We’re thrilled to congratulate our client, Works Applications, for successfully unveiling its new Enterprise Productivity System (EPS) this week at the 18th annual HR Technology Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada. With its next-generation, cloud-based system slated to make its official debut in the U.S. in early 2016, the Japanese-based company deserves recognition for its game-changing technology and ambitious goal to enter the U.S. software landscape and compete against established Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) providers such as Workday, SAP and Oracle.
Founded in 1996 to provide ERP solutions to Asian companies, Works Applications has quickly grown to become the No. 1 Human Capital Management (HCM) ERP provider in Japan. Its products, which help companies improve operational efficiency, are currently used by more than 7,000 customers including Fortune 500 companies such as Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co.
Works Applications is the largest vendor in payroll and human capital management software in Japan; however, the company is an unknown player in the U.S. and faces tough competition from established ERP brands. But rather than continuing to play it safe and guard its position in Japan, the company has opted, under the inspired direction of co-founder and CEO Masayuki Makino, to address a largely stagnant ERP user experience in the U.S. and bring its next-generation offering to North America.
Designed to break away from the traditional ERP model, AI Works offers unprecedented speed, artificial intelligence capabilities, integration of productivity tools, and a focus on productivity – all of which support operational efficiency and reduces time spent on data entry, enabling better allocation of employee resources and talents. And unlike other enterprise software companies, Works Applications doesn’t charge for implementations, change requests, or any other unexpected fees, providing customers with predictable costs for their investment.
To support the successful unveiling of AI Works to key U.S. audiences, we worked closely with Works Applications’ marketing and communications teams in Japan and the U.S. to develop a strategy that aligned with their objectives and expectations. Because the company is an unknown entity in the U.S., we understood that introducing them as well as the AI Works platform would be an essential first step to officially launching the product. With that in mind, we identified the HR Technology Conference & Exposition as an ideal opportunity to preview the technology and implemented a campaign to brief key journalists and analysts about Works Applications and its new EPS system.
At the conference, the team hit the ground running and each day was filled with media interviews, analyst briefings, networking events and much more. In fact, the busy schedule included in-person briefings with 15+ analysts and journalists from research firms such as IDC, Gartner and Constellation Research, and publications such as Business Insider, Talent Culture, Tech Target, HR.com and Human Resources Executive, among others. And to top off, featured articles from Bloomberg Business and TechCrunch focused on AI Works and Works Applications’ entry in the U.S. were published to coincide with the start of the conference, spurring a surge of interest in the company and setting the stage for a successful week.
We’re proud to be a part of the Works Applications team and to help the company introduce its truly innovative solution to U.S.-based businesses. We look forward to preparing for the official launch of AI Works next year and supporting a solution that will have a revolutionary impact on HCP in this country. Until then, learn more about Works Applications here and stay tuned for more exciting updates in the near future.