GLOBAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS

COMPANY HISTORY

In the mid 1970s, the CAP Ltd computer services group formed a specialist division to develop software products that would exploit the power of the newly-invented microprocessors. The initiative was part-funded by the UK government, for which CAP was a leading software supplier and which wished to encourage an indigenous software industry.

By 1981 the Microproducts division had developed a uniquely portable operating system (BOS), a programming development environment (BOS/MicroCobol) and a complete suite of business applications - accounting ledgers, including Payroll, stock control, order processing and invoicing modules, and office automation tools (word processor, database, spreadsheet).

However, recognising that CAP would always focus on mainframe software development for government, the Microproducts management team engineered a buy-out and in May 1981 the new organisation commenced trading as three linked companies - Microproducts Software Ltd, Microproducts Programming Ltd and Microproducts Training Ltd.

The new companies set up business in Saffron Hill, London EC1 - not far from their previous location at CAP Ltd. Product development continued to be a major focus, but it was the emergence of a large and geographically widely-spread reseller network at this time which was critical to the organisation's future success. The bulk of the reseller channel recruited then is still with the company and much the same continuity can be observed in the user base.

In 1982 the company renamed itself BOS Software Ltd and a more commercial orientation continued to develop. As well as building the indirect (reseller) sales channel, the company won a number of significant direct contracts with government organisations such as the Home Office, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Forestry Commission and the British Army - all of which are users to this day. The culmination of this was the Duke of Edinburgh's decision in 1984 to use what was then termed BOS software for his private office; the company retains the royal warrant to this day.

By 1987 BOS Software Ltd was turning over in excess of £3 million per annum, and sought outside financial input to grow the business. Investors in Industry and Charterhouse both invested substantial sums with satisfactory results, but clearly to achieve critical mass in an industry which was rapidly maturing would require access to capital on a more permanent basis.

At this point, the company attracted the interest of Misys plc, a computer services group with a growing reputation for acquiring high-tech companies, improving their financial management, encouraging technical synergy between group companies and using the cash thus generated to invest in product and growing the group by further acquisition.

In 1988 BOS Software became part of the Misys group of companies. The same year saw the release of version 6.0 of the BOS applications, which offered a huge leap forward in terms of software functionality, presentation standards and 'connectivity' (the ability to run under different operating systems as well as on different hardware platforms). The product range was renamed BOS 2000 to reflect the change - so what was, for example, BOS/Sales Order Processing became BOS 2000 Sales Order Processing, while the BOS Operating System was renamed the Apex Presentation Manager.

Meanwhile, the open systems revolution continued apace, with suppliers deemed to be non-standard or proprietary meeting sales resistance in some (particularly government-related) markets. Accordingly, the company decided to move further away from the name 'BOS' by renaming the BOS 2000 applications 'Global 2000' in 1989. Later that year, the new identity was fixed when Misys reorganised its Open Systems division, of which BOS Software formed part. The applications development team from another group company, TIS Ltd, was added to the BOS business and the resulting conglomerate named 'TIS Software Ltd' (TIS Ltd now operates purely in the hardware arena).

The next major development commenced almost immediately. The company saw a market opportunity for a high-end, Unix-based applications suite and tasked a number of group companies with developing the new product. With its many years experience of developing packaged software TIS Software Ltd took the leading role in this process, which culminated in the release in April 1991 of 'Strategix'.

As the Strategix project neared completion, the decision was made to exploit some of the technical spin-off by developing a 4GL-based successor to the well-established Global 2000 product. Global 3000 would aim at the middle ground - where the reseller channel is still pre-eminent - and provide an upgrade path for the enormous (25,000 plus worldwide) Global 2000 user base. The combination of the ultra-portable Global System Manager environment and modern look and feel with 4GL tailorability has turned out to be highly popular.

Meanwhile, Strategix quickly proved a success in its chosen markets. It was found, however, that in the higher reaches of the market customers insisted on dealing directly with the software authors. The decision was therefore reached to take the most successful Strategix reseller among the group companies, TEAM Systems Group Ltd, and merge it in with TIS Software as a direct sales arm for the Strategix product. The merger took place in 1993 and has been an unqualified success.

However, it was anticipated by all concerned that common marketing of two major product lines with very different names, neither of which related to the company name, would prove difficult. For this reason, soon after the merger in late 1993 TIS Software effectively split its sales and marketing operations into two distinct business units - Global Business Systems and Strategix Solutions. The two business units share offices in London EC1 and Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, together with common accounts and head office functions, but operate independently with regard to development, support, sales and marketing.

In March 1999, the directors of TIS Software engineered a management buy-out supported by venture capitalists Sand Aire Private Equity Ltd, and with the backing of the company's bankers. The company looks ahead to the new millennium as an independent vendor. It is anticipated that the freedom to re-invest in products and people will impact favourably on the company's success in its chosen markets.