PeopleSoft bundle hits channel
Firm unveils SME software, hardware and services offering
PeopleSoft will offer a bundle of small business software, hardware and services through the channel for the first time.
Crosbie Burns, PeopleSoft UK managing director, who headed JD Edwards in the UK before PeopleSoft acquired it last year, said an initiative to sell the World Express Rapid Start bundle through the channel in Europe is "in development".
World Express Rapid Start has been available through the company's channel in the US since the beginning of May.
World Express, PeopleSoft's small-business suite, runs on IBM's iSeries platform. Rapid Start bundles its AS400 server with industry-specific software, support and set-up services.
Burns said: "World Express used to be a JD Edwards product and JD Edwards had a very successful channel business. We have made a significant investment in our smaller customers with products that are robust and cheap to implement and own. You will see something at the end of the year."
Dale Vile, service director at Quocirca, said: "This is not a new proposition, as JD Edwards had been selling World software through its channel for 10 years."
He added that the bundling of the AS400 could be a stumbling block to gaining acceptance from the channel.
"The world has moved on quite considerably, and while there is still a loyal core of AS400 advocates, there has been a bleeding away from it in the channel towards Microsoft and more open platforms," he said.
PeopleSoft has also added prescriptive analytics with version 8.9 of its CRM product.
Other new features in CRM 8.9 include customer portfolio management, wealth management, helpdesk frameworks for human resources or IT support, services management for contact centres, sales and marketing capabilities and partner relationship management.