CRM: Marketing Automation

Software Magazine, Feb, 2001

The tool consists of a high-volume e-mail personalization module (outbound), and an optional response management component. The outbound component, scalable across multiple SMTP servers for high-volume output, also features bounce handling of undeliverable e-mail, automated "unsubscribe" functionality, and click-through tracking of embedded URLs. The response management component lets marketers set up mailboxes for receiving and automatically routing customer e-mail responses--based on business rules and keywords--to the appropriate departmental contact.

Protagona Worldwide (formerly Recognition Systems), developer of the Protagona Ensemble campaign management suite, announced eCast, a direct email marketing application. One of three components currently in the marketing automation suite, eCast provides marketers with a permission-based personalization tool with the capability to handle millions of e-mails per day. The product works in conjunction with Protagona Producer, the core campaign management application, and a marketer's current database.

eCast pricing ranges from $100,000 to over $300,000, depending on the size of the customer's database.