Travel and transportation: News stories

IT becomes a strategic asset when it is creates value for customers, and IBM's On Demand Innovation Services is an excellent example. For BostonCoach, IBM developed a fleet optimisation system, a unique solution using advanced wireless systems and algorithms developed by IBM researchers.

IBM is reasserting itself and again setting the course in the IT market. The on demand vision has made the company more responsive to the needs of its customers. IBM executives make their case directly to CEOs of customer companies, emphasising the business benefits, not the technology specifics.

IBM Global Services has put together a wireless enterprise application solution for home moving firm Bekins HomeDirectUSA. The new service, a competitive differentiator, will enable Bekins employees to instantly tap into back-office inventory, warehouse, and Web order management systems.

Outgoing IBM Global Services group executive Doug Elix says growing the $40-billion organisation is a challenge that involves partnering with smaller integrators, a careful re-investment in the customer, and the creation of entirely new markets.

The advance of CRM systems now enable companies to segment their customers based on their long-term value. While this will result in better service for upper-echelon customers, experts say the system will most likely benefit everyone involved.

IBM Australia reported its financial results for the first time ever, after recently restructuring to become more aligned with its global parent. Analysts say that IBM has grown faster than the industry average in all three of its operations: hardware, software, and services.

IBM will grow faster than the industry average by expanding its market share and tackling new services opportunities, said CEO Sam Palmisano. IBM is specifically aiming to capture more large business process transformation deals with its large services arm.

Four new IBM Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Design Centers in Austin, Beijing, Delhi, and Hursley allow customers to put together new SOA solutions for their specific needs. The goal is to make the business demands drive the technology.

Qantas Airways has signed a $446 million, 10-year outsourcing contract with IBM Global Services. The agreement will enable Qantas to focus on its critical business issues, and help Qantas to become a flexible, agile, on demand business.

Recent changes in IBM's executive structure emphasise its services and e-business on demand business strategy. IBM CFO John Joyce will take over as IBM Global Services (IGS) head, while Doug Elix, former leader of IGS, will now run IBM's sales and distribution operation.

Two new managed services for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that bring legitimacy to the market. The IBM Desktop Management Services and IBM Network Management Services are offered by IBM Global Services under the IBM Express portfolio.

IBM Global Services chief Doug Elix spoke with VARBusiness on the day before moving to head IBM's sales and distribution division. He said IBM's success is predicated on the success of its customers, and IBM Global Services' outsourcing business is growing strongly with that strategy.

Global transport information firm Parcelhouse says IBM Global Services' hosted technology infrastructure provides the necessary reliability and performance it needs to expand internationally, while at the same time maintaining a reasonable cost structure.

A recent IBM Business Consulting Services global survey of 370 executives found more CRM success stories than in the past, as well as surprising attributes of successful CRM implementations. Employee concerns are actually the most important factor in CRM success.

Four new small- and medium-sized business (SMB) offerings from IBM simplify the maintenance and management of companies' back-end infrastructure. The services include network operation and management, infrastructure recovery, infrastructure management, and high availability.

A new IBM suite of managed desktop services for medium-sized companies brings the same on demand computing opportunities to smaller firms that larger enterprises can get. The new IBM Desktop Management Services constitute a total service solution, available on a price-per-seat basis.

IBM Web services director Bob Sutor says service-oriented architecture (SOA) and the greater adoption of Java programming are enabling unprecedented Web services links inside companies and between them. Companies that use SOA are designing for connectivity.

International Truck and Engine has partnered with IBM Global Services to provide fleet owners with telematics systems that can reduce maintenance costs and provide real-time location information. Fleet managers will be able to receive automatic alerts and regularly generated reports on fleet status.

Atlantic Coast Airlines has tapped IBM Global Services to develop new self-service kiosks for its new Independence Air low-cost regional airline. The airline's CEO said IBM's technological innovation was key in giving customers fast, flexible, and efficient service.

IBM has signed a $1.2 billion deal with tire company Michelin to manage and maintain its IT infrastructure. Also, IBM signed an outsourcing deal with Zurich Financial Services to manage 65,000 "electronic workplaces."

Small and medium businesses have a number of choices when it comes to CRM applications, and carefully chosen hosted solutions can provide significant benefits. SMBs were most interested in CRM and sales force automation software sold through the hosted model.

IBM is gathering its resources to develop unique solutions to problems in transportation, financial services, manufacturing, and other industries. IBM Global Services has doubled its business consultants to 60,000 experts and has formed close links with the 3,000 researchers at IBM laboratories.