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IDII Software Newsletter March 18th 2003 - Volume 4, Number 6 For PROFESSIONALS in Software for Warehousing, Logistics, and Supply Chain.  |
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The Perplexing Problematic Pricing Paradox of Enterprise Software Applications When was the last time that any of us experienced hassle-free and unambiguous pricing involved with enterprise software such as WMS, YMS, ERP, or TMS applications? For those of us who answer "never" (or seldom) - please read on. Enterprise Software and Logistics Execution Application "solutions" have all the answers. They can run your business, automate your warehouse, manage your load sequences, optimize your transportation routes, actively maximize dock-door productivity, and myriad other logistics applications. Okay you might say, where do I sign and, by the way, how much does it cost? Do blank stares fill the room with deafening silence or does the sound of all the world's tap-dancers seem to filibuster on your desktop? Enterprise Software pricing is as complex for shoppers as the software itself…or perhaps more so. There are numerous articles being published about the challenges of finding a software solution that is priced in a consistent and predictable fashion. INTERNETWEEK.com published their opinion, "Why Enterprise Software Pricing Is Such a Problem" last September (http://www.internetwk.com/story/INW20020927S0001). In short, the article speaks for the angry enterprise software customer. In October, TechWeb published: "Readers Slam Software Companies For Pricing Problems" (http://www.techweb.com/tech/opinion_mad/20021018_mad), which points out perceptively high prices, lack of pricing transparency, and how customers must jump through many hoops before they find out the software's true cost. Whatever the application, pricing is more difficult to find than Jimmy Hoffa. And if you find it, unlocking its secrets may produce more frustration than solving a Rubik's cube in a dark room. Purveyors of the software face a similar conundrum. How is it possible to have pricing models available for every industry vertical application for any given size? How can there be enough flexibility in a vendor's pricing model to appeal to the masses when they all want it priced "their way" when faced with increasingly stringent ROI requirements? What comes first, the potential customer's issues (the chicken) or the vendor's daunting challenges to suit the customer (the egg)? While there exists no Rosetta stone to translate the varying dialects found in the collective pricing languages of the enterprise software buying and selling community, there is a solution that can help. The solution captures all the costs associated with software selection and implementation, including peripheral costs that can often be overlooked. It also incorporates rate structures and a software licensing matrix that is both user friendly and collaborative. Coming in next week's announcementr, the IDII Enterprise Software Pricing Application.
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Lilly Software Associates Web Seminar Series Can Supply Chain Visibility
Impact Your Company? To maintain existing customers, and capture new ones, companies today compete on their ability to successfully meet customer demands. Having access to material status and flow through all aspects of the supply chain is critical for delivering a superior customer experience. Companies need to know what suppliers are shipping, what product is in process, what finished goods are at the manufacturing facilities, as well as what is available to ship at the warehouse. Join Lilly Software to find out how its customers have been able
to satisfy a 200-300 percent growth in demand, while reducing back
orders through true supply chain visibility. Sign
up today! |
IDII News - New Website Features
- Pre-Release on new book
- Glossary of Supply Chain Terminology. Would you like
to do a written review on a pre-release copy? Email
us with your name, physical address, and phone.
- New Website Features -
- Warehouse Floor Layout Plans -And- How To Layout Warehouses Classes
- E-Commerce - How To Do E-Commerce Right - Books
Keep Learning - Free Books - Educational White Papers - Books - Suggest A White Paper
- New White Papers
- New - WMS Cost Justification - Kom International - Excellent
- New - Dynamic Routing & Impact of Implementation on Trading Partners - Manhattan Associates - Excellent
- New - Fence Line Security with Yard Management Software - Cypress Int - Very Good
- White Papers Announced In Last Two Newsletter
- Voice Directed Picking: Expected ROI
- Utility Powers Up Productivity and Customer Service with a Wireless Solution
- Integrating the Electronic Product Code (EPC) & Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
- Warehouse Optimization and Warehouse Space Optimization - Part I - Excellent
- Warehouse Space Optimization - PART II - Excellent
- Optimal Pick Area Layout - Very Good
- Fence Line Security with Yard Management Software - Great
- An Introduction to RFID and Tagging Technologies - Excellent
- Voice Over IP: What Lies Beneath - Very Good
- How to License Customized Software - Gigalaw.com - Excellent
- The Essential Guide to the Best (and Worst) Legal Sites on the Web - Book
- Case Studies in Last Newsletter
- Utility
Powers Up Productivity and Customer Service with a Wireless Solution
Technology & Software Product News
- Benetton, Gillette, and others have announced major RFID undertakings.
Bennetton is going to utilize 15 million RFID tages. Did this surprise
any of us? It was expected and the RFID momentum continues to
move forward rapidly..
- Demantra Introduces Demantra Spectrum®
for a Collaborative and Fully Integrated
Demand-Driven Supply Chain. Demantra Spectrum® combines a Marketing Planning and Analytics solution to increase revenue, with Demand Management and Inventory Planning and Optimization solutions to reduce costs. The new version of the suite addresses - sales and operations planning (S&OP), vendor managed inventory (VMI), and collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR®), in addition to other customer-facing programs.
Promotion Effectiveness (the newest component of the Marketing Planning and Analytics solution), which raises the bar in terms of providing analytic capabilities to measure the impact of trade promotions. Promotion Effectiveness is expected to help businesses increase returns on marketing spend by helping companies measure the net lift of promotions by quantifying the cannibalization effect caused by cross brand or channel switching and pantry loading. It ensures that promotion decisions are integrated with the supply chain’s capacity and constraints, allowing the entire chain to have visibility into promotions and production plans. Other new features include: Space constraint profit optimization: The Demantra suite helps manufacturers calculate what should be shipped, packaged and shelf-stocked based upon the most profitable mix of product available in situations where space, volume or credit is being constrained.
- Radcliffe (WMS) Acquires KEF Technologies.
Fred Radcliffe, President of Radcliffe, says “We plan to utilize the
project management expertise of KEF’s consultants to improve the overall
project management of our own supply chain and SAP implementation projects,
while at the same time aggressively targeting KEF’s current verticals
to expand our market share in project management.”
KEF Technologies, a Microsoft Project Partner and Microsoft Certified Partner, currently serves the financial services, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, technology, government and health care sectors. These industries are a compelling complement to Radcliffe’s already strong presence in the food, beverage, consumer and industrial products markets.
- Retek (ERP, Retail) Introduces Integrated Store Operations
Solution.
- Rick
Duris Newsletter #18 at http://www.rickdurisunplugged.com has a
good point of criticizing Gartner. A good number of well known
"research" firms have become extremely philosophical. See
his article for some validation points.
Quotes to Ponder - List of Quotes to Ponder from prior issues.
- Be slow in choosing a friend, but
slower in changing him.
- Scottish Proverb
- "Rulers are
not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to
have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise
from the same."
- Romans 13:3
- www.customs.ustreas.gov
- US Customs Service
Online
Book Catalog - Intuitive Categories
Books on E-Commerce,
Shipping,
Warehousing,
Distribution,
Operations,
WMS,
ERP,
MRP, CRM,
Supply Chain, Customer
Service, Logistics,
Facility Layout & Design,
Metrics
& Measurements. Software Providers SAP,
Peoplesoft.
IT & Project Management Books: Software
Project Management - IT
Management - Software
Testing -
RFP Development - Proposal
Writing.
| ERP
Optimization: Using Your Existing System to Support Profitable E-Business
Initiatives Order From Amazon |
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New Software Directory - October 2002 -
| "Warehouse
& Logistics Software Directory" Order From Amazon or IDII |
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Manufacturing
| IT
Project Management: On Track from Start to Finish Order From Amazon |
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SAP & Supply Chain
| "Supply
Chain Management Based on SAP Systems" Order From Amazon |
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Searching for a Warehouse Management System? This answers the "Who? What? and How?" questions and Saves Time!
| "ADVANCED
WMS RFI Search Bundle" Available from IDII only |
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| Obal,
Philip |
Advanced Version is available only from IDII |
Valuable Future Events - List
Your Event or Convention
IWLA Annual Conference - March 23 - 26, 2003. Miami Beach, FL at the Eden Roc, a Renaissance Resort and Spa. For more information see http://www.iwla.com
RedShift, RedPrairie's User Conference - April 2-4, 2003 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, AZ. Learn how you can achieve improved logistics results within your company and your extended supply chain at this event. RedShift will be packed with useful industry information, RedPrairie solution updates and plenty of time for networking and fun. For more information or to register, visit www.redprairie.com
National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) - April 13 - 16, 2003 - Orlando, FL. The Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Exhibits: April 14 and 15 The Conference Exclusively for Direct-to-Customer Operations and Fulfillment Management.
Distribution/Computer EXPO 2003 - May 20 - 22, 2003 - Navy Pier - Chicago, IL. The largest Exposition for logistics and supply chain technology including; distribution, transportation, and warehousing. Held in conjunction is the D/C EXPO seminars focusing on the latest trends and advances in logistics and supply chain technologies. Visit our website at www.logistar.com or call our toll free number - 800-338-4112.
Material Handling & Logistics Conference - Sep 21 - 24, 2003 - Grand Summit Resort - Park City, Utah. Sponsored by HK Systems and iRista. A gathering of material handling and supply chain software industry experts and users. For more information, visit our website at www.hksystems.com.
Proposal
Development
(Responding to a RFP, RFI, or RFQ) |
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On
A Personal Note:
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Valuable Future Events - Event Calendar is online!
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to the Supply Chain Event Newsletter - Educational Events - Free!
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| This newsletter (ISSN 1533-435X) is published twice a month by I.D.I.I. - a research & consulting firm. Free Subscription. Tell-a-Friend I.D.I.I. Advertise:
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We appreciate your valuable input. Send us your suggestions, ideas, short articles, white papers, and useful websites -and- we will review it. Our goal is to educate and inform professionals involved in software & the supply chain. Feel free to send your input to us! Editor: editor@idii.com |
Hundreds of technical white papers to assist your knowledge, whether it is a WMS, TMS, or other supply chain project. An extensive book catalog covers a large number of software, project management, warehousing, and supply chain areas. Additional resources at the IDII.com web portal include lists of trade associations, research, RFPs, educational newsletters & publications, valuable websites, and much more! Check it out! |
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2003 Industrial Data & Information Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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