Software companies face the challenge of reacting to or adopting different business models that extend beyond licensing and billing for maintenance agreements. Licensing software to ASPs Oracle has gone one step further by offering software on a free services basis, including customer and pipeline management, and calendar and activity management, although there are storage limits to the free service. Starting in December, services with fees attached include sales compensation, global sales forecasting, and expense and travel management. Limited customization is available to the user. Oracle offers support via email, and the company has signed up two of the big systems integrators to provide higher-level services.
Oracle touts several modules as full-functioned software rather than subsets.
Indeed, the software is designed for global use throughout an enterprise, complete with currency conversion and other functions. So, whether companies selectively eat some of the breadcrumbs Oracle is offering or swallow the whole trail, they are likely to wind up with more of their information assets on Oracle systems than if they had paid for and used another tool. Given the current cost of wireless modems, perhaps sales forces will resort to accessing and updating data via their phones. Either way, Oracle is attempting to fire a cannon ball into the software world, and users may be the beneficiaries. However, IDC information that is to be used in advertising, press releases, or promotional materials requires prior written approval from the appropriate IDC vice president or country manager.