Laird Technologies Standardizes and Streamlines its Sales Quoting Process with ISS Group and iQuote

Sparta, NJ - May 20, 2009 - Progress Software Corporation just released their May 2009 Partner NewsEdge newsletter highlighting ISS Group and its recent implementation of iQuote™ at Customer and MFG/PRO® User, Laird Technologies (Laird). Following is the article as printed in Progress' NewsEdge Newsletter:

Laird needed to standardize and streamline their sales quoting process; they called upon long standing Progress Application Partner, ISS Group.

Laird is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of antenna, electromagnetic interference [EMI], telematics and thermal management solutions for the telecommunications, data-communications, computer, general electronics, network equipment, aerospace, defense, automotive and medical equipment industries. With plants and offices in over 12 countries around the world, Laird operates a complicated global IT environment supporting thousands of users across many business applications.

For this initiative, Laird's requirements were to provide a global Sales Quote Management solution for improving their Quote to Order turnaround time, standardizing global pricing, providing global quote visibility, improving quotation pricing control, and providing quote history and metrics. The system needed to be maintained in a centralized location in the United States, while providing access anytime, anywhere in the world (i.e. Web-based). It was critical that it be tightly integrated with their ERP system, QAD's MFG/PRO, to eliminate data replication, and take advantage of centralized ERP data, which was being consolidated by Laird from over 30 sites of MFG/PRO implemented around the world.

"Aggressive growth and business acquisitions have resulted in multiple, disparate sales quote tracking systems within Laird Technologies. This has hindered our ability to reduce lead time and analyze sales cycle's enterprise-wide", according to Todd Rumsey, CIO of Laird Technologies. "It was critical to Laird that we have a sales quote tracking tool that is fully integrated with our QAD MFG/PRO system, is Web-enabled, and provides a quick and easy workflow to manage the sales quote process".

"When we first met with Laird and reviewed their requirements, it was immediately apparent that an out-of-the-box solution would fall short of what they required and expectations would not be met", explains Andrew Weinstein, CEO of ISS Group. "Thinking out of the box, we suggested that Laird review our market proven iPurchase solution to be used as the foundation for the new iQuote solution. Our iPurchase™ solution, which has been developed in Progress Open Edge technology affording us the power of today's internet browser experience with a world-class, secure application and database platform, provided many of the data maintenance and approval workflow concepts which were required in the new iQuote solution, except instead of Customers and creating Sales Quotes it uses Suppliers and creates PO Requisitions. Using their vision, Laird was able to see that the iPurchase solution would be a perfect foundation for the iQuote solution, so our development team put together a prototype and the iQuote application was born."

Seen as a mission critical application, Laird chose to move forward with further developing the iQuote solution with ISS Group due to its real-time integration with their MFG/PRO ERP system and its extensive functionality, which includes the ability to create a Sales Quote for both existing Customers and new Prospects; creating line items for existing as well as new Items; routing Quotes for pricing input by the appropriate product managers and pricing groups as well as through an internal review and approval process via a user configurable Workflow Rules Engine; creating eMail alerts; providing mobile access; providing a complete field level audit trail of all changes made to a quote, and more.

After nine months of requirements definition, development, and testing, Laird went live with the iQuote solution in Q2, 2009. iQuote was an instant success. Laird realized immediate results; successfully processing over 30 quotes on the very first day of going live. Normally, it would have taken nearly a week to secure the input and information necessary to process the same volume. In addition to the immediate decrease in Quote turnaround time, Laird also enjoyed instant global visibility of quote activity. This trimmed several days from the sales cycle by creating real-time visibility and approval capability in a multi-regional environment. "This was an enormously successful implementation", states Weinstein, "we're extremely proud of the effort put forth by both organizations and fully expect Laird to reap significant returns on their investment".

"In ISS Group, we found a partner who brings a wealth of QAD MFG/PRO knowledge as well as the ability to develop and deliver a system on time and within budget", says Rumsey.

"With ISS Group and their family of Business Process solutions for MFG/PRO, we have found the perfect blend of robust product functionality and industry experience we needed", says Karen Cooper, Director of Business Systems at Laird Technologies. "We truly couldn't be more pleased with the quality of their solution and the professionalism displayed by their knowledgeable staff. We look forward to future projects with them."

About ISS Group

ISS Group (ISSG) has been providing add-value solutions and services to the MFG/PRO community since 1995. Founded in 1986, ISSG has over 22 years of business process knowledge and experience servicing the Manufacturing & Distribution sectors. Over this 22 year period, ISSG has completed hundreds of ERP, eCommerce and CRM implementations, and continues to innovate and offer low cost solution 'extensions' for MFG/PRO. ISSG's solutions have been proven to reduce costs and improve employee productivity in specific areas of an MFG/PRO user organization, with many reference Clients including John Crane Inc, Eaton Corp, Laird Technologies, Remy International, Ingersoll Rand, Tyco, and ANH Refractories, to name just a few. With deep technical and functional knowledge of the MFG/PRO application and the common business requirements of the Manufacturing & Distribution sectors and MFG/PRO user community; ISSG has greatly expanded our MFG/PRO solution's portfolio functionality to streamline and provide additional control over business processes in Purchasing, Sales, Marketing and Customer Service.

We invite you to register and attend one of our ongoing informative Webcasts, or contact us to schedule a private, no obligation demonstration of any of our solutions. To learn more about ISS Group and our solutions for MFG/PRO, visit our Website at www.issgroup.net, or feel free to contact us at sales@issgroup.net or 973-729-0013.

About Progress Software Corporation

Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) provides application infrastructure software for the development, deployment, integration and management of business applications. Our goal is to maximize the benefits of information technology while minimizing its complexity and total cost of ownership. Progress can be reached at www.progress.com or 781-280-4000.

© 2009 All Rights Reserved. ISS Group, iBridge, iClient, iDecisions, iPortal, iSelfService, iQuote, iPurchase, iQuote Portal, iMobile are either registered trademarks of ISS Group in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein, including but not limited to, Progress Corporation, QAD, Enterprise Applications, MFG/PRO, Microsoft, may be the trademarks of their respective owners.