MAXIMIZER announced a partnership with McObject, a provider of embedded database technology for intelligent, connected devices, to enhance Maximizer’s mobile CRM offering for BlackBerry smart phone devices. The McObject data base will enable CRM data to be stored on flash memory-based Secure Digital (SD) cards to extend storage capacity while on the road – making it possible to access more customer information in real-time, instead of relying on networks to download new data to the device.
Our take: Since sales reps are using their smart phones ever more frequently to access CRM data, we’re willing to bet that, sooner or later, accounting is going to flip its lid at the sharp uptick in cell phone charges. This is a way to reduce that cost, so expect to see this kind of caching technique to grow in popularity.

PIVOTAL announced results from a Leadership Survey of its customers revealing that globalization is a common thread that will continue to help their industry evolve. Of those surveyed, 75 percent saw globalization as a primary factor that they believe will continue to enable the financial services industry to advance. In addition, the survey revealed that more than 50 percent of customers identified the same factors that are critical to their individual success going forward, which included improving client retention, increasing client acquisition, managing a global business, and exploiting regional trends.
Our take: While we believe that CRM firms should sometimes fund research, this is the kind of research that probably ought to be published in “DUH!” magazine. Some elements of business are sufficiently obvious that they don’t really need to be confirmed by polling executives.

NETSUITE announced a new vertical suite for manufacturing companies, which includes new functionality for Assembly, Work Order, and Bill of Materials, which are the common elements of all light manufacturing businesses. Netsuite is targeting this product at SAP’s core market and is hoping to exploit the delay of SAP’s Business ByDesign product rollout, providing mid-sized manufacturers with an on-demand solution.
Our take: Netsuite’s move into this vertical space comes at a difficult time for SAP, which has been struggling of late with their own on-demand offering. Netsuite, in general, is proving itself to be a highly nimble competitor, especially as CRM becomes more specialized and less generic.

KADIENT announced today that customers using its Pragmatech RFP and sales proposal software solutions would have access to platform support and incremental updates. The release supports Office 2007 and Windows Vista for both content managers and end users across the Pragmatech suite, and the latest Windows servers and SQL Server 2005 for its server products. In addition, Kadient has made a number of maintenance updates in the release.
Our take: This is the kind of announcement that makes one wonder: what are they thinking? There’s nothing here that’s worthy of press attention, only an admission that Pragmatech has fallen behind in supporting new platforms. What’s particularly mysterious is that Pragmatech’s proposal stuff is pretty strong and worthy of attention, because of what it does, not because of how it’s being maintained.

SUGARCRM announced its support for the Open Data Initiative unveiled today by Jigsaw, a leading provider of business information and data services that uniquely leverages user-generated content contributed by its global membership. Advancing an open source approach to company data, Jigsaw’s Open Data Initiative makes it easy to search, select, and import company data.
Our take: Any CRM company that doesn’t jump on the Jigsaw bandwagon is just being foolish. This is such a good idea and makes so much sense for CRM vendors that it’s hard to believe that everyone isn’t supporting it right out of the gate.