Broadbase Software Inc – now a self-described application company – is gearing up to drive its analytics software into use across front and back-office systems based on its assumption that the ERP, e-commerce and front-office market are looking for query and analysis tools that can operate across a company’s entire data store. It believes that business process integration is key to connecting related data and expects the analytics opportunity to be driven by the increasing personalization of customer-facing applications.
Broadbase has just landed former Baan executive Anil Gupta as its new marketing VP and is about to hold an IPO. Gupta is convinced that employee-facing sales force automation selling and service applications will be consolidated with customer-oriented marketing automation applications and supplier networks, lending Broadbase the perfect opportunity to sell its wares. The front- office market which is currently focused on direct sales will extend its footprint into indirect and e-commerce channels.
In the analytics market, the likes of Sagent and Informatica work on the back-end while Business Objects, Cognos and Brio control the front-end. Gupta says that Broadbase can occupy both markets and cover the front-office market too. As soon as its IPO is away it will be on the road with a new product roadmap, he says.
