April 1st 2011
Microsoft Gold Certified Partner AlfaPeople Group Expands To U.S.Global Partner Focuses on its Retail Expertise to Establish the First 100% Retail Dynamics Partner Organization
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 1, 2011 – Microsoft Gold Certified Partner AlfaPeople Group announced the launch of AlfaPeople, Inc., today, their first entry into the U.S. market. Founded in 2004, the global partner organization is expanding into the U.S. as a retail-only focused partner and boasts one of the most experienced teams of retail industry experts in the country. Together, the AlfaPeople, Inc. team has amassed over 50 years of cumulative experience in the retail industry, implementing well over 100 software solutions for retail customers.
“We feel strongly that this is the best strategy for entering the U.S. market – focusing on our core competency and offering highly specialized, value-added consultation to customers who are desperately looking for ways to compete in this new, evolving marketplace,” comments Michael Gaardboe, CEO AlfaPeople Group. “In addition to our U.S. team’s depth of retail knowledge, we have some of the strongest Microsoft Dynamics AX talent in the partner channel and, over the years, we have fine-tuned the implementation process. We are more than ready to take on the U.S. retail industry.”
Retailers have a changing landscape that includes ever-shrinking margins, an increasingly competitive online market place, and highly advanced methods of customer interaction. As a result, retail solutions of the future must address key issues, such as integrating customers’ online and brick and mortar shopping experiences. AlfaPeople, Inc., addresses retailer concerns by offering business-tailored, industry-specific retail solutions based on the Microsoft Dynamics platform and Microsoft SharePoint that allow customers to leverage proven Microsoft technologies to increase profitability.
“The past few years have shown that retailers cannot afford to do things the same way. We see customers wanting assistance from a trusted advisor to help them understand how they can be more efficient and squeeze more profitability out of their business,” states Erik Hoiden, Managing Partner AlfaPeople, Inc. “We know that by doing what we know best – retail – and sticking to that one thing, we can provide customers with the best possible solution for the challenges they are facing by replicating best practices and implementing in a cost-effective manner.”
Capitalizing on their team of industry experts, AlfaPeople, Inc., will host a Retail Lab – a concept that has met with great success in Europe – where leading retailers are given the opportunity to analyze their strengths and weaknesses, as well as learn what similar retailers are doing in key operational areas. Participating retailers will come away from the discussion not only with a progress report on their business, but with fresh, practical approaches to retail challenges and trends, including multi and cross channel management, mobility, ecommerce and social media. “The future is now,” states Erik. “We are at that point where simply sticking to traditional retailing methods alone won’t win you the market share you are looking for. The successful retailer will have to embrace and have an effective plan for dealing with the issues we will cover in our Retail Lab to compete effectively.”
“We are excited about the launch of AlfaPeople, Inc., as a partner organization that is 100% focused on a single industry where they can truly fill the needed role of business process consultant as well as software solutions provider. This is the level of commitment we like to see as we grow our retail partner eco-system,” says Will Roche, Industry Director, Microsoft Dynamics. “We count on partners like AlfaPeople to deliver the industry-specific knowledge and thought leadership necessary to provide retail customers with the next generation solution they so desperately need. We look forward to working with AlfaPeople to help retailers be successful in this new marketplace.”
Download the press release here