OLAP Survey 4 recognises Applix TM1 user satisfaction

MCI Consultants, a distributor for Applix`s TM1 product in SA, today announced that according to The OLAP Survey 4 (http://www.survey.com/olap) by independent analyst and OLAP (online analytical processing) authority Nigel Pendse, Applix TM1 users are the most satisfied customers in a number of categories.

This year`s survey also points to an overall increase in user satisfaction derived from OLAP solutions as implementations are meeting (and exceeding) business goals, providing real business value.

"Business users prefer the experience of working with a single BPM solution," commented David Menninger, vice-president, worldwide marketing, Applix, Inc.

"Applix`s unified TM1 platform is faster, easier-to-use and less expensive to implement. This is in direct contrast to the products from market consolidators who are purchasing companies and trying to mesh solutions with very different architectures and interfaces.

"Meanwhile, our high customer satisfaction leads to an impressive level of customer loyalty, measured in the report by combining the inclination to buy new seats, the lack of deterrents to wider deployments, the low rate of product abandonment, and standardisation tendencies."

The 2004 survey also shows that Applix continues to gain ground in the BPM market. TM1 ranked at the top in:

* Data load/pre-calculation;

* Speed of deployment;

* Better decisions;

* Business goals achieved;

* Faster more accurate reporting;

* Saved headcount in business departments;

* Least number of product technical problems; and

* Prevalence (proportion of respondents in multi-product sites who chose the product for answering questions).

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"The survey indicated that TM1 is much more likely to be used for key BPM applications," continued Menninger. "TM1 ranks among the top three products for planning/forecasting, budgeting, scorecards, and financial consolidation/statutory reporting."

In addition, TM1 ranked in the top three in the following categories:

* Query time

* Support quality

* Overall business benefits achieved

* Reduced external IT costs

* Saved headcount in IS

* Win rate when on the short-list

* Customer loyalty

The OLAP Survey 4, the largest and most detailed survey of OLAP products to date, is a quantifiable survey of the $4 billion OLAP market. The survey, conducted by Nigel Pendse and Survey.com, analysed data from 971 OLAP sites in 51 countries. No vendors were involved in developing the questions, or in sponsoring the survey, making it the most reliable and unbiased research on the OLAP market. This year`s survey asked more than 50 usage and adoption questions concerning 42 different OLAP products.

"The report is a comprehensive look at OLAP tools, usage, technical issues and overall success rate in customer sites," added Pendse. "This year, Applix`s ranking, with highly satisfied and loyal customers, is a result of the strength of the product in many different areas. As with last year, Applix`s TM1 showed particularly strong in supporting the achievement of business goals in addition to its frequently recognised ease-of-use and performance features."

For further information, please contact Aliki Droussiotis, MCI: telephone 011 454-3420, fax 011 454-3417, e-mail aliki@mci.co.za