May 2, 2005

NEW PRODUCTS Epiphany has made available Epiphany 6.5 CRM software suite. The 6.5 is a family of modular CRM applications that combines three product lines, Epiphany Marketing, Epiphany Advisor, and Epiphany Sales and Service. New services and functionality include an updated interaction advisor agent to increase CSR effectiveness by providing real-time analytic intelligence to a service rep's desktop and new service capabilities for response management to reduce support costs and improve service. Avaya has released a host of new products as part of an emerging software and services category called business communications applications. Intelligent Communications is intended to connect communication applications with business applications. The new product supports the company's MultiVantage suite of business communication applications. Included is a new release of Avaya IP telephony software and Avaya Communication Manager 3.0. The company also introduced a new open Web services-based applications enablement suite designed to simplify the design of new business communication applications. Symphoniq, a producer of Web performance management solutions, has debuted TrueView BusinessPulse. The tool analyses the large volumes of data generated by end-to-end monitoring and provides varying views for stakeholders who manage the different aspects of a company's Web operations. DataFlux has announced the general availability of DataFlux Data Quality Integration 7.0. The platform is designed to enhance the visibility and viability of data quality standards and practices throughout an enterprise. It is designed to discover, integrate, and manage business information across multiple data sources. Microsoft has made available Microsoft Customer Care Framework, an integrated software solution that streamlines call center operations for service providers and large enterprises. It is designed to reduce operational costs and integrates with existing infrastructure and applications. The new application is based off Microsoft .NET technology and Web services architecture. It will work in conjunction with a suite of other Microsoft products, including Microsoft BizTalk Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Windows Server. CUSTOMER WINS Business Objects will provide Oakwood Worldwide, a corporate housing and multifamily property management firm, with BusinessObjects XI. Oakwood hopes the application will enable them to gain insight into the company and integrate its corporate data to track and manage the performance of sales, customer service, operations, and finance worldwide. IN THE NEWS Progress Software, a provider of technology to develop, deploy, integrate, and manage business applications, and EasyAsk have entered into an agreement by which PSC will acquire all assets of EasyAsk in an all-cash transaction for a purchase price of approximately $9.2 million. Upon close of the transaction, EasyAsk, a provider of natural language question/answer and eCommerce search solutions, will become a separate operating unit of PSC. ON THE MOVE Envision has named Tom Dillard executive sales director for the western region. Dillard will manage the western region sales force and identify new opportunities for the Envision Performance Suite. Related articles: Earnings Roundup: April 22, 2005 Is It Time For Real Time? Click! Networks Dials Up Better Customer Service