crm

Fibre2fashion.com had initiated a beta service called Software Solution that can help software buyers and software providers get connected in a more efficient manner. This site has been out of beta recently. The site combines news, articles & events aggregation, commentary from industry experts, user-generated content, case-studies, articles, product show-case, etc.

It is hard to believe when I hear that the Compiere Community is split and the splinter group has started a project named ADempiere! I would like to see, as neutrally as possible, the impact of this move, by the break away group, for the end users.

If I recollect, it was in 2001 I came across Compiere as an Open Source project and subsequently I began to admire the determination of its founder Jorg Janke to keep the project going in Open Source. It is definitely not easy for a business application like ERP, CRM and SCM to survive in an Open Source fashion like the Linux Kernel or an Operating System bundled with GNU utilities. ERP is 20-30% software and 70- 80% customization and implementation.

The (universal) problem:
It is always amazing to see the enterprises of today, jumping into an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system without really analyzing their own understanding about an ERP or even worse what their business needs are. Most of the times SMEs tend to be over-confident and expect that their ERP should do everything for them.

The reality:

It's official now and something strange too!

The cooperative had no choice but to assure itself that it was not making a false claim. It was now ready for letting go some stake for someone who is so seriously active and informed of global IT markets.

The Press Release and the announcement on the website would give the visitors an opportunity to involve and find the facts whatsover.

What a way to spend the long weekend with a fact finding mission for the sake of Vishwa Samooha?

It's my earnest request to all the Indian IT professionals to share this information with local businesses and if possible also spare some time to educate the emerging businesses to manage their operations through a minimal process based ERP.

Refer this link for an interesting debate where I have posted my comments too. IT for the unwashed masses

While Zudha, the company I represent, is busy positioning Samooha as a whole new way of implementing ERP, CRM, SCM integrated in one platform for all levels of the enterpise pyramid in the advanced markets I would be equally aspiring that Indian small and medium businesses although very slow in adopting ERP systems can make the best use of this new offering Samooha-S available as FREE download to position themselves to be visible in the global markets with their product/service offerings.

This is neither a routine forecast nor an IT prediction by Gardener, McKingsLie and associates!

However, these are some serious projections by Samooha managers to enable Indian Enterprise transformation to match and eventually exceed global standards so that India could reach out to the world and collaborate for collective growth.

Here go the projections:

1 million businesses and service institutions ranging from educational, health care to NGOs will install, evaluate and adopt the FREE version of Samooha (Samooha-S) for their basic ERP, inventory and accounting needs. They will do so either by downloading the FREE software or by procuring a CD for Rs. 500 from their nearest computer store.

This is not filmy style!! I am just trying to draw reference to current trends and mindset and how Samooha (not a movie!) differs from these 2 themes that were in discussion these days.

While I am yet to watch Rang De, I had some time to look at Amir's own production Mangal Pandey and as a Social Studies enthusiast in school I can vouch that the revolution being called for is bound to be futile and the consequences could lead for another few decades of wound-licking for us, Indians.

On the contrary Samooha is a call for Fast-Track Evolution that invites all businesses and professionals of India to get on with a new way of thinking. A new way of evolving quickly to stand up to the expectations of the world as much as to enable ourselves to reach out to the world.

In first part of this 2 part blog, (Click to read Part-1) I wrote more about Ajanta and Samay, the unique technology venture that is rural by nature and its influence on me. In this part I would be drawing reference between Amul Milk Cooperative and Samooha Business Software Cooperative.

While in Ajanta, I had the opportunity to closely observe and understand another movement that was on then in Gujarat which is even today known as Amul. The long journey, Amul went through, the early setbacks faced by the cooperative and its drive for innovation to sustain and thrive in the market are great pointers for any IT entrepreneur in India who would like to make a niche with product or process innovation.