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E-commerce for the biggies Dallas-based Sterling Commerce, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc., provides Global 5000 companies with Internet e-commerce solutions. The company originated when parent company, Sterling Software Inc., spun it off in 1996. Using its "Commerce," "Connect," and "Gentran" family of products, Sterling shows companies equipped with traditional technology how to adapt to the new, Internet-driven economy. Specifically, Sterling advises clients on such topics as business process integration, application development, outsourcing, managing of "Extranets," and community management. Sterling is one of 40 companies in the prestigious Dow Jones Internet Services Index. Red Herring calls Sterling one of the Top 100 technology companies in the world. Finetuning the Fortune 500 Now with 2,500 employees, 37 office locations, and more than 40 distributors, Sterling is one of the largest vendors of software and services in the world. The company advises approximately 45,000 clients (including 482 of the Fortune 500 companies and almost all the top banks) on their E-commerce concerns. It's a lucrative business, especially considering that over 50,000 companies (including 482 of the Fortune 500 companies and almost all the top banks) go to Sterling with their e-commerce concerns. Sterling's total 1999 revenues exceeded $550 million. Crazy About Asia In August 1998 Sterling announced it would roll out e-commerce communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region, basing its operations in Singapore. Sterling hoped to link thousands of Asian companies to its e-commerce communities. So far, so good. The company declared that Asian business had already grown faster than the company's own average worldwide growth of 35 percent. Out with COMMERCE In October 1999, Sterling sold its PC and Internet-based COMMERCE products line to New Jersey-based Fundtech, a payments vendor, for $4.4 million. After disappointing financial results for the third quarter of 1999, Sterling decided it needed a "realignment of resources, including an exiting of certain businesses and discontinuance of certain product lines -- [strategies considered necessary for] future operating results." The company also eliminated 200 jobs, or about 8 percent of its workforce, including much of the cash management division. It reassigned some 750 other workers. Another sore point for the company has been the purchase of XcelleNet, an Atlanta-based software manufacturer. Sterling acquired XcelleNet in July 1998 for approximately $200 million, yet integration of the company has been difficult. Sterling now believes that XcelleNet lacks a "strategic fit" with its other businesses. Mudslinging at the CEO's Expense(s) Corporate mudslingers love to aim at Sterling Chairman Sterling Williams, who they accuse of receiving "excessive executive pay." Their allegations aren't without merit, when one compares Williams' exorbitant salary with the company's recent sub-par performance and falling stock prices. While shareholders have earned a compounded annual return of a scant 1.2 percent, Williams has raked in the dollars. In April 1999, when the company's stock price was at $30.06, Williams's profit (at least on paper) would have totaled a startling $4.56 million -- on top of his annual salary of $650,000 and year-end bonus of $250,000. Meanwhile, in fiscal year 1998, Williams negotiated a consulting contract that entitled him to an additional annual sum of $800,000 for duties such as presiding over board meetings. Should he decide to leave his job, Williams has also worked out a contract that entitles him to $800,000 a year for seven years following his departure.
While it has downsized in recent months, Sterling still provides ample job opportunities. Company benefits include an employee stock purchase plan, a monthlong sabbatical, health and fitness center, 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, and prescription drug coverage. Employment application procedures vary. See Sterling's employment web page at http://www.sterlingcommerce.com/empl/employment3.asp for information on various job opportunities, as well as appropriate mail, fax, and email information.
Software packages CONNECT and GENTRAN;E-marketplace solutions;E-business integration solutions;E-business consulting
GE Information Services; Harbinger More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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