Ticketmaster To Utilize Firepond eServicePerformer Software To Respond To Customer Inquiries

Business Wire, May 16, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2001

Firepond (NASDAQ: FIRE), a leading provider of comprehensive selling and service solutions, today announced that Ticketmaster, (NASDAQ: TMCS), the world's leading ticketing and access company, will be utilizing Firepond's eServicePerformer software to respond to customer inquiries. Firepond will assist Ticketmaster in responding effectively to the droves of email inquiries they receive daily.

With Firepond's automated email response system, Ticketmaster is able to satisfy its consumers' need for faster and more efficient email responses, allowing service representatives to spend more time focusing on complex inquiries.

Firepond Chairman and CEO Klaus Besier comments, "With Firepond, Ticketmaster can instantly acknowledge all incoming email requests and rapidly respond to each customer inquiry. By speeding the response time and increasing the consistency of email communication, Firepond allows Ticketmaster's customer service agents to spend more time responding to complex inquiries that might require live voice or chat interaction, leading to more loyal and satisfied customers who want to come back online to buy tickets to their next event."

About Firepond

Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Firepond (NASDAQ: FIRE) is a leading provider of comprehensive selling and customer service solutions that help companies more profitably acquire and retain customers. Firepond's product lines leverage patented intelligence engines and proven automation technology to drive new revenue streams, increase profitability, and manage customer interactions across all channels and throughout the sales and service cycle.

Firepond's SalesPerformer(TM) suite of guided selling software products help companies improve their sales performance across all selling channels, with products for Web selling, field sales, channel sales, sales configuration, and sales administration. The eServicePerfomer(TM) suite, delivers superior online service experiences at every eCustomer touchpoint, with Web, email and live assistance products. Firepond's global customers include ABB, AT&T Wireless, Compaq, Continental Airlines, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Honda of Japan, KLA-Tencor, Nationwide, Sikorsky Aircraft Company, Swiss Air and Renault VI.

Portions of this release contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. We wish to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results indicated by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: difficulties and financial burdens associated with acquisitions, our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, quarterly fluctuations in operating results attributable to the timing and amount of orders for our products and services, market acceptance of our Firepond SalesPerformer Suite and Firepond eServicePerformer Suite its components in chosen vertical industries, our ability to keep pace with changing product requirements, factors affecting the demand for e-business sales and marketing solutions, and other risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Firepond and Firepond product names are trademarks of Firepond, Inc. All other product or company names are the properties of their respective owners.