Infrastructure (VI) solutions designed to solve today's most challenging IT issues while its industry-unique Strategy group tests and analyzes virtualization trends across the entire virtual ecosystem. VIRTERA was founded in 2007 and maintains its corporate headquarters in New York, NY. For more information, visit www.virteratech.com.
Reader's Digest Selects Revel Consulting to Implement SaaS Solution
Revel Consulting, a Kirkland, Washington based business and IT consulting firm, announced they have been selected by Reader's Digest to integrate a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution with the company's current customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. Reader's Digest selected Revel based on the firm's past successes in SaaS implementation as well as Revel's unique "pure consulting" approach to business.
"The combination of Revel's industry expertise in SaaS and direct access to their senior consultants made the difference," said Kelly Kolb, Director of Business Intelligence for Allrecipes.com (Food & Entertainment group of Reader's Digest). "We needed a team with experience integrating different tech platforms into salesforce.com in a way that meets our business needs."
According to the agreement, Revel will define and then implement an enterprise-wide solution to streamline the sales and marketing data of Reader's Digest's Food & Entertainment group (allrecipes.com, Every Day with Rachel Ray and Taste of Home).
Utilizing the infrastructure of the industry-standard CRM tool salesforce.com [NYSE:CRM], Revel will focus on designing a hosted CRM solution which will allow Reader's Digest to easily access targeted information in order to make critical business decisions such as how to maintain existing and obtain new customers.
"The challenge will be to harness data collected from a number of different sources (web, direct mail, email marketing, etc.) on four different technology platforms and aggregate it into a single salesforce.com view," said Joseph Sedmak, Revel's Founder and President. "When complete, marketing managers for Reader's Digest will have a single, integrated view into the results of various campaigns, customers and prospects."
Revel has developed a specialty in helping companies implement SaaS solutions. The company, named by Inc. Magazine in 2008 as the 5th fastest growing services company and the 48th fastest growing company in the U.S., is poised to continue its meteoric growth.
SaaS, software deployment in which applications are hosted off-premise, is a rapidly expanding industry. According to a recent Gartner Press Release, global revenues for SaaS will exceed $6.4 billion in 2008, a 27 percent increase over 2007 revenues of $5.1 billion. As more and more companies prepare for this eventuality, they are turning to Revel, which has a specialty focus in SaaS, having completed complex integration and management projects for Fortune 500 technology companies.
"Our engagement with Reader's Digest is a perfect fit, given our success in moving 'brick and mortar' and traditional software companies to the Cloud," added Sedmak. "We're honored that they have chosen us to help them with this important, business-critical project."
About Revel Consulting
Revel Consulting is a leading business and IT consulting firm founded on the belief that client success is achieved through Pure Consulting - reduced barriers between great minds and great opportunities. Revel's consultants are given the tools, authority, responsibility, and ownership to solve complex challenges with smart, efficient and proven processes. Based in Kirkland, Washington, Revel was founded (originally as CRM Consultants, Inc.) by Joseph Sedmak, who soon added industry veterans Vikas Kamran and Brett Alston as co-founders.
This innovative trio saw the market opportunity created by the fracturing of the large consulting firms and the need for nimble, mid-sized firms able to meet the needs of clients. In 2008, Revel was named the fastest growing private company in Washington State and the 48th fastest nationally on Inc. magazine's Top 5000 list. For additional information on Revel and to view case studies, visit: RevelConsulting.com.
"The combination of Revel's industry expertise in SaaS and direct access to their senior consultants made the difference," said Kelly Kolb, Director of Business Intelligence for Allrecipes.com (Food & Entertainment group of Reader's Digest). "We needed a team with experience integrating different tech platforms into salesforce.com in a way that meets our business needs."
According to the agreement, Revel will define and then implement an enterprise-wide solution to streamline the sales and marketing data of Reader's Digest's Food & Entertainment group (allrecipes.com, Every Day with Rachel Ray and Taste of Home).
Utilizing the infrastructure of the industry-standard CRM tool salesforce.com [NYSE:CRM], Revel will focus on designing a hosted CRM solution which will allow Reader's Digest to easily access targeted information in order to make critical business decisions such as how to maintain existing and obtain new customers.
"The challenge will be to harness data collected from a number of different sources (web, direct mail, email marketing, etc.) on four different technology platforms and aggregate it into a single salesforce.com view," said Joseph Sedmak, Revel's Founder and President. "When complete, marketing managers for Reader's Digest will have a single, integrated view into the results of various campaigns, customers and prospects."
Revel has developed a specialty in helping companies implement SaaS solutions. The company, named by Inc. Magazine in 2008 as the 5th fastest growing services company and the 48th fastest growing company in the U.S., is poised to continue its meteoric growth.
SaaS, software deployment in which applications are hosted off-premise, is a rapidly expanding industry. According to a recent Gartner Press Release, global revenues for SaaS will exceed $6.4 billion in 2008, a 27 percent increase over 2007 revenues of $5.1 billion. As more and more companies prepare for this eventuality, they are turning to Revel, which has a specialty focus in SaaS, having completed complex integration and management projects for Fortune 500 technology companies.
"Our engagement with Reader's Digest is a perfect fit, given our success in moving 'brick and mortar' and traditional software companies to the Cloud," added Sedmak. "We're honored that they have chosen us to help them with this important, business-critical project."
About Revel Consulting
Revel Consulting is a leading business and IT consulting firm founded on the belief that client success is achieved through Pure Consulting - reduced barriers between great minds and great opportunities. Revel's consultants are given the tools, authority, responsibility, and ownership to solve complex challenges with smart, efficient and proven processes. Based in Kirkland, Washington, Revel was founded (originally as CRM Consultants, Inc.) by Joseph Sedmak, who soon added industry veterans Vikas Kamran and Brett Alston as co-founders.
This innovative trio saw the market opportunity created by the fracturing of the large consulting firms and the need for nimble, mid-sized firms able to meet the needs of clients. In 2008, Revel was named the fastest growing private company in Washington State and the 48th fastest nationally on Inc. magazine's Top 5000 list. For additional information on Revel and to view case studies, visit: RevelConsulting.com.
Accenture to Provide Xcel Energy with Application Outsourcing Services
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) will provide Xcel Energy with application management services under a multi-year application outsourcing agreement. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Under the agreement, Accenture will provide application maintenance and software development for Xcel Energy’s customer care, meter systems and human resources/payroll applications. Xcel Energy will leverage Accenture’s deep experience in the utilities sector and in application outsourcing services to increase its operational performance and enhance its customer service.
“We continually evaluate our sourcing strategies to improve the execution of our technology strategy and increase the service and support levels for our internal and external customers,” said Michael Lamb, Xcel Energy’s managing director of IT strategy and operations. “Our collaboration with Accenture is aligned with our strategy of leveraging the best skills and expertise to ensure we have the most efficient and effective IT organization possible. Over the past couple of years, we have worked with Accenture on several innovative projects and believe they will bring new synergies to our operations.”
Xcel Energy’s application management -- previously outsourced to a third-party service provider -- will be transitioned to Accenture over the next four months.
Michael Donohue, a senior executive in Accenture’s Utilities industry group, said, “As an innovative company, Xcel Energy understands the best practices, tools and technology that are required to achieve its strategic vision. We are pleased to bring our deep experience in the utilities sector and assets in application services to help Xcel Energy improve its operational performance, increase its level of customer service and be a leader in its industry.”
Accenture is also helping Xcel Energy augment its electric grid through the development and implementation of SmartGridCity™ in Boulder, Colo. Boulder will become a proving ground for the smart grid, a power system that combines traditional and new technology to manage the flow of energy more effectively than previously possible. SmartGridCity™ is designed to provide more-reliable energy while enabling residents and businesses to optimize the use of renewable energy sources, increase energy conservation options, manage their energy bills more effectively and minimize their collective environmental footprint.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people serving clients in over 120 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
Under the agreement, Accenture will provide application maintenance and software development for Xcel Energy’s customer care, meter systems and human resources/payroll applications. Xcel Energy will leverage Accenture’s deep experience in the utilities sector and in application outsourcing services to increase its operational performance and enhance its customer service.
“We continually evaluate our sourcing strategies to improve the execution of our technology strategy and increase the service and support levels for our internal and external customers,” said Michael Lamb, Xcel Energy’s managing director of IT strategy and operations. “Our collaboration with Accenture is aligned with our strategy of leveraging the best skills and expertise to ensure we have the most efficient and effective IT organization possible. Over the past couple of years, we have worked with Accenture on several innovative projects and believe they will bring new synergies to our operations.”
Xcel Energy’s application management -- previously outsourced to a third-party service provider -- will be transitioned to Accenture over the next four months.
Michael Donohue, a senior executive in Accenture’s Utilities industry group, said, “As an innovative company, Xcel Energy understands the best practices, tools and technology that are required to achieve its strategic vision. We are pleased to bring our deep experience in the utilities sector and assets in application services to help Xcel Energy improve its operational performance, increase its level of customer service and be a leader in its industry.”
Accenture is also helping Xcel Energy augment its electric grid through the development and implementation of SmartGridCity™ in Boulder, Colo. Boulder will become a proving ground for the smart grid, a power system that combines traditional and new technology to manage the flow of energy more effectively than previously possible. SmartGridCity™ is designed to provide more-reliable energy while enabling residents and businesses to optimize the use of renewable energy sources, increase energy conservation options, manage their energy bills more effectively and minimize their collective environmental footprint.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people serving clients in over 120 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
GlobalPro Consulting to Organize Global Islamic Wealth Management Conference 2009
Building on the success of 2008 inaugural conference, Global Islamic Wealth Management Conference 2009 to be held on 12-13 January 2009 at Grand Millennium Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will convene more than 100 senior executive delegates representing the financial institutions, private corporations, government departments, legal firms, universities and other institutions.
The 2-day conference will explore the key principles and avenues of Islamic wealth creation, accumulation, protection and distribution and purification in the Wealth Management Cycle. This conference will enable major players, investors and individuals to learn and understand more about the topics from prominent speakers with different wide spectrum of expertise. This workshop will definitely give benefit and enhance understanding to the delegates of the distinct features of Islamic wealth management.
Topics to be discussed include financial planning & investment: prospect & challenges, Islamic asset management, Islamic venture capital, retirement planning: managing wealth for golden years, wealth protection through takaful (Islamic insurance), tax planning for individuals and corporations, risk management for Islamic financial planning & services, Islamic estate management (faraid, wills, hibah), muslim business will : guide for muslim entrepreneurs, professional ethics in Islamic financial planning and zakat: wealth redistribution & purification.
To view the details of the event, you may visit the organiser’s web site:
www.globalpro.com.my
The 2-day conference will explore the key principles and avenues of Islamic wealth creation, accumulation, protection and distribution and purification in the Wealth Management Cycle. This conference will enable major players, investors and individuals to learn and understand more about the topics from prominent speakers with different wide spectrum of expertise. This workshop will definitely give benefit and enhance understanding to the delegates of the distinct features of Islamic wealth management.
Topics to be discussed include financial planning & investment: prospect & challenges, Islamic asset management, Islamic venture capital, retirement planning: managing wealth for golden years, wealth protection through takaful (Islamic insurance), tax planning for individuals and corporations, risk management for Islamic financial planning & services, Islamic estate management (faraid, wills, hibah), muslim business will : guide for muslim entrepreneurs, professional ethics in Islamic financial planning and zakat: wealth redistribution & purification.
To view the details of the event, you may visit the organiser’s web site:
www.globalpro.com.my
Deloitte Launches China Dealership Benchmarks
Deloitte's Motor Industry Services (DMIS) group in Hong Kong has launched the industry's first China luxury and non-luxury operational performance benchmarks.
Mr Vincent Liew, CEO of the Asian operation of DMIS, said that although China's car imports increased by 53% in the first half of 2008, actual passenger car sales growth slowed to 6% in August and about 2% in September. This is the weakest level in two years, according to a survey conducted by China Economic Review Publishing.
"The 2008 growth forecast for the mainland auto market is 10%, down from the 2007 growth rate of 15%. Factors such as the recent increase in sales tax on large vehicles, the economic slow-down and increased brand competition mean dealers need to manage their dealerships effectively for long-term success. Deloitte's Motor Industry Services group is advising various dealerships on how to increase their operational performance by effectively managing the factors within their control," Mr Liew said.
For the recently published benchmark results, please visit:
Luxury Segment:
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Deloitte/20081120/Luxury_Segment.htm
Non-luxury Segment:
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Deloitte/20081120/Non_Luxury_segment.htm
"These figures represent 'best practice' as identified in the industry for a mature market and for dealerships across China. They represent the top 30% of dealerships, which are then crossed referenced with our experience and knowledge of the Chinese market," added Mr Liew.
"For example, our studies show that the top 30% luxury car dealerships in China can achieve 6% to 7% gross profit (GP) on new vehicle sales compared with 8% to 10% GP in a mature market. Similarly, the top 30% non-luxury car dealerships in China are able to achieve 3% to 6% new car GP while their counterparts in mature markets have managed to achieve 8% to 10% GP on new car sales," said Mr Liew.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/au/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its member firms.
Mr Vincent Liew, CEO of the Asian operation of DMIS, said that although China's car imports increased by 53% in the first half of 2008, actual passenger car sales growth slowed to 6% in August and about 2% in September. This is the weakest level in two years, according to a survey conducted by China Economic Review Publishing.
"The 2008 growth forecast for the mainland auto market is 10%, down from the 2007 growth rate of 15%. Factors such as the recent increase in sales tax on large vehicles, the economic slow-down and increased brand competition mean dealers need to manage their dealerships effectively for long-term success. Deloitte's Motor Industry Services group is advising various dealerships on how to increase their operational performance by effectively managing the factors within their control," Mr Liew said.
For the recently published benchmark results, please visit:
Luxury Segment:
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Deloitte/20081120/Luxury_Segment.htm
Non-luxury Segment:
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Deloitte/20081120/Non_Luxury_segment.htm
"These figures represent 'best practice' as identified in the industry for a mature market and for dealerships across China. They represent the top 30% of dealerships, which are then crossed referenced with our experience and knowledge of the Chinese market," added Mr Liew.
"For example, our studies show that the top 30% luxury car dealerships in China can achieve 6% to 7% gross profit (GP) on new vehicle sales compared with 8% to 10% GP in a mature market. Similarly, the top 30% non-luxury car dealerships in China are able to achieve 3% to 6% new car GP while their counterparts in mature markets have managed to achieve 8% to 10% GP on new car sales," said Mr Liew.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/au/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its member firms.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
CCID Consulting: China's STB Market to Maintain Steady Growth
CCID Consulting, China's leading research, consulting and IT outsourcing service provider, and the first Chinese consulting firm listed in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Stock Exchange: HK08235), recently released a report on the prospect of China's STB market.
In 2008, the strong performance of China's digital TV industry, especially cable digital TV, also drove the development of China's digital TV STB market. CCID Consulting statistics show that sales volume in 2008 Q1 to Q3 reached 16.667 millions, up 83.4% over the same period in 2007.
Explosion of China's STB market lies in following factors. Firstly, National Broadcasting and TV Bureau have accumulated considerable successful experiences after several years of cable TV operation, which speeds up the migration to digital TV. Secondly, China's has a huge STB manufacturing base. There are more than 200 STB manufacturers in China, among which production capacities of Jiuzhou, Changhong, Coship, and other STB companies reach millions. China's STB market is getting more competitive and price of STB are decreasing. STB purchasing pressure of cable TV operators is reduced. Thirdly, with more digital TV related enterprises involve in digital TV conversion and achieve business mode innovation, the migration from analog TV to digital TV has been accelerated.
In 2008, most cities enhanced their migration process to digital TV before the Olympic Games to ensure more users could watch Olympic Games with digital TV. The CCBN Exhibition in March brought a large stack of orders to STB companies. The sales revenue of the STB market reached 5.87 billions in the first three quarters of 2008, up 53.1% over the same period in 2007. The increasing sales volume of high definition, bi-direction, and other high-end STB products slowed the downslide trend in price of STB products, which in turn drove up the sales revenue.
In 2008, competition within the STB market heated up, with the competition mode switching from product, technology, and service to industrial cooperation. STB manufacturers are also having more business cooperations with digital TV operators. STB manufacturers and digital TV operators undertake risk and share profits commonly.
Jiuzhou assumed a leading position in STB market in 2008, performing strong in both domestic and abroad market. Changhong ranked 2nd with a market share of 12.5%. The sales volume of Digital Video Networks also increased with a market share of 11.3% and 9.7%, respectively. Brands outside of the top 10 brands achieved good performance as well. Compared with 2007, market concentration ratio of top 10 brands decreased because production scale of mainstream companies cannot meet with the demand of the new market.
In 2008, digital terrestrial television systems were set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjian, and other cities, with trials in Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Shenyang, Guangzhou, and other cities. STBs of DTT were yet to available for television viewers. Toshiba and other brands release terrestrial television integrative sets in Beijing, while Qingdao and other Olympic cities integrated STB functions into TV sets. Emerging integrative TV sets is expected to impact STB sales. STB of satellite digital TV has few improvements due to policies and absence of operators. With China Telecom strengthening the development of IPTV, an order of 574 thousands STB sets are in place.
In 2008, North China, East China, and South China are main regions in China's STB market according to the development plan of the National Broadcasting and TV Bureau based on economy development and population. In 2008 Q1-Q3, digital TV subscribers in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Zhejiang, and other provinces increased rapidly, which resulted in the largest STB sales volume in South China and East China.
CCID Consulting forecasts that continuous development of cable digital TV will bring more market opportunities.
In 2008, the National Broadcasting and TV Bureau's original plan was to finish terrestrial digital TV network construction in 37 cities and begin providing SDTV and HDTV services, which was expected to bring tens of million potential subscribers. However, there are several problems to be solved. Firstly, the current terrestrial digital TV system only provides one HDTV channel and six SDTV channels, which fails attract enough users. Secondly, integrative sets are too expensive to be accepted by most people, and the price of STB will still stay in high level due to expensive chips. Finally, TV stick and other substitute products will attract part of terrestrial TV users. Several companies release TV stick products, among which are less than 200 Yuan.
Policies and TV operators of satellite digital TV will not be determined in a short time. As a result, users of satellite digital TV are still restricted in 'Communication with Every Village' and other political projects. CCID Consulting forecasts that the sales volume of satellite TV STB is unlikely to achieve rapid growth in the meantime.
Telecom reorganization will slow down the development of IPTV in the short-term. However, China Telecom and China Netcom invested heavily on IPTV in the first half of 2008. Existing policies and actions will drive development of IPTV in long-term.
In a word, CCID Consulting forecasts that the sales volume of China's STB market will reach 22.199 millions, keeping a strong momentum of rapid growth.
About CCID Consulting
CCID Consulting Co., Ltd. (hereinafter known as CCID Consulting), the first Chinese consulting firm listed in the Growth Enterprise Market of the Stock Exchange (GEM) of Hong Kong (stock code: 8235.HK), is directly affiliated with China Center for Information Industry Development (hereinafter known as CCID Group). Headquartered in Beijing, CCID Consulting has so far set up branch offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Chengdu, with over 300 professional consultants after many years of development. The company's business scope has covered over 200 large and medium-sized cities in China.
Based on major areas of competitiveness: industrial resources, information technology and data channels, CCID Consulting provides customers with public policy establishment, industry competitiveness upgrading, development strategy and planning, marketing strategy and research, HR management, IT programming and management. CCID Consulting's customers range from industrial users in electronics, telecommunications, energy, finance, automobile, to government departments at all levels and diversified industrial parks. CCID Consulting commits itself to becoming the No. 1 advisor for enterprise management, the No. 1 consultancy for government decisions and the No. 1 brand for informatization consulting.
In 2008, the strong performance of China's digital TV industry, especially cable digital TV, also drove the development of China's digital TV STB market. CCID Consulting statistics show that sales volume in 2008 Q1 to Q3 reached 16.667 millions, up 83.4% over the same period in 2007.
Explosion of China's STB market lies in following factors. Firstly, National Broadcasting and TV Bureau have accumulated considerable successful experiences after several years of cable TV operation, which speeds up the migration to digital TV. Secondly, China's has a huge STB manufacturing base. There are more than 200 STB manufacturers in China, among which production capacities of Jiuzhou, Changhong, Coship, and other STB companies reach millions. China's STB market is getting more competitive and price of STB are decreasing. STB purchasing pressure of cable TV operators is reduced. Thirdly, with more digital TV related enterprises involve in digital TV conversion and achieve business mode innovation, the migration from analog TV to digital TV has been accelerated.
In 2008, most cities enhanced their migration process to digital TV before the Olympic Games to ensure more users could watch Olympic Games with digital TV. The CCBN Exhibition in March brought a large stack of orders to STB companies. The sales revenue of the STB market reached 5.87 billions in the first three quarters of 2008, up 53.1% over the same period in 2007. The increasing sales volume of high definition, bi-direction, and other high-end STB products slowed the downslide trend in price of STB products, which in turn drove up the sales revenue.
In 2008, competition within the STB market heated up, with the competition mode switching from product, technology, and service to industrial cooperation. STB manufacturers are also having more business cooperations with digital TV operators. STB manufacturers and digital TV operators undertake risk and share profits commonly.
Jiuzhou assumed a leading position in STB market in 2008, performing strong in both domestic and abroad market. Changhong ranked 2nd with a market share of 12.5%. The sales volume of Digital Video Networks also increased with a market share of 11.3% and 9.7%, respectively. Brands outside of the top 10 brands achieved good performance as well. Compared with 2007, market concentration ratio of top 10 brands decreased because production scale of mainstream companies cannot meet with the demand of the new market.
In 2008, digital terrestrial television systems were set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjian, and other cities, with trials in Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Shenyang, Guangzhou, and other cities. STBs of DTT were yet to available for television viewers. Toshiba and other brands release terrestrial television integrative sets in Beijing, while Qingdao and other Olympic cities integrated STB functions into TV sets. Emerging integrative TV sets is expected to impact STB sales. STB of satellite digital TV has few improvements due to policies and absence of operators. With China Telecom strengthening the development of IPTV, an order of 574 thousands STB sets are in place.
In 2008, North China, East China, and South China are main regions in China's STB market according to the development plan of the National Broadcasting and TV Bureau based on economy development and population. In 2008 Q1-Q3, digital TV subscribers in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Zhejiang, and other provinces increased rapidly, which resulted in the largest STB sales volume in South China and East China.
CCID Consulting forecasts that continuous development of cable digital TV will bring more market opportunities.
In 2008, the National Broadcasting and TV Bureau's original plan was to finish terrestrial digital TV network construction in 37 cities and begin providing SDTV and HDTV services, which was expected to bring tens of million potential subscribers. However, there are several problems to be solved. Firstly, the current terrestrial digital TV system only provides one HDTV channel and six SDTV channels, which fails attract enough users. Secondly, integrative sets are too expensive to be accepted by most people, and the price of STB will still stay in high level due to expensive chips. Finally, TV stick and other substitute products will attract part of terrestrial TV users. Several companies release TV stick products, among which are less than 200 Yuan.
Policies and TV operators of satellite digital TV will not be determined in a short time. As a result, users of satellite digital TV are still restricted in 'Communication with Every Village' and other political projects. CCID Consulting forecasts that the sales volume of satellite TV STB is unlikely to achieve rapid growth in the meantime.
Telecom reorganization will slow down the development of IPTV in the short-term. However, China Telecom and China Netcom invested heavily on IPTV in the first half of 2008. Existing policies and actions will drive development of IPTV in long-term.
In a word, CCID Consulting forecasts that the sales volume of China's STB market will reach 22.199 millions, keeping a strong momentum of rapid growth.
About CCID Consulting
CCID Consulting Co., Ltd. (hereinafter known as CCID Consulting), the first Chinese consulting firm listed in the Growth Enterprise Market of the Stock Exchange (GEM) of Hong Kong (stock code: 8235.HK), is directly affiliated with China Center for Information Industry Development (hereinafter known as CCID Group). Headquartered in Beijing, CCID Consulting has so far set up branch offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Chengdu, with over 300 professional consultants after many years of development. The company's business scope has covered over 200 large and medium-sized cities in China.
Based on major areas of competitiveness: industrial resources, information technology and data channels, CCID Consulting provides customers with public policy establishment, industry competitiveness upgrading, development strategy and planning, marketing strategy and research, HR management, IT programming and management. CCID Consulting's customers range from industrial users in electronics, telecommunications, energy, finance, automobile, to government departments at all levels and diversified industrial parks. CCID Consulting commits itself to becoming the No. 1 advisor for enterprise management, the No. 1 consultancy for government decisions and the No. 1 brand for informatization consulting.
Acara, Spa Consulting Group, Announces MedSpa Business Boosting and Turnaround Programs
As the economy becomes more troubled there are many Med Spas seeking expert advice to help boost their business or implement a complete turnaround.
"The Medical Spa Industry is nicely positioned to weather this economic storm. There is tremendous market expansion occurring and MedSpas that are implementing an effective and efficient marketing program combined with solid management continue to succeed.", states Francis X. Acunzo, CEO of Acara.
Acara recently announced its plan to focus its efforts on working with Medical Spas that are seeking to take their business to the next level with the Acara Business Boosting Program and Medical Spas needing to resuscitate their business with an Acara Turnaround Plan.
Acara has had great success with their programs: "Within 45 days sales increased by over 40% taking Wellquest Medical Spa to profitability," remarked Steve Swift, President of Wellquest Medical Spa and Clinic. "Acara was instrumental in helping us shape the foundation of our Medical Spa business. Their expertise in employee relations, sales, and MedSpa financial forecasting, has helped Amari see rapid growth," says S.J. Shah, Medspa Director of Operations at Amari Medical Spa & Weight Loss Experts.
Both the Business Boosting and Turnaround programs include an in-depth analysis of the location's marketing program, sales, operations and financial position. "This due diligence typically leads to 'High Impact Action Items' which are the quick-hit solutions often found during the initial review. The High Impact Action Items, more often than not, include revenue building marketing initiatives, staff reengineering and training plus cost-saving reduction of unnecessary expenses." according to Brenda Palumbo, Acara's Vice-president of Operations and Development,
"We see the greatest success when the Medical Spa's ownership, management and the entire team embrace change and implement the plans identified through the analysis under our direction," states Francis Acunzo.
For companies seeking to tap into Acara's expertise and knowledge without the expense you can go to their blog complimentary Webinars.
About Acara Partners
Acara is the business team for the spa industry offering turnkey solutions to owners, operators, physicians and investors seeking to develop, manage and market their Spa, Medical Spa, Wellness Center, Cosmetic or Aesthetic Practice. Acara is led by industry leader Francis X. Acunzo and his team of expert consultants with over 25 years of spa, med spa and retail healthcare experience. To learn more visit: www.acarapartners.com .
"The Medical Spa Industry is nicely positioned to weather this economic storm. There is tremendous market expansion occurring and MedSpas that are implementing an effective and efficient marketing program combined with solid management continue to succeed.", states Francis X. Acunzo, CEO of Acara.
Acara recently announced its plan to focus its efforts on working with Medical Spas that are seeking to take their business to the next level with the Acara Business Boosting Program and Medical Spas needing to resuscitate their business with an Acara Turnaround Plan.
Acara has had great success with their programs: "Within 45 days sales increased by over 40% taking Wellquest Medical Spa to profitability," remarked Steve Swift, President of Wellquest Medical Spa and Clinic. "Acara was instrumental in helping us shape the foundation of our Medical Spa business. Their expertise in employee relations, sales, and MedSpa financial forecasting, has helped Amari see rapid growth," says S.J. Shah, Medspa Director of Operations at Amari Medical Spa & Weight Loss Experts.
Both the Business Boosting and Turnaround programs include an in-depth analysis of the location's marketing program, sales, operations and financial position. "This due diligence typically leads to 'High Impact Action Items' which are the quick-hit solutions often found during the initial review. The High Impact Action Items, more often than not, include revenue building marketing initiatives, staff reengineering and training plus cost-saving reduction of unnecessary expenses." according to Brenda Palumbo, Acara's Vice-president of Operations and Development,
"We see the greatest success when the Medical Spa's ownership, management and the entire team embrace change and implement the plans identified through the analysis under our direction," states Francis Acunzo.
For companies seeking to tap into Acara's expertise and knowledge without the expense you can go to their blog complimentary Webinars.
About Acara Partners
Acara is the business team for the spa industry offering turnkey solutions to owners, operators, physicians and investors seeking to develop, manage and market their Spa, Medical Spa, Wellness Center, Cosmetic or Aesthetic Practice. Acara is led by industry leader Francis X. Acunzo and his team of expert consultants with over 25 years of spa, med spa and retail healthcare experience. To learn more visit: www.acarapartners.com .
SaaS Consulting Firm Delivers Custom Applications for Hasler on the Force.com Platform from salesforce.com
Bluewolf today announced that Hasler Inc. has deployed two custom applications built on the Force.com Platform. Hasler's top priority is to deliver superior mailing and shipping systems to its network of 150 independent dealers who sell Hasler's postage and handling products to customers nationwide.
Hasler turned to Bluewolf , the largest Software as a Service consulting firm and a leading salesforce.com consulting partner, to provide a solution that would replace the software tools that each dealer was using to track and manage its databases. Leveraging Hasler's current Salesforce CRM application, Bluewolf used the Force.com platform to design two custom applications that help Hasler's dealers manage and close more business.
Hasler and Bluewolf designed consistent sales templates that allow partner sales professionals to track critical postage meter lease information, with a pre-customized Salesforce CRM solution. In addition, custom workflow triggers were built into Salesforce for partners and dealers to automate the process of filling out order paperwork and alerting the sales team when current and competitive customer leases were coming up for renewal.
The solutions from Bluewolf, along with a choice of two training options, have been quickly adopted by Hasler's partners, regardless of size, region or specialty. Hasler forecasts that more than 50 percent of its dealer sales force will go live with the solution within the first year.
"We knew that if we could make our dealer partners more effective and productive, we could profoundly affect our national sell-through and market penetration rates," said Bob Ruby, Senior Director of Sales Strategy for Hasler. "The new custom built solution on Force.com helps our dealers get a better handle on their pipeline of opportunities and forecasts. In addition, it is helping us build the database of competitive users that we will be able to target in the future."
"Different dealers have different markets to serve, different staffs to support, and different levels of resources to invest," said Ruby. "By providing partners with a choice in both the scope of the Salesforce CRM solution and training packages, we made it attractive to everyone-- from our largest partners to the smallest."
One of the first dealers to sign up was Hasler's longtime partner, Addtronics, a retailer that provides a complete line of postage and shipping products, supplies, and services throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, Southeastern Kansas, and Northern Arkansas.
"The majority of my time used to be spent tracking down and recording sales activity and forecasts for my team," said Darrell Gibson, Director of Sales for Addtronics. "Now, with the new Force.com solution for working with Hasler, my time is freed up to help my team directly in the field, managing customers and calling on accounts."
In addition to the productivity enhancements for Addtronics, Hasler now provides them with monthly and quarterly reports on key postage usage and meter data for Addtronics customers. This type of reporting and 360 degree view of a customer was not available to Addtronics before using Salesforce CRM, and provides them with a deeper level of insight into how to market and sell their products and services.
Bluewolf is a leading salesforce.com consulting partner and has developed custom CRM solutions for hundreds of customers. "It was extremely fast and easy to develop these custom applications on Force.com and quickly deploy them to Hasler," said Corinne Sklar, Vice President of Marketing, Bluewolf
"The Force.com platform enables thousands of customers like Hasler to quickly deploy custom applications and run their business in the cloud. Bluewolf's work developing applications on Force.com for Hasler demonstrates their industry expertise and focus on customer success," said Clarence So, Chief Marketing Officer, salesforce.com.
About the Force.com Platform and AppExchange
The Force.com platform reinvents the traditional development, deployment and distribution of any business application. Developers, customers and partners can use Force.com to easily create and deliver a new generation of Software-as-a-Service applications. Force.com allows applications to be easily shared, exchanged and installed with a few simple clicks via the Force.com AppExchange marketplace, enabling all the innovation that Force.com unleashes to be easily distributed to the entire Software-as-a-Service community.
The Force.com AppExchange economy continues to expand, with thousands of customers installing applications via the AppExchange. Customers of all sizes can quickly and easily extend the benefits of Software-as-a-Service business applications throughout their enterprises using the Force.com AppExchange, found at http://www.salesforce.com/appexchange/.
About Bluewolf
Bluewolf is the leading Software-as-a-Service consulting company focusing on deployment, development and adoption of enterprise software applications. With eight years of SaaS experience with more than 1,500 customers, Bluewolf is defining a new style of consulting based on its Agile Consulting model that guarantees success and delivers on the promise of Cloud Computing. Bluewolf clients include Dow Jones, ADP, General Electric and Fox Interactive Media.
Hasler turned to Bluewolf , the largest Software as a Service consulting firm and a leading salesforce.com consulting partner, to provide a solution that would replace the software tools that each dealer was using to track and manage its databases. Leveraging Hasler's current Salesforce CRM application, Bluewolf used the Force.com platform to design two custom applications that help Hasler's dealers manage and close more business.
Hasler and Bluewolf designed consistent sales templates that allow partner sales professionals to track critical postage meter lease information, with a pre-customized Salesforce CRM solution. In addition, custom workflow triggers were built into Salesforce for partners and dealers to automate the process of filling out order paperwork and alerting the sales team when current and competitive customer leases were coming up for renewal.
The solutions from Bluewolf, along with a choice of two training options, have been quickly adopted by Hasler's partners, regardless of size, region or specialty. Hasler forecasts that more than 50 percent of its dealer sales force will go live with the solution within the first year.
"We knew that if we could make our dealer partners more effective and productive, we could profoundly affect our national sell-through and market penetration rates," said Bob Ruby, Senior Director of Sales Strategy for Hasler. "The new custom built solution on Force.com helps our dealers get a better handle on their pipeline of opportunities and forecasts. In addition, it is helping us build the database of competitive users that we will be able to target in the future."
"Different dealers have different markets to serve, different staffs to support, and different levels of resources to invest," said Ruby. "By providing partners with a choice in both the scope of the Salesforce CRM solution and training packages, we made it attractive to everyone-- from our largest partners to the smallest."
One of the first dealers to sign up was Hasler's longtime partner, Addtronics, a retailer that provides a complete line of postage and shipping products, supplies, and services throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, Southeastern Kansas, and Northern Arkansas.
"The majority of my time used to be spent tracking down and recording sales activity and forecasts for my team," said Darrell Gibson, Director of Sales for Addtronics. "Now, with the new Force.com solution for working with Hasler, my time is freed up to help my team directly in the field, managing customers and calling on accounts."
In addition to the productivity enhancements for Addtronics, Hasler now provides them with monthly and quarterly reports on key postage usage and meter data for Addtronics customers. This type of reporting and 360 degree view of a customer was not available to Addtronics before using Salesforce CRM, and provides them with a deeper level of insight into how to market and sell their products and services.
Bluewolf is a leading salesforce.com consulting partner and has developed custom CRM solutions for hundreds of customers. "It was extremely fast and easy to develop these custom applications on Force.com and quickly deploy them to Hasler," said Corinne Sklar, Vice President of Marketing, Bluewolf
"The Force.com platform enables thousands of customers like Hasler to quickly deploy custom applications and run their business in the cloud. Bluewolf's work developing applications on Force.com for Hasler demonstrates their industry expertise and focus on customer success," said Clarence So, Chief Marketing Officer, salesforce.com.
About the Force.com Platform and AppExchange
The Force.com platform reinvents the traditional development, deployment and distribution of any business application. Developers, customers and partners can use Force.com to easily create and deliver a new generation of Software-as-a-Service applications. Force.com allows applications to be easily shared, exchanged and installed with a few simple clicks via the Force.com AppExchange marketplace, enabling all the innovation that Force.com unleashes to be easily distributed to the entire Software-as-a-Service community.
The Force.com AppExchange economy continues to expand, with thousands of customers installing applications via the AppExchange. Customers of all sizes can quickly and easily extend the benefits of Software-as-a-Service business applications throughout their enterprises using the Force.com AppExchange, found at http://www.salesforce.com/appexchange/.
About Bluewolf
Bluewolf is the leading Software-as-a-Service consulting company focusing on deployment, development and adoption of enterprise software applications. With eight years of SaaS experience with more than 1,500 customers, Bluewolf is defining a new style of consulting based on its Agile Consulting model that guarantees success and delivers on the promise of Cloud Computing. Bluewolf clients include Dow Jones, ADP, General Electric and Fox Interactive Media.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Angulo Consulting Signs Deal
Angulo Consulting announced signing a one year contract to display large phylogenetic trees. Angulo Consulting will be developing new software to display large phylogenetic trees which will be displayed on web pages.
David Angulo, president of Angulo Consulting, said that the contract seals a commitment to create applications on web sites that will make it easier for the general public to use and understand the relationships between different species. Their software will also show similarities and differences between evolutionary relationships and other data, such as geographical distributions and predator/prey statuses. Angulo said that the software will have a simple and intuitive interface so that Kindergarten through high school students will find it easy to use, yet will allow researchers to utilize it as well. For example, researchers might want to display DNA mutations parallel to the evolutionary relationships or they might want to modify the phylogenetic trees when new data becomes available.
Angulo Consulting has been involved in this scientific programming field for many years. The organization is the founder of the Illinois Bio-Grid, a voluntary sharing of computational resources over the internet creating a virtual supercomputer. Angulo Consulting also collaborated in the creation of BryoZone.org, a site for the world authoritative taxonomic data for Bryozoans, which are marine coral-like creatures.
Angulo Consulting - meeting your needs in Software Development, Project Management, and System Architecture.
Angulo Consulting, operating since 1985, has a group of extremely talented individuals available for consulting in computer software development, and who are top experts in several areas.
Angulo Consulting specializes in many areas of software development, always guaranteeing • high quality software, • low failure rates, • high customer satisfaction, and • reasonable rates. This guarantee is delivered via Agile development techniques, including (1) Test Driven Development, (2) short cycle times, and (3) high customer involvement.
David Angulo, president of Angulo Consulting, said that the contract seals a commitment to create applications on web sites that will make it easier for the general public to use and understand the relationships between different species. Their software will also show similarities and differences between evolutionary relationships and other data, such as geographical distributions and predator/prey statuses. Angulo said that the software will have a simple and intuitive interface so that Kindergarten through high school students will find it easy to use, yet will allow researchers to utilize it as well. For example, researchers might want to display DNA mutations parallel to the evolutionary relationships or they might want to modify the phylogenetic trees when new data becomes available.
Angulo Consulting has been involved in this scientific programming field for many years. The organization is the founder of the Illinois Bio-Grid, a voluntary sharing of computational resources over the internet creating a virtual supercomputer. Angulo Consulting also collaborated in the creation of BryoZone.org, a site for the world authoritative taxonomic data for Bryozoans, which are marine coral-like creatures.
Angulo Consulting - meeting your needs in Software Development, Project Management, and System Architecture.
Angulo Consulting, operating since 1985, has a group of extremely talented individuals available for consulting in computer software development, and who are top experts in several areas.
Angulo Consulting specializes in many areas of software development, always guaranteeing • high quality software, • low failure rates, • high customer satisfaction, and • reasonable rates. This guarantee is delivered via Agile development techniques, including (1) Test Driven Development, (2) short cycle times, and (3) high customer involvement.
The Executive Circle's Philadelphia Meeting Presented Real Life Ideas for Improving Business in 2009
Jewell & Associates, a Deltek Premier Partner, successfully introduced The Executive Circle, an exclusive group for project-based Professional Service firm leaders in architecture, engineering, management consulting, IT consulting, communications and government contracting to executives in Philadelphia. The group met on November 18, 2008 at the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia.
The panel of four speakers presented ideas that executives could take back to their companies and implement in the coming year. Keith Mock, Principal at Ballinger presented "Creating the Collaborative Enterprise using Technology," Bob Stalilonis, Managing Director, Deltek used customer examples in his presentation "Best Practices in Project Management," Debora McLaughlin, Professional Certified Executive Coach, Open Door Coaching, "Influential Leadership" talk gave executives the blueprint for tribal leadership and June Jewell, President of Jewell & Associates shared the "Top 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Business in 2009" with attendees.
The Executive Circle will meet throughout the year for networking, best practice discussions, and executive level presentations from industry experts. Executives at project-based professional services firms are encouraged to join this elite group and help shape its direction. Membership in this group is limited to Principal business owners, CEO's, CFO's, COO's, and VP's.
June Jewell, CPA, President of Jewell and Associates, believes that hosting The Executive Circle meetings are beneficial to her clients. "In today's economy, all businesses need information that can help them stay in business and position themselves for future growth. It is my desire to host events that give executives best practices that can actually be applied to their business," says Jewell. "As The Executive Circle continues to build, we will continue to invite industry experts to speak to our group on topics that executives will find useful and actually make a difference to their business.
For more information on joining The Executive Circle and receive information on future events contact Jewell & Associates at 877-241-6431x709 or visit www.TheExecutiveCircle.com.
About Jewell & Associates
Jewell & Associates, a Deltek Premier Partner, has been providing clients with enterprise business solutions for over 18 years. With over 700 clients and offices in Northern Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and Colorado, Jewell & Associates has consulting staff for planning, implementation, deployment and training for Deltek Vision software.
The panel of four speakers presented ideas that executives could take back to their companies and implement in the coming year. Keith Mock, Principal at Ballinger presented "Creating the Collaborative Enterprise using Technology," Bob Stalilonis, Managing Director, Deltek used customer examples in his presentation "Best Practices in Project Management," Debora McLaughlin, Professional Certified Executive Coach, Open Door Coaching, "Influential Leadership" talk gave executives the blueprint for tribal leadership and June Jewell, President of Jewell & Associates shared the "Top 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Business in 2009" with attendees.
The Executive Circle will meet throughout the year for networking, best practice discussions, and executive level presentations from industry experts. Executives at project-based professional services firms are encouraged to join this elite group and help shape its direction. Membership in this group is limited to Principal business owners, CEO's, CFO's, COO's, and VP's.
June Jewell, CPA, President of Jewell and Associates, believes that hosting The Executive Circle meetings are beneficial to her clients. "In today's economy, all businesses need information that can help them stay in business and position themselves for future growth. It is my desire to host events that give executives best practices that can actually be applied to their business," says Jewell. "As The Executive Circle continues to build, we will continue to invite industry experts to speak to our group on topics that executives will find useful and actually make a difference to their business.
For more information on joining The Executive Circle and receive information on future events contact Jewell & Associates at 877-241-6431x709 or visit www.TheExecutiveCircle.com.
About Jewell & Associates
Jewell & Associates, a Deltek Premier Partner, has been providing clients with enterprise business solutions for over 18 years. With over 700 clients and offices in Northern Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and Colorado, Jewell & Associates has consulting staff for planning, implementation, deployment and training for Deltek Vision software.
Accenture and Fadata Help Russian Standard Insurance Streamline Its Operations
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Fadata, one of the leading insurance software vendors in Europe, have been selected to help Russian Standard Insurance, the second-largest life insurance company in Russia, streamline its insurance operations and accelerate the pace at which it launches new products.
Drawing on its systems integration expertise, Accenture is helping Russian Standard Insurance implement INSIS Life, Fadata’s flagship insurance software solution for life insurers. The new IT solution will further automate Russian Standard Insurance’s policy administration processes, enabling the insurer to reduce operational risks and grow its business without a significant increase in its back-office costs.
“The targeted capabilities of Fadata’s solution combined with Accenture’s success in implementing insurance-specific software solutions and its deep understanding of the Russian market were the key criteria for selecting the two companies for this project,” said Alexey Kochik, Russian Standard Insurance CIO.
Russian Standard Insurance is Fadata’s second client in Russia, following Fadata’s implementation of INSIS Life at Alfa Insurance.
About Russian Standard Insurance
“Russian Standard Insurance” is one of the leading life insurers in Russia. Since 2003, a specialized bancassurance operator “Russian Standard Insurance” distributing its products through Russian Standard Bank sales network across Russia
· More than 12.2 million lives insured
· More than 3.2 million policies now
In 2008 launched network of specialized agencies across Russia selling savings and protection life insurance products. RSI’s aspiration is to become one of the leaders in this line of business.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people serving clients in over 120 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About Fadata
Established in 1990, Fadata is a leading provider of software solutions for insurance companies worldwide. Its leading insurance product INSIS has customers in USA, Bulgaria, Romania, UAE, Estonia, Slovenia, and Greece. The INSIS trademark has been patented and protected in USA, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Hungary. Fadata also offers solutions and consulting services in area of Oracle Financial/Applications and FileNet implementation, development of integrated Information Systems for government sector and Embedded systems & Real-time operating systems development. Headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, Fadata has a global distribution and supports office and partners network in 20 countries including Russia and Ukraine,where it serves the needs of 110 customers.
Drawing on its systems integration expertise, Accenture is helping Russian Standard Insurance implement INSIS Life, Fadata’s flagship insurance software solution for life insurers. The new IT solution will further automate Russian Standard Insurance’s policy administration processes, enabling the insurer to reduce operational risks and grow its business without a significant increase in its back-office costs.
“The targeted capabilities of Fadata’s solution combined with Accenture’s success in implementing insurance-specific software solutions and its deep understanding of the Russian market were the key criteria for selecting the two companies for this project,” said Alexey Kochik, Russian Standard Insurance CIO.
Russian Standard Insurance is Fadata’s second client in Russia, following Fadata’s implementation of INSIS Life at Alfa Insurance.
About Russian Standard Insurance
“Russian Standard Insurance” is one of the leading life insurers in Russia. Since 2003, a specialized bancassurance operator “Russian Standard Insurance” distributing its products through Russian Standard Bank sales network across Russia
· More than 12.2 million lives insured
· More than 3.2 million policies now
In 2008 launched network of specialized agencies across Russia selling savings and protection life insurance products. RSI’s aspiration is to become one of the leaders in this line of business.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people serving clients in over 120 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About Fadata
Established in 1990, Fadata is a leading provider of software solutions for insurance companies worldwide. Its leading insurance product INSIS has customers in USA, Bulgaria, Romania, UAE, Estonia, Slovenia, and Greece. The INSIS trademark has been patented and protected in USA, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia and Hungary. Fadata also offers solutions and consulting services in area of Oracle Financial/Applications and FileNet implementation, development of integrated Information Systems for government sector and Embedded systems & Real-time operating systems development. Headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, Fadata has a global distribution and supports office and partners network in 20 countries including Russia and Ukraine,where it serves the needs of 110 customers.
Deloitte South Africa Becomes 10,000th Customer to Make Better Decisions Faster with QlikView
Deloitte South Africa joins the community of 9,999 other organizations around the world in giving people the analysis they need to make better business decisions with its purchase of QlikView, QlikTech's award-winning business analysis software.
QlikView provides visual and intuitive analysis of any aspect of organizational performance in dashboards and reports. QlikView works the way the mind works to connect related data from many sources - giving people the information they need with the detail they want to make the right decisions.
Deloitte is among the region's leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through nearly 3,600 partners / directors and staff in more than 16 offices in southern Africa. Known as an employer of choice for its innovative human resources program, it is dedicated to helping its clients and its people excel.
Deloitte South Africa chose QlikView to provide simple yet sophisticated analysis for HR management. "We knew we had to make it easier to find specific information, give access to instant analysis and get the true picture of our talent pool by combining multiple data sources. We also knew that we would succeed only if the business owned the final solution. After assessing a number of alternative solutions, QlikView was the obvious answer," said Hein Bisschoff, Senior Manager: Reward & Analytics at Deloitte South Africa.
Key Facts:
Deloitte developed the initial dashboard in only three days with the assistance of QlikView South Africa, a QlikView Qonnect Partner Program Master Reseller. The Qonnect Program has hundreds of certified partners ranging from service providers who sell QlikView and/or deliver specialized domain expertise, to OEM Partners whose solutions are "powered by QlikView."
The detailed performance dashboard was in the hands of Executives and HR professionals within 30 days - in less than the time it took for the invoicing cycle. "We understood that we would need to be extremely creative to ensure acceptance and optimal use of our human resources dashboard, now called TalentScope," continued Bisschoff. "QlikView allows us to offer individual customization without external support, where executives get exactly the information that is relevant and useful to them. With QlikView, human resources moved from zero to hero in a very short space of time, but we will not be leaving it there. We continue to adapt TalentScope to address increasingly sophisticated user needs, in line with organizational demand - something that would not have been possible this quickly and cost effectively with any other software."
QlikTech is leading the new class of companies who deliver business software that is as simple to use as personal software, emerging from the shadow cast by the big traditional business intelligence (BI) vendors with complex solutions that take months to deploy, costs millions and require specialized expertise. In today's volatile economy, time-to-value has never been more important. QlikView eliminates the typical trade-off between power and simplicity, designed with patented in-memory association technology to analyze billions of records in seconds and scale to thousands of users. QlikView applications can be deployed in days and changed instantly, with users working in minutes.
"We're absolutely delighted to have Deloitte as our 10,000th customer, and especially to support them in managing their most important asset - their people. Deloitte's introduction to QlikView and their 'time-to-value' is quite representative of our entire customer community," said Lars Björk, CEO of QlikTech. "QlikView South Africa is a fantastic partner. Our business model of selling both directly and through our partners has been - and will continue to be - a key component in our exponential growth."
QlikTech adds 14 new customers every working day. An independent annual survey by iTWeb done earlier this year showed that QlikView was the preferred BI tool in South Africa.
About QlikTech
QlikTech's flagship product, QlikView, simplifies analysis for everyone. QlikView works the way your mind works - making associations by connecting data from many sources in a few clicks. This patented in-memory association technology brings fast results and better decision making to a wide range of customers and industries. QlikView is intuitive to learn, simple to modify and can be deployed in less than a week.
Named the world's fastest-growing Business Intelligence software vendor by IDC, QlikTech has 10,000 customers in 90 countries and more than 500 partners worldwide. QlikTech was founded in Lund, Sweden and is headquartered in Radnor, PA (USA) with direct operations throughout Europe and the Americas. QlikTech offers a fully functional, free trial of QlikView and a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information, please visit QlikView XML RSS Feed.
QlikView provides visual and intuitive analysis of any aspect of organizational performance in dashboards and reports. QlikView works the way the mind works to connect related data from many sources - giving people the information they need with the detail they want to make the right decisions.
Deloitte is among the region's leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through nearly 3,600 partners / directors and staff in more than 16 offices in southern Africa. Known as an employer of choice for its innovative human resources program, it is dedicated to helping its clients and its people excel.
Deloitte South Africa chose QlikView to provide simple yet sophisticated analysis for HR management. "We knew we had to make it easier to find specific information, give access to instant analysis and get the true picture of our talent pool by combining multiple data sources. We also knew that we would succeed only if the business owned the final solution. After assessing a number of alternative solutions, QlikView was the obvious answer," said Hein Bisschoff, Senior Manager: Reward & Analytics at Deloitte South Africa.
Key Facts:
- Deloitte South Africa is QlikTech's 10,000th customer
- Selected QlikView for HR Management as "the obvious answer"
- Worked with QlikTech partner, QlikView South Africa
- Developed first dashboard in three days
- Deployed detailed dashboard in 30 days to executives and HR professionals
- Gained success before the software was invoiced: "…went from zero to hero."
- "Delivered exactly as promised"
Deloitte developed the initial dashboard in only three days with the assistance of QlikView South Africa, a QlikView Qonnect Partner Program Master Reseller. The Qonnect Program has hundreds of certified partners ranging from service providers who sell QlikView and/or deliver specialized domain expertise, to OEM Partners whose solutions are "powered by QlikView."
The detailed performance dashboard was in the hands of Executives and HR professionals within 30 days - in less than the time it took for the invoicing cycle. "We understood that we would need to be extremely creative to ensure acceptance and optimal use of our human resources dashboard, now called TalentScope," continued Bisschoff. "QlikView allows us to offer individual customization without external support, where executives get exactly the information that is relevant and useful to them. With QlikView, human resources moved from zero to hero in a very short space of time, but we will not be leaving it there. We continue to adapt TalentScope to address increasingly sophisticated user needs, in line with organizational demand - something that would not have been possible this quickly and cost effectively with any other software."
QlikTech is leading the new class of companies who deliver business software that is as simple to use as personal software, emerging from the shadow cast by the big traditional business intelligence (BI) vendors with complex solutions that take months to deploy, costs millions and require specialized expertise. In today's volatile economy, time-to-value has never been more important. QlikView eliminates the typical trade-off between power and simplicity, designed with patented in-memory association technology to analyze billions of records in seconds and scale to thousands of users. QlikView applications can be deployed in days and changed instantly, with users working in minutes.
"We're absolutely delighted to have Deloitte as our 10,000th customer, and especially to support them in managing their most important asset - their people. Deloitte's introduction to QlikView and their 'time-to-value' is quite representative of our entire customer community," said Lars Björk, CEO of QlikTech. "QlikView South Africa is a fantastic partner. Our business model of selling both directly and through our partners has been - and will continue to be - a key component in our exponential growth."
QlikTech adds 14 new customers every working day. An independent annual survey by iTWeb done earlier this year showed that QlikView was the preferred BI tool in South Africa.
About QlikTech
QlikTech's flagship product, QlikView, simplifies analysis for everyone. QlikView works the way your mind works - making associations by connecting data from many sources in a few clicks. This patented in-memory association technology brings fast results and better decision making to a wide range of customers and industries. QlikView is intuitive to learn, simple to modify and can be deployed in less than a week.
Named the world's fastest-growing Business Intelligence software vendor by IDC, QlikTech has 10,000 customers in 90 countries and more than 500 partners worldwide. QlikTech was founded in Lund, Sweden and is headquartered in Radnor, PA (USA) with direct operations throughout Europe and the Americas. QlikTech offers a fully functional, free trial of QlikView and a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information, please visit QlikView XML RSS Feed.
Rex Consulting Becomes Full Member Firm of Russell Bedford International in Bulgaria
Rex Consulting, a multi-discipline accounting, tax and legal services practice, has become the Bulgarian member of Russell Bedford International, the worldwide network of independent accounting and consulting firms.
The firm has been a correspondent of Russell Bedford International since June 2007.
Rex Consulting Ltd was founded in 1995 by Ventsislav (Venzi) Vassilev, the senior partner and majority shareholder. Venzi studied Economics and Accounting at Bristol University in the UK. He then worked for a Big-5 accounting firm before establishing his own practice. There are five other partners: Yulia Peeva, Boris Vassilev, Petia Ivanova, Rositza Tzvetkova and Lily Trifonova.
Rex Consulting has its headquarters in newly refurbished offices in the capital, Sofia. Rex also has a subsidiary in the town of Varna - the largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Another office was opened in 2007 in the industrial town of Plovdiv.
In July 2008 Rex Consulting acquired 100% of the shares of the Sofia-based accounting firm MDG Consult Ltd. This acquisition almost doubled the turnover and the number of employees of Rex Consulting in Sofia.
The majority of Rex Consulting’s work is in the fields of accounting and tax, including bookkeeping, payroll services and tax consulting. Rex Consulting has arrangements with several independent auditors to support clients' financial audit requirements.
Rex has a multi-lingual staff and many overseas clients, especially foreign investors in Bulgarian real estate.
For further information, contact Yulia Peeva at Rex Consulting on +359 2 981 11 07. Alternatively, visit the websites at www.rexconsulting.com and www.russellbedford.com or send an e-mail to sofia@rexconsulting.com
The firm has been a correspondent of Russell Bedford International since June 2007.
Rex Consulting Ltd was founded in 1995 by Ventsislav (Venzi) Vassilev, the senior partner and majority shareholder. Venzi studied Economics and Accounting at Bristol University in the UK. He then worked for a Big-5 accounting firm before establishing his own practice. There are five other partners: Yulia Peeva, Boris Vassilev, Petia Ivanova, Rositza Tzvetkova and Lily Trifonova.
Rex Consulting has its headquarters in newly refurbished offices in the capital, Sofia. Rex also has a subsidiary in the town of Varna - the largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Another office was opened in 2007 in the industrial town of Plovdiv.
In July 2008 Rex Consulting acquired 100% of the shares of the Sofia-based accounting firm MDG Consult Ltd. This acquisition almost doubled the turnover and the number of employees of Rex Consulting in Sofia.
The majority of Rex Consulting’s work is in the fields of accounting and tax, including bookkeeping, payroll services and tax consulting. Rex Consulting has arrangements with several independent auditors to support clients' financial audit requirements.
Rex has a multi-lingual staff and many overseas clients, especially foreign investors in Bulgarian real estate.
For further information, contact Yulia Peeva at Rex Consulting on +359 2 981 11 07. Alternatively, visit the websites at www.rexconsulting.com and www.russellbedford.com or send an e-mail to sofia@rexconsulting.com
Friday, November 21, 2008
Leading IT Consulting Firm Signs Contract with Xerox
Xerox Corporation has announced a strategic global alliance with HCL Technologies, a leading global IT services company. HCL will serve as a systems integrator for Xerox's managed print services offering -- which helps companies control their office print environment to achieve continual cost savings and productivity gains.
"The partnership with HCL will open new opportunities for Xerox in this high-growth market while bringing sustainable business benefits to more customers worldwide," said Stephen Cronin, president, Xerox Global Services.
The joint, go-to-market offering combines Xerox Office Services and systems with HCL's desktop management and infrastructure expertise to help enterprises gain control of printing, copying and other document-related costs. Effectively managing the office can lead to reduced print costs; faster and easier management of documents; lower compliance and security risks; a higher level of service to end users; and environmental benefits.
"This partnership represents an opportunity to transform the way enterprise print environments are managed," said Anant Gupta, president, HCL Technologies Infrastructure Services Division. "With the collaborative efforts of two market leaders we will create new, value-added solutions that will drive additional efficiencies throughout the office setting."
HCL currently manages more than 600,000 desktops and supports seven million helpdesk contacts. The company leverages its extensive global offshore infrastructure and its 20-country network to provide multi-service delivery in key industries such as financial services, manufacturing, government, telecommunications, life sciences, retail and energy.
About HCL Technologies
HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999,HCL focuses on 'transformational outsourcing,' and offers an integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering, R&D services and BPO. HCL takes pride in its philosophy of 'Employee First' which empowers 52,714 transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies, along with its subsidiaries, had consolidated revenues of $2.0 billion (Rs. 8300 crores), as on September 30, 2008. For more information, please visit http://www.hcltech.com.
"The partnership with HCL will open new opportunities for Xerox in this high-growth market while bringing sustainable business benefits to more customers worldwide," said Stephen Cronin, president, Xerox Global Services.
The joint, go-to-market offering combines Xerox Office Services and systems with HCL's desktop management and infrastructure expertise to help enterprises gain control of printing, copying and other document-related costs. Effectively managing the office can lead to reduced print costs; faster and easier management of documents; lower compliance and security risks; a higher level of service to end users; and environmental benefits.
"This partnership represents an opportunity to transform the way enterprise print environments are managed," said Anant Gupta, president, HCL Technologies Infrastructure Services Division. "With the collaborative efforts of two market leaders we will create new, value-added solutions that will drive additional efficiencies throughout the office setting."
HCL currently manages more than 600,000 desktops and supports seven million helpdesk contacts. The company leverages its extensive global offshore infrastructure and its 20-country network to provide multi-service delivery in key industries such as financial services, manufacturing, government, telecommunications, life sciences, retail and energy.
About HCL Technologies
HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999,HCL focuses on 'transformational outsourcing,' and offers an integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering, R&D services and BPO. HCL takes pride in its philosophy of 'Employee First' which empowers 52,714 transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies, along with its subsidiaries, had consolidated revenues of $2.0 billion (Rs. 8300 crores), as on September 30, 2008. For more information, please visit http://www.hcltech.com.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Exervio Management Consulting Named to Best Places to Work List
Exervio Management Consulting is proud to announce that it has been named one of the Best Places to Work by the Charlotte Business Journal. Exervio was honored as a Top 25 employer in the Small Business category at an awards luncheon held at the Charlotte Convention Center on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008.
Finalists in large, medium, and small companies were selected based entirely on employee feedback from a survey focused on benefits, culture, and leadership. Each finalist was highlighted in a special edition of the Charlotte Business Journal with company profiles and a photo illustrating why its company is one of Charlotte’s Best Places to Work.
About Exervio Management Consulting
Exervio Management Consulting provides process improvement, business and operations analysis and Information Technology advisory services. The company includes over 70 seasoned consulting professionals, with offices in Atlanta and Dallas and headquarters in Charlotte, NC. Exervio delivers value to local clients by deploying small teams to define business strategies, improve operational effectiveness and execute the projects required to achieve results. Additional information is available at www.exervio.com.
Finalists in large, medium, and small companies were selected based entirely on employee feedback from a survey focused on benefits, culture, and leadership. Each finalist was highlighted in a special edition of the Charlotte Business Journal with company profiles and a photo illustrating why its company is one of Charlotte’s Best Places to Work.
About Exervio Management Consulting
Exervio Management Consulting provides process improvement, business and operations analysis and Information Technology advisory services. The company includes over 70 seasoned consulting professionals, with offices in Atlanta and Dallas and headquarters in Charlotte, NC. Exervio delivers value to local clients by deploying small teams to define business strategies, improve operational effectiveness and execute the projects required to achieve results. Additional information is available at www.exervio.com.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
DMG Consulting Reports Mindshare Technologies as the Customer Satisfaction Leader
Mindshare Technologies, a leading provider of enterprise feedback management solutions, today announced the company has been ranked as the market leader in overall vendor satisfaction in the "2008 Contact Center Surveying/Feedback and Analytics Market Report" by DMG Consulting LLC, a leading independent advisory firm for the industry.
The DMG report provides in-depth coverage of vendors, products, technology, functionality, trends, benefits, pricing and perception of the 12 leading contact center surveying/enterprise feedback management vendors. It includes a vendor customer satisfaction analysis. Mindshare was the only vendor to score a perfect rating in all categories of the satisfaction study that addressed customer Product/Solution, Implementation, Service & Support, Training, Professional Services and Overall Satisfaction. The vendor customer satisfaction analysis was compiled by surveying customers of each participating vendor. The feedback was collected in two phases including a 15-question online survey and a telephone interview.
"Surveying is an essential activity that should be performed by enterprises of all sizes, as it provides insights into customer satisfaction, loyalty and needs," said Donna Fluss, president of DMG Consulting. "For this reason, we believe that it's essential to survey and interview each vendor's customers when we analyze a market. It is rare that a company earns perfect marks in all categories of the vendor satisfaction analysis. This is an indication that there is a high degree of customer satisfaction with the offering."
"We believe customer service is the most important activity a business can pursue, and this validation confirms that we practice what we preach," said Richard D. Hanks, president of Mindshare. "These findings by DMG Consulting represent a unanimous consensus of the passion and commitment we bring to our clients in helping them use customer feedback tools to improve their bottom line."
DMG's "2008 Contact Center Surveying/Feedback and Analytics Market Report" is the industry's most comprehensive and timely guide to this highly valuable and rapidly growing market. The Report shows that the contact center surveying/feedback and analytics market grew by a resounding 21 percent between 2007 and 2008. This represents the strongest growth ever in this market segment, and DMG expects the trend to continue. Based on sales during the past year, and the momentum carried into 2008, DMG is forecasting 20 percent growth in 2008. According to the Report, the substantial increase in adoption of survey/feedback systems is being driven by the recognition that customer insight and feedback is important to the entire company, not just the contact center.
About DMG Consulting
DMG Consulting LLC is an advisory and consulting firm specializing in contact centers and real-time analytics. They are a strategic advisor to end users and vendors, large and small and the financial community. Their mission is to help their clients build world-class contact centers by leveraging technology, process and people. They assist management in optimizing the performance of their contact centers by increasing operational efficiency, providing an outstanding customer experience, enhancing loyalty and increasing sales and profits. And, they help vendors develop products and services that deliver differentiated innovation and benefits that suit the current and future needs of end users.
DMG Consulting is also the leading provider of industry research for many segments of the contact center market, including: Quality Management/Liability Recording, Speech Analytics, Contact Center Performance Management, Surveying, Workforce Management, Contact Center Outsourcing and Hosted Contact Center Infrastructure Solutions. DMG Consulting is a leading contributor to contact center, CRM and general business publications around the world. DMG Consulting publishes 2 to 3 articles monthly that are read by over 1 million readers around the globe.
About Mindshare Technologies
Mindshare Technologies' Enterprise Feedback Management solutions help companies improve operational excellence and minimize customer attrition through personal customer involvement. Mindshare's proprietary survey technology captures the voice of the customer in real-time and immediately transforms it into actionable intelligence through powerful and incisive enterprise reporting. With Mindshare, companies can determine the type of information they collect, who can access it, and how it is reported. As a hosted system, Mindshare is affordable and flexible, with surveys and reports tailored to fit individual needs. The reports are web-accessible 24/7 or by timed email delivery. Mindshare serves more than 25 different industries in 64 countries, including travel, hospitality, restaurant, financial, salon, automotive, and retail. Clients range from small regional chains to large multinational corporations. For information, visit www.mshare.net.
The DMG report provides in-depth coverage of vendors, products, technology, functionality, trends, benefits, pricing and perception of the 12 leading contact center surveying/enterprise feedback management vendors. It includes a vendor customer satisfaction analysis. Mindshare was the only vendor to score a perfect rating in all categories of the satisfaction study that addressed customer Product/Solution, Implementation, Service & Support, Training, Professional Services and Overall Satisfaction. The vendor customer satisfaction analysis was compiled by surveying customers of each participating vendor. The feedback was collected in two phases including a 15-question online survey and a telephone interview.
"Surveying is an essential activity that should be performed by enterprises of all sizes, as it provides insights into customer satisfaction, loyalty and needs," said Donna Fluss, president of DMG Consulting. "For this reason, we believe that it's essential to survey and interview each vendor's customers when we analyze a market. It is rare that a company earns perfect marks in all categories of the vendor satisfaction analysis. This is an indication that there is a high degree of customer satisfaction with the offering."
"We believe customer service is the most important activity a business can pursue, and this validation confirms that we practice what we preach," said Richard D. Hanks, president of Mindshare. "These findings by DMG Consulting represent a unanimous consensus of the passion and commitment we bring to our clients in helping them use customer feedback tools to improve their bottom line."
DMG's "2008 Contact Center Surveying/Feedback and Analytics Market Report" is the industry's most comprehensive and timely guide to this highly valuable and rapidly growing market. The Report shows that the contact center surveying/feedback and analytics market grew by a resounding 21 percent between 2007 and 2008. This represents the strongest growth ever in this market segment, and DMG expects the trend to continue. Based on sales during the past year, and the momentum carried into 2008, DMG is forecasting 20 percent growth in 2008. According to the Report, the substantial increase in adoption of survey/feedback systems is being driven by the recognition that customer insight and feedback is important to the entire company, not just the contact center.
About DMG Consulting
DMG Consulting LLC is an advisory and consulting firm specializing in contact centers and real-time analytics. They are a strategic advisor to end users and vendors, large and small and the financial community. Their mission is to help their clients build world-class contact centers by leveraging technology, process and people. They assist management in optimizing the performance of their contact centers by increasing operational efficiency, providing an outstanding customer experience, enhancing loyalty and increasing sales and profits. And, they help vendors develop products and services that deliver differentiated innovation and benefits that suit the current and future needs of end users.
DMG Consulting is also the leading provider of industry research for many segments of the contact center market, including: Quality Management/Liability Recording, Speech Analytics, Contact Center Performance Management, Surveying, Workforce Management, Contact Center Outsourcing and Hosted Contact Center Infrastructure Solutions. DMG Consulting is a leading contributor to contact center, CRM and general business publications around the world. DMG Consulting publishes 2 to 3 articles monthly that are read by over 1 million readers around the globe.
About Mindshare Technologies
Mindshare Technologies' Enterprise Feedback Management solutions help companies improve operational excellence and minimize customer attrition through personal customer involvement. Mindshare's proprietary survey technology captures the voice of the customer in real-time and immediately transforms it into actionable intelligence through powerful and incisive enterprise reporting. With Mindshare, companies can determine the type of information they collect, who can access it, and how it is reported. As a hosted system, Mindshare is affordable and flexible, with surveys and reports tailored to fit individual needs. The reports are web-accessible 24/7 or by timed email delivery. Mindshare serves more than 25 different industries in 64 countries, including travel, hospitality, restaurant, financial, salon, automotive, and retail. Clients range from small regional chains to large multinational corporations. For information, visit www.mshare.net.
BCG Attorney Search Reveals 2008 Fall State of the Market Report
BCG Attorney Search, the largest recruiting firm in the United States, recently released its 2008 Fall State of the Market Report, a detailed account which explores the legal market regionally and objectively. The company was created with the goal of placing top attorneys and associates in top law firms, and is singularly dedicated to the task.
Commenting on the State of the Market Report, A. Harrison Barnes, CEO of BCG Attorney Search, says, ''The report is testimony to the fact that the legal job market has been affected by the worldwide economic downturn, which has certainly taken a toll on the legal industry in general. There are still legal jobs available, but they are fewer in number and generally less attractive in terms of compensation. Some individual cities, like Los Angeles, are still recruiting plenty of legal professionals, but these few bright spots will not be enough to turn the tide of the growing recession anytime soon.''
The report revealed that most law firms are being extremely selective in their hiring at present and that the time from an initial interview to a final offer is often being delayed intentionally. Demand has particularly declined for intellectual property and litigation attorneys, while corporate law is the most dominant legal sector in most regions. Salaries have undergone drastic changes in some areas while remaining relatively stable in others.
BCG Attorney Search, founded by CEO A. Harrison Barnes in January 2000, was the first company launched by EmploymentScape, formerly known as Juriscape. The company only places the best associates and partners inside top law firms. It does not do in-house attorney placements, contract attorney placements, or placements for legal secretaries or paralegals. The company is extraordinarily focused on a singular goal permanent law firm placements for top associates and is highly confident about the work it does.
The company's site also features The 2008 BCG Attorney Search Guide to America's Top 50 Law Schools and the Lateral Attorney Report, an informative blog produced by the company's recruiters. BCG Attorney Search's new 2007-2008 Cover Letter Guide, meanwhile, provides the definitive word on what makes an effective cover letter.
Adds Barnes, ''I founded this company with a singular aim of making permanent law firm placements. Our mantra is 'simply the best.' At BCG Attorney Search, we believe in effective placements, which are made through extensive research and only when a good fit is possible. We represent candidates who are truly committed to the practice of law and have good, well articulated reasons for switching jobs.''
BCG Attorney Search was founded on the principle that things could be improved in the legal-recruiting industry, and the company has used state-of-the-art technology to make that happen. This technology, which is unequaled by any other legal-recruiting company, allows BCG Attorney Search to be more attentive to their clients and more in tune with the changing needs of lawyers in the information age than previously thought possible in this industry. BCG Attorney Search has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Century City, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newport Beach, Palo Alto, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Additionally, it is well suited to represent attorneys in most major national markets.
For more information on BCG Attorney Search, log on to www.bcgsearch.com.
Commenting on the State of the Market Report, A. Harrison Barnes, CEO of BCG Attorney Search, says, ''The report is testimony to the fact that the legal job market has been affected by the worldwide economic downturn, which has certainly taken a toll on the legal industry in general. There are still legal jobs available, but they are fewer in number and generally less attractive in terms of compensation. Some individual cities, like Los Angeles, are still recruiting plenty of legal professionals, but these few bright spots will not be enough to turn the tide of the growing recession anytime soon.''
The report revealed that most law firms are being extremely selective in their hiring at present and that the time from an initial interview to a final offer is often being delayed intentionally. Demand has particularly declined for intellectual property and litigation attorneys, while corporate law is the most dominant legal sector in most regions. Salaries have undergone drastic changes in some areas while remaining relatively stable in others.
BCG Attorney Search, founded by CEO A. Harrison Barnes in January 2000, was the first company launched by EmploymentScape, formerly known as Juriscape. The company only places the best associates and partners inside top law firms. It does not do in-house attorney placements, contract attorney placements, or placements for legal secretaries or paralegals. The company is extraordinarily focused on a singular goal permanent law firm placements for top associates and is highly confident about the work it does.
The company's site also features The 2008 BCG Attorney Search Guide to America's Top 50 Law Schools and the Lateral Attorney Report, an informative blog produced by the company's recruiters. BCG Attorney Search's new 2007-2008 Cover Letter Guide, meanwhile, provides the definitive word on what makes an effective cover letter.
Adds Barnes, ''I founded this company with a singular aim of making permanent law firm placements. Our mantra is 'simply the best.' At BCG Attorney Search, we believe in effective placements, which are made through extensive research and only when a good fit is possible. We represent candidates who are truly committed to the practice of law and have good, well articulated reasons for switching jobs.''
BCG Attorney Search was founded on the principle that things could be improved in the legal-recruiting industry, and the company has used state-of-the-art technology to make that happen. This technology, which is unequaled by any other legal-recruiting company, allows BCG Attorney Search to be more attentive to their clients and more in tune with the changing needs of lawyers in the information age than previously thought possible in this industry. BCG Attorney Search has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Century City, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newport Beach, Palo Alto, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Additionally, it is well suited to represent attorneys in most major national markets.
For more information on BCG Attorney Search, log on to www.bcgsearch.com.
Convergys Corporation and Brasil Telecom Sign Agreement for Convergys Dynamic Decisioning Solution
Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG), a relationship management solutions provider, has signed a one-year contract with Brasil Telecom SA (NYSE: BTM) for Convergys' Dynamic Decisioning Solution.
Within four weeks of piloting Dynamic Decisioning, Brasil Telecom saw a 50% increase in cross-sell and up-sell acceptance rates from its customers, Convergys claims.
A full implementation will enable the operator to make timely offerings to contact centre agents while the agents are on call with customers, which Convergys says will eliminate trial and error work on behalf of the agents and lower associated contact centre costs.
Brasil Telecom has over 8m fixed lines in service, a broadband access base of more than 1.6m and has 4.5m mobile subscribers. The operator has used Convergys' Infinys convergent BSS software since 2002.
No financial details of the contract were available.
Within four weeks of piloting Dynamic Decisioning, Brasil Telecom saw a 50% increase in cross-sell and up-sell acceptance rates from its customers, Convergys claims.
A full implementation will enable the operator to make timely offerings to contact centre agents while the agents are on call with customers, which Convergys says will eliminate trial and error work on behalf of the agents and lower associated contact centre costs.
Brasil Telecom has over 8m fixed lines in service, a broadband access base of more than 1.6m and has 4.5m mobile subscribers. The operator has used Convergys' Infinys convergent BSS software since 2002.
No financial details of the contract were available.
IT Consulting Group Earns Prominent NetApp Distinction
Advanced Systems Group (ASG), the Denver-based IT Consulting, Integration, and Project Management firm, today announces it has achieved the prestigious NetApp ® Authorized Professional Service Partner (APSP) award.
NetApp is one of the fastest growing, leading providers of storage and data management solutions to companies around the world. As NetApp's newest Authorized Professional Service Partner, ASG has achieved the highest level of competency in professional service delivery for NetApp technologies.
"NetApp is one of our most valued partners, so this new distinction is another step forward for us," says John Murphy, Executive Vice-President of ASG.
"This achievement both demonstrates and reinforces ASG's commitment to providing cutting-edge technology as well as complete professional services. As a NetApp APSP, we can provide our customers with not only the best possible IT solutions, but also the best implementations of those solutions -- more conveniently and at lower costs to our customers."
As a NetApp APSP, ASG offers both best-in-class NetApp storage systems and Rapid Deployment Services (RDS) to get new NetApp storage systems up and running in a production environment. NetApp-certified technical experts at ASG quickly deploy and fully configure new NetApp storage systems to immediately begin storing mission-critical data. With this service, customers can avoid future, costly downtimes that can result from improperly deployed storage configurations -- an ideal solution for companies with limited internal IT resources or a lack of expertise in NetApp systems.
To achieve this distinction, ASG technical experts successfully completed the same thorough training required for NetApp Global Services personnel. ASG is one of the few companies to accomplish the challenging requirements of the Authorized Professional Service Program in both the Storage System Design and Implementation and the Networked Storage for Virtualized Platforms (VMware) areas of specialization.
Since 1981, Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has provided complete Information Technology (IT) solutions including comprehensive consulting services, successful storage and data management solutions, assessments and implementation services. In particular, ASG focuses on customer needs, customizing unique solutions for companies to successfully address their particular IT challenges.
About Advanced Systems Group (ASG)
With more than 27 years experience, Advanced Systems Group (ASG) is a leading provider of enterprise IT consulting, architecture services and complete IT infrastructure solutions. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, ASG also has offices throughout the western United States including Boise, Houston, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, and Colorado Springs. To learn more, visit www.virtual.com.
NetApp is one of the fastest growing, leading providers of storage and data management solutions to companies around the world. As NetApp's newest Authorized Professional Service Partner, ASG has achieved the highest level of competency in professional service delivery for NetApp technologies.
"NetApp is one of our most valued partners, so this new distinction is another step forward for us," says John Murphy, Executive Vice-President of ASG.
"This achievement both demonstrates and reinforces ASG's commitment to providing cutting-edge technology as well as complete professional services. As a NetApp APSP, we can provide our customers with not only the best possible IT solutions, but also the best implementations of those solutions -- more conveniently and at lower costs to our customers."
As a NetApp APSP, ASG offers both best-in-class NetApp storage systems and Rapid Deployment Services (RDS) to get new NetApp storage systems up and running in a production environment. NetApp-certified technical experts at ASG quickly deploy and fully configure new NetApp storage systems to immediately begin storing mission-critical data. With this service, customers can avoid future, costly downtimes that can result from improperly deployed storage configurations -- an ideal solution for companies with limited internal IT resources or a lack of expertise in NetApp systems.
To achieve this distinction, ASG technical experts successfully completed the same thorough training required for NetApp Global Services personnel. ASG is one of the few companies to accomplish the challenging requirements of the Authorized Professional Service Program in both the Storage System Design and Implementation and the Networked Storage for Virtualized Platforms (VMware) areas of specialization.
Since 1981, Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has provided complete Information Technology (IT) solutions including comprehensive consulting services, successful storage and data management solutions, assessments and implementation services. In particular, ASG focuses on customer needs, customizing unique solutions for companies to successfully address their particular IT challenges.
About Advanced Systems Group (ASG)
With more than 27 years experience, Advanced Systems Group (ASG) is a leading provider of enterprise IT consulting, architecture services and complete IT infrastructure solutions. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, ASG also has offices throughout the western United States including Boise, Houston, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, and Colorado Springs. To learn more, visit www.virtual.com.
NIH Awards Capgemini Government Solutions LLC IT Portfolio Management Contract for the Center for Scientific Review
Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Capgemini Government Solutions LLC, a member of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, a prime contract to serve as the IT Portfolio Manager for the Center for Scientific Review (CSR).
Capgemini Government Solutions LLC will provide strategic program planning and leadership alignment approaches proven successful with other Federal Government clients, as well as many Fortune 500® companies, incorporating strategic alignment, demand management, and program management processes.
The Center for Scientific Review chose Capgemini due to a combination of the firm’s qualified Integrated Program Support framework, unique Collaborative Business Experience approach to working with clients, and the quality of work delivered to other Federal Government agencies. For decades, Capgemini has worked with public sector organizations to develop IT strategies, implement technology platforms, refine organizational processes and support change management initiatives. As a result of the current initiative, NIH CSR expects to should gain a robust IT portfolio management capability, including a center of excellence, associated governance model, and enhanced processes.
“In our experience at Capgemini, we have found that the most critical success factor in mature portfolio management processes is developing a compelling strategy with clear goals and measures of success,” says Val Lyons, President and CEO of Capgemini Government Solutions LLC. Capgemini brings leading practices, a collaborative approach and proven tools and methods to help NIH CSR utilize scarce IT resources to complete its mission of managing its IT portfolio.”
The Center for Scientific Review serves as the portal for NIH (as well as other components of HHS) grant applications, and is responsible for reviewing grants for scientific merit, organizing peer review, and study sections. CSR’s mission has remain unchanged since 1946: to provide NIH grant applications fair, independent, expert and timely reviews, free from inappropriate influences, so that NIH may fund the most promising research. Capgemini’s IT Portfolio Management methodology, collaborative approach, and compelling team will help CSR achieve its objectives and mission.
About Capgemini
Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, enables its clients to transform and perform through technologies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working - the Collaborative Business Experience - and through a global delivery model called Rightshore®, which aims to offer the right resources in the right location at competitive cost. Present in 36 countries, Capgemini reported 2007 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion and employs over 86,000 people worldwide.
More information is available at www.capgemini.com.
About Capgemini Government Solutions
Capgemini Government Solutions LLC is committed to working with government clients to ensure they are successful in their strategic, tactical and transformation initiatives. Capgemini helps organizations create sustainable value by employing innovative business process improvement strategies and applied solutions that utilize a unique method of engagement: the Collaborative Business Experience (CBE). By providing public and private sector experience, best practices, and proven tools and methodologies tailored for the U.S. government’s unique requirements, we help clients build knowledge and capabilities as we work together to drive transformation agendas. With a dedicated core team of professionals in Herndon, VA, Capgemini Government Solutions was formed in 2002 to offer U.S. Government agencies deep transformation, consulting, and IT expertise.
More information is available at www.capgemini-gs.com.
Capgemini Government Solutions LLC will provide strategic program planning and leadership alignment approaches proven successful with other Federal Government clients, as well as many Fortune 500® companies, incorporating strategic alignment, demand management, and program management processes.
The Center for Scientific Review chose Capgemini due to a combination of the firm’s qualified Integrated Program Support framework, unique Collaborative Business Experience approach to working with clients, and the quality of work delivered to other Federal Government agencies. For decades, Capgemini has worked with public sector organizations to develop IT strategies, implement technology platforms, refine organizational processes and support change management initiatives. As a result of the current initiative, NIH CSR expects to should gain a robust IT portfolio management capability, including a center of excellence, associated governance model, and enhanced processes.
“In our experience at Capgemini, we have found that the most critical success factor in mature portfolio management processes is developing a compelling strategy with clear goals and measures of success,” says Val Lyons, President and CEO of Capgemini Government Solutions LLC. Capgemini brings leading practices, a collaborative approach and proven tools and methods to help NIH CSR utilize scarce IT resources to complete its mission of managing its IT portfolio.”
The Center for Scientific Review serves as the portal for NIH (as well as other components of HHS) grant applications, and is responsible for reviewing grants for scientific merit, organizing peer review, and study sections. CSR’s mission has remain unchanged since 1946: to provide NIH grant applications fair, independent, expert and timely reviews, free from inappropriate influences, so that NIH may fund the most promising research. Capgemini’s IT Portfolio Management methodology, collaborative approach, and compelling team will help CSR achieve its objectives and mission.
About Capgemini
Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, enables its clients to transform and perform through technologies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working - the Collaborative Business Experience - and through a global delivery model called Rightshore®, which aims to offer the right resources in the right location at competitive cost. Present in 36 countries, Capgemini reported 2007 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion and employs over 86,000 people worldwide.
More information is available at www.capgemini.com.
About Capgemini Government Solutions
Capgemini Government Solutions LLC is committed to working with government clients to ensure they are successful in their strategic, tactical and transformation initiatives. Capgemini helps organizations create sustainable value by employing innovative business process improvement strategies and applied solutions that utilize a unique method of engagement: the Collaborative Business Experience (CBE). By providing public and private sector experience, best practices, and proven tools and methodologies tailored for the U.S. government’s unique requirements, we help clients build knowledge and capabilities as we work together to drive transformation agendas. With a dedicated core team of professionals in Herndon, VA, Capgemini Government Solutions was formed in 2002 to offer U.S. Government agencies deep transformation, consulting, and IT expertise.
More information is available at www.capgemini-gs.com.
Accenture and BTS Win Two Awards for Simulation Program
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and BTS have won awards from both Training magazine and Brandon Hall for their jointly developed Accenture Enterprise Senior Manager Core Program.
Accenture developed the program to help its senior managers understand the multiple facets of the company's business, such as its strategy and standardization and financial reporting obligations. The program uses a BTS simulation, which models Accenture's business operations over a period of several years.
The two companies won Training magazine's "Project of the Year Training Technology in Action Award" in the category of Simulations & Serious Games, as well as a Brandon Hall gold award for excellence in the category of "Best Use of Games for Learning.”
"This simulation is an example of how training will look in the future, and we value the recognition of our vision by both of these notable awards," said Don Vanthournout, chief learning officer at Accenture.
"We're pleased to be honored with Accenture by these two distinguished training industry organizations. This further validates the growth and effectiveness of sophisticated customized simulations, like Accenture's Enterprise Senior Manager Core Program, which are rapidly becoming a key lever for strategy execution at savvy companies worldwide," said Rommin Adl, executive vice president, BTS USA.
The purpose of the Training Technology in Action Awards is to recognize outstanding achievement at the intersection of strategic learning and innovative learning technologies. The program is held annually. An outstanding "Project of the Year" recognition is awarded in each of the six categories. The Simulations & Serious Games category entrants were reviewed for innovation, efficiency, and results.
The Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards are presented annually by Brandon Hall Research, one of the leading research firms in training and development. Now in its fourteenth year, the Awards program showcases exceptional work in the use of learning technology.
"We are so impressed with the quality of this year's winning entries," said Brandon Hall, Ph.D., chairman of the Awards program. "These winners set the standard for what innovative learning looks like today."
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people in 49 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About BTS
BTS is the world leader in customized business simulations and other discovery learning solutions that enable leading corporations to change, grow and succeed. We partner with our clients to develop the mindset and capabilities that their people need to accelerate change and improve business results.
BTS has 300 highly talented professionals serving over 400 clients, including 40 of the US Fortune 100 companies and 25 of the Global Fortune 100 world's largest corporations. Select BTS clients include AT&T, Ericsson, Kimberly-Clark, Nokia, Sony, Toyota, Unilever and Xerox.
BTS adds value to its clients through three practice areas: Strategic Alignment & Business Acumen, Leadership & Management, and Sales. BTS also has strong capabilities in Operational Excellence & Project Leadership and offers an innovative Engage for Change process.
Accenture developed the program to help its senior managers understand the multiple facets of the company's business, such as its strategy and standardization and financial reporting obligations. The program uses a BTS simulation, which models Accenture's business operations over a period of several years.
The two companies won Training magazine's "Project of the Year Training Technology in Action Award" in the category of Simulations & Serious Games, as well as a Brandon Hall gold award for excellence in the category of "Best Use of Games for Learning.”
"This simulation is an example of how training will look in the future, and we value the recognition of our vision by both of these notable awards," said Don Vanthournout, chief learning officer at Accenture.
"We're pleased to be honored with Accenture by these two distinguished training industry organizations. This further validates the growth and effectiveness of sophisticated customized simulations, like Accenture's Enterprise Senior Manager Core Program, which are rapidly becoming a key lever for strategy execution at savvy companies worldwide," said Rommin Adl, executive vice president, BTS USA.
The purpose of the Training Technology in Action Awards is to recognize outstanding achievement at the intersection of strategic learning and innovative learning technologies. The program is held annually. An outstanding "Project of the Year" recognition is awarded in each of the six categories. The Simulations & Serious Games category entrants were reviewed for innovation, efficiency, and results.
The Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards are presented annually by Brandon Hall Research, one of the leading research firms in training and development. Now in its fourteenth year, the Awards program showcases exceptional work in the use of learning technology.
"We are so impressed with the quality of this year's winning entries," said Brandon Hall, Ph.D., chairman of the Awards program. "These winners set the standard for what innovative learning looks like today."
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With more than 186,000 people in 49 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About BTS
BTS is the world leader in customized business simulations and other discovery learning solutions that enable leading corporations to change, grow and succeed. We partner with our clients to develop the mindset and capabilities that their people need to accelerate change and improve business results.
BTS has 300 highly talented professionals serving over 400 clients, including 40 of the US Fortune 100 companies and 25 of the Global Fortune 100 world's largest corporations. Select BTS clients include AT&T, Ericsson, Kimberly-Clark, Nokia, Sony, Toyota, Unilever and Xerox.
BTS adds value to its clients through three practice areas: Strategic Alignment & Business Acumen, Leadership & Management, and Sales. BTS also has strong capabilities in Operational Excellence & Project Leadership and offers an innovative Engage for Change process.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Syrinx Consulting Named Among 25 Largest IT Consulting Firms for Fourth Consecutive Year
Syrinx Consulting Corporation, a software development and consulting firm with expertise in Microsoft .NET and SharePoint Server 2007 technologies, today announced that the Boston Business Journal ranked Syrinx in the top 25 organizations on its 2008 list of Largest IT Consulting Firms in the region (11/3/08 issue). The company also announced additions to its management team in response to growing demand for Syrinx's on-time and on-budget custom development and training services.
"As the economy slows, organizations are getting back to basics and looking to optimize existing software platforms and IT staff skills, as well as expand use of outsourced resources to include long-term initiatives," commented Syrinx Consulting CEO Andrew Gelina. "We have bolstered our training programs and architectural guidance resources to ensure we provide timely value-add services that empower companies to expand and maintain the document management, collaboration, content management, compliance, and other business solutions we deliver."
Gelina added, "Many companies want to apply 2009 IT spending toward quick-hit, rapid ROI projects that help lower or recover costs. It is critical for Syrinx to have best-in-class expertise, in order to help clients get these projects done quickly and in the most efficient manner possible. It is also key to institutionalize this expertise, so that our developers can share knowledge and offer clients collective experience. For that reason, setting and standardizing architecture and disseminating this information to our developers are key."
Highlighting promotions within the team of 40 Microsoft-certified developers at Syrinx are:
* Ian Dicker Named Director of Architecture - Ian brings more than 20 years of software business experience to his new role at Syrinx, where he will evaluate and select new technology for internal and client use, develop patterns and practices across the application lifecycle for Syrinx and its clients, and ensure the Syrinx team is adept with current Microsoft technologies. Ian's career highlights include roles as architecture manager at Vistaprint, chief software architect at Intranets.com, and principal engineer at AOL, where he helped pioneer componentized web browser technology that made the Internet accessible to millions of subscribers. He is a native of Great Britain and holds a computer science degree.
* Gregg Valeri Named Director of Education and Training - In his fourth year with Syrinx as a principal software engineer, Gregg is now responsible for .Net and SharePoint training. The position includes expert training of new hires and client business-line and IT staff for popular technologies including Microsoft's Visual Studio, .Net and SharePoint Server 2007. Gregg has 12 years of development experience and previously worked as director of development at financial integration portal company Fipoint as well as manager of financial application development at Amicore. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Physics from University of Massachusetts in Lowell.
"Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office system," said Chris Capossela, corporate vice president of the Product Management Group, Microsoft Business Division at Microsoft Corp. "The value of solutions competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing information worker solutions market."
About Syrinx Consulting
Syrinx is a software development and consulting firm that brings a deep understanding of Microsoft technologies including .NET and SharePoint 2007 to organizations that are dependent on technology for competitive advantage. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Syrinx has developed solutions within the financial services, Internet, call center, real estate, publishing, health care, and biosciences industries. Founded in 1998, Syrinx is based in Waltham, Mass. and has been recognized on the Boston Business Journal's list of "Areas Largest IT Consulting Firms," "Fastest Growing Companies" list, and the "Inc. 5000" lists for 2007 and 2008. For more information, visit www.syrinx.com.
"As the economy slows, organizations are getting back to basics and looking to optimize existing software platforms and IT staff skills, as well as expand use of outsourced resources to include long-term initiatives," commented Syrinx Consulting CEO Andrew Gelina. "We have bolstered our training programs and architectural guidance resources to ensure we provide timely value-add services that empower companies to expand and maintain the document management, collaboration, content management, compliance, and other business solutions we deliver."
Gelina added, "Many companies want to apply 2009 IT spending toward quick-hit, rapid ROI projects that help lower or recover costs. It is critical for Syrinx to have best-in-class expertise, in order to help clients get these projects done quickly and in the most efficient manner possible. It is also key to institutionalize this expertise, so that our developers can share knowledge and offer clients collective experience. For that reason, setting and standardizing architecture and disseminating this information to our developers are key."
Highlighting promotions within the team of 40 Microsoft-certified developers at Syrinx are:
* Ian Dicker Named Director of Architecture - Ian brings more than 20 years of software business experience to his new role at Syrinx, where he will evaluate and select new technology for internal and client use, develop patterns and practices across the application lifecycle for Syrinx and its clients, and ensure the Syrinx team is adept with current Microsoft technologies. Ian's career highlights include roles as architecture manager at Vistaprint, chief software architect at Intranets.com, and principal engineer at AOL, where he helped pioneer componentized web browser technology that made the Internet accessible to millions of subscribers. He is a native of Great Britain and holds a computer science degree.
* Gregg Valeri Named Director of Education and Training - In his fourth year with Syrinx as a principal software engineer, Gregg is now responsible for .Net and SharePoint training. The position includes expert training of new hires and client business-line and IT staff for popular technologies including Microsoft's Visual Studio, .Net and SharePoint Server 2007. Gregg has 12 years of development experience and previously worked as director of development at financial integration portal company Fipoint as well as manager of financial application development at Amicore. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Physics from University of Massachusetts in Lowell.
"Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office system," said Chris Capossela, corporate vice president of the Product Management Group, Microsoft Business Division at Microsoft Corp. "The value of solutions competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing information worker solutions market."
About Syrinx Consulting
Syrinx is a software development and consulting firm that brings a deep understanding of Microsoft technologies including .NET and SharePoint 2007 to organizations that are dependent on technology for competitive advantage. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Syrinx has developed solutions within the financial services, Internet, call center, real estate, publishing, health care, and biosciences industries. Founded in 1998, Syrinx is based in Waltham, Mass. and has been recognized on the Boston Business Journal's list of "Areas Largest IT Consulting Firms," "Fastest Growing Companies" list, and the "Inc. 5000" lists for 2007 and 2008. For more information, visit www.syrinx.com.
PRO Consulting Expands Scientific Expertise in Response to Market Growth
PRO Consulting(R), the acknowledged experts in implementing methods for collecting patient-reported symptoms data in regulated clinical research, today announced the appointment of Ms. Katarina Halling as Senior Scientist. In this role, Ms. Halling will advise clients on their Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) measurement strategies, including the application of PRO Consulting's Endpoint Development Process for specific clinical development programs.
Ms. Halling joins PRO Consulting from AstraZeneca(R), where she most recently held the position of Senior PRO Advisor, Health Economics and Outcomes Research. Ms. Halling brings over 20 years of clinical development experience to PRO Consulting, including substantial expertise in the field of Patient Reported Outcomes.
"Katarina's knowledge of PRO instrument development methods and her understanding of US and European regulatory expectations for PROs in clinical research make her a perfect fit with our scientific team," said Doug Engfer, president of PRO Consulting. "We are thrilled to have her join us at this time when demand for PRO Consulting services is at an all-time high, and researchers around the world are recognizing the value of PROs in their clinical development programs."
Ms. Halling joins PRO Consulting as it continues to experience significant growth and rapid expansion into the European biopharmaceutical market. She will be based in Europe and will work with PRO Consulting's US and European clients.
"My decision to join PRO Consulting was based on the positive impact this group is making in clinical research and my personal experience as a satisfied client," said Ms. Halling. "I'm delighted to join this team of scientific and regulatory experts as they help trial sponsors make key decisions about using PRO data in support of their clinical programs."
PRO Consulting, a division of invivodata, inc., provides consulting services to help clinical research teams effectively develop, execute, and document patient reported outcome (PRO) strategies to support their clinical research objectives. The PRO Consulting team has more than 140 years of cumulative experience in psychometrics, PRO study design, migrating and validating electronic solutions to collect PRO data, and has extensive experience working with the FDA and other regulatory bodies.
Ms. Halling joins PRO Consulting from AstraZeneca(R), where she most recently held the position of Senior PRO Advisor, Health Economics and Outcomes Research. Ms. Halling brings over 20 years of clinical development experience to PRO Consulting, including substantial expertise in the field of Patient Reported Outcomes.
"Katarina's knowledge of PRO instrument development methods and her understanding of US and European regulatory expectations for PROs in clinical research make her a perfect fit with our scientific team," said Doug Engfer, president of PRO Consulting. "We are thrilled to have her join us at this time when demand for PRO Consulting services is at an all-time high, and researchers around the world are recognizing the value of PROs in their clinical development programs."
Ms. Halling joins PRO Consulting as it continues to experience significant growth and rapid expansion into the European biopharmaceutical market. She will be based in Europe and will work with PRO Consulting's US and European clients.
"My decision to join PRO Consulting was based on the positive impact this group is making in clinical research and my personal experience as a satisfied client," said Ms. Halling. "I'm delighted to join this team of scientific and regulatory experts as they help trial sponsors make key decisions about using PRO data in support of their clinical programs."
PRO Consulting, a division of invivodata, inc., provides consulting services to help clinical research teams effectively develop, execute, and document patient reported outcome (PRO) strategies to support their clinical research objectives. The PRO Consulting team has more than 140 years of cumulative experience in psychometrics, PRO study design, migrating and validating electronic solutions to collect PRO data, and has extensive experience working with the FDA and other regulatory bodies.
Global Consulting Firm Adopts Brainware Solutions Package to Create Closed Loop Accounts Payable Workflow
Brainware, Inc., the world's leading provider of intelligent data capture and enterprise search solutions, announced today that one of the Big Four global professional services firms has adopted its end-to-end automation package to create a closed loop process for Accounts Payable.
This new client is using Brainware's intelligent data capture and workflow management solution, Brainware Distiller(TM), to feed accounts payable information directly into their Peoplesoft enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. They will also use Brainware's enterprise search solution, Globalbrain(TM), to enable users to quickly and accurately find invoice information on scanned and electronic documents.
"It is exciting to see our solutions being adopted throughout the global network of a leading professional services firm," says Carl Mergele, Brainware CEO. "It shows that our customers are increasingly seeing the value of an integrated approach to document processing automation. We are responding to this demand by offering state-of-the-art data capture, workflow and search solutions working on a single platform."
About Brainware
Brainware, Inc. is an innovative provider of intelligent data capture and enterprise search solutions that help Global 2000 companies eliminate costly manual data entry, rapidly process large volumes of documents and retrieve data from across the enterprise. Its solutions were built from the ground up to manage unstructured data without templates, exact definitions, taxonomies or indexing. Headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia, Brainware maintains global sales and support operations through its North American, U.K. and European offices. Brainware customers include Airbus, Alcon, Alltel, Amgen, Anadarko, BB&T, British American Tobacco, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, Her Majesty's Prison Service, JohnsonDiversey, Kimberly-Clark, KPMG, The Bank of New York Mellon/SourceNet, NHS/Xansa, Nestle, Reynolds & Reynolds, Shell, Southern Company, and many others. For more information, please visit http://www.brainware.com.
This new client is using Brainware's intelligent data capture and workflow management solution, Brainware Distiller(TM), to feed accounts payable information directly into their Peoplesoft enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. They will also use Brainware's enterprise search solution, Globalbrain(TM), to enable users to quickly and accurately find invoice information on scanned and electronic documents.
"It is exciting to see our solutions being adopted throughout the global network of a leading professional services firm," says Carl Mergele, Brainware CEO. "It shows that our customers are increasingly seeing the value of an integrated approach to document processing automation. We are responding to this demand by offering state-of-the-art data capture, workflow and search solutions working on a single platform."
About Brainware
Brainware, Inc. is an innovative provider of intelligent data capture and enterprise search solutions that help Global 2000 companies eliminate costly manual data entry, rapidly process large volumes of documents and retrieve data from across the enterprise. Its solutions were built from the ground up to manage unstructured data without templates, exact definitions, taxonomies or indexing. Headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia, Brainware maintains global sales and support operations through its North American, U.K. and European offices. Brainware customers include Airbus, Alcon, Alltel, Amgen, Anadarko, BB&T, British American Tobacco, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, Her Majesty's Prison Service, JohnsonDiversey, Kimberly-Clark, KPMG, The Bank of New York Mellon/SourceNet, NHS/Xansa, Nestle, Reynolds & Reynolds, Shell, Southern Company, and many others. For more information, please visit http://www.brainware.com.
Ernst & Young: Young Entrepreneurs Crucial to Canada's Future
Young entrepreneurs are vital to the future success and long-term sustainability of the Canadian economy. That's why initiatives like Global Entrepreneurship Week are so important, Ernst & Young says.
"Entrepreneurs propel the economy forward. They are powerful engines of economic growth," said Dan Cornacchia, Ernst & Young's National Director of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Program. "It's crucial for all of us to nurture entrepreneurship."
Ernst & Young is sponsoring Global Entrepreneurship Week and playing an active role in the Canadian component, Entrepreneurship Week Canada. The program includes educational and inspirational activities geared to young and aspiring entrepreneurs. Taking place all this week, the program offers workshops, seminars and other opportunities for young people to interact with successful business leaders.
"This sponsorship is part of our wider commitment to entrepreneurship, and the community. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards were established in Canada in 1994," Cornacchia explained. "The international program recognizes the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. We hope that one day, we'll be honouring some of the young people attending this week's activities."
Cornacchia will be on hand at Entrepreneurship Week Canada on Friday, where he will introduce keynote speaker - former two-time EOY Ontario award recipient and G.A.P Adventures founder - Bruce Poon Tip.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. For more info, visit www.ey.com/ca.
"Entrepreneurs propel the economy forward. They are powerful engines of economic growth," said Dan Cornacchia, Ernst & Young's National Director of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Program. "It's crucial for all of us to nurture entrepreneurship."
Ernst & Young is sponsoring Global Entrepreneurship Week and playing an active role in the Canadian component, Entrepreneurship Week Canada. The program includes educational and inspirational activities geared to young and aspiring entrepreneurs. Taking place all this week, the program offers workshops, seminars and other opportunities for young people to interact with successful business leaders.
"This sponsorship is part of our wider commitment to entrepreneurship, and the community. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards were established in Canada in 1994," Cornacchia explained. "The international program recognizes the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. We hope that one day, we'll be honouring some of the young people attending this week's activities."
Cornacchia will be on hand at Entrepreneurship Week Canada on Friday, where he will introduce keynote speaker - former two-time EOY Ontario award recipient and G.A.P Adventures founder - Bruce Poon Tip.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. For more info, visit www.ey.com/ca.
IBM Study Shows Consumers Will Accept New Forms of Advertising If Companies Follow Their Rules
IBM's (NYSE: IBM) second global online survey of consumer digital media and entertainment habits revealed that consumers are adopting digital content services -- such as social networking and videos -- on mobile phones and personal computers at an accelerated pace, and it is impacting traditional consumption habits.
The survey, which was conducted with 2,800 people in six countries -- Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. -- also shows that people are willing to get personal with advertisers by sharing information about themselves if it results in targeted incentives that match their lifestyle. This presents companies with significant advertising revenue opportunities among today's informed and empowered consumers.
"I Want My Ad-Supported Digital Content and Interactive Tools"
Last year's study showed the decline of TV as the primary media device. This year's study found large scale adoption and usage of digital content services accessed via the PC and mobile phone, with ad-supported models (versus consumer-paid) preferred almost three to one by respondents globally. Adoption for most categories of digital content services doubled from last year, with services such as social networking now at 60 percent penetration and Internet data plans for mobile devices at over 40 percent for respondents globally. While digital content services adoption is widespread, interactivity through features such as user ratings tools and video uploads is primarily concentrated among the more digital savvy consumers.
"With the rise of Web 2.0, millions of people can instantly create, publish and consume content. In order to survive, advertisers must understand how to reach their target audiences across multiple devices," said Dick Anderson, General Manager, IBM Media & Entertainment. "Knowing distinct consumer segment preferences and delivering consistent content and messaging are essential for long-term success."
Consumers desire, and are comfortable with, wired and wireless access to content. 76 percent of consumers surveyed have already watched video on their PC, up 27 percent from last year. 32 percent indicated they have viewed video on a portable device or mobile phone, up 45 percent from last year. Interest in mobile video content has more than doubled since last year to 55 percent.
For both PC and mobile video, over 70 percent of respondents prefer advertising-supported models as opposed to consumer-paid models, representing a huge growth opportunity for the industry. Preference for ad-supported models ranged from 62 percent to over 80 percent by country, with Japan having the highest preference for ad-supported on both devices.
"I Watch Less TV Because of Online Video Alternatives"
Consumers are moving beyond the trial stage of watching online video. Of those who have watched videos on their PC, 45 percent are doing so regularly -- at least a few times per month.
As adoption of online video continues, cannibalization of overall television consumption is becoming more apparent. Over 50 percent of respondents who have watched online video claim they watch slightly less -- 15 percent -- to significantly less -- 36 percent -- television as a result, implying place-shifting alternatives may be changing consumer "couch potato" behavior.
"Hey Corporate America, Get out of my Online Video!"
When asked how they prefer to view advertising associated with online videos, the majority of respondents said they prefer to see it before or after a video. Respondents from all six countries polled protested traditional television models such as interruption advertisements during the video or the use of product placements within programs.
"Consumers have grown accustomed to accessing new forms of content through alternative sources, such as online video and video-on-demand, at no cost to them -- no fee, with very limited advertising shown," said Saul Berman, Global Lead Partner, Strategy & Change Consulting, IBM Global Business Services and the author of many recent IBM studies. "The industry must find appealing ways to monetize new content sources or risk a similar fate as that of the music industry where value shifted away from core players."
"I'll Trade Information in Exchange for Incentives"
Close to 60 percent of total respondents were willing to provide information about themselves -- such as age, gender, lifestyle or communications preferences -- in exchange for something of value. Younger respondents had fewer concerns about revealing personal preferences, and a sizeable portion of participants over the age of 45 were also willing to share information about themselves. However, all respondents indicated the need for perceived value and incentives as a trade-off to provide personal information.
Consumers listed free high-quality music/videos, discounts to favorite stores and air travel/hotel points as the most desired and attractive incentives. These findings were consistent across all countries polled, with Japan and India having the least reservations about providing personal preferences, with over 62 and 72 percent of respondents respectively willing to share information, versus 45 percent of respondents in the US.
"I Want my Content and Messaging Integrated -- Here, There and Everywhere"
The digital savvy consumers are embracing new multimedia devices. The 13-24 year old segment owns an average of between four to five multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, such as iPods, game consoles such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox or Nintendo Wii, high definition television sets (HDTV) and portable game players. The "Gadgetiers" -- early adopters, estimated at 15 percent of the market -- have on average between seven and eight multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, HDTVs, DVRs, and Internet-enabled phones such as the iPhone or BlackBerry.
As devices become more embedded in a person's lifestyle, consumers desire more integration between them. Over 40 percent of respondents are interested in content portability -- the ability to view and transport the same piece of content across multiple devices. Nearly one in five respondents was interested in consistent, tailored messaging across devices. Advertisers must focus on consumer-choice and centricity in order to effectively capture and retain consumers who are relying less on a sole device for digital content.
"As consumers continue to rely on more devices to view and access content on their terms, interest in convergence over multiple media devices grows," said Bill Battino, Managing Partner, Global Communications Sector, IBM Global Business Services. "Operators must carefully think through their opt-in strategies to take advantage of advertising and commerce opportunities across TV, mobile devices and PCs."
Geographical Preferences
Within the six countries polled, Australia and the U.K. had the highest adoption of social networking sites, with over 65 percent and 70 percent respectively, compared to an average of 60 percent for all countries. The U.S. had the highest adoption of premium video services for the traditional TV at over 45 percent, versus Australia which had the lowest penetration at less than 25 percent. The U.S. also had high adoption of online TV/video sites such as HULU or YouTube, at close to 40 percent, versus the U.K. which had the lowest at 28 percent. Japan, Germany and India had the highest adoption of mobile services, including Internet data plans and mobile content plans for video and music.
While there were differences between countries, the majority of all respondents stated that recommendations from friends had the most impact on the type of content they viewed over celebrity, amateur and professional endorsements.
IBM Survey Methodology
The online survey was conducted during the third quarter of 2008 by the IBM Institute for Business Value. The questionnaire generated 2,800 responses in six countries: Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. The survey was split 50/50 male/female. It proportionately reached demographic groups 13 years and over. Respondents reported a range of household salary levels, though the vast was under U.S. $100,000. The results can be considered statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level and have a margin of error of +/- 0.0138 points.
This consumer study is a component of the upcoming report "Beyond Advertising: Fact or Fiction" jointly authored by Saul Berman, Bill Battino and Karen Feldman, planned for release in late 2008. It is the latest in a series of thought leadership papers including: "The end of advertising as we know it," "The end of television as we know it," "Navigating the media divide: Innovating and enabling new business models" and "Beyond access: Raising the value of information in a cluttered market," providing recommendations for broadcasters, advertising agencies and media distributors including telecommunication and cable companies.
The IBM Institute for Business Value provides strategic insights and recommendations that address critical business challenges to help clients capitalize on new opportunities. The Institute is comprised of consultants around the world who conduct research and analysis in 17 industries and across five functional disciplines, including human capital management, financial management, corporate strategy, supply chain management and customer relationship management. IBM has a strong global focus on the media and entertainment industry across all of its services and products, serving all the major industry segments -- entertainment, publishing, information providers, media networks and advertising. For more information on IBM and the survey, please visit: www.ibm.com/media.
The survey, which was conducted with 2,800 people in six countries -- Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. -- also shows that people are willing to get personal with advertisers by sharing information about themselves if it results in targeted incentives that match their lifestyle. This presents companies with significant advertising revenue opportunities among today's informed and empowered consumers.
"I Want My Ad-Supported Digital Content and Interactive Tools"
Last year's study showed the decline of TV as the primary media device. This year's study found large scale adoption and usage of digital content services accessed via the PC and mobile phone, with ad-supported models (versus consumer-paid) preferred almost three to one by respondents globally. Adoption for most categories of digital content services doubled from last year, with services such as social networking now at 60 percent penetration and Internet data plans for mobile devices at over 40 percent for respondents globally. While digital content services adoption is widespread, interactivity through features such as user ratings tools and video uploads is primarily concentrated among the more digital savvy consumers.
"With the rise of Web 2.0, millions of people can instantly create, publish and consume content. In order to survive, advertisers must understand how to reach their target audiences across multiple devices," said Dick Anderson, General Manager, IBM Media & Entertainment. "Knowing distinct consumer segment preferences and delivering consistent content and messaging are essential for long-term success."
Consumers desire, and are comfortable with, wired and wireless access to content. 76 percent of consumers surveyed have already watched video on their PC, up 27 percent from last year. 32 percent indicated they have viewed video on a portable device or mobile phone, up 45 percent from last year. Interest in mobile video content has more than doubled since last year to 55 percent.
For both PC and mobile video, over 70 percent of respondents prefer advertising-supported models as opposed to consumer-paid models, representing a huge growth opportunity for the industry. Preference for ad-supported models ranged from 62 percent to over 80 percent by country, with Japan having the highest preference for ad-supported on both devices.
"I Watch Less TV Because of Online Video Alternatives"
Consumers are moving beyond the trial stage of watching online video. Of those who have watched videos on their PC, 45 percent are doing so regularly -- at least a few times per month.
As adoption of online video continues, cannibalization of overall television consumption is becoming more apparent. Over 50 percent of respondents who have watched online video claim they watch slightly less -- 15 percent -- to significantly less -- 36 percent -- television as a result, implying place-shifting alternatives may be changing consumer "couch potato" behavior.
"Hey Corporate America, Get out of my Online Video!"
When asked how they prefer to view advertising associated with online videos, the majority of respondents said they prefer to see it before or after a video. Respondents from all six countries polled protested traditional television models such as interruption advertisements during the video or the use of product placements within programs.
"Consumers have grown accustomed to accessing new forms of content through alternative sources, such as online video and video-on-demand, at no cost to them -- no fee, with very limited advertising shown," said Saul Berman, Global Lead Partner, Strategy & Change Consulting, IBM Global Business Services and the author of many recent IBM studies. "The industry must find appealing ways to monetize new content sources or risk a similar fate as that of the music industry where value shifted away from core players."
"I'll Trade Information in Exchange for Incentives"
Close to 60 percent of total respondents were willing to provide information about themselves -- such as age, gender, lifestyle or communications preferences -- in exchange for something of value. Younger respondents had fewer concerns about revealing personal preferences, and a sizeable portion of participants over the age of 45 were also willing to share information about themselves. However, all respondents indicated the need for perceived value and incentives as a trade-off to provide personal information.
Consumers listed free high-quality music/videos, discounts to favorite stores and air travel/hotel points as the most desired and attractive incentives. These findings were consistent across all countries polled, with Japan and India having the least reservations about providing personal preferences, with over 62 and 72 percent of respondents respectively willing to share information, versus 45 percent of respondents in the US.
"I Want my Content and Messaging Integrated -- Here, There and Everywhere"
The digital savvy consumers are embracing new multimedia devices. The 13-24 year old segment owns an average of between four to five multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, such as iPods, game consoles such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox or Nintendo Wii, high definition television sets (HDTV) and portable game players. The "Gadgetiers" -- early adopters, estimated at 15 percent of the market -- have on average between seven and eight multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, HDTVs, DVRs, and Internet-enabled phones such as the iPhone or BlackBerry.
As devices become more embedded in a person's lifestyle, consumers desire more integration between them. Over 40 percent of respondents are interested in content portability -- the ability to view and transport the same piece of content across multiple devices. Nearly one in five respondents was interested in consistent, tailored messaging across devices. Advertisers must focus on consumer-choice and centricity in order to effectively capture and retain consumers who are relying less on a sole device for digital content.
"As consumers continue to rely on more devices to view and access content on their terms, interest in convergence over multiple media devices grows," said Bill Battino, Managing Partner, Global Communications Sector, IBM Global Business Services. "Operators must carefully think through their opt-in strategies to take advantage of advertising and commerce opportunities across TV, mobile devices and PCs."
Geographical Preferences
Within the six countries polled, Australia and the U.K. had the highest adoption of social networking sites, with over 65 percent and 70 percent respectively, compared to an average of 60 percent for all countries. The U.S. had the highest adoption of premium video services for the traditional TV at over 45 percent, versus Australia which had the lowest penetration at less than 25 percent. The U.S. also had high adoption of online TV/video sites such as HULU or YouTube, at close to 40 percent, versus the U.K. which had the lowest at 28 percent. Japan, Germany and India had the highest adoption of mobile services, including Internet data plans and mobile content plans for video and music.
While there were differences between countries, the majority of all respondents stated that recommendations from friends had the most impact on the type of content they viewed over celebrity, amateur and professional endorsements.
IBM Survey Methodology
The online survey was conducted during the third quarter of 2008 by the IBM Institute for Business Value. The questionnaire generated 2,800 responses in six countries: Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. The survey was split 50/50 male/female. It proportionately reached demographic groups 13 years and over. Respondents reported a range of household salary levels, though the vast was under U.S. $100,000. The results can be considered statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level and have a margin of error of +/- 0.0138 points.
This consumer study is a component of the upcoming report "Beyond Advertising: Fact or Fiction" jointly authored by Saul Berman, Bill Battino and Karen Feldman, planned for release in late 2008. It is the latest in a series of thought leadership papers including: "The end of advertising as we know it," "The end of television as we know it," "Navigating the media divide: Innovating and enabling new business models" and "Beyond access: Raising the value of information in a cluttered market," providing recommendations for broadcasters, advertising agencies and media distributors including telecommunication and cable companies.
The IBM Institute for Business Value provides strategic insights and recommendations that address critical business challenges to help clients capitalize on new opportunities. The Institute is comprised of consultants around the world who conduct research and analysis in 17 industries and across five functional disciplines, including human capital management, financial management, corporate strategy, supply chain management and customer relationship management. IBM has a strong global focus on the media and entertainment industry across all of its services and products, serving all the major industry segments -- entertainment, publishing, information providers, media networks and advertising. For more information on IBM and the survey, please visit: www.ibm.com/media.
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