Audiovox Realizes Three-Year ROI of More Than 1,989 Percent With RightNow's On Demand CRM Solution  (email this article)

(Nasdaq: RNOW - News) today announced consumer electronics leader Audiovox (Nasdaq: VOXX - News) has realized a return of more than 1,989 percent on its investment in RightNow's CRM solutions over the last three years. The company's savings, which amount to more than $2.7 million, resulted from the redirection of significant phone call and email volume through the optimized use of the web as a self-service channel -- as well as increased efficiency in customer service operations.
 
Both Nucleus Research and Consensure, an IT business case consultancy for Baseline Magazine, independently confirmed the savings and ROI figures. As a result, Audiovox received the 2005 Nucleus Technology ROI Award and the Baseline 2005 ROI Leadership Award.
 
Prior to implementing RightNow, Audiovox's customer service resources were being overwhelmed by the volume of email and phone inquiries generated by customers visiting the company's web site. The company faced an unacceptable choice of either allowing service levels to deteriorate or spending a lot more money on customer service.
 
RightNow addressed the problem by providing advanced knowledge base technology that transformed Audiovox's web site into a powerful self-service channel where Audiovox customers can easily find answers to their questions without personal assistance 24 hours a day via the web. This drastically reduced the number of phone calls and emails the company's staff had to handle manually. RightNow's on demand CRM solution also enables customers who want to ask questions electronically to do so using a web form, rather than a conventional email. These RightNow web forms are much easier to track, escalate and manage than conventional emails, allowing Audiovox's customer service staff to handle incoming emails twice as fast as they could before.
 
Audiovox also implemented RightNow Locator(TM), which provides additional specialized self-service functionality by maintaining a searchable database of local Audiovox dealers, along with contact information and driving directions.
 
Audiovox's ROI was further augmented by RightNow's on demand delivery model, which enables the company to reap these savings and productivity gains without bearing the costs associated with conventional software deployments -- such as capital investments in server and storage hardware infrastructure, ongoing systems management expenses, and security/business continuity provisioning.
 
"By returning more than twenty times what we've spent on it in hard savings alone, RightNow has proven to be an extraordinarily lucrative technology investment for Audiovox," Frank Falco, web developer at Audiovox, said. "If you add in the other business benefits not included in the ROI calculations, such as increased customer loyalty and incremental sales, the returns we've experienced are even more impressive."
 
Audiovox's ROI continues to increase as RightNow handles an even greater number of customer service incidents every month and as the company avoids the need to hire additional staff to support its business growth.
 
"Audiovox's example again demonstrates the magnitude of impact RightNow's CRM solutions have on our customers' bottom lines," Peter Dunning, President of Field Operations at RightNow, said. "Their award-winning results are a great testimony to the power of both our software, the practicality of our on demand delivery model, and our unmatched commitment to seeing every customer achieve quantifiable business results."
 
About Audiovox
 
Audiovox Corporation (Nasdaq: VOXX - News) is a leading international distributor and value added service provider in the consumer electronics industry. The Company currently conducts its business through Audiovox Electronics Corporation (AEC), a wholly owned subsidiary. AEC is a recognized leader in the marketing of automotive entertainment, vehicle security and consumer electronics products. The company is number one in mobile video and places in the top ten of almost every category that it sells. Among the lines marketed by AEC are its mobile electronics products including mobile video systems, auto sound systems including satellite radio, vehicle security, and consumer electronics products such as portable DVD players, flat-panel TVs, extended range two-way radios, multi media products like MP 3 players, and home and portable stereos. The company markets its products through an extensive distribution network that includes power retailers, 12-volt specialists, mass merchandisers and an OE sales group. The company markets products under the Audiovox, Jensen, Acoustic Research, Advent, Prestige, Terk and Code Alarm. For additional information, visit www.audiovox.com.
 
About RightNow Technologies, Inc.
 
RightNow (Nasdaq: RNOW - News) provides organizations with industry-leading on demand CRM solutions to build customer-focused businesses. RightNow's acclaimed technology, comprehensive services and commitment to customer success deliver high returns on investment for its customers. More than 1,300 organizations worldwide use RightNow solutions including British Airways, British Telecom, Cisco Systems, Continental Tire North America, John Deere, Nikon and the Social Security Administration. Founded in 1997, RightNow is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, with additional offices in North America, Europe and Asia. For further information, please visit www.rightnow.com.
 
RightNow is a registered trademark of RightNow Technologies, Inc. NASDAQ is a registered trademark of the NASDAQ Stock Market.