ERP WARS: Where do B2B Workforce and our Consultants Stand in the SAP vs. Oracle Fight?

It's still everyone's guess as to who will ultimately become the largest and best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software provider in the world. In March of '06, the "report from Cambridge, Massachusetts -based Forrester Research Inc. found that SAP has stronger momentum than Oracle, due largely to its major head start in the business applications market. It also concludes that SAP has a better partnership strategy than Oracle and has done a better job of articulating the value of its technology to customers." So will users buy into using Oracle's pieced together product through buyouts of PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Siebel and Retek, or decide that SAP's one fully integrated product works best for them? If you go by the numbers, Oracle isn't looking too bad right now. Although its stock price ($18.67) is almost a third of SAP America's ($50.66) Oracle's revenues and profit margins have exceeded SAP. Last Quarter's stats show SAP America's Total Revenue was $2.2B with a net profit of $414M, where as Oracle made $3.6B in Total Revenue and $670M in net profit. So it's definitely too soon to tell who is going to win the war.

But I have a question for all the talented and hard working consultants of B2B Workforce. Where do you stand in this ERP battle? Do you want to see a winner of this war or do you pray for continued fighting for the greatest market share, the largest customer base, as well as advances in technology for all the applications? Come on be honest, we all love this fight! Who is at the front lines of the battle between these two Giants? Why "B2B Super Consultant" (B2B SC), of course! Super consultant will fly to any destination for 4-5 days a week to implement either application to make both Giants look good. B2B SC will stay up all night to ensure deadlines are met and even sacrifice some weekends. With growing skill sets and deeper and deeper expertise gained from project to project why do B2B SC's need B2B? Well,

the B2B SC stays so busy that he or she has to use Super Suppliers like B2B Workforce to help them plan their next job. And Super Supplier B2B loves the job of seeking out the next adventure for B2B SC and getting them the best job at the best rate. Super Supplier B2B has worked out deals with both Giants to place our B2B SC on their projects. Super Supplier B2B is one of four Tier 1 Vendors for SAP America and also a Premier Vendor for Oracle.B2B works hard to leverage its Super Supplier status and help our B2B SC's overcome Super Consultant kryptonite such as: interviewing unprepared, and negotiating fair rates. In the end, it is our goal to help both Giants staff all their projects.

And how does Super Supplier B2B accomplish this? By following in the footsteps of these two Giants and creating our own internal battle. In Corner 1 we have the SAP team focused on finding the most talented SAP B2B SC to place on projects for large integrators such as SAP America, Accenture, IBM, BearingPoint, Deloitte and the list goes on. And in Corner 2 we have the Oracle team finding the most talented Oracle, PeopleSoft, Siebel and EAI/BI resources for the same customer base. At first glance one would think the Oracle team has the advantage with all the applications and projects they can place B2B SC on. This was true in the beginning of 2006 as the Oracle team placed more B2B SCs than the SAP team. But by March the two teams were neck and neck. Since May SAP has remained the clear leader of the pack. As of October 9, 2006 Super Supplier B2B has 387 consultants working on projects around the country. Of these 206 are SAP B2B SCs and 181 are Oracle B2B SCs. So the battle rages on. Will the Oracle team surpass the SAP team by the end of the year? No one knows for sure. What we do know is each team will keep placing as many B2B SC on projects as possible…making the fight worth it for all our Super Consultants and the two Giants.

It's Flu Season - A Health Tip from Web MD:

An Ounce of Prevention ...
Even though there's no cure for a cold or the flu, you can do a lot to ward off both. Here is one helpful hint to avoiding cold and flu that you may not be aware of:

Eat Yogurt-
A daily dose of yogurt (low-fat is best for your cholesterol levels) may help prevent colds. Researchers believe that the beneficial bacteria in yogurt can fight some cold viruses, possibly by stimulating production of immune system substances that fight disease.

The B2B Oracle Team Looks at Current Market Trends

B2B Workforce's team structure includes Delivery Managers who are application focused. They work with our Resource Managers/Recruiters to qualify the job and candidate to ensure we have the perfect match. We sat down with our Delivery Managers from the Oracle team to get their views on the current Business trends.

Our first conversation was with Donna Toledo, the Delivery Manager for Siebel and our EAI/BI practice.

Interviewer: Donna who is B2B's largest customer in the EAI/BI space?
Donna: IBM continues to be our largest customer but Accenture is getting close.
Interviewer: What are some of the projects you are working on?
Donna: We are teamed with Accenture on an American Express project, with CGI on a project in LA County CA, and with Accenture for a huge Bank of America project.
Interviewer: We see you work a lot with Large Integrators, do you have any direct customers.
Donna: Yes we do. Both J Crew and Microsoft are direct customers of ours.
Interviewer: Donna let's focus on Siebel now. I understand you started at B2B as a Siebel recruiter.
Donna: Yes I was one of the first recruiters for B2B when they started in 2000. Back then Siebel was our focus.
Interviewer: So who are your biggest Siebel clients today?
Donna: We have partnerships with IBM and Accenture.
Interviewer: And what Siebel projects are you working on with them?
Donna: With IBM we are working on projects at Dillards, General Motors and Echostar. At Accenture we are working on projects at Tjaa Cref, Proctor & Gamble and XM Satellite Radio.
Interviewer: Any direct Siebel clients?
Donna: Yes, we work directly with ADT and Vulcan on projects.
Interviewer: What key skills are your clients looking for today?
Donna: Siebel Analytics, Siebel Administrators, ETL Informatica, Java, DBAs, Retek And Cognos
Interviewer: Donna before we end this wonderful conversation, can you tell us what Market trends are you seeing?
Donna: Analytics needs continue to grow in the Siebel space and Retek is an up-and-coming skill set in the Oracle practice.

Next we spoke with Teresa Lussier our Oracle Delivery Manager:

Interviewer: Teresa tell us where B2B's greatest successes are with Oracle right now.
Teresa: We have a great partnership with Accenture on their Census and Ricoh projects. We have 17 resources at Census and have had 10+ resources at Ricoh.
Interviewer: And what are your new business areas?
Teresa: We have an exciting project going on with a company called Gevity. We will install Oracle for all their new clients.
Interviewer: Where do you see the need being for Oracle professionals in the future?
Teresa: The trend is definitely going towards Oracle Supply Chain, Oracle HRMS Suite and Oracle CRM.
Interviewer: And what part of the country do you see these needs growing.
Teresa: In the NE. Places like DC, Virginia, New York and New Jersey.

Our last conversation was with Rob Cardelli, a former PeopleSoft Delivery Manager:

Interviewer: Rob where do you see the current need for PSFT resources?
Rob: I see a continued demand for PeopleSoft HRMS resources due to upgrades to version 8.9. Also PeopleSoft EPM skills continue to be in high demand. PeopleSoft Self Service skills are becoming increasingly in high demand; ePerformance, eProfile and eCompensation in particular.
Interviewer: Are there any areas that are less active in Peoplesoft?
Rob: I see a slow down in PeopleSoft Financials projects. There no compelling business case to move from 8.8 to 8.9 for most Finance customers. Fusion upgrade path will go direct from 8.8. The HRMS customers have a business case because version 8.9 offers new offerings in Time and labor and eRecruit.
Interviewer: What are the overall trends you are seeing in the consulting field?
Rob: The trends that I see are smaller projects, less consultants, rates increasing across the board and less and less H-1 visas. The trend in the H-1 arena is these consultants are starting to go back to their home country where they can make equal or more money. This is decreasing the supply of candidates which increases the rates of the available candidate pool. This trend should continue as large data centers continue to open in India.

SAP News: B2B Workforce is a Premiere Partner to SAP America- what does this mean for our Consultants?

B2B Workforce has been elevated to the status of Premiere Partner with SAP America, one of our largest clients. B2B is one of only 4 Premiere Partner suppliers to SAP America and has been declared their "Partner of Choice" by many at SAP America. This partnership means a substantial increase in the number of requirements we receive. We have had over 2500 open SAP America requirements so far this year. In order to handle this volume, and continue our superb service to the client, we are currently exploring ways to best leverage this partnership and pass the benefits of our Premiere Partnership on to our Consultants at the same time. In the coming weeks, we will be piloting our SAP America Consultant Loyalty program. The goal of this program will be to secure the exclusive right to represent you to SAP America projects. Some benefits of your loyalty in helping us best serve this client will include:

• access to continued training and project in emerging SAP Industry and Technologies such as Retail, CRM, Utilities, SOA, etc
• the opportunity to be considered for a large number of SAP America positions including
  • Remote Spot work roles that can be done off hours remotely while working full-time on another SAP America project. Think Earnings Velocity!
• visibility among SAP America leadership thereby increasing your value proposition to SAP

To find out more about this program please contact Katie Kaduk by phone at 678-597-3297 or by email: kcaruso@b2bworkforce.com.

SCUM SCAM

Individuals who pray on others for financial gain are SCUM. Here is one of their latest SCAMs: The FBI calls phishing attacks "The most troubling SCam on the Internet." Up to 5% of E-mail requests succeed in obtaining a client's financial data.

Phishing often consists of the distribution of spoofed E-mail messages with return addresses, links and branding art that makes the E-mails appear to be from banks, credit unions, etc. Their goal? to obtain bank account, PIN and credit card data from unsuspecting account holders. The Credit Union DOES NOT send e-mail requesting personal information or asking that they connect to a Web site to verify personal financial information. Items to look for:

• Improper grammar
• Request that information is "critical" or "needs to be done right away".

Use extreme caution when responding to E-mails. Phone the number provided on your statement and/or the back of your ATM card or credit card if there are questions.

WWW.MYBENEFITSCOUNT.COM - B2B Workforce New Benefit/HR Portal

Are you a W2 Hourly Consultant, and want to know when you are eligible for the B2B Workforce Group Benefit Plan? Wondering when next Pay Day is? Need to find a doctor on B2B Workforce's medical carrier, United Healthcare? Are you ready to start planning for retirement through the B2B 401K Plan? Check out the B2B Benefit/HR Portal at www.mybenefitscount.com (username: b2b@b2bworkforce.com password: b2b).

This portal is a wealth of information for those of you already on the group plan as well as for those who will soon be eligible. It contains links to all of the Benefit Carriers including United Healthcare, Principal Dental, ADP Flexible Spending Account, Schwab, and Great West Retirement Services. Check it out..and if you have any questions, feel free to send us an email at hr@b2bworkforce.com.

In the future, you can find this link on the B2B Website, under the Consultant Center.

CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE SAVINGS....20% - 40% less out of your pocket for health care and dependant care expenses that you have to pay for anyway.This is the value of a Flexible Spending Account.

**It's Open Enrollment Time for the 2007 Flexible Spending Account Plan Year.....**

What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? With a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you are allowed to contribute a portion of your payroll dollars into a special account in advance of paying most taxes, including Federal and State Income Taxes, as well as most other payroll taxes (FICA, FUTA). This special tax status of your FSA contributions is the mechanism that allows you to save so much money on eligible expenses.

What is the cost? There is no cost or hidden fees for you to use or have a Flexible Spending Account. A special advantage of the Healthcare and Dependant FSA is immediate access to your total elected contribution amount from the first day of the benefit plan year, before all scheduled contributions have been made.

What expenses are eligible for FSA? Some of the eligible plan expenses include deductibles, copays, acupunture, dental and orthodontia expenses, infertility treatments, prescription and over the counter drugs, well baby care, hearing aids, back support devices, psychologist support and many more. A complete list can be found on FSA tab of the B2B Workforce HR/Benefit Portal: www.mybenefitscount.com (username: b2b@b2bworkforce.com password: b2b)

How much can I can contribute to FSA annually? The allowance for eligible healthcare expenses is $3,000 per year. The allowance for eligible dependant care expenses is $5,000 per year per household.

How do I avoid losing any contributions? It is important to note that the FSA is not a savings account. You must use all of your contributions each year or risk losing any unused balance at the end of the plan year. Plan your contribution by making a list of any anticipated expenses for you and your dependants if this applies. Also, it is a good idea to identify in advance a few eligible expenses and have them in reserve in case you find you have an account balance remaining as the end of the benefit plan year approaches. For example, to use a remaining balance, you could purchase a pair of prescription sunglasses, have your teeth cleaned, or replace an expired prescription of medication.

How do I know if I am eligible for FSA? All W2 B2B Workforce Employees are eligible from Day 1 of employment with B2B Workforce. You may enroll in our Flexible Spending Account even if you receive health care insurance from your spouse's employer. And your FSA may be used to pay for eligible expenses for all of your qualified dependants.

How do I submit a claim for reimbursement of my eligible expense? A claim form can be found on the Benefit/HR Portal, www.mybenefitscount.com (username: b2b@b2bworkforce.com password: b2b) under the FSA tab.

How do I enroll in FSA for 2007? Please complete the FSA Enrollment Form for located on the Benefit/HR Portal, www.mybenefitscount.com (username: b2b@b2bworkforce.com password: b2b) under the FSA tab.

When is the deadline? Friday November, 17th, 2006 by faxing the form to 404-479-2423. You will receive a confirmation email once your fax has been received.