The results are in: existing Oracle users are happy whilst expansion continues

The results from this year’s UK Oracle User Group (OUG) survey are in, and of the 550 respondents, things are looking positive. 96% of users are happy with the overall function and features of Oracle development tools, whilst 94% are satisfied with Oracle DBA Tools. high levels of satisfaction continue with 89% of respondents happy with Oracle Fusion Middleware, 82% of users happy with BEA products, 90% happy with Siebel products, and 98% pleased with Oracle E-Business Suite Financials.

Outside of software products, satisfaction with Oracle consulting remains high at 86%, and 87% happy with the training provided at Oracle University.

Chairman of OUG Ronan Miles and Chairman of the UK and Ireland SAP User Group Alan Bowling took the opportunity to urge members to remain in the groups, sending a “strength in numbers” message.

Miles said that despite tightening budgets in the face of the credit crunch, it is imperative for IT organisations to use the OUG as a resource. He highlighted the OUG’s role in the development of Oracle Fusion Applications as an example of the importance and value of the user group to organisations.

He said: “In 2001, we began our annual user survey, and by 2004 Oracle said it was of positive use to them. By 2006, Oracle UK said it would act on the results. Now, Oracle is promising to positively engage with us on initiatives when we ask.”

Following encouraging message, Miles went on to say: “It is very pleasing to see the UKOUG survey has again gathered the views from every part of the Oracle Community and I am pleased to see that members continue to feel their investments in Oracle products and services deliver genuine business value.

“It is especially gratifying to see the increasing satisfaction of JDE and PeopleSoft members in this year’s survey as UKOUG and Oracle have worked hard to address the concerns highlighted two years ago.

“For example its Support Organisation has attended a number of Special Interest events and has been very pro-active with customers, including the introduction of Quarterly Webcasts available to all OUG members.

“Also of note is the loyalty felt by the Siebel community, demonstrating how Oracle’s acquisition strategy is working well in bringing customers into the community and supporting their investments.”

David Callaghan, senior vice president, Oracle UK, Ireland and Israel, said: "Oracle is delighted to see positive responses from our customers in the UK and we continue to listen to the OUG's comments as an integral part of our overall corporate and local country initiatives to solicit, analyse and reply to such feedback.

“With Oracle evolving and growing as a company we value this on-going dialogue, especially with the UKOUG and other user groups, as an important mechanism for collaboration and continuous improvement."

Miles continued, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank UKOUG members that have contributed to the survey. “The metrics give us a high level view, and this is supported by a large amount of free text in the survey which highlights further opportunities for refinements that will give even higher levels of expectation.

“UKOUG is pleased that this year for the first time we have been engaging with Oracle in the US as well as the UK in discussing the insights the survey delivers and the actions we need to consider taking.

“The ongoing support of the membership, inputting to this survey, has made the UK & Ireland a key influencer to the products and services that Oracle customers globally receive.”

With all of this positive feedback, it is not surprising that Oracle has been acclaimed outside of the OUG as well this week. On Monday, Oracle E-Business Suite and Siebel Customer Order Management were both named as leaders in Order Management Hubs in Forrester Research’s November report. Forrester, an independent research firm, evaluated both products against 152 criteria, and found both to be at the top of the list. Forrester said that E-Business Suite was a solution that “led the pack among the Leaders who delivered technologies that support the perfect order.”

Meanwhile, Oracle has continued to make progress and partnerships this week. On Wednesday Oracle Education Foundation announced its partnership with Stamford Achieves and their joint launch of the Innovative Cyberjournalism Project for students. The project, entitled “Global NetGeneration of Youth Investigating the Careers of NASA International Space Station Leaders” (NGY-NASA-ISS), will leverage ThinkQuest, OEF’s online learning platform, which allows teachers to provide students with vital 21st century skills.

On the same day, Oracle announced its contribution of data integrity protection code to the Linux community, which will help to ensure comprehensive data integrity is maintained while data is moved from application to database.

Despite the recession, Oracle continues to find solutions for users, build partnerships and develop technology that makes businesses run more smoothly.