update Customer Excellence Awards 2006

Honors awarded in three categories to international companies update Customer Excellence Awards 2006

Vienna, 16 October 2006 +++ For the seventh year, update software, one of Europe’s leading providers of CRM software hosted its annual international, top CRM event.  Several hundred participants from all over Europe joined the Vienna-based software company on 13 October at the Kursalon Vienna to experience Dr. Martha Rogers, one of the founding members of the Peppers & Rogers Group and forerunner of 1:1 marketing, discuss successful customer management. Crowning the day’s events was the presentation of the update Customer Excellence Award 2006 to three enterprises for their outstanding successes with their CRM strategy.

update and its partners presented practical, real world information about the latest trends and developments in CRM.  Also, numerous customers in various industries shared their strategies for CRM success.

At the end of the day, three customers were selected from numerous applicants to receive the update Customer Excellence Award in the three categories: customer intimacy, operational excellence, and innovation leadership. The presentation of the honors took place during the award ceremony co-hosted by Thomas Deutschmann, CEO, update software and Martha Rogers, Peppers & Rogers Group.

Winner in the category customer intimacy: PETROM SA. (Romania) together with OMV Austria as principal partners, created Petrom in 1997, covering over 2.600 gas stations in 13 countries creating the leading oil and gas company in Central Europe.  The jury was duly impressed by the implementation of the CRM implementation from zero to 100%.  Given the 2004 privatization, it was necessary to improve customer satisfaction.  Within a very short period of time, Petrom, with the help of the update CRM solution, was able to acquire extensive customer information and insight, which is used for targeted communications.

Winner in the category operational excellence: Steweag-Steg Energy Styria (Austria) The Energy Styria company is the fourth largest the energy enterprise in Austria with its core business in electricity, natural gas, long-distance heating and recycling. The Steweag-Steg is the largest subsidiary of the Energy Styria in Austria. The enterprise operates a 23,000 km a long network in the high -, medium and low-voltage ranges with 22 operating locations. After the liberalisation of the Austrian electrical market in October 2002, the Steweag implemented update’s CRM solution to optimize internal processes and increase efficiency of customer management in sales and service.  Implementation of work flow - and contract management are parts of the company’s successful CRM strategy.

Winner in the category innovation leadership: DEMAG Cranes & Components (Austria)
DEMAG Cranes & Components in Salzburg, with 125 co-workers, ranks among the top suppliers of inline conveyance engineering and material flow. The product programs and services in the three lines of business — propulsion technology, handling technology and cranes — cover the complete drive solutions and devices for the load handling at the job as well as run and gantry crane for the flow of material in production and warehousing.
The main focus is the individual consultation of the client from first contact to full operation.  This is optimized with the CRM system.  It must be noted that Demag Cranes & Components has the largest service network in the industry.  The company has a long and exemplary history of providing service for its clients — over 180 years — and relies on openness in communication.