PeopleSoft and IBM launch strategic alliance to provide CRM solution for IBM S/390 customers IBM

Global eBusiness leaders PeopleSoft Inc., and IBM today announced a global strategic alliance to offer a completely integrated, internet-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution running on IBM`s DB2- Universal Database for the IBM S/390 server.

IBM and PeopleSoft will combine their database, server, software and services, for a comprehensive solution that gives customers access to a pure eBusiness CRM application that is scalable, reliable and can manage their data across the entire enterprise. The two companies will take this joint solution to PeopleSoft and IBM S/390 customers in the $62 billion worldwide CRM market through combined promotions and industry events.

PeopleSoft selected IBM`s DB2 as its primary development platform over competing products from Oracle and other vendors. In addition, PeopleSoft has committed to lead with IBM`s WebSphere Application Server and MQ Series messaging middleware, as well as RS/6000 and Netfinity Web servers. This announcement follows similar agreements IBM has made with other software application leaders including i2, Ariba, Siebel Systems, Kana and Vignette. These agreements resulted from IBM`s strategic alliance initiative, in which developers gain access to new customers and revenue opportunities through IBM`s extensive marketing, sales, and solutions resources. At the same time, developers lead with IBM`s middleware, server platforms and services.

In recent months, the relationship has grown as PeopleSoft has adopted IBM`s DB2 Universal Database Version 7 over Oracle as the company`s primary development platform for PeopleSoft 8 and both companies subsequently announced a strategic alliance in the higher education marketplace.

"The alliance strengthens our combined vision of leading the eBusiness world with a pure internet CRM solution that truly integrates the entire enterprise," says Sam Gallucci, executive vice president and general manager for PeopleSoft CRM. "The CRM extension on the S/390 is a natural fit for IBM and PeopleSoft. Deployed together, PeopleSoft CRM and IBM S/390 and DB2 represents the best-of-class and will set the bar for the industry."

"The combination of Peoplesoft CRM with IBM DB2 Universal Database on the powerful IBM S/390 servers provides personalized, reliable service for our mutual customers," says Stephanie Hahn, General Manager, IBM Customer Relationship Management Solutions. "This solution has the ability to handle hundreds of thousands of concurrent customer touches with uninterrupted service, providing their customers with better service."

DB2 on S/390 provides a perfect complement to the strengths of PeopleSoft`s Vantive CRM enterprise as an industry-leading eBusiness architecture platform, explains PeopleSoft SA`s MD, Jan Coetzee. "The combined solution delivers a proven, best-of-class system that connects sales, marketing, contact, field service, help desk and customer service operations," he says. "It accommodates customer interactions via the Web, phone, email and fax, or through sales and service representatives."

Coetzee points out that the relationship is especially meaningful to IBM customers who are interested in building an eBusiness future using seamlessly integrated CRM applications from a single vendor. PeopleSoft`s Vantive CRM eBusiness solution meets the needs of a company enterprise-wide.

PeopleSoft CRM applications on DB2 empowers companies to focus on their customers--driving revenues, increasing customer loyalty, and providing the technology to truly excel at customer service, he adds.