The Tile Shop Improves Enterprise Performance with BusinessObjects XI;

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    SAN JOSE, Calif. & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2005--Business Objects (Nasdaq:BOBJ)(Euronext Paris ISIN code:FR0004026250-BOB), the world's leading provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions, today announced that The Tile Shop, a growing retailer of ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tile, has implemented BusinessObjects(TM) XI as its enterprise business intelligence standard. The Tile Shop will use BusinessObjects XI to analyze sales, inventory turns, order fulfillment metrics, financial expenditures, and marketing initiatives to help execute an aggressive growth strategy for the chain in the coming months and years.
    With BusinessObjects XI, The Tile Shop will achieve extreme insight into the performance of its 30 stores throughout the nation by analyzing and defining best practices at current stores that can then be replicated at new locations. For example, at the point of sale, The Tile Shop staff identifies whether an individual or a contractor made a purchase. This distinction is important because contractors purchase tile in bulk for large projects, such as finishing a housing development, and receive special incentives as a result. The Tile Shop then downloads the data from its point-of-sale terminals nightly, and using Business Objects solutions, executives determine which stores, which products, and which regions are attracting more contractors, and which are attracting more individual consumers. This helps ensure that marketing dollars are being properly allocated between these two important types of customers.
    The Tile Shop will rely on BusinessObjects XI to measure nearly every aspect of its performance as an organization -- from product performance to store-by-store profitability. As a result, annual budget planning has become a shorter and more precise process, and everyone in the organization assumes greater accountability for meeting financial and corporate goals. Dashboards powered by BusinessObjects Dashboard Manager and BusinessObjects Performance Manager will track key performance measurements by department and store. In addition, The Tile Shop uses BusinessObjects Data Integrator to deliver data to their performance management dashboards.
    "BusinessObjects XI is a critical component for us as we expand our business intelligence deployment," said Gerald Baltrusch, director of information technology at The Tile Shop. "Understanding and delivering the right product mix at the right time is essential to our continuing success. BusinessObjects XI is helping take us where we want to be -- a performance based company with an aggressive growth strategy."
    "Maintaining a consistent view of the business throughout an organization can be challenging, but it is critical that everyone in the organization have accurate information to help them focus on delivering results on company-wide goals," said Russ Hill, worldwide director of marketing for consumer products, retail and distribution for Business Objects. "The Tile Shop understands the importance of keeping all aspects of its business on the same page. That is why they have turned to BusinessObjects XI, which enables The Tile Shop to not only optimize product profitability, but increase the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns."

    About The Tile Shop

    Since its inception in 1984, The Tile Shop has held to one singular purpose: to provide the marketplace with an unparalleled selection of world-class product; showcasing in award-winning showrooms the extraordinary beauty and value found in ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tile. For more information visit The Tile Shop on the Web at http://www.tileshopsuperstore.com/.

    About Business Objects

    Business Objects is the world's leading business intelligence (BI) software company. With more than 29,000 customers worldwide, including over 80 percent of the Fortune 500, Business Objects helps organizations gain better insight into their business, improve decision making, and optimize enterprise performance. The company's business intelligence platform, BusinessObjects(TM) XI, offers the BI industry's most complete and trusted platform for reporting, query and analysis, performance management, and data integration. BusinessObjects XI includes Crystal Reports(R), the industry standard for enterprise reporting. Business Objects has also built the industry's strongest and most diverse partner community, with more than 3,000 partners worldwide. In addition, the company offers consulting and education services to help customers effectively deploy their business intelligence projects.
    Business Objects has dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and Paris, France. The company's stock is traded on both the Nasdaq (BOBJ) and Euronext Paris (ISIN:FR0004026250-BOB) stock exchanges. More information about Business Objects can be found at www.businessobjects.com.

    Business Objects and the Business Objects logo, BusinessObjects, WebIntelligence, Crystal Reports, Crystal Enterprise, Crystal Analysis, RapidMarts, and BusinessQuery are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects S.A. or its affiliated companies in the United States and/or other countries. All other names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

--30--NL/sf*

CONTACT: Business Objects Sherry Lowe, 408-953-6038 sherry.lowe@businessobjects.com or Eastwick Communications Erin McCabe, 650-480-4016 erin@eastwick.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA FRANCE INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE RETAIL SOFTWARE PRODUCT SOURCE: Business Objects

Copyright Business Wire 2005