Oxford Consulting Group will be an exhibitor at the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 in Monaco from June 18-20, 2013.  The company’s executives and experts will be in attendance to answer questions, exchange ideas and speak about IBM Smarter Commerce solutions and services.

IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 – Monaco will take place at the Grimaldi Forum, a world class convention center in one of Europe’s most spectacular and unique countries. A sovereign state, Monaco is located on the French Riviera along the Mediterranean, a 25 minute drive from the Nice, France Airport.

For more information about the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit, visit http://www-01.ibm.com/software/commerce/summit/

IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 – Nashville will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Center, a nine acre complex boasting over 600,000 square feet of conference space in downtown Nashville, Tenn.

For more information about the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit, visit http://www-01.ibm.com/software/commerce/summit/

To properly synchronize the new components of business operations with existing infrastructure and capabilities, companies turn to business integration tools that ensure all departments are working from the same foundation. Whether it be a centralized software dashboard, operating system or other tool, managers across the business should have a single location where communications, files and other information can be accessed for consistency and efficiency. Without business integration tools, companies may spend valuable time and money dealing with inconsistent operations and might make decisions that can lead to delays or errors.

Sustainable globalization
Eco-Business reported companies of all industries are looking to not only expand into new regions, but engage in a global marketplace full of harsh competition and fluctuating economic activity. In order to sustain growth and operations in the global marketplace, enterprises must deploy integration tools throughout the business cycle to ensure no inconsistencies are present and cost savings are maximized. Transparent communications between easily disjointed business components or departments make it easy to update operations and deploy new policies throughout a company at minimal cost. As companies learn to accelerate decision making while reducing errors and expenses, they become a stronger contender in the global marketplace and a more sustainable competitor to established businesses.

Multi Service acquisition complete
The World Fuel Service Corporation is a perfect example of how business integration tools allow for complex mergers and acquisitions to be finalized with minimal disruption to existing operational efficiency. World Fuel Service Corporation recently bought out Multi Service Corporation to expand its presence in a new market worldwide. World Fuel Service Corporation aims to integrate the technology in use at Multi Service Corporation to deploy payment processing resources for consumers more efficiently in the fleet, government and commercial industries. The company is working to implement the technology across its entire platform to enhance interactions with customers, with the goal of attaining enterprise-wide improvements to productivity and return on investment.

Considering the cost of healthcare has continued to rise for several years, industry leaders and federal agencies are working together to revamp the way services are delivered. The goal is to reduce spending while enhancing the quality of care provided. If you’re involved in healthcare supply chain management, take heed. This focus on efficiency is transforming operations throughout the healthcare industry, and could potentially affect partners and suppliers too. As such, they will need to stay informed about changes in regulations and among their supply chain partners.

Boosting operations
In a piece for Supply Demand Chain Executive, Robert Krueger and Armin Meissner discussed the importance of adhering to industry and federal regulations when developing, manufacturing and distributing healthcare technology. Because a deviation from industry standards could put patients at risk and hospitals in financial jeopardy, supply chain managers must keep a watchful eye on all aspects of the supply chain to ensure optimal performance and adherence to protocol.

Medical technology is a key part of the healthcare supply chain. Companies in the sector are striving to help healthcare leaders reach their productivity and clinical goals, all while still facilitating financial and operational efficiencies. The technology is valuable not only from a monetary perspective, but also in a clinical environment, because the resources are improving the odds for millions of patients worldwide. With all of the moving pieces involved in this sector, and the importance of having the supply chain move smoothly from manufacturer to distributor to medical facility, every party involved will need more visibility into the supply chain. This is where supply chain management software can help.

Supply chain leaders can keep in touch with departments in real-time when they have all tasks and information in a centralized point, engage in file sharing and reporting activities on the go and make decisions quickly to prevent costly delays and ensure rules are followed. Any malfunction or error in the supply chain can result in the technology being a threat to public health, which in turn affects financial performance in the short term and sustainability in the long term.

Supply Demand Chain Executive outlined some objectives supply chain leaders should enact when navigating through complex regulations and standards. To reduce costs while driving revenue, the source recommends companies:

• Gain visibility into the supply chain
• Focus on patient safety when making decisions
• Track fluctuations in device development, compliance data, market approval information and other related issues to meet new standards

These strategies help businesses focus on the factors implementing changes in regulatory compliance and new standards. When business leaders stay abreast of industry advancements and developments, costly penalties are averted and strong reputations arise with peers and clients. With a reputation of efficiency and regulatory compliance, companies will be more likely to acquire new contracts in the future, helping build a sustainable business model.

Oxford Consulting Group was co-founded on May 5th, 1998 by Michelle Kerr. In the 15 years since the founding of the organization, Oxford Consulting Group has successfully partnered with hundreds of midmarket and global 2000 companies to develop, implement and support their technology portfolios.

Starting with a few consultants, Oxford quickly grew into a full-service B2B, EDI, Supply Chain Management, Managed File Transfer, IT Services and IT Staffing consulting firm. They are now a Premier Business Partner of IBM after IBM’s acquisition of Sterling Commerce, and have a presence in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Oxford Consulting Group has prospered under the leadership of President Michelle Kerr and CEO Adam Heeter. The company has been ranked multiple years on the Columbus Business First’s annual ranking of the 50 fastest-growing emerging companies in Central Ohio. For several years, Oxford has been ranked on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies.

Knowing that their successes not only depend on their employees, but on the surrounding community, Oxford Consulting Group makes a great effort to give back to Central Ohio. In 2009, they were awarded the Corporate Caring Award by Columbus Business First Magazine. Oxford makes an annual commitment to local charities by donating at least 5% of their yearly profits to organizations in support of our corporate focus on disadvantaged women, youth and veterans.

Oxford Consulting Group credits its rapid growth and overall success to a complete commitment to their core values: client commitment, integrity, respect for the individual, teamwork and corporate citizenship. From their inception, they have strived to uphold the customer as their primary focus.

About Oxford Consulting Group, Inc.

Oxford Consulting Group is a leading IT consulting firm and solutions provider that has developed, implemented and supported the technology portfolios of hundreds of companies across North America and the United Kingdom. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, Oxford Consulting Group has a team of nearly 200 talented, dedicated, creative and customer-focused business and technology professionals. The company’s breadth of solutions range from delivering business integration and supply chain management solutions for global organizations, to providing IT consulting and help desk services for SMBs. Visit http://www.oxford-consulting.com to learn more about the company’s services and solutions, or contact them directly at (614) 310-2700.

In an interview with Herald Online, Richard Pullman, vice president of channels and strategic system integration partnerships at a technology provider, discussed the importance of integration solutions and services to drive enterprise global strategies. Companies can only take full advantage of mergers and partnerships when certain operations, communications and information accessibilities are integrated and consolidated to a single platform for ease of use. Without integration tools in place, companies will spend more time and money making arrangements to accommodate international growth, which can delay expansion and reduce a business’ competitive edge.

According to Pullman, companies looking to expand into a new market must first identify an area of weakness or gap in service in the market that can be filled by the enterprise. Once the disparity has been defined and product development can launch, executives must invest in integration solutions to ensure the growth potential of the company is not crippled by inefficiencies throughout the process. Companies must be able to tap into unlimited expansion opportunities that budgets allow, without being restrained by disjointed offices, complications resulting from avoidable errors or other integration concerns.

One major challenge for many companies joining forces is dealing with volumes of big data being generated by modern IT systems. As businesses continue to collect, monitor and report on big data streams, the information is playing a key role in strategizing and decision making. However, each business has its own way of tackling big data challenges to reap the rewards. As a result, business integration tools are needed to connect big data activities and priorities to avoid costly redundancies or lost information. Without integration solutions in place, companies  may waste valuable time and money manually transitioning entities to a single data system.

A recent study conducted by IBM and the Said Business School at Oxford University revealed 47 percent of companies are planning a big data strategy, 28 percent are piloting and implementing programs, and the rest have yet to address big data demands and activities. Because the task of taking on big data is only compounded when two companies come together, business integration tools and services are needed to accelerate the process and reduce financial losses.

New business integration platforms that leverage mobile technologies are increasing access to information in real-time, helping all branches of a supply chain stay connected and work at high levels of productivity. As more companies rely on integration technology to consolidate supply chain management practices, the use of mobile solutions will continue to rise, breeding a new generation of resources for disparate supply chain branches.

Looking at emerging technologies in Europe and North America through 2025, trends of urbanization, connectivity and convergence, smartphone apps and other mobile solutions are manifesting and transforming business models. Mobility integrators are rising up as powerful players in business integration strategies, uniting expansion and sustainability efforts with the latest technological innovations. Companies worldwide are investing in mobile integrators to implement new technology to enhance supply chain success and business integration fluidity.

According to the study, mobility solutions will be flexible and seamlessly intertwined into supply chain operations, offering on-demand services to managers and customers. Increased transport efficiency combined with advanced communication tools will drive the need for mobile solutions, as companies improve logistics and decision-making capabilities throughout the chain.

 Oxford Consulting Group to Exhibit at the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summits

Oxford, an IBM Premier Business Partner, will be participating in both the Nashville, Tenn. and Monaco Global summits as exhibitors.

 WESTERVILLE, Ohio – 22 Apr 2013: Oxford Consulting Group (http://www.oxford-consulting.com), a leading provider of IT services and solutions for B2B integration and multi-channel commerce, will be an exhibitor at the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 in Nashville, Tenn. May 21-23, 2013 and in Monaco June 18-20, 2013.

The Nashville and Monaco Conferences are open to current and prospective IBM Clients, Business Partners and IBM employees. More than 2,000 business and technology leaders from around the world will converge at the summits, and top companies across multiple industries will share how Smarter Commerce is giving them a competitive edge in breakout sessions, forums, exhibits and keynote speeches. The conferences are the largest gatherings of experts and peers for discovering new solutions to today’s most complex digital challenges.

Oxford Consulting Group will be exhibiting at both the Monaco and Nashville Summits. The company’s executives and experts will be in attendance to answer questions, exchange ideas and speak about IBM Smarter Commerce solutions and services.

IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 – Nashville will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Center, a nine acre complex boasting over 600,000 square feet of conference space in downtown Nashville, Tenn.

IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2013 – Monaco will take place at the Grimaldi Forum, a world class convention center in one of Europe’s most spectacular and unique countries. A sovereign state, Monaco is located on the French Riviera along the Mediterranean, a 25 minute drive from the Nice, France Airport.

Interested parties can learn more about the Smarter Commerce Global summit on IBM’s website at http://www-01.ibm.com/software/commerce/summit/

About Oxford Consulting Group

Oxford Consulting Group, Inc. is a leading IT services and solutions provider serving businesses across North America and the UK. The Oxford Consulting Group team of nearly 200 individuals consists of talented, dedicated and creative business and technology professionals who are extremely committed to their customers’ success. For more information, please visit www.oxford-consulting.com.

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The integration solutions may also be customized to focus on implementing certain standards and software throughout an organization. Many companies invest heavily in certain IT solutions to manage communications and file sharing throughout the enterprise. When mergers and expansion takes place, companies build new offices and operations that will also be operating on these systems and networks. To ensure the same technology and best practices are deployed in the new branches as is seen in existing components, integration tools should be used to keep operational efficiency and consistency a priority.