I am informed by reliable and knowledgeable sources that Systemax has "pulled the plug" on ProfitCenter Software (PCS).
While I do not have full details at this point, my understanding is that PCS will continue to support its current installs for a number of months going forward to assure a smooth transition for them to new solutions. Meanwhile, PCS as a company is being wound down, and of course no new contracts will be signed with new users.
I will report further details as they become available.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
C&eB Sees New Hires in UK DM
According to one of today's Tweets from Catalogue & eBusiness magazine/European Catalogue & Mail Order Days (ECMOD), a lot of their multi-channel client companies are hiring. That sure is good news in this economy!
Fry Launches Two Sites for Thompson Group
Fry, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc. and a leading eCommerce solutions provider, launched two new Web sites for The Thompson Group, a direct-to-consumer multi-channel merchant selling products ranging from premium cigars to designer linens and women's apparel.
Fry delivered a multi-site eCommerce solution for The Thompson Group's two brand sites, www.casuallivingusa.com and www.thompsoncigar.com, utilizing the Fry Open Commerce Platform™ (OCP), which provides retailers with a feature-rich, scalable online store. As with all sites on the Fry OCP platform, The Thompson Group sites feature robust content management and flexible promotional tools, targeted merchandising capability and refined search.
The new platform has already made an impact. Both sites have seen increased traffic, improved average order, and reduced cart abandonment, providing value that has exceeded forecast. The Thompson Group attributes these improvements directly to the sites' ease-of-use and OCP's refined search and merchandising capabilities. In addition to providing the e-commerce platform, Fry also provided creative design for the Casual Living site.
Fry delivered a multi-site eCommerce solution for The Thompson Group's two brand sites, www.casuallivingusa.com and www.thompsoncigar.com, utilizing the Fry Open Commerce Platform™ (OCP), which provides retailers with a feature-rich, scalable online store. As with all sites on the Fry OCP platform, The Thompson Group sites feature robust content management and flexible promotional tools, targeted merchandising capability and refined search.
The new platform has already made an impact. Both sites have seen increased traffic, improved average order, and reduced cart abandonment, providing value that has exceeded forecast. The Thompson Group attributes these improvements directly to the sites' ease-of-use and OCP's refined search and merchandising capabilities. In addition to providing the e-commerce platform, Fry also provided creative design for the Casual Living site.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
National Geographic Retains Epsilon
National Geographic Society, publisher of the 5 million-plus-circulation National Geographic magazine, has retained Epsilon, Irving, TX, for database hosting and marketing services.
The nonprofit has been an Epsilon database client since 1997 and also uses the agency's e-mail and Epsilon Targeting services to manage and market to its 45 million-member database. Aside from data management and aggregation, Epsilon offers National Geographic analytics, campaign management and reporting. National Geographic uses these tools to develop and manage campaigns across its many products, including the magazine, National Geographic Channel, films and live events.
The nonprofit has been an Epsilon database client since 1997 and also uses the agency's e-mail and Epsilon Targeting services to manage and market to its 45 million-member database. Aside from data management and aggregation, Epsilon offers National Geographic analytics, campaign management and reporting. National Geographic uses these tools to develop and manage campaigns across its many products, including the magazine, National Geographic Channel, films and live events.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Jagged Peak Offers ACES to Measure Performance
Jagged Peak, Tampa, FL, a supplier of eCommerce, fulfillment, and supply chain software and services, has developed a program called "ACES" that allows organizations to review their performance the way customers experience it so they can implement the kinds of improvements that earn customer loyalty.
ACES views performance through three lenses:
• The Customer lens - measures performance of the business processes customer use up to the point where an order is placed. It also measures performance when orders go wrong and customers require additional services, such as a product return.
• The Fulfillment lens - measures business processes from the instant an order is placed until it is delivered to the location the customer designates. It measures the total time customers wait to receive products ordered and your total fulfillment costs.
• The IT lens - measures how effectively enterprise applications support your order taking and fulfillment objectives. Information latency and visibility are huge contributors to business performance and customer experiences and require ongoing measurement.
Figure 1. The ACES Performance Lenses and Component Measurements
Quantified measurements for each of these ACES lenses come from combining the results of subordinate metrics. For each organization, market dynamics, competitive positioning, process benchmarks, and any other factors relevant to success will define which subordinate measurements to use and their relative weights. Each ACES measurement considers the multiple dimensions of cost, failures, and customer wait time.
Experience shows that when you shift focus to better customer experience you will find that drives down costs and improves quality, as well.
Once it is in place, the ACES model compares actual performance to goals, highlighting strengths and shortfalls. The key reporting tool is a spider diagram like the one below can help summarize and communicate fulfillment performance to the entire organization.
ACES views performance through three lenses:
• The Customer lens - measures performance of the business processes customer use up to the point where an order is placed. It also measures performance when orders go wrong and customers require additional services, such as a product return.
• The Fulfillment lens - measures business processes from the instant an order is placed until it is delivered to the location the customer designates. It measures the total time customers wait to receive products ordered and your total fulfillment costs.
• The IT lens - measures how effectively enterprise applications support your order taking and fulfillment objectives. Information latency and visibility are huge contributors to business performance and customer experiences and require ongoing measurement.
Figure 1. The ACES Performance Lenses and Component Measurements
Quantified measurements for each of these ACES lenses come from combining the results of subordinate metrics. For each organization, market dynamics, competitive positioning, process benchmarks, and any other factors relevant to success will define which subordinate measurements to use and their relative weights. Each ACES measurement considers the multiple dimensions of cost, failures, and customer wait time.
Experience shows that when you shift focus to better customer experience you will find that drives down costs and improves quality, as well.
Once it is in place, the ACES model compares actual performance to goals, highlighting strengths and shortfalls. The key reporting tool is a spider diagram like the one below can help summarize and communicate fulfillment performance to the entire organization.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Eileen Fisher Selects Escalate Retail
Escalate Retail has announced that Eileen Fisher, a clothing company with 44 retail stores and accounts at all major department stores, has selected the company’s Buy Anywhere, Fulfill Anywhere Commerce™ solution to enable an end-to-end cross-channel customer shopping experience. As part of the Buy Anywhere, Fulfill Anywhere Commerce™ platform, Eileen Fisher will implement Escalate Retail’s e-Commerce, Contact Center, Order Manager, and Fulfillment Manager modules to enhance the customer experience and drive additional revenue. Escalate Retail’s consulting partner, Acquity Group, will provide Eileen Fisher with front-end implementation and hosting services.
Escalate Retail Partners With MyBuys
Escalate Retail today announced a new partnership with MyBuys, a leading provider of personalized product recommendations for online retailers.
The partnership with MyBuys provides Escalate customers with another option to the personalization capabilities of Escalate e-Commerce, allowing retailers to outsource their product recommendations to MyBuys instead of managing them in-house. Through this partnership, Escalate e-Commerce customers can quickly and easily incorporate MyBuys's personalization technology into their e-Commerce sites, as well as integrating it with the Ecometry Order Management platform.
MyBuys creates deep consumer profiles based on information that it collects directly from site visitors, and matches it with information gathered from previous in-store and online purchases. Using a patented portfolio of algorithms and real-time optimization, MyBuys determines what products and offers are most appealing to each shopper, then makes recommendations on the site and in personalized emails. According to MyBuys, the company’s clients are increasing average order value by 45 percent, improving conversion rates by 90 percent, and boosting overall online revenue five to 20 percent.
The partnership with MyBuys provides Escalate customers with another option to the personalization capabilities of Escalate e-Commerce, allowing retailers to outsource their product recommendations to MyBuys instead of managing them in-house. Through this partnership, Escalate e-Commerce customers can quickly and easily incorporate MyBuys's personalization technology into their e-Commerce sites, as well as integrating it with the Ecometry Order Management platform.
MyBuys creates deep consumer profiles based on information that it collects directly from site visitors, and matches it with information gathered from previous in-store and online purchases. Using a patented portfolio of algorithms and real-time optimization, MyBuys determines what products and offers are most appealing to each shopper, then makes recommendations on the site and in personalized emails. According to MyBuys, the company’s clients are increasing average order value by 45 percent, improving conversion rates by 90 percent, and boosting overall online revenue five to 20 percent.
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