The Week in Review : April 23, 2004

In the news... Accovia, a provider of travel packaging technology, and QlikTech International, a developer of business intelligence software solutions, announced a partnership to integrate QlikTech's QlikView business intelligence and analysis software with Accovia's Travel Package Management solution. The partnership aims to provide airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies, and tour operators with an enhanced ability to access, analyze, understand, and distribute operational information from disparate databases. Epsilon has enhanced its St. Louis direct marketing production facility, including upgrades in integrated production capabilities for the production and mailing of precise marketing messages for its clients. The facility now employs approximately 200 employees, producing up to three million direct mail kits per day, and it houses an on-site United States Postal Service office and enhanced security protocols for data processing, laser personalization, lettershop, and fulfillment services. CH Consulting (CHC), a sales and marketing consulting company, has announced the opening of its new 40-seat, inbound/outbound call center in International Falls, MN. The initiative is part of a joint venture with the Koochiching County Economic Development Authority (KEDA), and is expected to provide more than 100 new jobs to the area. The project will also allow CHC to test its campaigns in-house prior to outsourcing, to ensure employment of the appropriate partner for each project. Interface Software announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Scout Solutions. Earnings Announcements Interactive Intelligence, a developer of Microsoft-based business communications solutions, reported revenues of $13.7 million for the first quarter ended March 31, and net income of $120,000, or $0.01 per share. Announcing its first quarter financial results, Witness Systems reported a revenue increase of 91 percent from 2003 -- from $17.2 million in Q1 2003 to a present $33 million. Net income for the company was $470,000, or $0.02 per share, compared to a loss of $0.49 per share in the first quarter of last year. Deals of the week... Salesforce.com announced that Rockwell FirstPoint Contact, a provider of contact center solutions, has implemented Salesforce.com Spring '04 for CRM functionality within its worldwide sales organization. British Airways has selected Astute Solutions' ePowerCenter as the technology platform for its global customer service initiative. The technology will be integrated with the British Airways Executive Club, baggage tracing, and frontline check-in databases. Convergys announced that USAA has selected its point-of-service evaluation (POSE) service to measure and improve customer satisfaction. EDS announced agreements with Kable Fulfillment Services, a subsidiary of Kable News Company and AMREP Corporation, to extend its business process outsourcing contract for CRM contact center services and the contract for mainframe hosting services. Executive changes... The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management (ISMM) has appointed Beth Rogers as the research director of its newly launched Research Forum. Rogers comes to ISMM with experience as a business development manager in the IT industry and as a consultant on key account management. Under Interface Software's acquisition of Scout Solutions, Brett Balmer, Scout Solutions' president and founder, has joined Interface Software as the company's director of technology.