JD Edwards global customer services tailors JD Edwards 5 to customers` unique business needs

JD Edwards & Co today announced new and enhanced information technology services offerings as a follow-up to its 21 May announcement of JD Edwards 5, the company`s new, comprehensive family of innovative, collaborative enterprise software products and services.

JD Edwards will swing the industry`s approach to implementing software back into balance - with implementation, education and support services that are both cost-effective and tailored to the customer`s unique needs.

Enterprises around the world have said they need services that are tailored to their unique business. At the same time, they want a repeatable "standard" implementation method that yields better costs and predictability - mitigating project risk and minimising total cost of ownership (TCO). Many IT services vendors have vacillated in recent years between customized "one-off" and rapid "cookie-cutter" implementation approaches. Now, JD Edwards is leading the industry to blend the best of both approaches.

"As the largest and oldest provider of JD Edwards customer services in the world, JD Edwards knows that customer services mean one vision, one outcome, one solution, one customer at a time," said Bob Dutkowsky, president, CEO and chairman, JD Edwards.

"I think that JD Edwards has rightfully taken a lot of praise from the user community because of its willingness to listen to its users. JD Edwards listens to the people who know the business the best and then incorporates that feedback into its products and services," said Dave Hyzy, director of information technology, Benderson Development Company.

From this philosophy comes OneMethodology, JD Edwards` enhanced implementation methodology. JD Edwards consultants can dynamically configure an activity-based implementation work plan based on the customer`s unique goals, business processes and desired level of involvement using tools built on a knowledge base of 25 years of successful industry, technology, and project management best practices. The methodology and tools - fully integrated across the entire family of JD Edwards` collaborative enterprise software products - facilitate business process and technology changes to accelerate time-to-benefit. Based on JD Edwards` vision for preserving each organisation`s unique characteristics and competitive advantage, the OneMethodology approach helps JD Edwards consultants deliver a solution that enhances business performance. The objective is to provide customers with maximum benefit from their software investment.

JD Edwards Education Services, particularly through the company`s breakthrough Process Flow Training, also takes a "listen first" policy to ensure the training plan meets the customer`s requirements, then works with the implementation team to coordinate, tailor, and deliver the training needed to provide a seamless, custom solution. The ultimate goal is to help each customer achieve self-sufficiency with the software.

Self-sufficiency, however, does not mean the customer has to go it alone. As its customers` long-term partner, JD Edwards is bucking the industry trend of reducing support offerings to just one or two levels. JD Edwards not only has retained its four levels of support (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum), but it also has introduced several advanced self-service support components available to customers and the new Platinum Premier support offering.

"Many vendors have emphasized industry best practices to reduce costs, but it is not a best practice unless it is best for the individual customer," said Paul Pronsati, vice president, sales and consulting operations, JD Edwards.

"By listening to what our customers want from consulting, education and support services, we are continuing to enhance our services offerings to make our customers stronger."