Leading business intelligence (BI) software vendors SAS and Business Objects both announced plans to beef up their services arms this week, and Business Objects also updated the data quality suite it acquired from Firstlogic this year.

SAS has launched a new services and software package to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with sales of under £500m to implement its reporting and analytics tools.

Richard Kellett, head of Technology Strategy at SAS UK, said the new SMB services and sales team would focus on making BI products easier to install and manage, and educating mid-market customers about the benefits of automated reporting tools. "We did a survey of 300 SMBs recently and only 40 percent were aware of BI, so we're looking to raise awareness and get them to understand that their current reporting processes can go far deeper," he added.

Meanwhile, Business Objects has expanded its own global services division to provide greater strategic as well as technical support. Richard Neale of Business Objects said this would provide consultancy to support its enterprise information management (EIM) strategy, in particular offering greater support for firms’ data quality and integration initiatives.

Alys Woodward of analyst firm Ovum said the move would help Business Objects increase customer satisfaction. "It is very easy to buy BI software and put it in wrong so that it ends up as shelfware," she explained. "Beefing up the services arm is a way of helping to ensure customers stay happy with the technology."

Separately, Business Objects also launched Data Quality XI - an updated version of the data quality suite it acquired from Firstlogic - featuring an enhanced user interface, a new centralised business rules repository and improved integration with third-party software.