The burgeoning e-commerce market has a voracious appetite for information. Companies that wish to succeed in this new market, need to develop a strategy that combines the intellectual capital and expertise of international and local partners with analytical expertise.
Paul Murphy, Sagent SA's marketing and sales director points out that e-commerce is a business delivery strategy that needs to be supported with measurement, evaluation and refocusing. The increasing emphasis on accurate, immediate and current information and analysis has resulted in the need for specialists in e-analytics, e-business information delivery, and the integration of ERP and in-house systems into a business intelligence paradigm. The development of strategic partnerships gives customers access to industry best practices, vertical market ASPs and the latest in technology.
Sagent Technology Inc has developed a virtual community with global relationships and strategic partnerships with the full range of suppliers within the e-analytics and e-information supply chain including ASPs, hardware and service providers. This is illustrated by the acquisition of Qualitative Marketing Software Inc which enhances Sagent's marketing analysis competency with Centrus, a suite of data enhancement, data quality, data analysis and Internet data delivery products and services.
A partnership with CommerceOne has resulted in advanced data analysis of key metrics being available to customers using CommerceOne's Buysite, an e-business procurement application. Sagent recognises the need for vertical markets for specialist attention with its healthcare, financial, telecommunications and e-business divisions. Strategic alliances with industry experts and ASPs has resulted in a wide range of specialist solutions.
Murphy sees the demand for e-information and e-analytics growing with the current e-business drive. "Constant shifts in the market mean businesses have to be able to respond quickly to be competitive. The days of waiting for months to examine trends are over. By that time the competition has got ahead. Immediate information and analysis underpin all successful business initiatives, whether e-enabled or not."