ASP Pulse: Another Hosted Service From Dell

Dell on Tuesday introduced a hosted accounting service for small businesses.

The developer behind the accounting software is BaPort, which specializes in developing applications for use over the Internet.

The service covers such basic accounting functions as check writing, inventory, accounts receivable and general ledger.

The new offering joins a growing list of hosted services touted by Dell under its small business center, DellEWorks. Visitors to the site can choose from such services as Web-site hosting and design, domain name registration and marketing.

Dell joined the ASP fray earlier this year as an infrastructure provider to ASPs. At the time, the company had already invested $17.5 million in Interliant in partnership with BMC Software and a $40 million server contract with USinternetworking.

The Debate Continues

Usage-based pricing hasn't made a dent in the popular per-user per-month ASP pricing model, but ABC Systems is out to change that.

The company has developed LAN Licenser, a software metering tool that helps ASPs bill customers based on how often an application is used.

"Small businesses don't want to pay for what they don't use, and they don't want to sign a three- to five-year contract with an ASP. They want to pay as they go," says Rod Plummer, marketing manager at ABC.

The company is in negotiations to integrate its product with billing and software asset management products, as well as with ASPs in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Speaking Of Partnerships . . .

Personable.com recently launched two partner programs for systems integrators that want to sell ASP services.

Under the Private Label Program, large integrators can put their own brand name on Personable.com desktop services.

"Systems integrators can now have visibility on the customer's desktop, where before they mainly stayed invisible working on the back end," says Benjamin Chou, president of the ASP.

Under the second program, solution providers can act as agents, reselling Personable.com applications to their customers for a recurring chunk of the monthly revenue.

Under the new programs, the ASP is currently working with about 100 integrators and hopes to increase that to 500 partners by the end of the year, Chou says.

Personable.com hosts almost 300 shrink-wrapped software titles, including the Microsoft Office suite, to businesses and consumers. It also offers online courses.

A free trial of the ASP's corporate services is available on the Personable.com Web site.

ASP Pulse is a daily news source for providers of hosted services. If you have any news to share or just want to give us your take on the ASP market, drop me a line at (781) 839-1249 or send an e-mail to ctorode@cmp.com.

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