Somerfield Selects Business Objects Analytic Applications for Enterprise Performance Management

Business Wire, March 31, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003

Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ)

Leading UK Retailer Will Use Business Metrics Dashboard to Optimize

Sales and Improve Operational Efficiency

Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ), the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, today announced that Somerfield, a leading UK supermarket retailer, has selected Business Objects as its enterprise business intelligence standard. Somerfield has purchased BusinessObjects(TM) Application Foundation, an analytic application framework, to build a dashboard that will monitor enterprise performance metrics in order to drive improvements in sales and operational efficiency. In addition, Somerfield will use BusinessObjects(TM) Product and Service Intelligence, a packaged analytic application, to analyze and optimize product performance.

Using BusinessObjects Application Foundation, Somerfield will create a 'balanced scorecard' dashboard that will provide senior executives and over 1,200 store managers with an integrated view of key performance indicators (KPI's) across finance, customers, human resources, and new business initiatives. Users will be able to monitor, interpret, and act on changing metrics such as sales, staff, pricing, and promotions and receive 'alerts' on any problem areas, enabling them to take fast action. In addition, managers will be able to track how the organization is performing against both day-to-day and strategic corporate goals.

With BusinessObjects Product and Service Intelligence, Somerfield will be able to more effectively monitor and manage merchandise and inventory levels in order to boost product performance. For the first time, Somerfield will have a single, dynamic view of stock information enabling the company to ensure consistent availability of goods and promotions across its 1,275 stores.

"The new analytic capabilities from Business Objects will play a key role in helping us maintain our position as the UK's biggest neighborhood supermarket," said Gordon Cooper, business intelligence director at Somerfield. "The information delivered via our KPI dashboard will enable us to learn more about our business dynamics in order to improve operational performance and product management, and enable us to better serve our customers. In the competitive retail industry, this insight is invaluable and will have a direct impact on our bottom-line."

"Somerfield has joined the growing number of organizations that are turning to EPM solutions, based on Business Objects technology, to align their strategy and operations in order to drive business success," said Steve Broughton, UK managing director for Business Objects. "By tracking key performance indicators across the entire organization, Somerfield will obtain the visibility they need to make sure the company achieves optimum performance."

About Somerfield

The Somerfield Group incorporates the Somerfield and Kwik Save supermarket business units, which together operate over 1,275 stores nationwide. Somerfield's focus is on its key strength as the UK's biggest neighbourhood supermarket offering easy to shop convenience in smaller high street stores with a focus on its fresh food offer, modern ready meals, premium own brand lines and a quality range of wines.

About Business Objects

Business Objects is the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions. Business intelligence lets organisations access, analyse, and share information internally with employees and externally with customers, suppliers, and partners. It helps organizations improve operational efficiency, build profitable customer relationships, and develop differentiated product offerings.

The company's products include data integration tools, the industry's leading integrated business intelligence platform, and a suite of enterprise analytic applications. Business Objects is the first to offer a complete BI solution that is composed of best-of-breed components, giving organisations the means to deploy end-to-end BI to the enterprise, from data extraction to analytic applications.

Business Objects has more than 17,000 customers in over 80 countries. The company's stock is publicly traded under the ticker symbols NASDAQ: BOBJ and Euronext Paris (Euroclear code 12074). It is included in the SBF 120 and IT CAC 50 French stock market indexes. Business Objects can be reached at 01628 764 600 and 408/953-6000 and www.businessobjects.com.

BusinessObjects is a trademark of Business Objects S.A. in the United States and/or other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.