IBM VIPs Gives Infor Another ‘A+’ Role

November 13, 2007 Alex Woodie

A+, an i5/OS-based distribution application sold by Infor, gained a second accreditation in IBM‘s Vertical Industry Program (VIP) last week when it announced A+ will be listed for the restaurant and hospital supply markets, in addition to the janitorial and sanitation markets.

IBM launched the VIP program earlier this year as a way to ensure that ISVs, resellers, and customers have a comprehensive list of i5/OS applications that have been tailored to specific markets. At the time, the VIP program was launched with 80 different sales niches, such as the U.S. hospitality and gaming industry, the French wholesale beverage distribution market, or the English small healthcare facility market. Since then, the list has undoubtedly grown, but for (questionable) competitive reasons, IBM refuses to publish the entire list.

Infor, the largest developer of i5/OS ERP solutions, has participated in the VIP program since it launched in January, including with its HCM Infinium software for the hospitality and gaming industry, and its ERP Xpert software for automotive parts manufacturers. In July, the VIP program added ERP A+ to the list. A+ (or Application Plus as it was known back in the Daly.Commerce days) was slated to the janitorial and sanitation market. And last week, the VIP program expanded A+ into the restaurant and hospital supply market.

Small businesses are the big winners with the change, says Peter Small, director of worldwide IBM System i business partner and ISV sales. “Together, we recognize that smaller companies face the same challenges as their larger counterparts and want access to the same robust technology,” he says in a statement. “The combined IBM, Infor offering levels the playing field for these customers, helping them gain a secure foothold in today’s changing business environment.”