Participate Systems and MEI Strike Alliance

Salesforce software developer Participate Systems and MEI, a provider of CRM Web services to the consumer goods industry, formed a joint alliance covering co-marketing and sales.

Under the partnership, the two companies will combine efforts to provide consumer goods companies with a technology platform for tapping sales and marketing analytical tools.

"Adding insight-sharing software to a traditional SFA technology platform is part of the next-generation of customer relationship management," said Dale Hagemeyer, senior research analyst at Gartner Inc., in a prepared statement. "To truly improve sales force effectiveness, companies have to put in place the means to not only analyze customer data, but also elicit, capture and reuse a company's working know-how. With a sales force community in place, a company can significantly reduce employees' time in locating the knowledge they need, and deliver a return on their participation in the form of know-how that drives sales," Hagemeyer said.

Companies such as Procter & Gamble and Nestlé have implemented MEI's eCRM software to manage promotions and spending while optimizing trade investment. Meanwhile, BEA Systems and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company have selected Participate Systems to provide the software and management services to improve the effectiveness of their sales forces.