Service providers within the growing ICT services and support space are aiming high in 2012 - at the clouds, to be specific.
Competitors like FOXit, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and service provider focused on project and portfolio management in business, have fine-tuned their offerings to meet the needs of a market eager to leverage off the benefits of true cloud-based service.
Cloud computing and cloud-based services will start to dominate business management in 2012, and will have particular relevance to project management and strategic application as enterprise project management (EPM), as well as project and portfolio management (PPM) increasing in importance says Aldo van Tonder, Chief Executive Officer at FOXit.
Technology vendors such as Microsoft South Africa have identified cloud computing as a key business driver in 2012.
“Businesses need more flexible, more cost-effective but reliable infrastructure to manage processes and procedures. They want to take advantage of ubiquitous connectivity, with minimal risk and improved workflow, in order to boost overall performance. This is where cloud-based service can make a significant difference,” says Van Tonder.
FOXit has partnered with PwC Exordia, a division of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Microsoft Gold Hosting Partner, to roll out the first true locally available PPM cloud services offering.
The offering is a fully preconfigured, out-of-the-box hosted project solution that enables any business to take advantage of cloud-based PPM.
PwC Exordia has provided the underlying infrastructure and FOXit the various product sets combined to add value. These product sets include business productivity solutions, PPM and business process automation solutions.
Van Tonder says the alliance profiled the solution at a launch in November. The objective was to remind decision-makers of the value of this operational platform, and the fact that value can be derived from the solution irrespective of an organisation's skills level, IT capability or size.
Another critical facet of the offering is that PPM is accessible in the cloud, and clients have the option to retain on-premise control, if required, or a mixture of the two scenarios.
Van Tonder stresses that the PPM offering is cost competitive, calculated to be about 50% more cost-effective than other solutions currently available.
Through the partnership, South African businesses are offered access to project management services that were previously unattainable or exclusive to a limited group.
Representatives from both companies believe the offering addresses issues associated with internationally hosted offerings, such as latency and compliance challenges.
According to FOXit management, the availability of these product sets and these holistic solutions will empower businesses to proactively engage existing and emerging markets.
“Combined with our other world-class data visualisation, mobility and workflow products, this solution will change the way day-to-day work is performed. It definitely puts project and portfolio management tools in reach of organisations that typically had limitations on either budget or internal support,” Van Tonder adds.
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