SAP and ClickSoftware Global Reseller Agreement Experiences Strong Market Acceptance in 2009

WALLDORF, Germany and BURLINGTON, Mass., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Since introducing a global  reseller agreement over a year ago to help customers meet the challenge of optimizing the mobile service workforces, SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and ClickSoftware Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CKSW) today announced widespread adoption of its offering. Resold by SAP as the SAP® Workforce Scheduling and Optimization application by ClickSoftware, the solution has helped businesses around the world in various industries, such as CEZ Group, FirstEnergy, National Grid and Johnson Diversey, maximize mobile workforce performance and drive operational excellence through decision support and optimization technology. The success can be attributed to SAP's commitment to its ecosystem strategy and has helped make ClickSoftware, the leading provider of workforce management and service optimization solutions, one of SAP's most valued partners.  

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"Best practices and tools that support resource optimization are in demand given the critical need for service organizations to effectively balance ever increasing customer demands with economically-mandated cost control initiatives," states Sumair Dutta, senior research analyst, Aberdeen Group. "Our recent research reveals that best-in-class companies, who are nearly two times as likely as all others to leverage dynamic scheduling and planning solutions, are experiencing double-digit improvements in workforce utilization and customer satisfaction with the use of these optimization solutions."

With SAP Workforce Scheduling and Optimization, customers can reduce the complexities in service delivery driven by huge variability in customer and service demands, limited visibility into field operations and the rising costs of delivering better service. The solution means that service teams can promise on-time, effective delivery — with the right technicians, parts, equipments and vehicles dispatched every time.

"All too often, there's a lot of hype around the announcement of new partnerships, which often don't  translate into significant customer benefit," said Dr. Moshe BenBassat, chairman and chief executive officer of ClickSoftware. "Our partnership with SAP is an exception to that norm, as customers continue to find value and make the ultimate endorsement by investing in our solution. The synergy between the two companies served to increase the number of new wins, the size of the pipeline, as well as shortening the sales cycle."

As a valued SAP partner, ClickSoftware reinforces SAP's strategy of establishing deep, long-term revenue-focused alliances with proven best-of-breed software vendors. Milestones in 2009 included major customer wins in utilities, telecommunications, hi-tech, capital equipment and consumer goods industries. The solution is planned to be rolled-out to additional asset and service intensive industries in 2010.

"Service delivery is fast-becoming a competitive differentiator for businesses," said Kevin Ichhpurani, senior vice president, Business Development and Strategic Alliances, SAP AG. "Our agreement with ClickSoftware extends our SAP solution offerings through our ecosystem by delivering software and best practices to help our clients avoid missed, late or inefficient service calls. This translates into increased customer retention and reduced cost within the service operation — two key differentiators in the current economic climate."

SAP Workforce Scheduling and Optimization triggers real-time decision-making across all parts of the service cycle to increase productivity — from customer demand forecasting and capacity planning to shift/roster planning, scheduling, mobility and business analytics. SAP Workforce Scheduling and Optimization complements core business suite functionality across enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer service, enterprise asset management, human capital management and customer relationship management. For more information, visit the  SAP Workforce Scheduling and Optimization area of the SAP® EcoHub site.

About ClickSoftware

ClickSoftware is the leading provider of workforce management and service optimization solutions that create business value for service operations through higher levels of productivity, customer satisfaction and cost effectiveness. Combining educational, implementation and support services with best practices and its industry-leading solutions, ClickSoftware drives service decision making across all levels of the organization. From proactive customer demand forecasting and capacity planning to real-time decision making, incorporating scheduling, mobility and location-based services, ClickSoftware helps service organizations get the most out of their resources. With over 150 customers across a variety of industries and geographies, and strong partnerships with leading platform and system integration partners – ClickSoftware is uniquely positioned to deliver superb business performance to any organization. The company is headquartered in Burlington, Mass. and Israel, with offices in Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information about ClickSoftware, please call (781) 272-5903 or (888) 438-3308, or visit www.clicksoftware.com.

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other U.S. Federal Securities Laws. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those statements regarding future results of operations, visibility into future periods, growth and rates of growth, and expectations regarding future closing of contracts, receipt of orders, recognition of revenues and deferred revenues. Such "forward-looking statements" involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those projected. Achievement of these results by ClickSoftware may be affected by many factors, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the general economic outlook, the length of or changes in ClickSoftware's sales cycle, ClickSoftware's ability to close sales to potential customers in a timely manner and maintain or strengthen relationships with strategic partners, the timing of revenue recognition, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and ClickSoftware's ability to maintain or increase its sales pipeline. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in ClickSoftware's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008 and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as otherwise required by law, ClickSoftware is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About SAP

SAP is the world's leading provider of business software(*), offering applications and services that enable companies of all sizes and in more than 25 industries to become best-run businesses. With more than 92,000 customers in over 120 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE, under the symbol "SAP." For more information, visit www.sap.com.

(*) SAP defines business software as comprising enterprise resource planning, business intelligence, and related applications.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Copyright © 2010 SAP AG. All rights reserved.

SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.

SOURCE SAP AG

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