Infor and Microsoft at WPC10

Recently, Infor announced that we have selected Microsoft as our preferred technology and tools provider and Windows Azure as the preferred platform for our next generation of cloud-based applications, Infor24. The announcement wasn’t just a big deal for Infor and its customers. Recently, at the 2010 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft’s Bob Muglia shared this exciting news live in front of 14,000 WPC10 attendees at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Then, Microsoft aired this video live on the big screen.

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Infor Channel Partners: Helping Sustain Relationships with 70,000+ Customers

As companies grow in size, they often lose the personal connection to customers that made them a success in the first place. Over the past several years, Infor has faced this situation as we grew from a relatively small company to the leading provider of business applications for growth-oriented companies.

Our success has come from the collaborative relationships that we foster with our customers. This has always been what differentiated Infor from our competitors, and it is not something we were willing to sacrifice as our company underwent exponential growth.

So how do we do it? How does the leading provider of business applications for the mid-market maintain hands-on relationships with our customer base when that base is more than 70,000 strong?

Our approach was to build a world-class channel partner program that would leverage partners with deep industry-specific experience and extensive knowledge of enterprise applications. We sought to recruit partners that would function as an extension of our direct sales team and professional services organization.

We take great pride in our partners that review and evaluate the specific needs of each perspective customer to recommend the right solutions to manage their operations now and into the future, just like our salesforce. These partners provide unrivaled ongoing support and professional services to be sure that customers are getting the most out of their software investment and achieving the lowest possible cost of ownership.

Attracting more of the right channel partners is critical to our strategy. We continue to undergo a recruitment drive, and have been achieving great success while focusing on quality over quantity. This is easier said than done, of course, but we are attracting the partners we want because of five main principles:

• Our strategy works, and this is why we have grown to become the leading provider of business software for the mid-market in less than 10 years.
• Our customers are happy, and they tell us this personally and by renewing their maintenance contracts at a leading level.
• Our organization listens and works in tandem with our Channel Advisory Council to develop programs that boost channel performance.
• Our partners are armed with the tools and support they need from Infor to succeed.
• Our software is innovative and is best equipped to solve the pain points that mid-market companies face.

Recently we issued a press release that quotes IDC Analyst Albert Pang on how our channel strategy and commitment to our partners is the right approach to driving innovation for our customers’ organizations. Our Chief Strategy Officer, Bruce Richardson, will hold a webinar on April 29th that delves further into the relationship between Infor and its partners. I encourage you to register to attend and offer us your feedback on our program and our strategy here.

Posted By Dennis Michalis, Corporate Senior Vice President

Protect Your Company with a Proactive Approach to Compliance

With so many business cases highlighting the consequences of not having proactive compliance plans, it’s easy to see why many companies are fearful of the topic. Whether it’s out-of-conformance operating procedures or non-compliance with new regulations, the impact can be extremely costly and can do long-term damage to the reputation and viability of an organization.

The most common questions on the subject of regulatory compliance and risk management are:

1) How well can an organization handle being under the government microscope?

2) Is the organization prepared from a business standpoint for a worst-case scenario?

To answer these questions, decision makers must have answers to some other difficult questions: Do we have procedures in place to ensure product compliance? How do we know we are within regulatory guidelines? What new legislation is coming that we need to plan ahead for?

When companies are proactive with risk management and compliance, they can enhance the corporate reputation and create a competitive advantage. One way successful companies have adopted a proactive stance on compliance is by establishing a senior level position responsible for developing and maintaining an enterprise-wide strategy to stay ahead of new requirements. Whether it is an executive vice president of compliance and risk, or a chief compliance officer, manufacturers must make someone accountable for driving the effort.

Manufacturers should expect their compliance chief to be a step ahead of regulators. This can be accomplished by actively managing compliance with the eventual goal of designing compliance into every initiative. Systems and operating procedures play a critical role in achieving this goal. Repeatable and auditable systems and processes improve a company’s ability to mitigate regulatory incidents. These systems and operating procedures allow a company to identify issues, assess the risk and resolve the problem quickly.

There was a recent manual-based compliance/document-based process failure at a major North American food plant. The company’s HACCP program, which was document-based with manual procedures, failed to detect frozen materials that were moved from cold storage to a cool storage area with a temperature above 40F for thawing. The materials were thawing in the cool storage for about 10 hours and at risk for bacteria growth. A quality issue, line down or change in demand caused this material not be used within four hours, but the document and manual process did not detect this HACCP failure. If the material had been used and were contaminated, the company could have had a significant crisis on hand – brand damage, declined consumer trust, reduced sales, and high recall-related costs.

Another way organizations can be proactive with compliance is to adopt software solutions like Infor’s to ensure that compliance and risk management factors are built into the design of products, the business processes, and each department’s business plan. From Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) to sourcing and Supply Chain Management (SCM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) provide continual feedback and integrated compliance processes to ensure that organizations do it right the first time and every time. With active compliance using these solutions, you get improved brand protection essentially for free. By minimizing costs and reducing risks, how can you afford to ignore the opportunity?

Posted By Rory Granros

A Better Way: Why I Joined the InforNation

Fresh starts often give us the opportunity to take a look back. As I recently made the decision to join Infor as its CMO, I reflected on my 30 plus years in the technology industry. Although I've only got a few gray hairs to go along with the experience, I really have seen my share of products and companies come and go.  In many ways, this business is the same today as when I started my first gig selling big iron at Burroughs. The purpose of technology is to make our customers’ world better. Easier. More productive. More profitable. 

I find it ironic that while the aim of business software is to make you more efficient, streamline processes and improve your bottom line, doing business with most software companies is slow, disruptive and expensive. Somewhere along the line, these big software companies shifted their focus from the customer to themselves. They became bloated, arrogant and very frustrating to do business with.

Customers today are looking for a better choice. An alternative from the Big ERP guys who talk at their customers instead of really listening. We are that alternative.

Infor has never been a conventional software company – nor will we ever be. We think that is a good thing, and our customers tell us it is. By thinking differently and listening to our customers’ needs, we are on an active journey to offer a better choice and change what people expect from a business software company.

Many have already joined us in our challenge to Big ERP. As part of the InforNation you are in charge of your own software destiny. You choose the software and determine the timeline – from the initial implementation to every additional product add-on and upgrade. You decide what makes the most business sense for your company – every day and every step of the way.  Because we understand it’s not about us but about you, your business and your goals. Our role is to support you throughout the life of your software investment. To make your world better.

It’s an exciting time to be in our industry, and it’s an exciting time to join this great team that puts the voice of the customer first in everything we do. Isn’t it time we turned Big ERP on its head?

Posted By Robert Humphrey, Senior Vice President and CMO

Marketing in the Influence Economy

The worst is over and it now appears the recession is drawing to a close. At least we hope. Nevertheless, companies are unlikely to forget the hard-learned lessons of the past 18 months, where corporate belt-tightening and edicts to "do more with less" have caused many businesses to adopt a new set of best practices based on efficiency and frugality. Traditional marketing budgets have been especially hard hit while demand has increased for digital marketing tools.

Businesses have realized the power of channels such as online media, and are leveraging this medium to engage customers. The resulting give-and-take has created the Influence Economy. The Influence Economy is defined by the widespread use and availability of influencer channels; social media, digital friends, and non-traditional forms of customer interactions that allow your customers to influence the market. The impact of these channels is being felt right now, as companies figure out how to manage customer expectations for more personalized experiences. Those that successfully master this new economy can set themselves apart from the competition and build a significant advantage as conditions improves.

Knowing the customer has never been more important.

The role of intelligent CRM solutions is becoming more vital as companies look for ways to break down the traditional methods of sales, service, and marketing. Many of our customers came to us from legacy solutions that were not equipped to operate in a shifting landscape, much less that of the Influence Economy. I often hear them explain how they tried to reduce the complexities of diverse markets down to a single, oversimplified and inaccurate view, which inevitably led to unread emails, unanswered outbound contacts, and wasted collateral. The Influence Economy, more than ever, requires companies to personalize services, maneuver quickly and seamlessly across multiple channels, and actively engage customers.

Recently, we released Infor CRM Epiphany Outbound Marketing 7.2 to help companies navigate the Influence Economy by emphasizing highly targeted, personalized interactions based on the specific needs of each customer or group. It is this type of personalized interaction customers want to experience. In fact, companies that offer more personalized services see an increase in offer acceptance.

Here are some tips for navigating the waters of the Influence Economy:

§   The market won’t wait for you

The market is moving faster every year and your window to generate new sales opportunities is getting smaller. Updated internal processes and new technology can help you develop campaigns more efficiently, without wasting resources through shorter offer development and implementation cycles.

 

§   Don’t lose your customers

Sounds simple, no one wants to lose customers. However, many companies overlook or under-utilize their churn detection capabilities. Couple this feature with a highly targeted campaign and you can help retain those uncertain customers.

 

§ Maximize your technology investments

Better understand the abilities of what you have and how you can incrementally add functionality to meet the needs of the Influence Economy without a rip and replace extravaganza.

 

The rise of the Influence Economy in tandem with the recession has made a lot of marketing departments rethink tried and true methods of outbound marketing. Direct mail lost its effectiveness a while ago and the Do Not Call registry is one of the largest databases in the US to throw a brick wall between you and your customer; so how do you effectively reach your customers? A combination of the right strategy and technology can take you a long way.

 

Inforum 2009: A Real Event for You, Our Customer, in a Virtual World

Today we announced Inforum 2009, Infor’s annual user conference to be held October 20 and 21. This year, we are hosting the event virtually – something new for us. Our team has worked hard to make sure the conference will continue to deliver the value you have come to expect from Inforum – including plenty of opportunity for education, networking and even exploring the expo hall. Holding the event in a virtual environment actually provides even more opportunity to interact with Infor experts, partners and other customers by attending keynotes and educational sessions; exploring how our products help you drive business innovation in the Infor Solutions Expo; and connecting with peers in Networking Square. Inforum 2009 will include approximately 90 sessions in 14 different tracks representing Infor’s major solution areas.

Why a virtual event?

Infor is dedicated to providing an annual meeting for customers that includes education and also gives users the opportunity to discuss how your use of Infor solutions helps drive business innovation across your organization – and that is what Inforum is all about: connecting and learning.

This year was challenging because the current economic conditions have resulted in reduced (or eliminated) travel and education budgets. Because we design and sell software to the mid-market, companies that are the backbone of the global economy, we understand our customers are hard hit with the realities of this downturn. By holding Inforum as a virtual event this year, anyone can attend with minimal financial investment or disruption to your work schedule. For only $49 you get the full Inforum experience, including the keynote address by Infor Chairman and CEO Jim Schaper, educational sessions on Infor’s product roadmaps, solution-specific training and customer case studies, networking opportunities through scheduled and spontaneous chat sessions, as well as an expo hall filled with representatives of Infor and our partners – ready to talk with you and provide product demonstrations.

Unique benefits of a virtual Inforum

Hosting an event that isn’t bound by the limitations of today’s travel budgets and time pressures isn’t the only benefit to our virtual conference. Because the event is on-line, you can attend sessions at their scheduled time or at your leisure on-demand throughout the event – and even after the event concludes.

Virtual Inforum is not meant to replace our face-to-face events. It is a direct response to many of our customers facing the challenges of the economy. We help thousands of customers achieve the flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions, and Infor is no different. The current economy prevents most customers from traveling to the event, so we are bringing the event to you. The look and feel of Inforum will remain intact, with an exciting virtual world that will let you explore, learn and interact with one another.

Registration for Inforum 2009 will open on September 14, and the official conference website is available now. I hope to see you there.

Infor Creates New Value for Customers through Infor Flex

On June 22, Infor launched an innovative new program, Infor Flex, which offers customers a clear path forward to upgrade to the latest release of their current product or to exchange, on a like-for-like basis, for an alternative Infor solution.

To help introduce this program, we sat down with Dennis Michalis, corporate senior vice president and one of the architects of the Flex program, to get his take on Infor Flex and how it will create new value for customers.

Editor: Why has Infor decided to embark on Infor Flex?

Dennis Michalis: At Infor, our customers are the heart of our business. We’ve demonstrated this commitment by delivering new, innovative capabilities, like Infor MyDay, free to customers with active maintenance plans and the latest, SOA-enabled versions of our products.

We strive to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership and highest value for maintenance of any enterprise software vendor. All of this is fueled by our innovative and unique product strategy, anchored by Infor Open SOA.

We have launched a market-changing program, Infor Flex, which helps our customers more fully realize all of the benefits I just mentioned and reduce the risk of business disruption of upgrading or moving to a new solution.

Flex is a program that fulfills our vision for SOA and delivers industry-leading value and innovation to customers. Infor Flex offers a clear path forward to upgrade to the latest release of their current product or to exchange, on a like-for-like basis, for an alternative Infor solution.

Customers’ expectations have drastically changed. They no longer can afford the time and energy spent on three to four year product implementations and upgrades associated with many of our competitors.

We’ve developed Infor Flex to address these needs by providing our customers with a clear, cost-effective and painless method to upgrade to our latest product innovations.

Editor: Why should a customer consider Infor Flex? What are the benefits?

DM: Infor Flex offers low-risk options for our customers to upgrade to the latest versions of their current software or exchange for a like Infor product. In addition to a fast, reduced-fee implementation methodology, customers also receive special incentive pricing on additional modules, users or complementary solutions, while minimizing license or transaction fees.

Pairing innovation with value, Infor Flex is an easy way for our customers to utilize Infor’s Open SOA framework, providing a cost-effective way for customers to take advantage of SOA-enabled product releases like Infor MyDay and it makes it easier for them to add new functionality in the future.

This allows us to seamlessly deliver new capabilities without disrupting our customers’ business. With Infor Open SOA, our customers don’t need to rip-and-replace their software, like they sometimes need to do with our competitors’ solutions.

Editor: How is Infor creating more value for maintenance than its competition?

DM: Since we first unveiled Open SOA we have consistently delivered on our promise to provide the greatest value for our customers’ maintenance investment. This is why we have one of the industry’s most impressive maintenance retention rates – 93 percent. Infor is a loyal partner to our customers and that is why they remain loyal to Infor.

Our competitors are facing a massive customer backlash as a result of their strict and expensive maintenance policies – and in our opinion, rightfully so. Enterprise software vendors shouldn’t back their customers into a corner with inflexible policies. Infor Flex counters this by delivering significant value for our customers’ maintenance dollars at a lower total cost of ownership and in a more rapid and proficient manner. 

One of the greatest benefits of Infor Flex is that regardless of whether the customer upgrades to the latest release of their current solution or if they choose to move to another solution entirely via Infor Flex Exchange they will not be asked to change their current maintenance fees associated with their current scope of use. In short, on a like-for-like basis whether it is upgrading or exchanging, for qualifying customers, maintenance fees stay the same.

Editor: What is the big deal about Open SOA? How does it apply to me?

DM: Think of it this way: Our customers using Open SOA-enabled solutions today have dramatically reduced the expense and complexity of their infrastructure. How? Take MyDay for example. Customers on the latest Infor Open SOA release have self-downloaded, self-installed and deployed MyDay for free. No fuss. No hassle. No services required. No additional maintenance fees. This eliminates disruption, reduces cost and instantly and seamlessly adds tremendous value to the business.

Editor: What is the difference between Flex Upgrade and Flex Exchange?

DM: Flex Upgrade provides customers with the newest Infor Open SOA-enabled application version of their current product for little or no licensing fees. Infor Flex Exchange allows customers to exchange their current product for a similar Infor application of the same size and scope for a nominal transaction fee.

Editor: Does this mean that Infor is making certain products obsolete?

DM: Absolutely not. Infor stands behind its long standing policy to support all of its customers. Flex is simply a way of helping customers easily move to either the latest release of the solution they currently use or move to a solution that best fits their current needs.

Editor: What kind of timeframe do customers have to participate? Do they have to go through with Infor Flex right now?

DM: Customers do not have to adopt Flex now, or ever. We are not going to force our customers to do anything that isn’t in the best interests of their business. We want to give our customers the freedom to decide when they need an upgrade, so this is completely on their timeline, not ours. Infor Flex is not a forced march, but a program giving customers choices based on their needs. Infor Flex is offered to qualifying customers on a limited time basis; however, Infor reserves the right to extend the program at any time.

Editor: What requirements must customers meet to qualify for Infor Flex?

DM: In order to qualify for Infor flex, customers must have a current maintenance agreement with Infor.

Editor: My relationship is with an Infor channel partner. Can I work with them on Infor Flex?

DM: Channel partners are critical to Infor’s growth and coverage and they absolutely play a part in the Flex program. Feel free to discuss the suitability of Infor Flex for your business with your Infor channel partner.

Editor: Can I exchange a license-based product for a SaaS product?

DM: This would be outside of the like-for-like exchange I mentioned earlier; however, we would certainly work with any customer to develop a mutually-agreeable, cost-effective plan.

Editor: How can I learn if I qualify?

DM: Contact your Infor Sales, Services or Support Account Representative or Channel Partner to learn more about how you qualify and the details of the Infor Flex Program.

This announcement, in whole or part, does not constitute an offer of any kind and may not be incorporated into any contractual agreement with Infor or its subsidiaries and affiliates.  The Infor Flex and Infor Financing programs are available for a limited period and subject to change at any time, with or without notice to you.  Restrictions apply.  This announcement reflects the direction Infor may take with regard to the specific product(s) described herein, all of which is subject to change by Infor in its sole discretion, with or without notice to you.

Thank You to Our Customers for Selecting Infor as One of the Most Influential Technology Companies

Last week, Aberdeen Group released its “2009 State of the Market: Mid Year Insights Report,” which lists Infor as the 13th most influential technology company. Naturally, this is a great source of pride for Infor, not only because we moved up five spaces from last year and are the only private company to make the list, but because it demonstrates the success of our customer-centric business strategy.

You see, the list wasn’t generated by Aberdeen analysts; it results from a survey of more than 1,600 business leaders in 36 countries. Those leaders were asked to name the three technology companies that are most influential in their day-to-day business. Aberdeen then put the vendors into order by number of times that each was listed as a response. Those business leaders had Infor closer to the top of their minds than AT&T, Intel, or Adobe, to name a few.

Infor has always striven to be closely connected with its customers and their needs. This is why we continue to have an industry-leading maintenance retention rate of 93%. Being listed by business leaders as influential to their companies is a further testament to our strategy.

This year, we moved up five spots on the list, which I feel is a direct result of the innovative products and programs that we have developed over the past year. At our user conference in October, we unveiled Infor MyDay, which takes ERP to the next level by delivering role-specific data and analytics to users—and we did it at no additional expense to customers on many SOA-enabled versions of our software and active maintenance plans.

On June 22, we announced Infor Flex, a program that redefines value for maintenance by helping our customers get onto the latest version of our products at steep discounts and on their timeframe. At a time when our competitors are being called to task by their customers for trying to raise maintenance rates, we are delivering powerful new components at no additional charge.

It is always a good feeling to be recognized for something that you have done, and that is how we feel about this recognition. Thank you to all of the Infor customers who feel that our solutions are helping to propel your business forward and for keeping us top of mind. We promise to return the compliment by continuing to create products and programs that help you run your business better.

Infor Flex

Today, Infor announced Infor Flex, a new program that gives customers a clear, fast and cost effective path to adopt Infor's latest product innovations. Jim Schaper, Infor's Chairman and CEO, provides a short introduction to Infor Flex in this video. Below the video is an overview presentation. 

Infor Flex Overview Presentation

Here's a quick overview that gives more details on the program (click the projector icon to see it in full screen mode). You can also visit the website for more information. As always, your feedback is welcomed in the comment section.

Expanding Payment Options for Customers

Today, Infor launched a new financing program for all of our customers. To help introduce this program, we sat down with our own Kevin Samuelson, senior vice president, mergers & acquisitions and integration, to get his take on Infor Financing and how it will create new value for customers.

Editor: Why offer financing now?

Kevin Samuelson: At the risk of oversimplifying my answer…because our customers have asked us for it. Given the importance of preserving cash in the current environment, there is considerable advantage for customers in rolling-out new technology initiatives and business strategies in a way that lets them fund these programs over time. Many companies are using the downturn to put programs into place that will enable them to emerge as stronger, more competitive organizations—and our software is a large part of that.

Editor: When does it make sense for a company to consider financing?

KS: Customers should consider finance options for each purchase. Everyone’s feeling the effects of budget constraints and more aggressive cash management. With financing, customers preserve cash for other investments, while avoiding large up-front payments for the software they need today. Financing helps our customers turn capital expenses into operational expenses—a key factor in managing cash flow.

Editor: How can customers benefit from financing?

KS: Through Infor Financing, customers can immediately move forward with business initiatives that will improve their bottom line—without depleting their cash reserves or impacting working capital.

Editor: What types of payment options and other packages will be offered?

KS: Our standard payment programs are for 24 and 36 months; however, we also have the flexibility to offer extended payment terms for large transactions.

Editor: How long will Infor offer 0% financing?

KS: The zero percent financing program, which lets customers lock-in interest-free monthly payments for a period of 24 months, will be available until September 2009. As we get closer to that date we may consider extending the 0% program.

Editor: Is there a minimum deal size, or other “fine print?”

KS: Infor Financing is available for all customers (direct sales or through our worldwide network of channel partners) who have made at least a $15,000 purchase. Customers can finance software license costs, professional services, and maintenance/support fees. I encourage everyone interested in Infor Financing to visit the Infor Financing website.

Editor: Everyone has heard horror stories of the difficulties in securing loans recently. How difficult is it to qualify for financing?

KS: Infor has a wide range of financing programs for all companies and our goal is to make the financing process as simple as possible. Even if a customer does not qualify for traditional financing or zero percent financing, we can still work with them to establish an appropriate financing plan.

Editor: Are you offering software leasing as well?

KS: No. With our financing program, customers take ownership of their software licenses when they sign the agreements.

Editor: Where is the program offered?

KS: We are starting the financing program in North America and expect to gradually extend the program worldwide over the next year.

Posted by Lauren Banks, Infor Blog