July 22, 2005
NEW PRODUCTS
SmartCompany has announced the release of SmartCompany Version 4.0, offering significant productivity improvements for SMBs, including email integration that allows users to attach emails to accounts, contacts, projects, opportunities, or orders. Other enhancements include an early-stage lead tracking capability in the Opportunity module that allows users to import leads from Excel or CSV lists for distribution to sales reps, and expanded reporting.
Marketing consultancy
Yankelovich unveiled Attitudes in ActionSM (AIA), a tool that links the financial services attitudes of individual consumers to industry-specific product behaviors. AIA enables marketers to tailor their messages to a specific person's wants and needs, and target that person's attitudes linked to individual names and addresses. It also can help with database enhancements, and can be applied to credit cards, insurance, investments, and loans, and mortgages.
(SPI) expanded its Solution Selling suite with the launch of Account Planning and Management, meant to help sales organizations increase the amount of business in the pipeline and enhance customer satisfaction. Typically provided as a training workshop, this methodology address key aspects of growing revenue yields from strategic accounts.
IN THE NEWS
Onyx Software launched a global alliance program to expand its market coverage and to use specialized partners' capabilities in support of its customers and corporate strategy. The company is developing and expanding its partner community to align with enterprise-level customers. In the past two years about two-thirds of Onyx's new license revenue has come from enterprise customers with more than $2 billion in revenue, according to the company. "We are aggressively building and extending alliances with partners that serve the enterprise space," said Jack Denault, senior vice president of sales, in a written statement.
Knova Software announced a partnership with Control-F1, an integrated support automation company, to provide support desk apps meant to optimize self-service efficiency, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction. The partnership allows Knova to provide greater value to its customers by creating a rich context by retrieving diagnostic information directly from customers' computers and offering desktop sharing to allow agents to interact directly with customers in resolving issues, according to the company.
Cisco Systems has announced an agreement to acquire privately held KiSS Technology A/S of Denmark. This represents Cisco's second acquisition for its Linksys division, which provides VoIP, wireless, and networking hardware for home and small businesses. KiSS is a technology provider for networked entertainment devices. Under the terms of the agreement Cisco will pay approximately $61 million in cash and stock in exchange for all shares of KiSS Technology. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of Cisco's fiscal year 2006.
CUSTOMER WINS
StayinFront has announced that Dey L.P., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on prescription drug products for the treatment of selected respiratory diseases and allergies, will upgrade its existing StayinFront CRM solution to include StayinFront Hospital 9.2 and StayinFront Analytics 5.0. StayinFront Hospital 9.2 delivers a wide range of institution-focused functionality for pharmaceutical sales teams.
ON THE MOVE
Keynote Systems has named Haran Sold vice president and managing director for the EMEA region. Sold will assume responsibility for sales, operations, and professional services, including the company's service level management and customer experience management solutions to expand and increase Keynote's market share outside of the United States.
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