In its November 28, 2000 Enterprise Application Practice Alert, AMR Research Inc., the industry`s preeminent provider of research and analysis on e-Business strategies and technologies, recognized Macola Software for developing a Microsoft-centric integrated software package that meets the needs and unique requirements of its customers.
AMR Research Analyst Tom Cook prefaces his November 28, 2000 Enterprise Application Practice Alert by commending Macola for its development of an integrated suite of e-Business modules that support the transactions and processes of today`s small and mid-market businesses. He also recognizes Macola for developing products that support customers e-Business processes, which are critical to remaining competitive in today`s marketplace.
Here is Cook`s Enterprise Application Practice Alert that focuses on Macola.
Macola helps customers play the e-business game
All companies today are expected to provide a platform for their customers, suppliers, and employees to manage and transact business processes using Web-based technologies. Larger companies have the resources and bandwidth to pick and choose applications, which fit in with their strategy for buying and selling using the latest available technologies. But Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs) don`t have the resources nor the channel influence in their supply chains to cherry pick a best-of-breed approach to an application portfolio. These companies rely, for the most part, on a single enterprise management system to provide the functions and depth to support business processes required for them to remain viable players in the new economy. Macola Software understands this reality and has assembled a Microsoft-centric integrated package that meets the needs of most of its target market--companies with revenues in the $20M-to-$50M range.
Macola recognizes that SMEs are risk averse and has assembled an application suite, which leverages the core functions of its Progression Series 7.5 with integrated Web-enabled functions to communicate and transact with customers and suppliers. The company is delivering two key Internet-based applications, Web.Orders and Web.Views; they provide self-service functions that are tied in to the back-office system, reducing the ordering cycle time and improving customer service. Web.Orders is a storefront for customers to place orders via the Internet. It uses the back-office ties to provide total order costs to the customer in real time and lets them track shipment of an order. Web.Views lets customers and employees look up account, pricing, and product availability information. Macola has partnered with SalesLogix Corporation for CRM functionality and integrated the application in to the Progression Series. The company also offers its customers Internet-based procurement via a partnership with Works.com and a Commerce Connector to enable users to integrate product catalogues to the back-end system. This allows them an additional means to support the procurement of supplies.
Macola has weathered the ERP doldrums well, given the technology and market changes that have occurred in the past 12 months. The company reports that revenue for this year will increase by 30% over 1999; growth in its international sales, which now makes up 15% of total revenue, is a big contributor. The pipeline is full, as reported by its distribution channel. Macola`s ability to satisfy SMEs with an end-to-end solution is generating a lot of interest. Companies need this solution in order to play in the e-business game. Macola certainly understands that its target market is not looking for bleeding-edge technology but has a need for a functionally-rich application set that allows them to take advantage of new technologies and business processes. Knowing the market and providing an easy-to-use, broad functional footprint, and a low maintenance product set is Macola`s value proposition. Macola knows the game and continues to deliver the right products and message to its customers.
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