051007: IPVG subsidiary expands managed IT services in RP

By Eden E. Estopace
The Philippine Star 05/10/2007

IP-Converge Data Center Inc., the information and telecommunications division of IPVG Corp., is expanding its managed IT services in the Philippines, particularly in the area of application-driven business solutions.

Rene Huergas, president and COO of IP-Converge, told a news conference that the company is leveraging on its facility and integrated package of managed services portfolio to provide an end-to-end solution to companies.

The expansion is in response to the growing demand for cost-effective operational tools that allow companies to focus more on core business objectives and growth initiatives.

IP-Converge’s expertise range from bandwidth provisioning to fully integrated network management. It initiates, designs and manages its clients’ overall network, provides co-location services for firms, global Internet access, dedicated leased lines, network access and data security.

"Primarily, our business last year was focused on data services. We operate and own a telco-grade Internet data center and we have relationships with the primary carriers in the world, one of which is the PCWW of Hong Kong," Huergas said.

Through its partnership with Prolexic Technologies, the company has also been very successful in providing mitigation services and business continuity solutions for companies in the event of a disaster.

"In the unlikely event of a disaster in their facility, our clients can just walk in into our data center and plug into the Internet and off they go. So, we eliminate the operational risk of a disaster for our clients," he added.

As of now, IP-Converge has a point of presence in Hong Kong and is looking towards setting up a similar facility in Singapore.

One of the latest products it recently introduced is the voice over Internet call exchange suite (VOICES).

"It’s a natural takeoff to providing content," Huergas said. "We have access to the enterprise market, we have access to our special market and all we need to do is provide our clients with additional applications. What we are doing here is an evolution of the data market towards providing content."

The company has also forged a partnership with Credence Analytics, one of the leading financial systems in the world.

"Right now, we are pretty much focused on wholesale banking, particularly asset management, treasury management systems, market risks. As of today we are pretty much in the shortlist of several banks," he revealed.

In the area of contact service solutions, Huergas said IP-Converge is gearing up towards setting up a facility for addressing the needs of small- and medium-sized call centers.

"So, if you are a call center operator, all you need to do is sign up with us and we will provide you with connectivity and the application," he said.

IP-Converge is also venturing in the customer relationship management (CRM) marketplace and took the occasion to announce its newly minted partnership with Salesforce.com, a worldwide leader in on-demand CRM.

"We are extremely excited to welcome IP-Converge as a salesforce.com customer and explore ways to jointly deliver customer success to Philippine companies," Graeme Beardsell, regional vice president – Sales, Salesforce.com Asia-Pacific, said. "The combination of Salesforce.com and IP-Converge lays the foundation for potential growth and adoption of software as a service (SaaS) in the Philippines."

According to Beardsell, Salesforce.com has 29,800 customers all over the world and 646,000 subscribers.

"Customer relationship management is essentially what every business does. Every business in any industry has a client or a customer that they need to serve," Beardsell said. And the ability to maintain those customers and find new customers through systemized sales management skills and sales support skills bundled in a very easy to access Internet service is what Salesforce.com does best.

In the Philippines, Beardsell said that organizations will be looking at managed services and support services. Worldwide, he said a managed IT service is a $700-billion industry and opportunities are ripe for the local industry as well.

With these new services on board, IP-Converge is now ready to tap into high-growth markets, particularly companies in need of on-demand CRM applications.

 

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/news200705100701.htm