IRIS strengthens payroll presence with acquisition of Ferguson
GP Software
IRIS Software Group, the largest privately owned software
business in the UK, has announced that it has acquired Ferguson GP
Software, a specialist payroll provider servicing GP Practices.
This is a significant acquisition for IRIS as it is the
company's first in the Healthcare Solutions market. Ferguson GP
Software has an excellent reputation for its easy to use and
reliable software and with over 5,000 UK GP practice clients is the
market leader with a 50% share of the market.
The acquisition; the first to be announced since the IRIS merger
with CS Group in June 2007, will provide an excellent platform for
IRIS' growth plans.
IRIS is recognised as the fastest growing player in the payroll
market (currently holds the number 2 position) and is rapidly
gaining market share from its competitors. Year end figures
verified by HMRC show that 199,070 or 23% of all internet
submissions in 2007 were made using IRIS Payroll solutions.
IRIS Payroll solutions cater for the payroll needs of businesses
in a number of ways. At micro level, IRIS provides HMRC
accredited payroll software for small businesses with IRIS
PAYE-Master and the company also provides payroll bureau software
that services payroll processing businesses. For medium
enterprises, IRIS offers stand alone and integrated payroll
packages with EARNIE and IRIS Payroll Professional. For larger
sites, IRIS has developed a fully comprehensive payroll package,
EARNIE IQ, with sophisticated reporting capabilities.
Ferguson GP Software was established in 1985 by Dr. David
Ferguson, a GP with extensive computer programming experience. He
will remain actively involved in the future development of the
solution which will now draw upon the significant resources of the
IRIS Payroll and HR Solutions Division in Stockton on Tees.
Martin Leuw, IRIS Group CEO said: "Ferguson GP Payroll Software
is well respected by practice managers and has an extremely loyal
customer base. There is a real synergy in the two companies'
passionate approach to software development and customer service,
sharing identical customer retention rates of 95+%; a rare
statistic in the industry."
Dr. David Ferguson commented: "We are delighted that Ferguson GP
Software has become part of the IRIS Software Group. We have been
particularly impressed that in all previous IRIS acquisitions the
Group's emphasis has always been on ensuring "business as usual"
for existing customers. The IRIS brand therefore represents a 'safe
home' for the Ferguson Payroll package with access to greater
resource for its future support and development."
