Konica Minolta Leverages RightNow CRM Platform Across Customer Service, Dealer Channel and Major Account Sales (email this article)

BOZEMAN, Mont., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RightNow® Technologies (Company Profile, Past Stories, Case Studies), the leading on demand CRM company focused on customer service, today announced that Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. has been leveraging RightNow Service(TM) across its customer service, dealer service and major account management operations since 2002. By using RightNow's on demand technology for these multiple purposes, Konica Minolta has successfully boosted the efficiency of its operations, optimized its responsiveness to customer and dealer needs, and accelerated sales cycles.

Konica Minolta has deployed two RightNow "interfaces" for its dealer channel. The first of these enables Konica Minolta to provide dealers with immediate answers to their technical questions about the company's products. The success of this initiative prompted deployment of a second interface to help dealers with their questions about day-to-day issues such as online training, website support and business processes. A third RightNow interface was then added to enhance Konica Minolta's ability to provide information to the general public.

Konica Minolta's fourth interface is an internal one. It is used by the company's major account managers to share information that has proven useful in responding to RFPs from large enterprise customers.

Konica Minolta moved ahead with this multi-faceted RightNow implementation after evaluations of available CRM solutions and a rigorous pilot program.

"RightNow's on demand delivery model enables us to address our diverse business needs without being completely dependent on a corporate IT staff that already has its hands full with other important projects," said Matt Russo, manager with Konica Minolta's Marketing Department. "The results we've achieved to date clearly demonstrate the applicability of RightNow Service to a broad range of core business challenges."

Russo also gives RightNow high marks for uptime and performance. "In the past two years, Konica Minolta has probably experienced less than 30 minutes of unscheduled downtime," said Russo.

"RightNow's on demand CRM solutions are extraordinarily powerful, reliable and adaptable," Sean Forbes, vice president of marketing and business development at RightNow, said. "Konica Minolta has done an outstanding job of leveraging that adaptability to optimize both its customer service and sales functions."

About Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
Formed in April 2004 by bringing together the strengths of its two founding companies, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., headquartered in Ramsey, New Jersey, is dedicated to providing its customers with complete solutions for their document creation, production, and management needs. Konica Minolta provides the essentials of imaging to companies and organizations ranging from the small office/home office to large production operations with its full line of digital color and black-and-white printers/copiers, multifunctional peripherals, desktop laser printers, plain-paper facsimile machines, software and network solutions, and professional services.

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 1,100 organizations worldwide use RightNow solutions including British Airways, British Telecom, Cisco Systems, Continental Tire North America, The Dow Chemical Company, 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.

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