Inside ASI-AP

MEDIA RELEASE

June 17, 2008

iMIS Customers Preview the Future
at Business Excellence Framework Forum

The annual iMIS Business Excellence Framework (iBEF) Forum held on May 20 and 21 brought together 10 not-for-profit leaders - representing the largest users of the iMIS software solution in the Asia-Pacific region - for two days of intensive review and knowledge sharing, with the focus on achieving business excellence. Mobile phones were off, thinking caps on and best practice firmly fixed in the spotlight.

Held at historic Mansion Hotel at Werribee Park just outside Melbourne, the forum was hosted by Advanced Solutions International (ASI), the developers of iMIS. In attendance was US based chairman and CEO Bob Alves, ASI Asia-Pacific senior management and leaders from:

Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australian Institute of Management Vic/Tas, Taxation Institute of Australia, Chartered Secretaries Australia, Law Institute of Victoria, Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists & Managers, Australia, Institute of Actuaries of Australia, The Real Estate Institute of Queensland, Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention and New Zealand’s Employers' & Manufacturers' Association (Northern). These are some of the people taking not-for-profits to a new future.

Mr Alves delivered an address that focused on ASI’s performance, results and future plans while reinforcing ASI’s philosophy of Customer for Life through five key commitments: providing an easy upgrade path, updating iMIS’s breadth and depth at the module level to meet the growing needs of organisations, providing high quality support, providing open systems that customers and business partners can extend, and using feedback to make a better product.

A major initiative of this year’s forum was the presentation of the iMIS 15 Product Development Outlook that was in direct response to a call from customers wanting to strengthen their strategic partnership with ASI. It gave attendees an insight into the strategic vision of iMIS 15 into the next five years.

ASI’s iBEF Program identifies seven key business drivers where iMIS supports Not-For-Profits in their pursuit for business excellence. Two of these drivers were in the spotlight at the forum – process driven culture, and automation of high volume–low value transactions. International case studies, a look at a new tool iMIS TaskCentre, and new technologies and trends were also discussed.

“This event is a significant one on the ASI calendar,” says Paul Ramsbottom, MD of ASI Asia-Pacific. “It’s a chance to talk to our customers and it’s also a chance to listen. Not-for-profit leaders know that achieving business excellence is imperative if they want to thrive not just survive. That’s what the iBEF program and this forum are all about - ASI strengthening customers, customers in turn strengthening their member base. It’s an exciting place to be.”

For customers, it was a rare chance to step outside busy working days and come together with like organisations, learn from each other and plan for the fast approaching future. The opportunity is highly valued and ASI was commended for facilitating the forum. A similar iBEF forum specifically for I.T managers in NFPs will be held in July. The response has been so positive that the forums will also form an important part of ASI North America’s calendar.