Here's an interesting claim by SAP, and some comments on trends ...
SAP AG used its fourth-quarter financial news conference to make some bold claims, and those relating to customer relationship management (CRM) software are almost certain to raise some eyebrows at Siebel Systems Inc., SAP's main rival on the CRM front.
"We're the No. 1 supplier of CRM products in Europe, and based on fourth-quarter figures, we're now also the No. 1 supplier in the U.S.," said Leo Apotheker, president of global field operations at SAP, in an interview. "We're No. 2 in CRM worldwide."
[...snip...]
"We've had some big successes in the U.S., like our deals with the IRS and NASA," he said. But while the U.S. federal government has been investing substantially in software in part because of national security measures, state and local governments haven't invested as much, he said.
The picture in Europe, according to Apotheker, is slightly different. "There is no federal government spending as such, but we're seeing activity at the national and local levels," he said.
[...snip...]
Many of the problems the IT industry has faced over the past couple of years are homemade, Apotheker said. "They came from overhyping, overpromising and underdelivering products." Too many vendors, he said, destroyed customer trust because they couldn't deliver on the promises they made.
computerworld.com |
