General staffing versus niche firms

Are EDI, MFT and B2B an alphabet soup to your staffing partner? Is your training and consulting source truly up-to-date on the issues facing the IT and integration industry today? Are you working with a general staffing firm or a partner who has exceptional industry knowledge and will share your end goals? Is general staffing the best avenue, or is niche consulting the best value for your IT investment dollars? While general staffing firms can supply a wide pool of candidates, niche firms can target candidates with specific competencies and skill sets within defined parameters. Niche firms have the added benefit of establishing relationships within their specialty, following both active and passive candidates as their careers evolve.

In this issue of Thinkronization, we explore how organizations benefit from using a specialty IT software, services and recruitment/placement partner, versus a general staffing firm, from the points of view of the decision makers, technologists and sourcing managers.

For The Decision Maker…

How can an organization afford a relationship with a general staffing firm?

According to an article posted on www.cio.com, IT jobs will grow more that 20% through 2020.   With an increased demand for IT professionals; quantity is not always quality.  The article cites recent finding by the Bureau of Labor and Statics which defines growth for some IT roles of more than 29% in some cases.  Demand for quality IT professionals to keep up with the growth of business are a concern for many companies.

When you are exploring options to fulfill the growth needs of your business, you have several choices when it comes to staffing.  General staffing firms that are considered a jack-of-all-trades can fill your team vacancies with bodies, not always understanding the full scope of your project or the talent/skills required to complete the project. Niche staffing firms are able to provide your business with quality professionals that understand the scope of your project, skills needed to complete your business requirements, and often have established relationships with software providers for greater knowledge about your integration tool(s).

The IT services market accounts for about $120 billion a year. How can an organization truly measure success with a general staffing firm?  Evaluate your sourcing firm. Are they specialized in IT? Niche firms attract more specialized candidates. Individuals with better skill sets result in more efficiency through more accurate assessment of project time, costs and scope.

How well do your firm’s account managers understand your IT needs and goals? Do they have the technological expertise your project requires? Can they leverage experience from similar projects to save your company time and money?  General staffing firms tend to post positions on LinkedIn and job boards that may or may not be relevant to the industry.  When you see these posting by the jack-of-all-trades firms, often times they have misused terminology and/or they have regurgitated a job description that they really don’t understand.  Would you rather utilize a firm that simply posts your job or a niche firm that has the ability and knowledge to direct recruit the most qualified candidates?

Niche firms, like REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group, can walk you through the entire project, train your employees and effectively hand over the reins upon completion, or partner with your IT staff through individual phases or throughout the project based on your needs. Our sourcing managers will find the right people for your job. People who are ready to work, and require less training time because they are already knowledgeable in specifically defined skill sets. Our account managers have access to more EDI, MFT, and B2B software professionals than a general staffing firm and maintain more solid contacts than general staffing sources.

You need a partner like REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group, a business and data integration consulting services and placement company, who can provide the services, support and personnel to meet your needs. For more information, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com.

For The Technician…

How valuable is specialized experience to your project?

The benefit to you, the technician, working side by side with experienced, specialized resources vs. a resource sourced by a general staffing firm can be invaluable.  Niche staffing firms provide specialty resources to a variety of clients.  These specialty resources, and their firms, often have relationships with software companies, have certifications, and access to documentation developed for similar projects and specific to your project.

Account managers at niche hiring firms are more knowledgeable and experienced with placing candidates in the right tech position, as well. Because account managers at niche firms have more extensive relationships with candidates and clients, they can match a candidate’s specific experience to place them in the right position. These established relationships can further benefit a project and the team by allowing them to expand their career skill sets and leverage relationships with software companies and resellers to enhance experience with specific integration software tools or hardware.

While larger, general staffing firms may have a larger pool of candidates, are they the right candidates?  Niche firms tend to attract candidates with more specific skill sets and provide resources that are established and experienced in the field.

Data released in April 2012 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 18 percent through 2020. The bureau reports growth will be driven by organizations upgrading their information technology systems and switching to newer, faster and more mobile networks. Increased IT security needs are also cited among the growth. CNN Money also lists information technology consultants among the best jobs for fast growth in America, citing 20 percent growth over the next decade.

Knowledge of the latest technology is key for IT professionals, and niche sources like REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group are ideally positioned to place qualified candidates with top companies. For more information, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com.

For The Talent Manager…

Specialty recruiters provide better value

As more companies continue to expand their IT departments, business leaders become savvier, and they are seeking more value from their staffing budget. Niche firms can offer consultants and permanent staff in more specialized skill sets. Studies show that quality applicants are more likely to respond to a specialized firm.

Passive candidates – those who are already employed and happy, but are willing to explore other opportunities if the right job and recruiter seeks them out – are highly sought after and more likely to respond to a niche or specialized firm. Passive candidates can be desirable to place over active candidates seeking employment, due to fewer unknowns up front, such as: Why are they looking? Were they laid off or fired? How long have they been seeking employment?

When general recruiting and placement firms are utilized by companies and they fail, or are slow to respond with resources, companies then often turn to niche firms that have expertise in the industry. Niche firms with connections to jobseekers in the marketplace; provide clients a quicker turn around time on candidates that are screened, qualified, and background checked by recruiting professionals experienced in the line of business. The result is a quality candidate faster.

Niche recruiters have an extensive network of candidates and personal connections to find the best fit and resources for your team or project needs. Non-specialized recruitment firms do not have the same relationship connections that specialty recruiters have. You wouldn’t hire a general laborer for a specific IT skill set. General staffing firms do not have the same pool of qualified, screened candidates that niche firms do. That’s why the professionals at REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group can provide better candidates faster. For more information about REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group staffing solutions, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com.

Given the choice of general or niche staffing firms, you’ll find that candidates prefer working with niche firms for many reasons. Niche firms have specific industry knowledge, know who is hiring, and understand the needs of the IT marketplace in addition to their specialty. The above articles highlight just a few of many reasons an organization can benefit by using a specialty IT software, services and recruitment/placement partner. We hope that as you have EDI, B2Bi, MFT and commerce services and recruitment/placements needs, you will consider us.

In Other News…

REMEDI to attend GS1 Connect 2012 in Las Vegas
REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group is proud to be exhibiting at the GS1 Connect 2012 conference in Las Vegas. Join us June 4-7^th at the Aria Resort & Casino to connect with trading partners, customers, vendors and solution providers. This event will highlight the benefits of an integrated solution, technologies and services available to help you implement standards and invaluable networking opportunities.

As a long-time service provider in data integration and EDI consulting, training, recruiting, managed services, financing, and software needs, REMEDI is dedicated to bringing our customers the most current and successful solutions for your business.

Even if you can’t attend, trust REMEDI to bring you the latest news. We will offer a conference summary outlining what we learned while at the conference in the Blog area of our web site.

If you are attending and have not yet registered, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com to receive a discount code allowing 10 percent off your registration costs.

September 5-7th - Visit our booth at IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2012 in Orlando, FL.

October 18th - Join us at NEECOM Fall Conference in Boston, MA.

MFT and Comprehensive Integration Suite playback is available at www.remedi.com/videos.

Remember To Follow Us On LinkedIn, Twitter And Facebook

The place to get information and links to opportunities, company announcements, research, articles, blog posts and more…

Twitter – 95 Followers
Facebook – 85 Likes
LinkedIn – 116 Followers
——————————————————————

Thanks.

Brad Loetz – President
REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group
614.436.4040 Phone Ext. 108
Video profile
bloetz@remedi.com
www.remedi.com

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group is a business integration software, services, and staffing provider. We have served clients in the US and Canada since 1994. Clients come to REMEDI for our application-2-application (A2A) and business-2-business (B2Bi) integration niche, expert resources, engagement flexibility, quality / speed in resource placement, integration experienced account managers / resource managers, and our tenure in business.

The company sells, installs, maintains, upgrades, and expands business/data integration and EDI solutions for its clients. Consulting Services provide temporary resources for projects such as integration infrastructure upgrades and ERP conversions, or staff supplementation to eliminate backlogs. Placement Services assist the client in finding the right full-time person for the client integration team.

Join us at GSI Connect 2012 – Booth #502

Electronic payments and closing the loop of the electronic transaction cycle

Many larger companies have adopted electronic processing for purchase orders, shipping notices and invoices but have stopped short of completing the process with the implementation of the electronic payment. Reasons may vary for not closing the loop on the electronic transaction cycle — from not having an understanding of the return on investment, not knowing how the transactions work, or preferring the ease of cutting a check versus setting up the new process. In fact, nearly 80 percent of business-to-business payments are made by check for simplicity, convenience, or “that that is the way they have always done it”.

A study, “The Value of An Enterprise Integration Strategy”, by Forrester Consulting for IBM Sterling Commerce has found that STP or straight-through-processing is closer to reality than ever before for most businesses.  STP can be achieved through business integration and will help your revenue stream grow, while reducing operating costs, connect and match events, and meeting customer service levels, while maintaining data and process security.

A new industry initiative, EPN STP 820, seeks to remove barriers to electronic payments by establishing a consistent format and information flow to be included with each electronic transaction. Standard data, to be included with each transaction, flows seamlessly through cash management, accounts payable and accounts receivable so that all information is included with the payment. This standard format for remittance information simplifies the process of sending and receiving electronic payments across all industries.

The ACH Network only passes data formatted according to the ACH rules of the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA). Virtually all financial institutions can accept and process ACH payments. ACH transactions are primarily intended to move dollars. X12 transactions are primarily intended to move data.  In financial EDI, the ACH is used in conjunction with the X12 820 document.

What does this mean for IT decision makers, technologists and recruitment professionals?

For the Decision Maker

Streamlining the process from purchase order to electronic payment enables fast payoffs and reconciliation

Financial services organizations have seen an increased demand to improve their straight-through-processing across all business levels.  The previously referenced study, conducted by Forrester Consulting, also shows that nearly two thirds of companies surveyed rate their integration capabilities as only somewhat effective.  The benefits of STP include increased margins, new revenue –generating opportunities, lower operating costs, and the ability to reallocate human resources to other revenue generating business areas.

The adoption of industry-wide standards in Financial EDI for the ACH and 820 has provided the opportunity for businesses to close the loop of the electronic transaction cycle more easily.  Financial EDI transactions create a streamlined transfer of data through cash management, accounts payable and accounts receivable.  All relevant data is sent at one time. As this standard becomes more widely adopted, a once-significant barrier to electronic payments is overcome.

Data from the Federal Reserve also supports the rising usage of electronic payments, breaking down the information further by noting that nearly 15 percent of all card payments under $15 are made with debit cards, while 41 percent of card payments over $25 are made with credit cards.

Among the regions surveyed, North America showed the lowest percentage of electronic orders processed and the highest cost reduction opportunity in terms of increasing electronic procurement across the supply chain.

Is your organization taking advantage of this cost savings potential? Are you ready to streamline the business process and get the remaining 68 percent of your customer base to move to electronic transactions? Do you have the capabilities to originate or receive ACH, X12 or both? The ACH Network employs a strict process and requirements portion that is bank-specific. What about the additional revenue available as you consider the value of STP and a streamlined payment cycle?

The start-up costs associated with electronic payments will offer long-term return on investment. To learn more about streamlining your electronic payment process, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com.

For the Technologist

A fully automated process removes the need to piece together disparate systems and incorporate manual options into the supply chain

Across North America, only about 34 percent of companies are utilizing electronic payments. The STP 820 Standard streamlines the flow of information and creates a simple, universal field of data to be included with each electronic payment. A study conducted by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) found that the lack of a standard format for remittance information was a significant barrier to utilizing electronic payments.  With the STP standard this barrier is removed or significantly recuced.

When you are responsible for implementing a STP approach there are three main concerns to consider:  data integrity, connectivity, and format standards.  Data integrity ensures that the data is unchanged and has not been accidently or maliciously modified.  Connectivity concerns need to be carefully examined to determine the reliability and visibility of data.  Lastly, format standards, organizations should endorse industry standards and be able to handle various formats.

As electronic remittance specs vary by industry and company, technologists are further challenged, whether it entails writing code for middleware for custom integrations, converting manual processes into automated processes, or limping along on outdated applications and legacy systems.

Do you know how to set up ACH and X12 transactions? 820s and ACH files are not interchangeable, but they can be used together. In order for data and dollars to move together through the ACH Network, the X12 must be wrapped inside of an ACH transaction. Without the proper set up, your company may acquire additional fees for not meeting requirements of the financial institutions.

STP 820 will streamline the process and eliminate the need to learn and support antiquated systems. To date, STP 820 has been approved by the American National Standards Institute and is receiving support from software providers, Federal Reserve Banks, the AFP, NACHA (the electronic payments association) and Clearing House owner banks.

The STP 820 Standard is based on the EDI Transaction Set 820 regarding payment order/remittance advice and is interoperable with the full EDI 820 standard. It is a subset of approved segments used to define a payment. A maximum of four segments are used to define each invoice. The standard includes adjustment reason codes most often used to describe adjustments to the payment amount.

For more information about STP 820, standardizing remittance formats, or help with projects that get your organization closer to straight-through-processing, contact REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com.

For the Talent Recruiter

Does your staff have the knowledge to transmit payments and remittance through the ACH Network or X12 or both?

When monetary transactions are processed, the supporting data is sent at the same time. Talent managers need to provide quality resources that know and understand the standards (STP 820 and more) and can develop standards-based integrations. If you already have the process in place for one trading partner, the foundation is there to complete the process for others and increase your return on your investment.

Do you have programmers or IT staff with the knowledge to set up Electronic Payment transactions and implement a quality STP solution?

820s and ACH files are not interchangeable, but they can be used in cooperation. To send money through the ACH Network, you must use ACH, but the 820 you use, and who actually creates it (it can be created by the bank for a fee), can have an impact on the associated cost. Not all financial institutions can or will handle native X12 transactions, but those that do will usually charge a premium to reformat the incoming 820 into an ACH transaction (or vice-versa from ACH to outgoing 820).

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group can provide solutions, services, support, and personnel to meet your e-payments and STP needs. REMEDI works with organizations and IT teams to develop systemic business strategies and training. REMEDI provides top-notch IT integration professionals and experienced project managers for full time and contract positions across the US and Canada. For more information please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com. 

In other news

REMEDI to host interactive webinar on comprehensive integration suites

Join us Wednesday, May 9, at 2:00 p.m. EDT as we present an informational webinar titled, Comprehensive Enterprise and B2B Integration Suites: a Solution for Your Organization?
Topics covered in this webinar include:

• The research behind enterprise and B2B integration suites
• An overview of enterprise and B2B integration suites
• A look at IBM Sterling B2B stand-alone solutions
• A look at IBM Sterling B2B integration suite solutions

Space is limited, so please sign up today at http://www.remedi.com/webinar-registration/

REMEDI Achieves IBM Premier Business Partner Status

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group has been awarded Premier Business Partner status by IBM for its successful client and partner work.  IBM Premier Business Partner status is earned by organizations that demonstrate superior skills and market success while actively collaborating with IBM and clients to deliver innovative solutions.  REMEDI earned the Premier Business Partner status through its focus on providing solutions as a B2B Integration partner.  Learn More.

REMEDI to co-sponsor NEECOM spring 2012 conference 

REMEDI is proud to sponsor the NEECOM Spring Conference in Westborough, MA, May 2-3rd.  If you are in the Northeast area we encourage you to join us at NEECOM.  This years meeting agenda will be highlighting topics such as Modernizing EDI, MFT, and Choosing the Right Integration Platform for your Company.  There is still time to sign up.  LearnMore

Remember To Follow Us On LinkedIn, Twitter And Facebook

The place to get information and links to opportunities, company announcements, research, articles, blog posts and more…

Twitter – 95 Followers
Facebook – 86 Likes
LinkedIn – 108 Followers
——————————————————————

Thanks.

Brad Loetz – President
REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group
614.436.4040 Phone Ext. 108
Video profile
bloetz@remedi.com
www.remedi.com

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group is a business integration software, services, and staffing provider. We have served clients in the US and Canada since 1994. Clients come to REMEDI for our application-2-application (A2A) and business-2-business (B2Bi) integration niche, expert resources, engagement flexibility, quality / speed in resource placement, integration experienced account managers / resource managers, and our tenure in business.
The company sells, installs, maintains, upgrades, and expands business/data integration and EDI solutions for its clients. Consulting Services provide temporary resources for projects such as integration infrastructure upgrades and ERP conversions, or staff supplementation to eliminate backlogs. Placement Services assist the client in finding the right full-time person for the client integration team.

REMEDI is proud to sponsor the NEECOM Spring Conference in Westborough, MA, May 2-3rd.  If you are in the Northeast area we encourage you to join us at NEECOM.  This years meeting agenda will be highlighting topics such as Modernizing EDI, MFT, and Choosing the Right Integration Platform for your Company.  There is still time to sign up.  LearnMore

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group has been awarded Premier Business Partner status by IBM for its successful client and partner work.  IBM Premier Business Partner status is earned by organizations that demonstrate superior skills and market success while actively collaborating with IBM and clients to deliver innovative solutions.  REMEDI earned the Premier Business Partner status through its focus on providing solutions as a B2B Integration partner.

“REMEDI has worked diligently to enhance our relationship with IBM and to achieve the IBM Premier Business Partner status.  As a company we proud of the recognition and believe it demonstrates our commitment to our clients and to IBM.  We are committed to providing our clients with the best EDI/B2Bi/MFT solutions.  Our team has earned this recognition through completion of IBM certification programs and successful sales and services contracts,” said Brad Loetz, President.

As an IBM Premier Business Partner, we will continue to expand our offerings of IBM B2B Integration Solutions and Services as well as continuing to deliver quality solutions to our clients.

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group announces 2011 corporate results and highlights major milestones for the year.

This project was a typical clean up project for a wiring and communications product manufacturer.  Many times companies are so busy with the day to day of their EDI operations, that they are unable to get things fixed permanently.  In order to move forward “doing things right”, you need to start with a clean slate.

Client Challenge

Our client uses IBM WebSphere Data Interchange version 3.2 (WDI 3.2) to process EDI documents. When a translation fails or something is not 100% correct, errors\warnings are generated. These errors\warnings are archived and researching these errors were not being done on a timely basis.

Our client was converting to a new ERP system and potentially needed to change some of the EDI maps in WDI 3.2. To know what might need to change, the client wanted a spreadsheet that detailed all of the mapping found in all of their maps. Based on the spreadsheet they would know what modifications to make to accommodate the new system.

Our Solution

Research all of the errors in the error archive and recommend solutions to the problem that was identified in the error report. In some cases, make the necessary map changes required to fix problems and get the new maps installed in production. Provide a detailed spreadsheet documenting all of the mapping commands used in every inbound and outbound map.

To learn more about this project in detail, please contact us. To learn more about our WebSphere services, please read our product pages.

There are products updates for IBM’s Gentran line of products including Gentran Server for UNIX, Gentran Server for iSeries, or Gentran:Director. This information was taken directly from an IBM Functional Changes document available to all of their customers on IBM’s customer support site.

Gentran Server for UNIX:

Visual Mapper

Starting with version 6.2.0 of IBM Sterling Gentran:Server for UNIX, the Visual Mapper will no longer be delivered with the product.  Existing visual maps will continue to execute, and the LFTRAN engine will continue to be supported.

ODBC Support

Although ODBC mapping has been unsupported for several years, underlying technical components were still present in prior versions of the product. These components have been removed.

HyperACCESS Button

In prior versions of the product, the client interface contained a button that opened a HyperACCESS terminal emulation window that could be used to access server functions. Due to issues with IBM technology compliance, HyperACCESS is no longer distributed with IBM Sterling Gentran:Server, and the terminal emulator button has been removed from the client.

OFTP Plus Module

Due to issues with providing IBM technology compliance and low customer usage, this module, which provided support for Odette FTP version 1, will no longer be delivered with the product or supported. Customers who require support for Odette FTP version 1 or version 2 should consider a third party communications utility. For customers who are considering Sterling B2B Integrator, Odette FTP is a supported communication protocol.

Gentran Server for iSeries:

Starting with version 3.6.0 of IBM Sterling Gentran:Server for iSeries, Zmodem will no longer be a supported communication protocol. IBM recommends migrating to a more current, supported communication protocol.

Gentran:Director:

Starting with version 5.5.0 of IBM Sterling Gentran:Director, asynchronous and bisynchronous dialup and TCP/IP will no longer be supported communication protocols. IBM recommends migrating to a more current, supported communication protocol, or using the IBM Sterling B2B Collaboration Network for bisynchronous support.

If you have questions, please see the What’s New guide for the appropriate product for more information or contact IBM Customer Support.

In a blink we find ourselves halfway into the first quarter and our second edition of Thinkronization. This month’s topic was inspired by studying a variety of articles on business and data integration. These articles centered on the current and future state of enterprise and B2B integration infrastructures.

In all instances, these pieces outlined the slow but steady migration of multiple stand-alone solutions for MFT, B2B and enterprise integration to comprehensive integration suites. The movement to these new integration infrastructures includes on-premise, as a service, and outsourcing alternatives or some combination of the three.

Factors driving the development of these new enterprise and B2B integration infrastructures include:

• A forecasted doubling of integration traffic from 2010 to 2014
• The ability/inability of aging single-purpose tools to keep up with transactional growth
• The SOA design of new integration software and services
• The build out of middleware tools with B2B capabilities and B2B tools with middleware capabilities
• The audit, security, and reliability of next-generation tools

In this edition, we explore what this means for the decision maker, technologist, and talent manager.

For The Integration Decision Maker…

When your transactions, process executions, and file transfers double in size and volume, can your infrastructure hold up?

In the introduction, we mentioned that integration traffic is expected to double by 2014. The fastest growing infrastructure segments include managed file transfer as a service (MFTaaS) for B2B, cloud services integration as a service, and B2B integration outsourcing.   Meanwhile, the on-premises B2B Gateway segment has the largest traction in terms of number of installations.

Cloud services integration encompasses the broader concept of infrastructure convergence, which allows companies to get their IT applications up and running more quickly, with the added benefits of easier manageability and less maintenance as IT decision makers are required to rapidly adjust IT resources based on fluctuation demands.

A multienterprise infrastructure (also called an Enterprise and B2B integration infrastructure) combines B2B software and services in a modular design which allows organizations to start small in terms of the build out of new infrastructure, and add functionality, scale, and processing power after a series of incremental success. The end goals are to make your environment more cost-effective, simpler to operate and more efficient with less chance for error.

A partner in this process can help maximize your resources in many ways as you enhance or overhaul your integration infrastructure. Partners (REMEDI) can help…

1. build, extend,  or outsource your  enterprise integration infrastructure
2. evaluate your existing resources and find scalable, reliable solutions
3. acquire, install, configure, train, and support Enterprise/B2B Integration and MFT solutions such as:

• IBM Sterling Business Integration Suite solutions including:

IBM Sterling B2B Integrator 
IBM Sterling Gentran
WebSphere Transformation Extender (WTX)
WebSphere Data Interchange (DI)

• IBM Sterling Managed File Transfer solutions including:

Sterling File Gateway
Sterling Connect:Direct
Sterling Control Center
Sterling Secure Proxy

• TIE Kinetix solutions
• GXS/Inovis solutions
• EXTOL solutions
• Cleo Communications solutions
• And more; based on your current tools, requirements, and objectives

For The Technician…

Should your infrastructure support multiple stand-alone solutions or restructure to support business demands including: integration, secure file transfer, transactional logging and audit, financial/regulatory/SLA compliance, process/transformation error notification, restart and recovery, and other integration components available in one comprehensive integration suite?

Market research suggests that the multienterprise/B2B gateway software market is expected to show steady growth over the next few years. Gartner, Inc. has identified nine segments of multienterprise/B2B infrastructure.

1. B2B Integration Outsourcing (BIO)
2. Traditional E-commerce Integration as a Service (IaaS)
3. Cloud Services Integration as a Service (IaaS)
4. Managed File Transfer (MFT) for B2B
5. Managed File Transfer as a Service (MFTaaS) for B2B
6. Service-oriented architecture (SOA) governance software for B2B
7. Stand-alone multienterprise/B2B gateways
8. Embedded multienterprise/B2B gateways
9. Electronic data interchange (EDI) translators (stand-alone)

The research shows that now is a good time for technologists with a breadth of skill sets to embrace a market with great potential to support their organization’s growing needs. Embedded B2B functionalities within integration suites continue to be in high demand across multiple industry sectors. Mid-size to large companies who have revamped their integration infrastructure rely on their flexibility in supporting ever-changing data transformation requirements, transport and communication protocols, security standards, auditing, and process tracking.

While integration suites offer many benefits, modern stand-alone solutions still provide good vertical functionality and performance if a holistic approach to integration is not for you, due either to budget constraints or having your various integration needs covered with point solutions. At the end of the day the ability to offer cost-effective, scalable integration solutions presents your best bet to remain relevant and viable in a fiercely competitive environment.

For The Talent Recruiter…

Can you support a complex matrix of skills across existing disparate solutions?

As integration traffic is forecasted to double over the next few years, will your IT talent budget double as well? While in a perfect world that would be the case, it is most likely you will be required to retain, train, and hire professionals who can work within several platforms and systems, from integration suites to various stand-alone options.

How can you find IT professionals with a variety of skill sets required for your environment? How can you ensure your IT dollars are being spent on finding the best fit for your application? Where do you go to find a talented pool of professionals? In the absence of budget for new hires, how can you get your staff cross trained to support your integration systems as resources come and go over time?

For more information on any of the above, including the articles referenced, please contact us at 614-436-4040 or inforequest@remedi.com. REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group can provide solutions, services, support, and personnel to meet your needs. REMEDI works with organizations and IT teams to develop systemic business strategies and training. REMEDI hires top-notch IT professionals and experienced project managers for full time and contract positions across the US and Canada.

In Other News…

See our Featured Integration Consultants and Candidates

Finance Your Next Project

We have the ability to finance software and services for credit-qualified clients. Contact us for more information about 0% financing of IBM software for 12 months and competitive rates for 24-36 months. Most any REMEDI services can also be financed for 12-36 months at competitive rates.

Attention GIS/SI Version 4.3 Users….

IBM will cease support for Gentran Integration Suite/Sterling Integrator version 4.3 effective March 31, 2012. In an effort to provide reliable high-quality products and services, IBM is only providing support and fixes for the current and next previous product versions.  If you are looking into your upgrade options or would like to hear about the latest features of IBM Sterling B2B Integrator, contact us to assist you.

Training comes to you…

Does the EDI/EAI/B2B software training you need exist?
Do scheduled training times meet your desired time lines?

We have received an increased volume of training requests lately from our customers.  REMEDI offers customized training to accommodate your business requirements; contact us today to discuss your  training needs.

Remember To Follow Us On Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn

The place to get information and links to opportunities, company announcements, research, articles, blog posts and more

Twitter – 95 Followers
Facebook – 86 Likes
LinkedIn - 92 Followers

——————————————————————

Thanks.

Brad Loetz – President
REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group
614.436.4040 Phone Ext. 108
Video profile
bloetz@remedi.com
www.remedi.com

REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group is a business integration services and staffing provider. We have served clients in the US and Canada since 1994. Clients come to REMEDI for our application-2-application (A2A) and business-2-business (B2Bi) integration niche, expert resources, engagement flexibility, quality / speed in resource placement, integration experienced account managers / resource managers, and our tenure in business.

The company installs, maintains, upgrades, and expands business/data integration and EDI solutions for its clients. Consulting Services provide temporary resources for projects such as integration infrastructure upgrades and ERP conversions, or staff supplementation to eliminate backlogs. Placement Services assist the client in finding the right full-time person for the client integration team.

It is interesting to me the diversity in the titles of the people I speak with that deal with EDI at different companies.  From EDI Analysts, EDI Managers, EDI Directors, CIOs to CFOs, VPs of Sales, Business Development Managers, and Business Analysts, they are all affected by EDI one way or another.  They have all become involved in my conversations with companies that are in the process of architecting, planning, or evaluating their EDI environment. 

Gone are the days when EDI was simply lumped in with the IT Department and rarely had representation or consideration at the C-Level Executive Roundtable.   Today, with the escalating importance of eCommerce to companies’ bottom lines, EDI is relied upon to increase efficiencies, protect company/consumer data security, and drive revenues.  Therefore, EDI now has a place at that roundtable and is heavily leveraged and relied upon to help shape a company’s eCommerce strategy. 

Whether it be integration with a company’s internal applications or integration with a company’s external business partners, the impact of EDI is clearly emerging from the shadows of some of its IT big brothers.  The revolutionary and expanding capability of EDI technology in the industry continues to evolve and allow for EDI to increase its visibility and importance within a company’s eCommerce initiatives.  So, what is the answer to the question, what drives EDI in your organization, IT or Business?  I believe it is driven by both; a blending of both areas of a company that need to work together to create and execute an EDI and business strategy that helps support an organization’s initiatives.  This is quite a difference from past years and decades and has been a long time coming.

As always, I welcome your feedback or comments.  I can be reached at shulme@remedi.com.