SAP Poland informed that according to the latest report by the DiS research company titled "IT in trade", SAP solutions are most often used ERP systems among best computerized trade companies in Poland.

The report includes current advancement  of IT applications in trade sector and the size and forecasted dynamics of IT solutions market for these sector. According to the report, 21% of companies in the group of best computerized trade companies use SAP solutions as critical system supporting company management.

"SAP solutions are equally popular both among companies carrying out wholesale trade as well as among retail companies, which is a rare occurrence among IT suppliers" – noted Andrej Dyżewski, IT market analyst and the president of DiS. "When an IT company is popular as a supplier of wholesale solutions, which are less demanding in IT sense, it usually does not have solutions equally suitable for  retail sale".

DiS report emphasizes the fact that the significance of IT grows as the size of sale activity increases. The report states: "application of IT solutions became inevitable for trade companies". It is essential both in operational activity as well as in gaining competitive advantage. "By applying IT solutions, trade networks systematically improve customer service, optimize logistics and build communities of regular customers around their points of sale".

Due to the fragmentation of Polish sector, DiS’s raport focused on large and medium trade companies with high level of IT solutions application. DiS selected 75 enterprises with high level of IT solutions application and carried out their analysis. In such a way identified more than 200 applications, which are used in trade sector, 50% of which are management supporting applications. The vast majority of trade companies applied IT solutions in the following areas: supply and storage, distribution and sale, invoicing, fiscal printers, financial operations and solutions regarding VAT tax. Less than 50% of companies CRM, e-commerce or logistics systems and only numerous companies use Business Intelligence tools and RFID (radio frequency identification) scanners.

"SAP solutions provide companies from the trade and retail sectors with access to the latest real-time data, which facilitates achieving sales growth and effective warehouse management. We provide the wide spectrum of IT solutions, from administrative process support to building end customer satisfaction" – said Grzegorz Rogaliński, SAP Poland president. "SAP combines trade sector specific solutions with best business practices proven in Poland and in the world. Moreover, the company provides modular approach to implementation in individual areas. I'm convinced that our solutions are a great foundation for long-term effective IT strategy for trade companies".

About DiS

The company was founded in 1995 as an independent research agency not affiliated with any IT solutions supplier or publishing house. IT specializes in drawing up reports on IT applications in various sectors of economy. So far, the company has drawn up a few dozen editions of various reports, among which one will find report series regarding Domestic and International ERP systems (nine editions), Bank IT Systems (nine editions), Nationwide Catalog of Commercial Software (three editions), Software and Services Market (nine editions). Moreover: IT in Public Sector (two editions), IT in telecommunications, IT in Power Industry, It in Insurance and others.

More about DiS: www.dis.waw.pl

SAP Poland press release from 20 May, 2005