Arms length systems means hip pocket savings
It maysound a little far fetched but one group in the industry claims it can have any software operating on any computer in any business overnight.
Technology provider OBT has been in the local market for about four years and is one of the first application service providers operating in financial services.
Application service providers deliver software systems to a computer, usually through a web connection or network system, which are then operated through a web browser.
OBT managing director Shane Muller says this means that users can access any program and its stored data from any location using a login and password via an Internet connection.
“The benefit is that a dealer is not tied to one software system, [and this] allows variety among planners within a group,” he says.
Muller says OBT creates a bridge to the software and data systems and can be used by smaller dealer groups who may not be able to afford a full rollout of new software on every computer in the group.
He says the other benefit is that any new programs or updates are available quickly and can be rolled back across the group in one move if they turn out to be problematic.
OBT does charge for the service and tracks the level of users from the login and then reports to the software providers, paying them an agreed fee and keeping a portion of the fee paid by users for the provision of the service.
Muller says this system can be cheaper in the long run with the need to purchase, install and maintain numerous systems and programs now being conducted outside the business. He says this cost is based on users per month as opposed to fixed IT costs inside most dealer group businesses.
So far the group has signed deals to provide Boss, IDT and PlanTech software and is in looking to addIWL’s VisiPlan software.
“At present, we feel we are suited to groups who are seeking new steps in their technology cycle and are dealing with the issues of system failures, upgrades, breaking away or merging parts of the business or have a wide geographical base,” Muller says.
AUTHOR
Jason Spits
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