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Firepond Launches Web Services InitiativeFirst Sales Configuration Vendor to Join Industry Consortium Promoting Web Services InteroperabilityMINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2002--Firepond (Nasdaq: FIRE - News), a leading provider of software systems that optimize the process of converting leads into orders, announced today that, in parallel with a corporate initiative to "Web services-enable" its SalesPerformer(TM) Configurator, it recently joined the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I). WS-I is the industry organization established in February 2002 to accelerate the development of common best practices for the usage of Web services in the development, deployment, and integration of business applications. Firepond is the first and, to date, only best-of-breed sales configuration vendor to join the organization, which counts more than 150 software vendors, enterprise customers and technology developers among its members. "The goal of true interoperability can only be achieved with the participation of companies from a diverse set of industries," said Tom Glover, chairman of the Web Services Interoperability Organization. "We are pleased that Firepond has joined WS-I. Firepond's participation will help to ensure that the deliverables WS-I produce will meet the real world interoperability needs of businesses." Firepond is currently developing an interface to its SalesPerformer Configurator that will make it web services compliant. Any other application that is also web services compliant will be able to request a configuration service from the Firepond system and receive the output. Since product configuration delivers value to many different parts of an organization across the continuum of the lead-to-order process, it is ideally suited for a Web services-enabled infrastructure. In fact, the value of all individual software systems increase exponentially when they work together. Practical uses include a manufacturing ordering system asking the SalesPerformer Configurator to check the accuracy of an order, significantly accelerating the order validation process and reduce the company's total cost of sales. Working in the opposite direction, a manufacturer's channel partners could configure an order on the web with the SalesPerformer Configurator, which would then send a request to the manufacturer's ERP system to retrieve Available to Promise (ATP) information and send this back to the channel partner, allowing them to immediately inform their customers of accurate delivery dates. Whether the service is requested by the Configurator or from it, the Web services interface will enable it to be easily integrated with an enterprise's connected workflows. The web services interface to SalesPerformer Configurator is planned for release in the first quarter of 2003. "Firepond has long believed that the value of sales configuration systems increases exponentially when they work together," said Klaus Besier, Firepond's Chairman and CEO. "For example, large manufacturing companies can enhance their total return on investment in a back-office enterprise resource planning system, such as SAP, by integrating it with our front-office sales configuration system. Today Firepond achieves this goal through bi-directional 'connectors' developed for the specific applications in question. Web services, however, hold the promise of enabling multi-directional connectivity between different applications and across multiple platforms. We are pleased to be part of this important initiative and fully support the goal of interoperability across the software landscape." About the Web Services Interoperability Organization The Web Services Interoperability Organization (http://www.ws-i.org) is an open industry organization for promoting web services interoperability across platforms, applications and programming languages. The organization unites a diverse community of Web services companies by providing guidance, recommended practices and supporting resources for developing interoperable Web services. About Firepond, Inc. Firepond, Inc. (www.firepond.com) is a leading provider of intelligent front-office software systems that help companies more profitably turn leads into orders -- whether they sell through a direct sales force, an indirect channel network or via the web. The company's SalesPerformer system guides sales people, channel partners and customers through the entire "lead-to-order" business process -- delivering lead management, needs analysis, product and pricing configuration, proposal and quote generation and order capture. Companies that manufacture complex goods or maintain complex distribution networks can realize a high return on their investment in Firepond's SalesPerformer by dramatically reducing the cost of sales through improved order accuracy and shortened sales cycles. For manufacturers, Firepond's "lead-to-order" systems reduce reliance on expensive engineering resources during the sales process to configure a product that best meets customer requirements. For insurers, Firepond's "prospect-to-customer" systems accelerate sales cycles, improve broker loyalty and simplify the renewals process. By leveraging a single intelligence engine to drive the entire process across multiple sales channels, Firepond further reduces total cost of ownership. Firepond's global blue-chip customer base includes ABB, Compaq, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Freightliner, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey, John Deere, Renault VI, SBLI Mutual Life, Sikorsky Aircraft Company and Steelcase International. Portions of this release contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. We wish to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results indicated by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: economic and other factors affecting the demand for e-business sales and service solutions; difficulties with the implementation and integration of Firepond products; market acceptance of Firepond's SalesPerformer and eServicePerformer Suites and their components in chosen vertical industries; potential changes to announced financial results based upon information generated in the company's internal investigation announced on May 31, 2002; uncertainty, costs, and potential damages associated with material litigation; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; quarterly fluctuations in operating results attributable to the timing and amount of orders for our products and services; our ability to keep pace with changing product requirements; difficulties and financial burdens associated with acquisitions; and other risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our form 10-K filed in January, copies of which may be obtained through the SEC's website at. www.sec.gov. Firepond and Firepond product names are trademarks of Firepond, Inc. All other product or company names are the properties of their respective owners. Editorial Contact: Eric Snow Firepond, Inc. (U.S.) (781) 487-8441 eric.snow@firepond.com top of page |
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