Norwegian customers back Notes/Domino at LCTY
March 17 2006
At last week's Lotusphere Comes to You
in Norway, my colleagues started the day with a compelling set of customer
quotes. Some very satisfied Notes customers--and they're not afraid
to say so.
The local team translated the quotes into English for me...here they are:
| Orkla
17,000 Notes users | "The choice of technology
was done some years back. We have renewed our current license agreement
for a period of 3 years. No other products on the market give
more value add than Lotus. Therefore we see no reason for changing
to a different platform than this one provided by IBM. Flexible IBM
software agreements give us an additional advantage when selling and buying
companies" -- Jorn Larsen, IT Manager |
| Hydro
26,000 Notes users | "Hydro has chosen to extend their
current corporate agreement with IBM Norway for Lotus Notes and Sametime
for a period of 3 years from 2006. This means that Hydro will continue
using Lotus Notes as their primary mail and collaboration platform."
-- Trygve K Nilssen, CIO |
| Bertel
O. Steen 1,500 Notes users | "Bertel O. Steen AS has used Lotus
Notes for many years and is very satisfied with this product. Using Lotus
makes us less prone to virus attacks compared to using other products.
However, the most important aspect is the possibility to create small
but for us important applications which is seamlessly integrated with Lotus
Notes. Our information portal and our solution for publishing documents are both based on IBM Software, and the integration with our mailing system gives us a complete and consistent solution." -- Ole-Christian Braathen, managing director |
| Kongsberg
Maritime 2,300 Notes users | "Kongsberg Maritime (KM) has used
Lotus Notes since 1994 and during this time, we have seen large advantages
when it comes to sharing information among our offices - from Korea/China
in the far East to US/Canada in the West. KM uses Domino servers world
wide as platform for their infrastructure with background replication
for effective access to common information.
-- Hilde Nilsen-Aas |
| Rieber
& Søn 1,400 Notes users | "Rieber & Søn ASA has used
Lotus Notes / Domino as mailing system and framework for electronic exchange
in our international businesses for many years, including standard add-on
modules and 'home grown' support systems. We are conducting evaluations
regularly of all our systems solutions to ensure that we use available
technology in the most efficient way. Our assessment is that Notes / Domino as a whole significantly exceeds its competitiors when it comes to functionality and flexibility in our electronic workflow, and this is a dependancy for our daily routines when operating in a very competitive international market place." -- Trond Kathenes, Global IT Operation Manager |
| NorgesGruppen
1,900 users (half migrated from Microsoft Exchange) | "With large focus on performing
tasks in a coherent way, centralized operations and stable 24*365 solutions,
Notes was the only right choice in 1997. The system proved to live
up to our expectations and the area of application is continuisly increasing."
-- Torsten Hellner, Director IKT Operations |
| Cerealia/Lantmännen
6,000 Notes users -- 3,000 converting from Microsoft Exchange | "We had a shared environment with
3000 Microsoft users and 3000 Notes users. When facing the choice
between Lotus and Microsoft, our decision was simple. Notes is so
much more than just an e-mail client and gives us the possibility to offer
our applications to all of our employees."
-- Thomas Pedersen |
| Norsk
Sykepleierforbundet Domino website serving 20,000 simultaneous users | "Lotus Notes/Domino lets us do
what we need to do, in such an ingenious, simple and effictive way which
no other competitive products can offer." -- Morten Authen, responsible for Operations |
| Bergesen ASA | "Lotus Domino provides a platform
that has enabled efficient information sharing through applications, mail
and collaboration software. For a global shipping company as BW Gas ASA
this has become the 'nervous system' integrating all offices and vessels,
and is as such an important contributor to our operational efficiency."
-- Vidar Bakken |
One other footnote from my Nordics tour -- Computer Sweden has run a story today entitled, "Framtidens Notes ska kunna allt " (Future Notes will know all). I don't have a full translation yet, but this should help with the Lotus Notes visibility in the Swedish market, as was discussed on the blog following the LCTY event.
Post a Comment
- 2
Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 3/17/2006 1:59:35 PM
I'm moving to Norway, they seem like a sensible bunch - especially now that they're not invading us wearing horned helmets ;o) People of Norway, I salute you.
- 3
Frode | 3/17/2006 3:46:49 PM
Uplifting reading, but still: Any new big wins in Norway the last three years (not takeovers)?
The largest oil company moved to Outlook some time ago. They used to set the standard for smaler oil companies - now the notes comunity is worried the rest will follow. (Yes they still have Notes license because of the large numbers of applications; but they are moving away)
The general impression, which seems to be shared by several of the large business partners in Norway, is that IBM in Norway just isnt on the offense.
It is frustrating. I am conviced IBM har the best and most inovative software - still MOST customers/companies selects MS by default. I got the impression Notes/Domino started on an upswing a year ago in US. Still waiting for it here in Norway.
So, sorry; my second post on your blog Ed - and none of them positive.
Frode
A Norwegian
- 4
Christer Eklundh | 3/17/2006 4:15:26 PM
Great story Ed!
I love to see a similar story about happy swedish customers. Please forward this idea to your swedish colleagues and to very IBM office around the globe.
- 5
Nils | 3/17/2006 5:16:24 PM
Dear Frode...
How grumpy is it possible to be?
Here we have a fantastic qoute collection from some of the biggest and most famouse companies in Norway, and you choose to nag about a customer loss 3 years ago .
- 6
kudla mkudla.blogspot.com | 3/18/2006 4:52:57 PM
Ed, this is much better than the twice weekly whine about Red Bull and how it does not perform as advertised.
You know better than I how adroit the marketers at Microsoft are at employing FUD. Frankly, trying to discredit that FUD only makes IBM come across as scared and defensive.
The best defense is a good offense. Keep the customer testimonials pouring in, and keep up the good work!
- 7
Mathias Persson | 3/19/2006 5:20:20 AM
@4 I totally agree with you! It would be great to see that it is actually a lot of great and successful companies here in Sweden that use Notes... And in every other country of course...
@3 That "big oil company" of yours... How is the migration to Outlook/Sharepoint really going? Is it a success story? Or...?
- 8
Frode | 3/19/2006 11:07:42 AM
@7 Not really sure. Have not heard anything special. I'm sure it will depend on who you talk to. Usually one side says all has went well and other side says they are still running Notes.
- 9
James Governor www.redmonk.com/jgovernor | 3/24/2006 8:51:16 AM
there is actually another cut on this data which i find interesting. these are all SMB shops - classic Lotus sweetspot, but not necessarily IBM's key market.
- 10
Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 3/24/2006 9:42:08 AM
James, the first two are 17,000 and 26,000 users -- so not all are SMB.
Great success stories. Put those things in the ads and people will start to listen. I am looking for more info from customers from all over the world - especially on pro Notes client and contra Web browser. Do you have any idea where I can find that? Thanks! :)