Memphis Light, Gas & Water Saves Millions Using Business Objects.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2003

Largest Three-Service Municipal Utility in the United States

Uses Business Intelligence to Drive Down Costs, Boost

Operational Efficiency

Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ), the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, today announced that Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW), the largest three-service municipal utility in the U.S., has used Business Objects to save more than $2 million annually in operational efficiencies.

Approximately 350 MLGW users access the firm's data warehouse using WebIntelligence(R), the web-based query, reporting, and analysis solution from Business Objects. WebIntelligence enables users to access and analyze data from all of MLGW's nine data warehouse applications. This provides visibility into operations including human resources, equipment and fleet management, work management, general ledger, budgeting, employee time reporting, materials management, payroll, and safety. The data warehouse is built on an Oracle database, and contains data primarily from the firm's mainframe system.

As much as 75 percent of MLGW's employees use WebIntelligence to develop customized reports to meet the specific needs of their job. For example, a team of MLGW employees used the Business Objects solution to perform a cost analysis of the firm's fleet of half-ton trucks that were due to be replaced. The analysis broke out the cost of maintaining trucks by their manufacturer. The historical data showed one manufacturer's trucks cost less to purchase, but much more to maintain than most others. As a result, the transportation staff requested and received approval for the more cost-effective alternative.

"The return on investment from implementing Business Objects has been impressive," said Chris Bowman, data warehouse team administrator for Memphis Light, Gas, and Water. "The Business Objects solution has allowed us to turn our data into a corporate asset. We're really seeing how much we can accomplish using business intelligence, and Business Objects has become an important partner in helping us meet our enterprise performance objectives."

"Business intelligence is most useful when it permeates the entire business, a lesson Memphis Light, Gas, and Water has learned to great benefit," said Dave Kellogg, senior group vice president of worldwide marketing at Business Objects. "By using Business Objects to drive improved performance, MLGW joins a growing list of innovative firms that are saving millions with business intelligence."

About Memphis Light, Gas and Water 

Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) was founded in 1939 and serves more than 450,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. The utility has more than 2,700 employees and is the largest three-service municipal utility system in the nation. More information on MLGW can be found on the Web at www.mlgw.com.

About Business Objects

Business Objects is the world's leading provider of enterprise business intelligence (BI) solutions. Business Objects enables organizations to track, understand, and manage enterprise performance. The company's solutions leverage the information that is stored in an array of corporate databases, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Popular uses of BI include management dashboards and scorecards, enterprise performance management applications, customer intelligence applications, enterprise reporting, financial reporting, and both customer and partner extranets. These solutions enable companies to gain visibility into their business, acquire and retain profitable customers, reduce costs, optimize the supply chain, increase productivity and improve financial performance.

Business Objects provides the industry's most integrated business intelligence suite, called BusinessObjects Enterprise 6. This suite includes the industry's best web query, reporting, and analysis; the most advanced and complete suite of analytic applications; and the best connectivity to packaged applications.

Business Objects has more than 18,000 customers in over 80 countries. The company's stock is publicly traded under the ticker symbols NASDAQ: BOBJ and Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0004026250 - BOB). It is included in the SBF 120 and IT CAC 50 French stock market indexes. Business Objects can be reached at 408-953-6000 and www.businessobjects.com.

BusinessObjects and WebIntelligence are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects S.A. in the United States and/or other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.