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Industry News Worldwide

Business News

 

ReachForce and Marketing Lucidity Partner
ReachForce Inc., a worldwide provider of on-demand data solutions, and marketing operations services provider Marketing Lucidity announced a joint partnership to combine Marketing Lucidity’s core marketing planning offerings with ReachForce’s custom contact data solutions in an effort to allow B2B marketers the ability to better measure the ROI from demand-generation initiatives. ReachForce’s new SaaS product, ReachForce Insight, together with Marketing Lucidity’s Lead Model solution providing customized lead and pipeline goals will provide marketers the tools they need to better target their demand-generation efforts. The joint solution is designed to enable B2B marketers to plan and execute targeted marketing campaigns in order to increase demand generation effectiveness. Visit www.reachforce.com or www.marketinglucidity.com for further details.

J.L. Halsey Partners with WSI
Marketing technology company J.L. Halsey announced a new partnership with WSI, an Internet services business headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The partnership provides registered WSI consultants with cost-effective access to J.L. Halsey’s Web analytics solution ClickTracks. More than 200 worldwide WSI consultants have signed on to offer ClickTracks, WSI’s first analytics partner, to their SMB clientele. The collaboration marks the first of future partnerships between the companies, with a host of integrated solutions available from J.L. Halsey, including Lyris List Manager, EmailLabs, Sparklist, EmailAdvisor, Hot Banana, and BidHero. Visit www.wsimarketing.com or www.jlhalsey.com for more information.

KCG to Resell Northern Light’s Analyst Direct
Northern Light, a company that provides strategic research portals, business research content, and search technology to global enterprises, announced an expansion of its partnership with the Knowledge Capital Group (KCG) under which KCG will resell Northern Light’s new Analyst Direct search engine for IT analyst research to KCG’s client base of analyst relations professionals and technology buyers at major corporations. KCG is a global analyst relations strategy consultancy, offering domain expertise in telecommunications, enterprise software, hardware, and networking. KCG helps technology companies leverage the industry analysts’ influence with end-user customers and prospects to increase sales. Analyst Direct lets technology marketers, product planners, analyst relations specialists, and other professionals search reports from multiple research firms simultaneously and seamlessly access reports using their existing analyst site logins. Further information may be found at www.northernlight.com or www.knowledgecap.com.

Sales OverDrive Expands Company Operations in Europe
Sales OverDrive, a provider of sales and marketing implementation solutions in the B2B marketplace, announced the expansion of its operations in Europe in response to the growth that the company is experiencing in the region. The company’s Cologne, Germany, Unit, Sales OverDrive GmbH, has launched a robust German-language Web site at www.salesoverdrive.eu to further serve clients in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The company also promoted Axel Stett to serve as chief of European operations in addition to continuing to lead Sales OverDrive GmbH in the German-language countries. The decision to drive company outreach in Europe was based on overall European readiness for sales acceleration support and services. More information can be found at www.salesoverdrive.com.

New Products & Services

SaaS and MSP Readiness Assessment Services
THINKstrategies, Inc., a market analysis and consulting firm focused on the business implications of on-demand services, announced a new set of packaged services aimed at helping SaaS and MSPs ensure that they have properly designed and can reliably deliver their Web-based solutions. THINKstrategies’ new Readiness Assessment Services (RAS) have been developed in response to the rapid rise in demand for SaaS and managed services alternatives to traditional, packaged applications and network/system management solutions among end-user organizations of all sizes. The RAS includes a structured, multidimensional scorecard to evaluate the strength of SaaS or MSPs’ strategies and solutions, examining specific key indicators and identifying strengths and weaknesses so that they can address important issues before they affect the provider’s ability to deliver quality solutions. THINKstrategies will recommend specific remedies to fill these gaps so that the provider can achieve their corporate objectives. For further details, visit www.thinkstrategies.com.

Web Gateway Security Solution
Enterprise gateway security company Secure Computing Corporation announced the release of a new version of the Webwasher Web gateway security solution developed in an effort to meet today’s stringent Web security requirements. Webwasher integrates caching and security to deliver bandwidth savings and reduced latency without compromising security. The new version of Webwasher includes the following features: SecureCache, Anti-Malware Engine, reputation-based filtering, secure administration to meet audit and compliance requirements, Webwasher SSL, and data leakage protection. Further details can be obtained by visiting www.securecomputing.com.

BLUEROADS Unveils Lead Referral Solution
BLUEROADS, a provider of partner opportunity management solutions for medium to large enterprises, announced a Lead Referral solution developed to enable vendors to harness the power of their broad partner network to participate in driving leads into the front end of the vendor’s opportunity pipeline. These participants can include agents, ISVs, Sis, and independent consultants. Partners can refer incremental sales opportunities into the vendor organization and be compensated and recognized for their contribution. To help ensure referral partner success, BLUEROADS Lead Referral management solution allows the creation of vendor programs that enable participants to submit leads to a vendor, vendors to compensate participants, compensation to occur at any stage of sales cycle, compensation to occur in multiple currencies, and referred leads to be de-duped against current accounts and opportunities. For further information, visit www.blueroads.com.

LiveTime Software Enhanced Features
LiveTime Software, a provider of ITIL-certified service management and help-desk software, announced its LiveTime Service Manager v5 and LiveTime Help Desk v5. With over 100 new features including Ajax-based, Web 2.0 interactivity, LiveTime Software aims to raise the standard for ITIL service management with improved performance and the interactivity of an Internet browser application (RIA) powered by J2EE and advanced Web Services. LiveTime ITIL Service Management suite adds Web 2.0 features including Internationalization, Live Chat, Customer Surveys, Customized Reports, and RSS Feeds. At the core of LiveTime is a fully integrated CMDB that underpins all process workflows. This ensures that service desk staff can gain access to all parts of the service management life cycle, regardless of their area of specialty. For more information, visit www.livetime.com.

Industry Achievements

Beryl Recognized for Excellence in Technology
The Beryl Companies has been recognized as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North Texas. The Tech Titans Awards, launched in 2001 by the Metroplex Technology Business Council (MTBC), recognizes outstanding technology companies and individuals in the North Texas area who have made contributions during the past year locally as well as to the technology industry overall. The recognition has become a very prestigious award in the area for excellence in technology. Beryl is a healthcare-exclusive customer interaction center that utilizes a combination of technologies to serve the customers of more than 420 client hospitals. A Tech Titan for two consecutive years, Beryl was selected based on its technological advancements over the past five years. For more details, visit www.beryl.net.

Health Net Federal Services Recognized
Health Net Federal Services LLC, the government operations division of Health Net, Inc., has been recognized for call center operation customer satisfaction excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program. This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by the Health Net Federal Services call center operations to provide “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience.” Through the TRICARE program, the Health Net Federal Services’ call center handles more than 4.2 million customer interactions per year. The call center operations successfully passed a detailed audit of their recruiting, training, employee incentives, management roles and responsibilities, and quality assurance capabilities. As part of its evaluation, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a random survey of TRICARE beneficiaries and providers who recently contacted its call centers. Visit www.hnfs.net or www.jdpower.com for further details.

SecureWorks Recognized by Forrester
Managed security services (MSS) provider SecureWorks was among the select companies that independent research firm Forrester invited to participate in its October 4, 2007, Forrester Wave report (Managed Security Services Wave, Q42007). In this evaluation, SecureWorks was cited as a strong performer. Forrester evaluated SecureWorks’ current offering and strategy for managed security services against 56 criteria. The Forrester report named SecureWorks as the MSSP with the largest market share of customers in North America and described SecureWorks as possessing a strong client base and a comprehensive and versatile MSS offering. For further information, visit www.forrester.com or www.secureworks.net.

Industry News Makers

SignaCert, Inc. Appoints VP of Sales
Independent IT controls technology provider SignaCert, Inc. announced the appointment of industry veteran Randal Skipper as vice president of sales. Skipper brings to SignaCert over 20 years of expertise, leadership, and success in building worldwide direct and indirect sales initiatives, most recently as vice president of sales at Messagelabs, Inc., a managed service provider in e-mail security that he joined as a startup and grew to a successful IPO in five years. Skipper will focus on expanding growth, service, and value to customers and fostering new market introductions in financial, healthcare, telecommunications, and pharmaceutical industries. Prior to SignaCert and Messagelabs, Skipper served as vice president of sales, U.S., for Intelligent Interactions and has held various sales management positions for Oracle Corporation and Dataworks Corporation. For more information, visit www.signacert.com.

HRchitect Appoints VP
HCM systems strategic planning consulting firm HRchitect announced the appointment of industry veteran Ron Hanscome as vice president of HCM Technology Strategy Consulting. In this role and as a member of the executive team, Hanscome will lead a team of experienced consultants in the highest-growth practice at HRchitect. Hanscome and his team will work with companies in reviewing their HR systems and processes and in developing HCM technology strategies that outline strategy, vision, and objectives for HR technology throughout an organization. Hanscome has over 23 years of experience in the HCM software and consulting services industries, having served as a practitioner, consultant, software executive, and industry analyst. For more information, visit www.HRchitect.com.

Technical Communities, Inc. Names Manager of Business Development
Technical Communities, Inc., a service solution provider for technical organizations that sell to U.S. government agencies, military organizations, and prime federal contractors, announced that Lou Larson will join the company as a manager of business development in the National Capital Region. In this role, Larson will assume responsibility for a strategic approach to the company’s continued business expansion of GSA schedule management, government sales, and targeted marketing of IT products and services. He will be directly responsible for partnership agreements between Technical Communities and companies interested in selling to the government. Larson, based in the Washington, D.C. area, comes to Technical Communities from Government Sales Force, LLC in McLean, Virginia, where he served as director of business development. For more information, visit www.technicalcommunities.com.

Devix Names Software Engineering VP
Devix Corporation, an end-to-end ecommerce solutions provider, announced the promotion of Alex Brezinov to vice president of software engineering. He will have the primary responsibility of providing technical vision, management, leadership, and long- term direction for all aspects of the software development organization and product development. He also will work closely with clients to answer and solve their most complex technical issues. Brezinov joined the company in July 2006 as the senior software architect and followed with impressive developments in enhancing the architecture and infrastructure of core software products. His vast experience includes several years in the financial industry and extensive work as a software technology consultant. Visit www.devix.com for more information.