Akibia Consulting Profiled in IDC Report of Leading and Innovative CRM Services Firms; Report Describes Akibia's Approach to Delivering CRM Solutions

Business Wire, Sept 24, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2001

A new International Data Corporation (IDC) report, Positioning for Success: Competitive Analysis and Profiles of CRM Services Leaders and Innovators, 2001 profiles Akibia Consulting as a leader and innovator in customer relationship management (CRM). Companies were selected based on overall revenue, thought leadership, innovation and potential in the CRM service market. The report cites an overall need for quicker solutions providing a measurable return on investment, corresponding with Akibia's recent launch of its CRM Roadmap(TM), PhaseOne(TM) and Reflexing(TM) services for facilitating immediate business benefits.

"We're pleased that the IDC report validates Akibia's ongoing focus on providing fast and tangible results," said Adam Honig, president of Akibia Consulting. "The explosive growth of the CRM marketplace even in a tight economy shows that companies now expect the rapid return on investment that well-designed solutions deliver, meaning CRM firms must produce quality with unprecedented speed."

As IDC notes that CRM revenues will grow from more than $48 billion in 2000 to more than $148 billion in 2005, the report showcases Akibia as well positioned to profit from the increasing demand for CRM services.

To address this market demand, Akibia has recently launched three programs for achieving rapid CRM benefits, including:

CRM Roadmap--Akibia's CRM Roadmap is a set of quick strategic activities designed to help clients complete the critical decision-making process; build a business case; obtain necessary buy-in; and plan, implement and manage CRM programs. CRM Roadmap enables companies to avoid costly mistakes in initial planning so they can enjoy immediate returns.

PhaseOne--Akibia's PhaseOne is a rapid launch of an organization's CRM initiatives designed to get them up and running - and showing results - quickly and cost effectively. By deploying low complexity, high benefit functionality for a fixed time, fixed cost PhaseOne meets the immediate needs of the sales/marketing or service organization and creates the momentum for future CRM initiatives.

Reflexing--Through Reflexing, Akibia focuses on improving impact and success of CRM applications, most often after a previous partner has completed the implementation. The company recently launched its Reflexing program to provide a fast and thorough analysis of CRM effectiveness and cure symptoms such as low utilization, insufficient user training, and other problems tied to technical, personnel and organizational issues.

About Akibia Consulting

Akibia Consulting is the leading provider of CRM solutions for companies who seek to establish leadership positions by optimizing customer relationships. Delivering tailored solutions that seamlessly integrate into a client's technology environment, Akibia is a Siebel Systems Premier Consulting Partner (Nasdaq: SEBL) and a consistent winner of Siebel Systems' Superior Customer Satisfaction Award for quality achievement. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with principal offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, London and Amsterdam, the company employs more than 450 multi-talented people worldwide. Clients include Akamai Technologies, Inc., PTC, Bose Corporation, Monster.com, Citibank, and Scudder Threadneedle Investment Services, Ltd. For more information, call (617) 717-7300 or visit the Akibia website at www.akibiaconsulting.com.