OUR TAKE -  Are You Rule Bound?     Upcoming CRM Webinars Look no further for the most complete list of webcasts covering every CRM.   Here is your opportunity to learn from industry experts from around the world.   Click here to tune in and tune up. Contact us to feature your webinar here Lasting Impressions: There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. - Peter F. Drucker "The Middle Seat" is a frequent and often enjoyable Wall Street Journal column about the workings of the airline industry. The title of the column tells you all you need to know about the recurring theme. Who wants the middle seat? Not a lot of hands go up.   Today's column discusses how rule-bound the industry seems to be. But let's take the question beyond those guys that fly the sky and see how it applies to your customer-facing experiences. Do your customers often wonder what the rules of the game are when trying to buy your products and services? Do your rules seem to mitigate the possibility of a positive customer experience?   Ah, what to do with so many rules . . . Remember my discussion about battle of the baggage fee? Let me suggest using a fairness filter for customer facing rules. For instance, would it be fair for airlines to reimburse baggage fees if they lose a bag?   That's my take. What's your take on that question?   Gary Lemke, Publisher          Action Center         Free Subscription         Submit Content         Industry Events         Webcasts         Archive   Stock Ticker Chordiant 2.76      0.41 ICT 4.48      0.6 Astea 2.75      0.25 APAC 1.49      0.11 RightNow 6.11      0.27 NetSuite 7.11      0.3 ATG 1.78      0.07 Convergys 7.81      0.28 SupportSoft 1.96      0.07 Tekelc 12.8      0.38 Pegasystems 13.98      0.41 SPSS 26.15      0.47 Vignette 7.09      0.12 LivePerson 2      0.03 Amdocs 17.06      0.14 SAP 35.6      0.22 Oracle 16.9      0.07 Epicor 3.55      0.01 Salesforce 26.64      0.03 Sykes 16.72      0.01 Selectica 0.69      0 eLoyalty 3.02      0 Unica 4.89      -0.01 HP 34.66      -0.09 NCR 12.34      -0.21 Teletech 7.92      -0.17 ClickSoftware 2.11      -0.07 Rainmaker 0.95      -0.04 NICE 18.38      -0.81 CDC 0.75      -0.04 Interactive 6.4      -0.47 As of 4:00 p.m. on 2/2/09         NEW IN CRM   News:    Seattle City Light and Bermuda Electric Light Use Oracle Oracle announced that several customers have implemented or selected Oracle Utilities Network Management System to improve outage restoration time and efficiency, as well as to reduce the cost and risk associated with energy distribution operations. Oracle Utilities Network Management System is a suite of real-time operations technology applications designed to improve network reliability, maximize asset utilization, reduce outage durations and increase customer satisfaction. Seattle City Light, the ninth largest publicly-owned U. S. electric utility, selected Oracle Utilities Network Management System and Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Management to replace an existing legacy system with a more technologically robust system. (Oracle )   News:    Rodale Selects Convergys’ Relationship Management Solutions Media company Rodale, which reaches more than 70 million people worldwide through multiple distribution channels including magazines, books, online, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, and video, has signed a contract for Convergys’ portfolio of customer care and relationship management solutions. This announcement marks the first contract win combining both Convergys and Intervoice [R] solutions since Convergys acquired Intervoice in September 2008. These combined solutions will enable Rodale to deliver an enhanced customer experience allowing customers to choose their channel of communication. (Convergys )   News:    European Digital TV Provider Extends Contract for Field Service ClickSoftware Technologies announced that it has been awarded a large contract from an existing customer. This significant, long-term commitment will enable the customer to grow its field service and installation teams in order to meet the anticipated demand for new services. According to ClickSoftware executives, new deals are also being won in early 2009.(ClickSoftware )   Article:    Recession Deflates Noncash Incentives The professionals within the incentive-travel industry have a fairly depressing view of how the recession will affect their field, according to the findings of a recent survey -- in fact, a whopping 80 percent of respondents foresee a negative impact on incentive travel programs, and 49 percent felt the same about other noncash incentive programs. Though some may characterize the findings as discouraging, Bob Dawson, chair of the IRF's research committee, says that he prefers to see them as "enlightening."(DestinationCRM )   News:    Virtual Hold Technology Queue Management Now Avaya Compliant Virtual Hold Concierge™ software for contact centers is now compliant with key Internet protocol (IP) telephony and contact center solutions from Avaya. Concierge software is part of a solution set designed to help contact centers improve customer satisfaction by allowing customers who previously had to wait on hold to choose instead to hang up the phone, maintain their place in the calling queue and receive a callback just as promptly as if they had remained on the line. (Virtual Hold )   Didn't read the last edition of CRMAdvocate? Click here to see what you missed.

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