Epicor Ships First. NET-based Self-Service Portal Solution

Epicor Software Corp. announced that it has released its Clientele Self-Service Portal, a companion product to the recently released Clientele Customer Support 8.0. Epicor says the two solutions work in sync, allowing information to be captured and exchanged between the online self-service module and the full-scale customer support solution in real-time, so service representatives are always up-to-date on customer accounts and issues. When a new call is initiated by a customer through the portal, the information is automatically updated in the Clientele CRM system, Epicor says. Doug Berry, vice president and general manager of Epicor's Clientele Group, says the integration between the portal and the complete .NET suite can help provide end-to-end management of the customer lifecycle. "The flexibility of having the two applications working in sync further extends the quality of service small and mid-market companies are able to deliver their customers," Berry says. The Clientele Self-Service Portal works with common Internet browsers. Customers can use the product to submit support calls, check on the status of existing calls, view their detailed product information and returned merchandise authorizations, or drill down to the usage and adjustment details of their service agreements directly over the Web, the company says. Epicor says that customers can also personalize the look and feel of their online support experience, including layout, content, and theme, using simple configuration tools provided in the product. Mike Schumacher, application developer at Leopold & Stevens Inc., an Epicor customer and manufacturer of precision optical products for sports and recreation, says the Clientele Self-Service Portal can be an effective tool for delivering superior service. "By implementing self-service we are able to offer our customers enhanced service while reducing support center overhead," Schumacher says. Analysts say self-service can provide a competitive advantage to small and mid-market enterprises by providing customers with access to account information and answers to questions at their convenience. According to a recent research report conducted by Gartner Inc., "Self-service could provide a cure for the growing concern of increased staffing to handle all customer interactions. It could also provide decreased costs of customer maintenance and even increase revenue for an enterprise." Epicor says pricing for the portal server and self-service components starts at $10,000, with enhanced portal servers available.