Here's the context in which I was speaking:
SAP will try to keep its lead with its EnjoySAP initiative, which
puts a new interface on its flagship R/3 ERP platform. The company
also promises a new customer relationship management (CRM) module.
These moves are intended to make the platform less formidable and
more friendly to sales and support staff.
"Germany is now into fun," said Chief Executive Hasso Plattner at
the recent launch of EnjoySAP at the company's lab facilities in Palo
Alto, Calif.
Fun notwithstanding, analysts say SAP has its work cut out for it.
The CRM is late and may not arrive until 2000. "They certainly have
the resources to move into CRM," Hagerty said. "It's just a question
of when they can accomplish everything they need to."
Oracle, Redwood Shores, Calif., the No. 2 vendor with $2.1 billion
in ERP sales, hopes to capitalize on its now-available CRM application.
"From a functionality standpoint, our CRM can integrate with SAP or
Oracle ERP," said Jeff Caldwell, vice president of applications marketing
for Oracle.
Moving into the front office and onto the desktop is where ERP is
headed in the future. "New products from the ERP vendors are for the
fight to control the desktop," Hagerty said. "From there, they can
have higher penetration into the enterprise." |
