Microsoft and IMC together on Cloud 9

Strategic partnership between the Microsoft Cloud Platform Windows Azure and CLIX SaaS announced at LEARNTEC

Today, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH and IMC AG announced their future partnership in the cloud computing sphere during a joint press conference at the international trade fair LEARNTEC. The SaaS model of IMC’s tried and tested CLIX Learning and Talent Management System will in future operate on the Microsoft Cloud Platform Windows Azure. Here, IMC draws on the expertise and reputation of Microsoft. Microsoft currently specifically selects leading companies from different industries as Cloud Service Partners for Windows Azure and, with IMC, has chosen a strong category leader in the e-learning area.

“The Cloud is currently one of the most important topics for Microsoft. We want to demonstrate our strengths in this area by choosing selected industry leaders and providing support to them with our services. Here, we go by the motto ‘professionals rely on professionals’”, explained Ulrich Sawade, Senior Marketing Manager at Microsoft Deutschland GmbH at the joint press conference with IMC AG.

At the IMC stand at the 20th LEARNTEC, the leading international trade fair for professional training, learning and IT, the Microsoft representative introduced the future collaboration of both companies together with IMC’s CEO Dr Wolfgang Kraemer.

With the CLIX Learning Suite, one of the world’s leading learning management systems, companies, public institutions and universities have for years been efficiently implementing their further training measures. In combination with the powerful talent management tool CLIX Talent Suite which allows succession management, talent profiles, skill requirements and much more to be illustrated and organised on an extensive platform, the entire HR-development process is covered.

The cloud-version CLIX SaaS has experienced heavy demand since its introduction in 2010, especially with small and medium-sized companies and with newcomers to e-learning who particularly appreciate the possibility of implementing individually scalable training measures and smaller pilot projects in an uncomplicated manner. “CLIX SaaS is extremely flexible. The customer can always adjust the scope in the short term and thus, of course, the cost of the system at any time. This scalability offers companies a clear competitive advantage”, Dr Wolfgang Kraemer explained.

Through this collaboration with Microsoft and their use of the Microsoft Cloud Platform Windows Azure, IMC AG expects even more acceptance of the SaaS topic by customers. Reliability, transparency and high availability of the Microsoft Cloud were clear factors in opting for Azure.

“Microsoft is a major international player. We rely on the experience and the ability of this company”, said Kraemer. Ulrich Sawade added: “Particularly for companies like IMC that are progressing their internationalisation, it is important to focus on a cloud with global accessibility. Windows Azure can reliably provide this. A secure, stable cloud for a powerful and tried and tested HR tool!”