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Table of Contents

Market Study
Published: April 2008
Pages: 32
Tables: For full details, please email keithw@cmsinfo.com
From: GBP 1697.50   Buy Now!
Research from: Datamonitor
Sector: Information & Communications Technology

'Delivering Software as a Service to Manufacturing Companies (Strategic Focus)' is a report from Datamonitor, a leading provider of online data, analytic and forecasting platforms for key vertical sectors.

Introduction
This report looks at the market for SaaS within the manufacturing industry. It considers the market opportunity, key applications of the delivery model, and go-to-market strategy.

Scope
This report considers SaaS as a technology delivery model independant of specific software.

Considers the manufacturing industy as a whole, with some discussion of batch, process and discrete sectors.

Report Highlights
Manufacturers, to an extent, still wish to engage with vendors that have a more local presence as there is a belief that these vendors better understand the discrete characteristics of the manufacturer’s market.

Reasons to Purchase
Understand the current state of SaaS within the manufacturing industry.

Get an insight into Datamonitor's recommendations for go-to-market strategies.

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Table of Contents

Overview 1
Catalyst 1
Summary 1
Key Messages 2
A reliance upon configuration as opposed to customization is a defining feature of SaaS 2
Datamonitor believes the manufacturing industry is ready for SaaS 2
The impact of SaaS on staff is hard to determine but should be carefully considered 2
Deciding when and whether to invest in SaaS can be difficult 2
There is not significant variation between different manufacturing sectors 2
Table of Contents 3
Table of figures 4
Market Opportunity 5
SaaS delivery models are defined by four key characteristics 5
A reliance upon configuration as opposed to customization is a defining feature of SaaS 6
Understanding the difference between the SME and Enterprise markets is critical 6
There are a range of business pressures driving SaaS investment 7
IT departments are trying to reduce technology implementation times 7
Upgrades and maintenance are becoming increasingly complex and costly 7
IT budget pressures are compounding with many expected to remain flat in 2007-2008 8
Manufacturers are looking to gain access to additional functionality and process support 8
Integrating processes with business partners is a trend that continues to emerge 9
Manufacturers are asking for better service levels from their IT departments 9
There still remain significant inhibitors to the SaaS market 9
Service levels remain the biggest concern for manufacturers looking to invest in SaaS technology 10
Manufacturers still put a large focus on the security of SaaS solutions 10
A loss of control by the manufacturing company is still seen as a hurdle 11
Regulatory concerns prove important for some manufacturers 11
A large portion of companies have already invested in on-site technology 11
The location of the service provider also affects a SaaS investment decision 11
A potential backlash from the loss of internal staff is seen as the least important issue 11
A lack of configuration options is stopping some manufacturers from adopting SaaS 12
Datamonitor believes the manufacturing industry is ready for SaaS 12
Customer Impact: SaaS in manufacturing 13
Manufacturers believe SaaS can deliver several benefits to their businesses 13
Upgrading and access to the latest functionality prove to be the biggest draw card for SaaS 13
Access to expertise from the SaaS supplier is also ranked highly as a benefit for manufacturers 14
Manufacturers believe they have a better control over service levels via SaaS 14
A lower cost profile is one of the more common benefits associated with SaaS 14
Costs are spread over time as opposed to an upfront license fee easing budget constraints 15
SaaS delivered technology can support a range of business processes 15
Organizational units focused on customers and HRM are investing in SaaS 16
Plan processes provide a medium level of opportunity for SaaS vendors and manufacturers 17
There is some scope for SaaS within Source processes 17
Manufacturers and vendors will see significantly less opportunity within Make processes 17
Datamonitor believes Deliver processes should be a low priority for SaaS 17
Areas such as warranty management provide some opportunity for SaaS within Return processes 18
There is a significant opportunity for SaaS to support a wider range of processes within SMEs 18
The impact of SaaS on staff is hard to determine but should be carefully considered 18
Deciding when and whether to invest in SaaS can be difficult 19
As always, only invest in technology when there is a business problem, but think outside the box 19
Manufacturers should consider non-core processes for SaaS first 19
SMEs should take a look at their current business and assess where they want to be 20
A lack of configuration could be a potential deal breaker 20
Go to Market 21
The current competitive environment is somewhat fragmented 21
There are no clear leaders in the SaaS market 21
Different vendors carry multiple SaaS product lines 21
Vendor strategy varies heavily between different technology vendor types and key markets 22
Infor 22
Oracle 22
RightNow Technologies 23
Salesforce.com 23
SAP 23
A number of factors will determine successful vendors 23
Vendors should adopt different strategies for the SME and Enterprise markets 24
SaaS solutions should lean towards the full-suite business model for the SME sector 24
Vendors need to be approachable for SMEs, not a faceless corporation 24
Targeting the right person at both Enterprise and SME companies is critical 25
There is not significant variation between different manufacturing sectors 26
Vendors should focus on a small number of key selling points 27
Lowering TCO and the idea of predictable costs will generate significant traction 27
Green IT credentials should be pushed by vendors more 27
Vendors should concentrate on demonstrating access to latest software updates 27
Datamonitor believes the SaaS market will have evolved significantly in 5 years 28
Recommendations 28
Provide SaaS delivery to applications in a modular, expanding fashion 28
Vendors need to continue to educate the market more about issues such as security 29
Configuration, configuration, configuration should be the mantra of SaaS vendors 29
APPENDIX 30
Definitions 30
Use Heading 3s, if required, to add structure to sections in the Appendix 30
Methodology 30
Further reading 30
Ask the analyst 30
Datamonitor consulting 31
Disclaimer 31
List of Figures
Figure 1: IT budget expectations for 2007-2008 within manufacturing companies 8
Figure 2: Perceived inhibitors to SaaS adoption within manufacturing companies 10
Figure 3: Perceived benefits to SaaS engagements within manufacturing companies 13
Figure 4: Relative opportunities for SaaS within SCOR process groups 16
Figure 5: Industry variation of perceived inhibitors to SaaS engagements 26

For full details, please email keithw@cmsinfo.com

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