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Monday, 24 January 2011 12:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Celebrating 10 years of Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions, Microimage, Sri Lanka’s pioneering web based HR software solutions company, last week launched the latest version of the HCM8R2 which will, undoubtedly, be a game-changing experience to the HR industry.
HCM8 is an enterprise class comprehensive Human Capital Management Solution designed to streamline human resources, plan, attract, retain, develop, reward and align people towards a company’s business goals and objectives thus achieving higher overall performance.
This product consists of 10 modules including HR profile manager and administrator, organisation planning and development, recruitment, performance management, learning management, benefits management, time and attendance, payroll administration, multi mode employee self service and business intelligence.
In the HCM8R2 update, Microimage introduces additional functionality for succession planning, enhanced business intelligence and enhanced organisation planning functionality.
HCM8 Mobile for BlackBerry and HCM8 for iPad
In an incredible step forward through 10 years of unprecedented innovation, Microimage revolutionises the mobile market with the launch of the HCM8 App for the iPad and the groundbreaking HCM Employee Self Service for Blackberry.
The HCM8 App for iPad provides vital business intelligence in an intuitive manner through this popular device, Apple’s iPad. This App will be released to Apple’s App Store soon. As at today, this is the world’s 1st iPad app developed focusing on an enterprise class Human Resource Software.
The groundbreaking HCM Employee Self Service for Blackberry extends self-service functionality beyond desktop enabling corporate executives to access HCM information and perform various authorisations on-the-go using this corporate mobile device, the Blackberry.
The first step
A college startup comprising school students, Microimage started as a fun club where its members were crack programmers. As the President of his school Computer Society, Harsha Purasinghe had an inkling for innovation and was already dabbling in software development. And they all shared the similar passion: writing software applications for Microsoft’s DOS and the emerging Windows platform. The members used to write cool applications which include PC Utilities, Bulletin Boards, Games, Music Utilities, Sinhala Software and much more.
With the interest gathering speed and possible opportunities, a company, Microimage, was initially started at Harsha Purasinghe’s parent’s house and later moved into a 400sqft office in Nugegoda. The other members, who remain as Directors of Microimage include Damindu Jayaweera and Suren Rupasinghe.
For these three pacesetters, the first breakthrough was the development of Sinhala fonts to Windows 3.1. They named this Helawadana, which was a well known Sinhala solution for Microsoft Windows platform till Microsoft supported Unicode Sinhala natively.
Microimage even provided the required support for initial Unicode implementation over the Microsoft platform using their years of expertise. This success spurred them on and from there on, it was one success after another as Microimage captured the respect of bigger, and well known corporate giants.
In 1997, Microimage embarked on developing time and attendance software, capitalising on the apparel sector, which was booming at that time. Deciding that this industry required electronic time and attendance system, the Company fine-tuned their product to suit this burgeoning industry.
In 1998 customers started demanding an integrated Payroll. Seizing this opportunity, Microimage developed a totally integrated payroll software and two years later, were the leading T&A / Payroll provider for the manufacturing sector before moving in to the service sectors. It was during this time that the team realised the opportunity available for innovative best practice driven HRIS software.
The breakthrough
Through sheer dedication and perseverance, Microimage designed Sri Lanka’s first ever web based HRIS solution – introducing the employee self-service concept. But as newcomers to the industry, the going was tough. The solution was advanced and boasted high-end features and functionalities that were alien to the large enterprise clientele, like telecoms, banks and financial services and other key corporate customers.
However, their first breakthrough came with the signing up with their first customer- Dialog, striving to take on ‘The Future Today’. That was the beginning of many clever versions of the Microimage HCM solutions, which now boasts of an impressive customer base including Dialog, LankaBell, Wataniya Telecom Maldives, Commercial Bank, HSBC, DFCC Bank, Aviva NDB, MBSL, Bank of Maldives, Lanka Clear, FDK, CIC Group, Expo Lanka Group, Expo Freight India, Delmege, Robinsons Group, Rocell, ITPSS, Kelani Cables, Trelleborg, Hela Clothing, Orit, Bogala Graphite, World Vision, Universal Resorts to name some of the key accounts.To date, Microimage has market presence in seven countries, namely Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Saudi Arabia.
Microimage CEO Harsha Purasinghe said: “It’s not an easy 10 years as we initially had to establish our brand and also to deliver top solutions to ensure we are recognised as a key HR solutions provider. We underwent all sorts of challenges such as ensuring we are ahead of technology when it comes to innovations, incorporating best practices, establishing our brand, competing with much more established vendors in the market, going regional and handling global localisations to many other.
“As far as the competition is concerned we love to compete, and we believe competition is very important for innovation. Thanks to the competition, which was in the market, and since we were a young up-and-coming company we want to find our differentiation from the competition. So I am proud to say that our differentiation was always been innovation and offering an Enterprise Class HR solution which incorporates best HR practices and intuitive and innovative in terms of technology.”
