EnterWeb is launching Plumtree portal software in SA to help local business harness the power of the Internet and compete on an international level.
Single sign-on front-end integration tools used to integrate across all corporate systems and data sources are changing the way companies do business, says Andries Louw, EnterWeb MD. "Bringing all data sources into one environment increases productivity by giving users real-time access to everything they need to know.
"As the whole world begins waking up to the power of portals and switching emphasis from business processes to workflow management, having access to world-class portal design software is vital for local companies to do business internationally."
Louw says EOH KPMG Consulting business unit EnterWeb identified the local need for true portal capability to enable local businesses to compete internationally. "Based on our research and reports by several international research companies, EnterWeb identified Plumtree portal software as being the best of breed."
Plumtree is ranked by Meta Group as the portal market leader based on performance, by the International Data Corporation as the number one portal product offering based on market share, and by AMR Research as number one for customer satisfaction.
Charlie Abrahams, Plumtree EMEA MD, says many application vendors claim to offer portal capability, but this is misleading. "It would be more accurate for them to say their applications are Web-enabled."
Abrahams says Plumtree`s objective is not to lock in customers, but to help them get the maximum use out of the applications and data sources they already have, including legacy applications that may require special integration software development.
Having approached Plumtree, EnterWeb was subsequently appointed as master distributor for Plumtree portal design software in southern Africa. "We plan to use the services of EKC Portals, the portal design and deployment unit of EOH KPMG Consulting, to plan, manage and facilitate the deployment of our product.
"We are hugely excited at the prospect of combining our business expertise with a best of breed product," says Louw. "Now local companies can use a truly open portal framework to ensure all necessary information is available in real-time to the right people based on their business roles."
Plumtree`s portal technology, explains Abrahams, does not deliver all the functionality of applications to users, only that part of the applications required by the user to fulfil their business role. "We deconstruct applications, extract the functionality the user needs and expose only that in a portal window known as a portlet."
"Plumtree`s portal technology makes it unnecessary to invest in more systems by making it possible for companies to make better use of what they already have," emphasises Louw. "However, in the wake of the official launch of Plumtree in SA at the end of the month, one of our first tasks is to overcome the misperception that portal design is complex and expensive.
"Portals enable businesses to provide the tools and information their employees need without having to worry about the enabling technology, thereby freeing them to concentrate on core business," says Louw. "Local companies are still very IT focused, but should instead follow the world trend of being more business focused to gain competitive-edge through doing things better, faster, smarter."
Portals gather all data sources into a single access point, and enable users to find and publish any of the continually updated information delivered to a portal, notes Abrahams. "This is possible by customising Plumtree`s indexing criteria.
"Each portal page has some fixed content that usually comprises important information that is pushed to users based on their business role, as well as a variety of portlets that may be selected from a predefined library or created by anyone with .Net or Java development skills to expose required information, services, or applications."
Roma Steyn, EnterWeb senior manager, says portals are the most strategic investment any company can make at present.
Plumtree is to be launched to clients, particularly small and medium businesses, on 31 March.
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