Connected services - next big thing in IT in 2011

By Keith Fenner for Sage Enterprise
Johannesburg, 03 Dec 2010

Connected services could be the next big thing in IT in 2011, says Softline Accpac vice-president for sales in Africa, Keith Fenner.

A connected service could be a procurement service, a payment service or a Web store that companies are able to plug in and use as they want, scaling them to meet future needs. "Connected services are becoming a major part of all our product sets, especially Sage ERP Accpac and Sage CRM," explains Fenner.

He cites Softline`s acquisition this year of Netcash - a secure, online transaction processing service, which is easily integrated into Sage ERP Accpac and Sage CRM for debit orders and company information. "The demand for connected services will continue to grow as Internet access becomes easier and more affordable, but solutions must be transparent to the user and literally be plugged in and usable," explains Fenner.

He says that in 2011, Web, SaaS and cloud technologies will also pose huge market opportunities. In the ERP environment, Fenner says there is a very clear gap in the tier 2 technologies available. "Companies are looking for modern technology ERP with a collaborative portal that enables them to compete in the global economy. This area of the market is quite open and Sage ERP X3 fills this space with an easy to use, fast to implement and cost-effective ERP solution," says Fenner.

Reflecting on 2010, Fenner believes that virtualisation has given customers choice in terms of deployment, elasticity in terms of payment and scalability, which has ultimately given clients full control over a hosted solution. "This technology has enabled IT providers to deliver all the benefits that customers want at a cost that has stayed about the same for the past 10 years. Technology has effectively reduced the cost of IT," he explains.

2010 was a tough year from an economic standpoint, and business slowed again during the World Cup this year as we all enjoyed the spectacle. As a result, Fenner says companies are exercising caution and taking the time to complete all due diligence work before making any major decisions. Companies expect more prototypes and develop a solid understanding of how any solution will improve their business process before taking decisions.

Looking ahead to 2011, many companies are looking to expand across the border into Africa and a number of opportunities are opening up in other African countries. "We have aligned our sales team territorially to be able to meet the expectations of our partners and prospects as they expand into Africa," explains Fenner. "The African expansion is a challenge that we embrace on a daily basis and we have started to reap the rewards of our persistent marketing and awareness campaigns, turning Africa into a great growth market for us," says Fenner.

Overall, the IT industry continues to move at fast pace in terms of cloud and connected services. Our customers are starting to reap the benefits of our technology investments years ago and have started to quickly and easily embrace our extended product suites like CRM, business intelligence and connected services. We are pleased to be leading the technology curve as all the hard work is paying off, concludes Fenner.

Softline Accpac

Softline Accpac is a provider of business management solutions including financial, distribution, service management, retail, warehouse management, manufacturing and CRM to the mid-range market. Accpac solutions are delivered to 130 countries exclusively through a global network of solution providers, including over 150 throughout Africa. Softline Accpac`s product line includes: Accpac ERP, Accpac CRM, Accpac RMS, Service Manager and Accpac Insight. Softline Accpac also distributes Sage ERP X3, a full-service enterprise management software system for mid-to-large businesses. With a choice of languages, currencies, enterprises, locations and legislations, Sage ERP X3 offers an efficient, multi-company solution.

Softline

Softline is a leading provider of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions to small, medium and large sized companies. Founded in 1988 by Ivan Epstein, Alan Osrin and Steven Cohen, Softline was established during the formative years of the software industry and listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa in February 1997. Softline expanded to establish a strong position within its area of focus in South Africa and Australia. Focused on the development of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions, Softline has a 20-year track record as a market leader. The group has a broad range of products offering users a variety of software solutions to run their businesses efficiently. Softline`s leading brands include Softline Accpac, Softline Enterprise, Softline Pastel (Accounting and Payroll) and Softline VIP. The combination of the group`s product offerings provide Softline customers with comprehensive, well-branded accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions. In November 2003, Softline was acquired by the Sage Group, a FTSE 100 company. The software group includes market-leading businesses throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia, supplying business software to the small, medium and large sized business community. Softline has a solid track record of profitability and cash generation. The group delivers quality accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions that improve the efficiencies of businesses around the world.

The Sage Group

The Sage Group is a leading global supplier of business management software solutions and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage has 5.8 million customers and more than 14 500 employees worldwide. We operate in over 26 countries covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For further information, please visit http://www.sage.com.

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