What are the drivers fuelling uptake of AIM software in the local market?

Michael Vulcan
Managing director A/NZ, Sterling Commerce

The AIM market is being driven by the need for Australian organisations to update their older systems with middleware, providing a bridge for companies to continue to innovate and plan for future growth.

Within this environment, Australian retailers, manufacturers and logistics are at the forefront of recognising the need to integrate the old with the new.

All manufacturers, for example, know that effective collaboration with their trading community of suppliers and customers is necessary for success.

At the same time, many organisations have automated several of these internal and external processes, using IT systems to reduce costs and grow profits. But the reality is that very few companies have automated the majority of these processes, leaving a great deal of room to increase business.

They continue to be hampered by lack of visibility of their downstream trading partners, the inability to have a 360-degree view of their customer, and their slow reaction time to market.

Many have already embraced an interim strategy by using middleware solutions such as the Gentran Integration Suite from Sterling Commerce that gives them an SOA platform to enable the free flow of information, visibility and connectivity outside their traditional four walls.

Additionally, many companies are also embracing the outsourcing of electronic commerce to trade electronically, reducing the chance of errors, increasing the ability to take and process more orders, and leaving electronic commerce up to e-commerce specialists.

As the cost of conducting business comes down, companies can focus their efforts on more meaningful IT projects that will help to reinvent their company.