In the past trading houses had only two options: spreadsheets or big-budget custom software development programs. Now SaaS-delivered solutions combined with Cloud Computing offer a real, cost-effective alternative. With the global economy, regulatory environment and credit shrinkage increasingly mandating formalized systems for even small trading companies, SaaS offers fast-start, turnkey solutions without up-front investment or resource demands.
Steve Hughes
President & CEO
Aspect Enterprise Solutions
Cloud-based applications — aka Software as a Service (SaaS) — have seen steady growth over the past few years and will continue to grow.
Gartner, Inc., Cloud Computing: The Next Generation of Outsourcing, Ben Pring, November 1, 2010

According to Technology Research Analyst Firm Gartner…

We are in the midst of a fundamental shift, as more enterprises start to use services enabled by cloud technologies. This will heavily impact IT services providers, who must now consider strategies for coping with profound changes in the marketplace or risk being left behind.
Cloud Computing:
The Next Generation Of Outsourcing
Ben Pring, November 1, 2010
According to Technology Research Analyst Firm Gartner…
Increasingly, hosted or SaaS-based solutions are gaining favor among end users as a means of reducing capital costs, deployment times and support overheads. While traditionally these solutions were preferred options for smaller end users or end users with limited functional requirements, as the functional capabilities of SaaS - or application service provider (ASP)-based deployments grow, the appeal to larger organizations will widen.
Magic Quadrant For Energy Trading And Risk Management Platforms
Keith Harrison and
David Furlonger
March 18, 2011
AspectCTRM was installed and working for us so fast – quickly enabling us to get a real-time understanding of profit and loss, exposures, price movements in the markets and how we can better manage risk.
Peter Malcom King
Business Development & Strategy Manager
Linetrale Oil Supply & Trading Company, Nigeria

News

Aspect Enterprise Solutions Recognized As Major Player In IDC MarketScape 2011 Assessment Of ETRM Software Providers

London, September 28, 2011

Aspect Enterprise Solutions, a provider of multi-commodity trading and risk management (ETRM/CTRM) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications in the Cloud, announced today that it has been named as a “Major Player” by IDC Energy Insights in its report IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Energy Trading and Risk Management 2011 Vendor Assessment. IDC is a premier technology research and advisory firm.

The report cites the various capabilities and strengths for Aspect’s energy trading and risk management solution, AspectCTRM. It reveals Aspect’s success among small, medium and large trading houses, and how SaaS is especially important to its smaller customers who do not have the resources to deploy and support a software application in house. Major selling points cited are scalability and speed, and customers confirm that the SaaS model is quickly deployed and less costly than traditional software. Aspect also offers market data on the same platform as its ETRM application.

Other findings in the report include:

“Many energy companies that have adopted Aspects' offering went from paper- or spreadsheet-based systems that did not have a central data repository, so the ability to have all data in one place is considered one of the main benefits of the offering.”

“IDC Energy Insights expects to see growth in ETRM spending by small to mid-tier trading companies, especially as trading activity picks up for new products in new markets. Aspect is well positioned to address these needs, with the physical scheduling capabilities.”

“The company has expanded to other commodities, with customers trading metals, steel, and biofuels, which should be attractive to trading companies that are looking for one platform to trade multiple commodities.”

“We are absolutely delighted to be highlighted in this very important and recognized global research by premier advisory firm IDC Energy Insights,” said Steve Hughes, Aspect President and CEO. “Their findings confirm exactly our vision and position especially among small and mid-size trading houses who can finally gain access to and leverage a professional ETRM system. Before Web-based solutions became a serious option, these companies had no choice but to use spreadsheets. Now, they’re competing on the same playing field as larger trading firms with an affordable and powerful alternative to protect their business from risks.”

Source: The report, IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Energy Trading and Risk Management 2011 Vendor Assessment (Document #EI229863).

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

About Aspect Enterprise Solutions

Aspect Enterprise Solution is the leading global provider of web-based, multi-commodity trading, risk management and data management applications with more than 500 customers and thousands of users in 90 countries. It’s the only integrated, all-in-one platform delivered Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in the Cloud, which enables rapid deployment, controlled costs and immediate ROI. Aspect applications include AspectCTRM®, a full-featured commodity trading and risk management enterprise suite for front, middle and back office. It’s available in 3 Editions: Lite, Standard and Enterprise, seamlessly expanding in functionality according to the needs and budget of clients. AspectDSC is its decision support center for traders offering oil, metals and agricultural market news, prices, futures and analytical tools on desktops and mobile devices including Apple® iPhone® and iPad®, and BlackBerry. AspectPM is its Price Manager solution which provides consolidation and support for the global oil price forecasting process and forward curve management.

Media Contact

Brigette Gebhard
VP of Marketing
Aspect Enterprise Solutions
347-328-0396
bgebhard@aspectenterprise.com