Tuesday August 6, 9:47 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Progress Software Corporation
Progress Empowers Manufacturing End Users With Just-In-Time Training In
Database Administration
Empowerment Program Adds As-Needed DBA Skills While Reducing Call Center
Dependency for Customers of Leading Global Mid-Market Application Partner,
Epicor Software
BEDFORD, Mass., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Progress Company, a
business unit of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS
<http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=prgs&d=t> - News
<http://biz.yahoo.com/n/p/prgs.html>) and a leading supplier of technology
for building business applications, today announced that it has partnered
with Epicor Software Corporation to create a custom- designed Database
Administration Essentials CD for users of Epicor's Progress®-based Vantage
application. The CD, developed by Progress Education Services, is aimed at
helping customers lacking full-time, dedicated database administration
resources. Customers can take advantage of the powerful reference guide to
become DBAs on an as-needed basis and successfully manage their database.
This joint initiative between Epicor and Progress Educational Services
empowers Vantage users to get the maximum benefit from the technology and
help Epicor to substantially reduce its call center volume.
"Because of the simplicity of the Progress database, we knew that it was
virtually DBA-free and it would be easy to create a self-help program that
would allow users to answer many of their own questions," said Nancy
Brehmer, senior product marketing manager for Epicor. "Reducing call center
volume or the need to send on-site tech support to our customers, which can
cost thousands of dollars, has enabled us to increase our productivity by
focusing those resources elsewhere."
"For the past several years, Aberdeen interviews with Progress customers
have yielded the recurring theme of exceptionally low maintenance for the
reliable database and testimonies of measurable savings from DBA man hours,"
said Wayne Kernochan, managing vice president, platform infrastructure at
Aberdeen Group. "Recent research shows that this low administrative overhead
extends to the whole of Progress' embedded infrastructure, and that
customers can achieve on the order of twice as much administrative cost
savings by substituting other personnel for expensive DBAs where possible.
Therefore, Progress' new computer-based training (CBT) initiative,
effectively applied, should have a major impact not only on key DBA costs
but on all of the costs of a Progress-based solution."
The CBT is not only more cost effective than personal support, it is also
more convenient for many of Epicor's manufacturing customers. By having the
CD available to them wherever and whenever they want, customers have the
option of learning at their own pace. The CD provides bookmarks that record
the training already covered as well as audio narration that explains
particularly complex simulations. The interactive hands-on labs and
exercises reinforce learning, while keeping the user focused.
Progress CBT for Epicor Spearheads Education Empowerment Program for
Customers
The initiative with Epicor is part of Education Empowers Customers (EEC), an
umbrella education and marketing program for Progress partners who want to
educate their end customers on the Progress OpenEdge(TM) platform. The EEC
program for database administration is designed to help those customers, who
while not requiring a full-time dedicated database administrator, do need to
understand the basic database technology behind their application.
Epicor's Progress-based Vantage was an ideal candidate to help launch this
initiative. Based on the Progress OpenEdge platform, Vantage is an easy-to-
use yet comprehensive solution that enables made-to-order and mixed mode
manufacturers to make the most of their existing resources. In addition to
providing a complete ERP solution for the mid-market, Vantage provides easy
access to critical business information through sophisticated reporting
tools and online tracking of orders, jobs, parts, quotes, POs, customers,
and accounts. Due to its low maintenance and minimal DBA demands, this
Progress- based manufacturing solution has had broad appeal to customers in
non- technical industries with minimal in-house IT resources. Before this
CBT was available, these customers had to call into a customer support
center to get answers to even the simplest questions. Epicor noticed that
most of the database inquiries were basic administration questions relating
to the underlying Progress technology. By working with Epicor, Progress was
able to develop an easy-to-use interactive database tutorial that will
empower Epicor's customers to be largely self-sufficient in managing their
application.
"In today's economic climate, DBA salaries for our competitors' databases
continue to strain IT budgets and drive interest in the low-TCO Progress
OpenEdge platform," said Dave Ireland, president of the Progress Company.
"The Progress database is renowned for its minimal administration demands.
We are enthusiastic that Epicor was able to realize significant return on
investment by partnering with Progress to develop this 'DBA-on-a-disk,'
which allows its customers to continue minimizing IT overhead, while taking
advantage of the expertise of the Progress customer education department."
About Epicor Software Corporation
Epicor is a leading provider of integrated enterprise and eBusiness software
solutions for midmarket companies around the world. Founded in 1984, Epicor
has over 15,000 customers and delivers end-to-end, industry-specific
solutions that enable companies to immediately improve business operations
and build competitive advantage in today's Internet economy. Epicor's
comprehensive suite of integrated software solutions for Customer
Relationship Management, Financials, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management,
Professional Services Automation and Collaborative Commerce provide the
scalability and flexibility to support long-term growth. Epicor's solutions
are complemented by a full range of services, providing single point of
accountability to promote rapid return on investment and low total cost of
ownership, now and in the future. Epicor is headquartered in Irvine,
California and has offices and affiliates around the world. For more
information, visit the company's Web site at www.epicor.com
<http://www.epicor.com>.
About the Progress Company
The Progress Company is a global supplier of software and services that
simplify the development, deployment, integration, and management of
business applications. The Progress® OpenEdge(TM) platform, with the
industry's leading embedded database, delivers lowest cost-of-ownership
applications that are rapidly implemented and easily integrated with other
enterprise, extended enterprise and Internet applications.
With the expertise of more than 2,000 independent software vendors (ISVs)
and application service providers (ASPs), the Progress Company and its
application partners supply more than $5 billion annually in Progress
technology, Progress-based applications, and related services. Progress
customers span 50,000 organizations in more than 120 countries including 70
percent of the Fortune 100. The Progress Company, an operating unit of
Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS
<http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=prgs&d=t> - News
<http://biz.yahoo.com/n/p/prgs.html>), is headquartered in Bedford, Mass.,
and can be reached at 1-781-280-4000 or on the Web at www.progress.com
<http://www.progress.com>.
Progress and OpenEdge are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress
Software Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks
or service marks contained herein may be the property of their respective
owners.
Press Contacts:
Candace Clemens
Progress Software Corporation
(781) 280-4101
cclemens@... <mailto:cclemens@...>
Sarah Johnson
Schwartz Communications, Inc.
(781) 684-0770
progress@... <mailto:progress@...>
SOURCE: Progress Software Corporation
Press Release
SOURCE: Progress Software Corporation
Progress Empowers Manufacturing End Users With Just-In-Time Training In
Database Administration
Empowerment Program Adds As-Needed DBA Skills While Reducing Call Center
Dependency for Customers of Leading Global Mid-Market Application Partner,
Epicor Software
BEDFORD, Mass., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Progress Company, a
business unit of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS
<http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=prgs&d=t> - News
<http://biz.yahoo.com/n/p/prgs.html>) and a leading supplier of technology
for building business applications, today announced that it has partnered
with Epicor Software Corporation to create a custom- designed Database
Administration Essentials CD for users of Epicor's Progress®-based Vantage
application. The CD, developed by Progress Education Services, is aimed at
helping customers lacking full-time, dedicated database administration
resources. Customers can take advantage of the powerful reference guide to
become DBAs on an as-needed basis and successfully manage their database.
This joint initiative between Epicor and Progress Educational Services
empowers Vantage users to get the maximum benefit from the technology and
help Epicor to substantially reduce its call center volume.
"Because of the simplicity of the Progress database, we knew that it was
virtually DBA-free and it would be easy to create a self-help program that
would allow users to answer many of their own questions," said Nancy
Brehmer, senior product marketing manager for Epicor. "Reducing call center
volume or the need to send on-site tech support to our customers, which can
cost thousands of dollars, has enabled us to increase our productivity by
focusing those resources elsewhere."
"For the past several years, Aberdeen interviews with Progress customers
have yielded the recurring theme of exceptionally low maintenance for the
reliable database and testimonies of measurable savings from DBA man hours,"
said Wayne Kernochan, managing vice president, platform infrastructure at
Aberdeen Group. "Recent research shows that this low administrative overhead
extends to the whole of Progress' embedded infrastructure, and that
customers can achieve on the order of twice as much administrative cost
savings by substituting other personnel for expensive DBAs where possible.
Therefore, Progress' new computer-based training (CBT) initiative,
effectively applied, should have a major impact not only on key DBA costs
but on all of the costs of a Progress-based solution."
The CBT is not only more cost effective than personal support, it is also
more convenient for many of Epicor's manufacturing customers. By having the
CD available to them wherever and whenever they want, customers have the
option of learning at their own pace. The CD provides bookmarks that record
the training already covered as well as audio narration that explains
particularly complex simulations. The interactive hands-on labs and
exercises reinforce learning, while keeping the user focused.
Progress CBT for Epicor Spearheads Education Empowerment Program for
Customers
The initiative with Epicor is part of Education Empowers Customers (EEC), an
umbrella education and marketing program for Progress partners who want to
educate their end customers on the Progress OpenEdge(TM) platform. The EEC
program for database administration is designed to help those customers, who
while not requiring a full-time dedicated database administrator, do need to
understand the basic database technology behind their application.
Epicor's Progress-based Vantage was an ideal candidate to help launch this
initiative. Based on the Progress OpenEdge platform, Vantage is an easy-to-
use yet comprehensive solution that enables made-to-order and mixed mode
manufacturers to make the most of their existing resources. In addition to
providing a complete ERP solution for the mid-market, Vantage provides easy
access to critical business information through sophisticated reporting
tools and online tracking of orders, jobs, parts, quotes, POs, customers,
and accounts. Due to its low maintenance and minimal DBA demands, this
Progress- based manufacturing solution has had broad appeal to customers in
non- technical industries with minimal in-house IT resources. Before this
CBT was available, these customers had to call into a customer support
center to get answers to even the simplest questions. Epicor noticed that
most of the database inquiries were basic administration questions relating
to the underlying Progress technology. By working with Epicor, Progress was
able to develop an easy-to-use interactive database tutorial that will
empower Epicor's customers to be largely self-sufficient in managing their
application.
"In today's economic climate, DBA salaries for our competitors' databases
continue to strain IT budgets and drive interest in the low-TCO Progress
OpenEdge platform," said Dave Ireland, president of the Progress Company.
"The Progress database is renowned for its minimal administration demands.
We are enthusiastic that Epicor was able to realize significant return on
investment by partnering with Progress to develop this 'DBA-on-a-disk,'
which allows its customers to continue minimizing IT overhead, while taking
advantage of the expertise of the Progress customer education department."
About Epicor Software Corporation
Epicor is a leading provider of integrated enterprise and eBusiness software
solutions for midmarket companies around the world. Founded in 1984, Epicor
has over 15,000 customers and delivers end-to-end, industry-specific
solutions that enable companies to immediately improve business operations
and build competitive advantage in today's Internet economy. Epicor's
comprehensive suite of integrated software solutions for Customer
Relationship Management, Financials, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management,
Professional Services Automation and Collaborative Commerce provide the
scalability and flexibility to support long-term growth. Epicor's solutions
are complemented by a full range of services, providing single point of
accountability to promote rapid return on investment and low total cost of
ownership, now and in the future. Epicor is headquartered in Irvine,
California and has offices and affiliates around the world. For more
information, visit the company's Web site at www.epicor.com
<http://www.epicor.com>.
About the Progress Company
The Progress Company is a global supplier of software and services that
simplify the development, deployment, integration, and management of
business applications. The Progress® OpenEdge(TM) platform, with the
industry's leading embedded database, delivers lowest cost-of-ownership
applications that are rapidly implemented and easily integrated with other
enterprise, extended enterprise and Internet applications.
With the expertise of more than 2,000 independent software vendors (ISVs)
and application service providers (ASPs), the Progress Company and its
application partners supply more than $5 billion annually in Progress
technology, Progress-based applications, and related services. Progress
customers span 50,000 organizations in more than 120 countries including 70
percent of the Fortune 100. The Progress Company, an operating unit of
Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS
<http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=prgs&d=t> - News
<http://biz.yahoo.com/n/p/prgs.html>), is headquartered in Bedford, Mass.,
and can be reached at 1-781-280-4000 or on the Web at www.progress.com
<http://www.progress.com>.
Progress and OpenEdge are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress
Software Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks
or service marks contained herein may be the property of their respective
owners.
Press Contacts:
Candace Clemens
Progress Software Corporation
(781) 280-4101
cclemens@... <mailto:cclemens@...>
Sarah Johnson
Schwartz Communications, Inc.
(781) 684-0770
progress@... <mailto:progress@...>
SOURCE: Progress Software Corporation