BPM Software Maximizing Technology Investments for North American Enterprises; Staffware Business Process Management Suite Offers Competitive Edge.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2003

Staffware, a market leader in business process management (BPM), today announced that the Staffware Process Suite(TM) is creating and managing unique business procedures for large enterprise companies in North America. First introduced in October 2001, the Staffware Process Suite allows companies to build an enterprise-wide infrastructure based on their unique processes and approach to conducting business. As a result, Staffware customers are reducing costs, increasing efficiencies, and leveraging existing technology investments to gain competitive advantage.

Gerry Bartkowski, Vice President of American Business Financial Services, Inc. states that after an extensive analysis and review of the leading BPM solutions, ABFS made a 300-seat investment in Staffware as its BPM solution, with initial implementation occurring in July 2002. "ABFS was impressed with the out-of-the-box capabilities offered by the Staffware Process Suite. Since our business is driven by many changes to loan files, almost by the minute, Staffware will help us to produce more volume with the same staff by providing up-to-date and accurate data to users, managers and executives when and where needed."

"UnumProvident made a major 11,000 seat investment in Staffware's business process management solution in order to deliver corporate-wide strategic initiatives the company will roll out over the next quarter," said Kathy Owen, Vice President of Systems Development for UnumProvident. "Eliminating expensive operational costs and providing greater customer services are core objectives of UnumProvident and we are confident Staffware's solutions will enable us to achieve this goal."

BPM software systematically bridges people with systems through a business process oriented computing framework. Since 1987, Staffware has automated and managed processes for over 5,000 customers worldwide, embracing the philosophy of uniting people with systems. The Staffware Process Suite creates, transforms, and streamlines the internal and external processes and tasks of an enterprise. Staffware's BPM software is open and standards-based to ensure seamless integration and full interoperability with existing IT infrastructures and applications.

"There is definitely a re-emerging demand for process oriented technologies that streamline procedures and cut fat out of front and back office operations," said Darcy Fowkes, a research director at Aberdeen Group and author, Worldwide Business Process Management Spending, Forecast and Analysis 2001-2005. "As the gap between IT and line of business managers closes, the technical requirements of an organization's IT investments need to be more business oriented and respond to the individual needs of line and business managers running various divisions."

Snapshot of Staffware Process Suite

The Staffware Process Suite does not impose limits on how enterprise integration is implemented. By building integration architecture on business processes, companies gain greater control and flexibility in managing their business and network. Staffware's BPM approach is a blueprint solution for building an extended enterprise and value network. The Staffware Process Suite is a multi-layered solution that tailors a set of products to meet overall business goals and objectives for global companies. The suite includes the following:

-- Staffware Process Applications -- vertical industry specific pre-packaged applications and templates for rapid BPM design and deployment.

-- Staffware Process Client and Staffware Process Relationship Manager -- connects customers, suppliers, and partners into core processes.

-- Staffware Process Objects, Staffware Process Kit and Staffware Process Integrator -- process-enabled integration with legacy and packaged applications.

-- Staffware Process Administrator and Staffware Process Monitor

-- key performance metrics and detailed status reports in graphical format.

-- Staffware Process Definer (SPD) -- creation of workflow procedures.

-- Staffware iProcess Engine -- a highly scalable, reliable, and automated BPM engine.

"Staffware has been focused on business processes for over fifteen years with a clear strategy to support global corporations," said Kuljit Bawa, CEO of Americas, at Staffware. "Sharpening people to systems interactions with our BPM software is a smart way to stabilize and build long term best practices. We continue to help our customers increase the value from current investments as well expand the possibilities for future business growth."

About Staffware Plc

Staffware is the leading Business Process Management specialist and has over 2 million licensed users in 5,000 customer organizations within the Banking, Insurance, Telecommunications, Utilities, General Commercial, Manufacturing, and Government sectors. Staffware is headquartered in the UK, has offices in 16 countries and employs approximately 350 people. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is the leading profitable, debt-free, global vendor focused exclusively on providing BPM solutions.

Staffware's BPM expertise has evolved from 15 years of automating and managing processes, so the interaction of people and processes has remained central to its philosophy. Unlike the majority of its competitors, it has a deep understanding and unique insight of the complex people-to-people, people-to-application, and application-to-application interactions that make up business processes.

The Staffware Process Suite provides a complete set of tools to create, transform, and streamline the internal and external processes and tasks of an organization. Staffware enables the creation of an Independent Process Layer that separates process from the underlying IT/data environment, facilitating the rapid development and change to an organization's process. The Staffware Process Suite is an open and standards-based solution that ensures seamless integration and full interoperability with existing IT infrastructures and applications.