From a global perspective, the e-commerce landscape is changing dramatically and a key player in this area, Oracle, one of the world`s main suppliers of e-commerce software, sees significant growth opportunities in South Africa.
"In the past six months big companies have finally started to move to e-business," maintains Mark Gower, marketing director of Oracle SA. "And an important aspect of e-business is the provision of data and voice services to mobile consumers.
To highlight recent strides in mobile commerce, Oracle SA and its global and local partners, KPMG Consulting, Cisco and Hewlett-Packard will be exhibiting together at M-Commerce World.
"We will demonstrate that, by combining collaborative packages using technologies and expertise from equal partners, successful e-business solutions can be delivered in an mobile environment."
Gower says the four partners aim to show visitors how to keep in touch with mobile customers, and more importantly, how the sales experience can be enhanced using mobile technologies.
One of their joint solutions, Oracle`s CRM Service offering, using KMPG Consulting expertise, HP`s hardware and Oracle software running on a Cisco-powered network, will be showcased at the expo. This solution will illustrate return on investment (ROI) through the correct application of mobile technology within customer retention strategies.
Also highlighted at the expo will be Oracle`s mobile Internet solutions. Oracle claims a 50% market share of the software that brings PC websites to Internet enabled WAP-mobile phones.
The company recently formed a new company, OracleMobile.com, to focus on building and hosting services for the wireless Internet market.
OracleMobile.com is integrating wireless data and voice via Motorola`s Mobile Internet Exchange platform. With the capabilities of Motorola`s technology and wireless devices, OracleMobile`s portal enables carriers to use the Internet to provide integrated data and voice capabilities to mobile consumers anytime, anywhere on any device and in any format that suits their changing needs.
"The ramifications of all these solutions are widespread", says Alan Saunders, portal product manger at Oracle SA. "Now anyone can use a wireless device to get stock quotes; check flight reservation information; get directions; make reservations; shop; access news, weather and traffic information; check movie listings; receive alerts about important events; and perform online business and lifestyle activities from virtually anywhere in the world at any time."
OracleMobile`s first available service is a voice response-enabled Movie Guide combining content from Hollywood.com and MapQuest.com with Motorola`s Voice Markup Language technology. This service provides mobile movie fans with voice access to movies by category or location, along with movie reviews and intelligent directions to their present location. "It`s the first of many wireless voice services which OracleMobile.com plans to roll out over the coming months.
"Voice-enabled services are the true killer application for the Internet," says Saunders. "By voice-enabling all of OracleMobile.com`s mobile services, virtually anyone with any phone can access the Internet. It`s that simple."
Ian Beaton, partner at KPMG Consulting says m-commerce offers the next wave of opportunity for business in South Africa. "The Internet will continue to be the most important medium for e-enabled business but wireless applications are able to meet some of the requirements particular to a mobile workforce.
"It`s also important to realise that m-commerce can be used for more than just buying with the use of a cell phone. The mobility and flexibility offered by wireless connectivity will increase its popularity in other areas for example, work force management or sales force automation," Beaton adds.
Commenting on what the `tour-de-force` will debut at M-Commerce World, Nicolas Leblanc, enterprise solutions sales manager at HP South Africa, expects the tangible customer relationship management solutions to be the draw card.
"The mobile commerce space clearly redefines what it means for a vendor to manage customer relationships. "The target market is on the move, the demand for information, availability and service is consequently strong, and the criticality of being able to evaluate the customer experience is paramount."
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