STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 22, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Intentia, a global provider of enterprise solutions, has announced the first product service management (PSM) solution developed specifically for the rental industry. The new Intentia PSM solution helps eliminate information "blind spots", a major barrier that prevents many rental companies from optimizing day-to-day performance in order to generate additional revenue and profit, as well as develop and sell new services in a rapidly growing market.(a) Information blind spots prevent managers from getting a complete picture of the business and how it operates, as well as a detailed profile of customers and demand in order to forecast the service levels required accurately. Intentia PSM unites the business into a single, integrated entity, with each part working together with the others to optimize resources, assets and day-to-day performance.
The PSM solution gives managers immediate access to business intelligence in order to accurately predict business events. It also gives managers the ability to monitor the day-to-day performance of the whole business in order to effect continuous improvements.
Furthermore, when combined with Intentia's specialist PSM consultancy services, the PSM solution forms part of a new holistic approach to business called Service Assurance, which Intentia has also developed for the rental industry. By applying the Service Assurance approach, managers are able to improve the way in which the business is controlled and managed through best practices. And the results are tangible.
The CFO gets lower total cost of ownership, the elimination of uncertainty and risk from financial data, and clarity and accuracy over forecast margins, budgets and revenues. In terms of margin visibility, there is accurate information on which jobs are profitable. In addition, the PSM solution gives a warning in real time when a job is approaching cost overrun.
The solution also provides full financial history of equipment, detailing the utilization and profitability of each unit, taking into account all sales revenue, service and maintenance costs. Planned modification updates to equipment are risk free, and invoices can be run daily on a rolling basis instead of being confined to a batch run at a fixed period. This improves cash flow management.
The CIO benefits too. Many disparate systems all requiring difficult interfaces are replaced with an integrated solution on a single platform. The result is considerably reduced total cost of ownership and a system that is flexible and scaleable enough to grow with the business in both the short and long term.
There are also many big benefits for the customer services director. Within customer management, customers can be ranked according to various criteria, contracts can be tailored to each customer, two-way communication is established, and customers have access to online orders and history.
"Intentia PSM is the foundation for change in the way managers manage and make decisions because they are able to access information that was previously unavailable to them," says Andreas Hellstrom, Intentia's global industry director for PSM. "And through the Service Assurance approach, managers can implement best practices based on known factors, raise the standard of performance throughout the organization, and then extend Service Assurance to customers through a full understanding of their needs and delivering the best possible service."
He continues, "Service Assurance gives managers the ability to confidently predict and plan for future events -- thereby reducing risk -- and plan new revenue sources. And it's all made possible through the combination of the PSM solution, which creates information unity and data visibility, and the skills of Intentia's PSM consultancy services."
In conclusion, Hellstrom adds, "Ultimately, Service Assurance is a holistic approach with practical outcomes. It enhances revenues and margins by re-focusing management thinking onto key measurement metrics in order to improve decision making."
(a) Note:
The Western European equipment rental market, considered by many still to be in its infancy, is currently estimated at EUR 15 billion a year by European Rental News (ERN). However, given the heavy increase in capital spending during the past 12 months, all signs point to rapid growth. The ERN Top 50 list shows spending by the top ten rental companies alone grew by 47 percent to EUR 839 million.
There is huge potential in Eastern Europe as well where the market is virtually non-existent, particularly in the construction industry. In the Japanese industrial and construction market, 75 percent of all products are rented. And in the U.S., the commercial and industrial rental market is valued at USD 35 billion (First Research Inc, June 2005).
About Intentia
Intentia is the only global enterprise solutions provider 100% dedicated to bringing software applications and consulting services to companies whose core processes involve manufacturing, distribution and maintenance -- what we call the "make, move and maintain" market.
-- 100% of our resources are committed to this market. -- 100% of our software is designed for this market. -- 100% of our experience is in serving this market.
Intentia customers are typically medium to large organizations that operate in complex supply chains with tough competition and limited internal resources. They require the reliability, experience and security of a substantial supplier with the flexibility and specialist knowledge of their industries and processes.
Intentia solutions are built from the ground up with the specific needs of these customers in mind, and the ability to grow and change easily with their businesses. They simplify complex processes, anticipate customer demands and deliver added value in both the short and long term-making them the intelligent choice.
Intentia was founded in 1984 and serves over 3,000 customer sites in some 40 countries around the world. Our business solutions currently comprise enterprise management, supplier relationship management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, value chain collaboration, enterprise performance management and workplace management.
Intentia is a public company traded on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (XSSE) under the symbol INT B. Visit Intentia's Web site at www.intentia.com
Intentia
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