About INPUT INPUT provides planning information, analysis, and recommendations for the information technology industries. Through market research, technology forecasting, and competitive analysis, INPUT supports client management in making informed decisions. Subscription services, proprietary research/consulting, merger/acquisition assistance, and multiclient studies are provided to users and vendors of information systems and services. INPUT specializes in the software and services industry which includes software products, systems operations, processing services, network services, systems integration, professional services, turnkey systems, and customer CASE services. Particular areas of expertise include analysis, information systems planning, and outsourcing. Many of INPUT'S professional staff members have more than 20 years' experience in their areas of specialization. Most have held senior management positions in operations, marketing, or planning. This expertise enables INPUT to supply practical solutions to complex business problems. Formed as a privately held corporation in 1974, INPUT has become a leading international research and consulting firm. Clients include more than 100 of the world's largest and most technically advanced companies. INPUT OFFICES North America International San Francisco London 1280 Villa Street INPUT LTD. CA Mountain View, 94041-1194 Piccadilly House Tel. (415) 961-3300 Fax (415) 961-3966 33/37 Regent Street London SWIY 4NF, England New York Tel. (071) 493-9335 Fax (071) 629-0179 Atrium at Glenpointe 400 Frank W. Burr Blvd. Paris Teaneck, NJ 07666 INPUT SARL Tel. (201) 801-0050 Fax (201) 801-0441 24, avenue du Recteur Poincare 75016 Paris, France Washington, D.C. Tel. (33-1) 46 47 65 65 Fax (33-1) 46 47 69 50 INPUT, INC. 1953 Gallows Road, Suite 560 Frankfurt Vienna, VA 22182 INPUT LTD. Tel. (703) 847-6870 Fax (703) 847-6872 Sudetenstrasse 9 D-6306 Langgons-Niederkleen, Germany Tel. (0) 6447-7229 Fax (0) 6447-7327 Tokyo INPUT KK Saida Building, 4-6 Kanda Sakuma-cho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101, Japan Tel. (03) 3864-0531 Fax (03) 3864-4114 M&S 459/01 5/91 FEBRUARY 1992 AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED A MARKETING ASSESSMENT - INPUT Piccadilly House, 33/37 Regent Street, London SWIY 4NF, U.K. +44 71493 9335 24, avenue du Recteur Poincare, 75016 Paris, France + 33 146 47 65 65 Sudetenstrasse D-6306 Langgons-Niederkleen, Germany + 49 6447 7229 9, AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED - A MARKETING ASSESSMENT INPUT Published by INPUT Piccadilly House 33/37 Regent Street London SW1Y 4NF United Kingdom AST Trans-Act Limited - A Marketing Assessment Copyright (c)1992 by INPUT. All rights reserved. Printed in the United Kingdom. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The information provided in this report shall be used only by the employees of and within the current corporate structure of INPUTS clients, and will not be disclosed to any other organisation or person including parent, subsidiary, or affiliated organisations without prior written consent of INPUT. INPUT exercises its best efforts in preparation of the information provided in this report and believes the information contained herein to be accurate. However, INPUT shall have no liability for any loss or expense that may result from incompleteness or inaccuracy of the information provided. YETVE 519 1992 • • AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED - A MARKETING ASSESSMENT INPUT Abstract This report contains the results of a research study conducted specifically for SYSTEMHOUSE Europe Ltd. by INPUT Ltd, from late December 1991 through to the end of January 1992. The report AST contains a marketing assessment of Trans-Act Ltd which addresses the following areas: AST ' product and service market position. A ' strategic assessment of AST's business including an assessment AST of the quality of staff. Copyright 1991 by INPUT. Reproduction Prohibited. Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/asttransactlimit519unse 1 AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED - A MARKETING ASSESSMENT INPUT Table of Contents M I Introduction A. Objective and Scope I-l B. Approach 1-2 C. Report Contents 1-4 II Executive Overview II-l A. AST - A Company Ripe for Refocussing Through Acquisition II- B. Outsourcing - AST's Dominant Business II-2 C. AST's Key Position in Financial Services Sector II-2 D. The Human Resource Factor II-3 Market Position III-l A. AST's Outsourcing Activities IITl 1. Overview of AST's Outsourcing Services III-l 2. Market Analysis and Forecast III-3 3. Competitive Environment III-5 4. AST Strengths and Weaknesses III-8 B. AST's Product Based Activities III-10 1. The UM-20 Product III-IO 2. The SSI Products III-13 3. The Office System Product III-14 YE-TVE Copyright 1992 by INPUT. Reproduction Prohibited. 1 1 AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED - A MARKETING ASSESSMENT INPUT Strategic Assessment IV-1 IV A Company Structure IV- B. Future Plans IV-5 Human C. AST's Resources IV-8 Company Culture and Direction IV-8 1. 2. Managerial Skills IV-9 3. Technical Skills IV-10 4. Sales Sl Marketing Skills IV-10 Appendices A. Interview Notes A. Trevor Read - Managing Director A-1 B. Stuart Payne - Director Computing Services A-2 C. Paul Calver - Manager Computer Services A-5 D. Laurie Dale Manager, Communications A-6 - E. Alan Winkworth - Manager Strategic Planning A-8 F. Mike Dodd - Manger Security A-9 G. Mike Taylor - Finance Director A-11 H. Geoff Griffiths - Commercial Director A-13 I. Tony Spencer - Director Technology A-15 J. Rob McLaughlin - Director Financial Systems A-16 K. Alan Fraser - Director New Product Development A-18 L. Alan Low - Manager UM-20 Department A-20 M. Ray Norman - Manager Banking Systems A-22 N. Richard Wheeler A-24 O. Ian Carter - Manager Office Systems A-26 P. Westpac Banking Corporation A-29 Q. Bank of Montreal. Keith Rydberg, General Manager A-33 2 Copyright 1992 by INPUT. Reproduction Prohibited. YE-TVE AST TRANS-ACT LIMITED - A MARKETING ASSESSMENT INPUT List of Exhibits II -1 AST Executives and Senior Managers InterviewedII-3 III -1 Systems Operations Market Forecast, 1991-1996 United Kingdom III-3 UK -2 Finance Sector - Systems Operations Market - 1991-1996 m-4 -3 AST's Market Growth Potential III-5 UK -4 Systems Operations Vendors - Financial Services Sector 1991 III-6 -5 Leading Systems Operations Vendors United Kingdom, 1990 III-7 -6 Overview of Worldwide Plastic-Card Verification System Market III-11 -7 UM-20 Customer Base III-12 rv AST -1 Service/Product Portfolio - Organisational Overview IV-2 -2 INPUTS Overview AST - Service/Product Portfolio IV-3 -3 AST Revenue Generation Plan IV-6 -4 Outsourcing Oriented Analysis AST Revenue Plan IV-7 - YE-TVE Copyright 1992 by INPUT. Reproduction Prohibited. 3