Reynolds and Reynolds Launches Applications On Demand(TM)
Next generation application delivery framework offers automotive retailers simplified business operations, unprecedented choices, and robust control and protection
DAYTON, Ohio, April 19 -- The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today announced Reynolds Applications On Demand(TM), a next-generation architecture that builds on the company's market leadership as a software and services provider dedicated to providing automotive retailers with choices in the way they want to access and use software applications to run their businesses.
"Reynolds continues to define, invest in, and deliver the future of automotive retailing. The Reynolds Generations Series(R) Suite retail management system with robust, embedded customer relationship management capabilities leapfrogs traditional dealer management systems," Lloyd 'Buzz' Waterhouse, CEO, chairman and president, said. "Now, Reynolds Applications On Demand creates a fully collaborative networked computing environment which will be extremely pervasive in the future. The ease of use, strength of support and high security will be key drivers of adoption. The next generation of network computing provided by Reynolds Applications On Demand delivers a powerful business environment that facilitates a highly-connected automotive retailing value net. We've created a technology infrastructure that enables a powerful retailing model and highly-efficient community of automotive retailers, business partners, consumers, OEMs and others in the automotive retail chain."
Reynolds Applications On Demand represents the culmination of three major initiatives:
-- An alliance with LexisNexis, a world leader in secure data storage and
retrieval. Reynolds Applications On Demand will be delivered off-
premises from the LexisNexis Data Center in Dayton, Ohio. This next-
generation data center is one of the largest facilities of its kind in
the world, serving businesses in over 100 countries. The center
boasts greater than 99.99 percent availability. It has earned
TruSecure Corporation's Perimeter Security Certification - a gold
standard for essential best practices in network and information
security. The center's hardware, software and electrical/mechanical
systems are engineered with multiple levels of redundancy to provide
uninterrupted service in the event a single component fails. The
systems are tested and maintained routinely to ensure they perform
properly in case of an emergency. In addition, all critical data is
copied and stored off-site, and emergency business-resumption plans
are tested multiple times per year.
"Reynolds Applications on Demand will tap into LexisNexis's 30-plus
years of expertise of providing world-class reliability, security and
cost-effective data center access," said Allan McLaughlin, senior vice
president and Chief Technology Officer, LexisNexis.
-- An expanded relationship with IBM, a world leader in providing on-
demand technologies to business. Reynolds Applications On Demand will
utilize IBM's industry leading eServer BladeCenter systems, each
operating with its own processors, memory, storage, network
controllers and operating systems. "Autonomic" computing capabilities
self diagnose, self-configure and self-"heal" servers. A Storage Area
Network enables instantaneous "snap" data backups. A Tivoli Storage
Manager enables pre-scheduled, unmanned data backups. An Automatic
Tape Library provides robotic tape mounting and data backup. The
result is unmatched redundancy for the ultimate in security and
business continuity for Reynolds Applications On Demand customers.
IBM is Reynolds' principal supplier of servers and PCs.
"Reynolds and Reynolds is demonstrating first-hand the tremendous
business and competitive advantages that can be gained through the
implementation of IBM technologies," said John Brantley, vice
president, IBM eServer BladeCenter. "The combination of IBM
BladeCenter systems storage, personal computers and Tivoli products
provides an ideal integrated solution to help increase the efficiency
of automotive computing systems. This new platform will help
customers with everything from processing applications that extend
credit to consumers to taking away the need for IT datacenters at each
local dealer site."
-- The formation of a dedicated business unit under the leadership of
Reynolds Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Reynolds
Applications On Demand, Jeff Almoney. Almoney was recently recognized
by IDG's Computerworld, the "Voice of IT Management," as one of the
business world's 2004 Premier 100 IT leaders. The award honors
individuals who have had a positive impact on their organizations
through technology, demonstrating the ability to foster creativity and
challenging work environments, envision fresh approaches to business
challenges, effectively manage IT investments and help grow their
companies' businesses.
Since 2000, Reynolds has provided software solutions, applications and modules in an off-premises environment known as ASP (Application Service Provider). Today, more than 800 dealerships access their Reynolds dealer management systems via off-premises delivery. Over 27,000 individual users rely on Reynolds' off-premises solutions. "Our customers conduct millions of consumer transactions each month using off-premises, networked computing," Almoney said. "We have many applications delivered on demand. As examples, over 4,000 automotive retailers who use Reynolds Web Solutions are visited by 1.6 million consumers each month. Each month, over 5,600 automotive retailers who use Creditmaster(TM), conduct over a million transactions to score and deliver financing options to their customers. We've built our leadership position in the industry because we've offered our customers choices in the way they conduct their business."
What began with a handful of on demand applications in 2000 has grown to over 100 solutions, applications and modules that are now, or will soon be delivered in an off-premises, network-centric method. These applications support every activity in the dealership and include:
-- ERA XT, Reynolds' recently enhanced dealer management system -- Reynolds Generations Series Suite -- Customer Relationship Management -- Sales and Showroom -- Fixed Operations -- Reynolds Professional Services
"We lead the industry in applications delivered off-premises. We touch more users, handle more transactions and conduct more business off-premises than any other systems and services company in automotive retailing.
"What's new about Reynolds Applications On Demand is the leap we've made in technology, reliability, resiliency, and redundancy provided through our relationships with LexisNexis and IBM. It's critical that no matter what our customers choose - whether on-premises, off-premises or some combination, we provide the very best business continuity and recovery tools available to protect their irreplaceable data and business records," Almoney said.
Reynolds Applications On Demand is built on three fundamental customer needs:
-- Simplicity. Automotive retailers want to focus on their business.
Applications On Demand eases the burden of IT administration with
increased reliability and security.
-- Choices. Applications On Demand provides an easy growth path, making
it easy to add users and/or dealerships. It takes automotive
retailers off the "technology treadmill" and provides choices to
select on-premises, on demand or some combination for their
application delivery. Applications On Demand provides services
options for disaster recovery. Choices are driven by customer
needs - not what Reynolds has to sell.
-- Protection and control. Applications on Demand offers fire and storm
protection, 24/7/365 support, fast and unmanned redundant data
backups, controls that deliver varying levels of protection that make
sense for the unique demands of every Reynolds customer.
Airdrie Chrysler in Airdrie, Alberta, has piloted Reynolds Applications On Demand, migrating from an on-site server-based system to Reynolds' secure off- premises architecture.
"With the migration to the on demand model, we immediately put an end to administrative and hardware costs involved with upgrading software and hardware investments," said Tim Cundy, Airdrie Chrysler IT Administrator. "Reynolds Applications On Demand solution comes directly to the dealership through the Internet, eliminating the need for an on-site server. This lowers our total cost of ownership and removes the burden for on-site server maintenance and workstation upgrades."
Governor Bob Taft, who is championing Ohio information technology initiatives, said that the alliance between Reynolds and LexisNexis epitomizes the spirit of innovation and collaboration envisioned by his Third Frontier Project and The Wright Center of Innovation for Advanced Data Management and Analysis. Both are focused on research, development and commercialization of information technology solutions.
"Reynolds and Reynolds and LexisNexis are two leaders in technology that are at the heart of the knowledge economy," said Taft. "Reynolds Applications On Demand is the type of innovation we are encouraging through out Third Frontier Project."
"With our deep experience in automotive retailing, the world class data center credentials of LexisNexis, and the leading on-demand technologies from IBM, we have truly created a leapfrog opportunity to provide the best choices to our customers today and far into the future," Almoney said. "Reynolds Applications on Demand was built by a company dedicated 100 percent to automotive retailing, for automotive retailers."