Press Release - Silknet Software

  Directory
    Suppliers
    Associations
    Publications
    Stock Index
    News Search
    Home

  Calendar of Events
     Find event | Submit event

  Career Corner
     Find job | Submit job

  RealMarket Today!
    Past Issues
    Subscribe
    Unsubscribe

Company Profile
Company Web Site

Silknet Unveils Silknet eSales Virtual Sales Assistant

Personalized Web-Based E-Sales Application Enables Unique On-line Shopping Experience

MANCHESTER, N.H.--Dec. 13, 1999--Silknet Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:SILK - news), today unveiled Silknet eSales(tm), a new e-sales application that assists consumers in their selection of on-line products and services using a virtual sales assistant. Silknet eSales brings a new dimension to Web-based self-service sites by creating a virtual personal sales assistant who can help a customer through the on-line purchasing process while improving the overall customer experience. With this new application, Silknet broadens its Silknet eBusiness Experience(tm) product line, which already consists of Silknet eBusiness System(tm), Silknet eService(tm) and Silknet eCommerce(tm).

Silknet eSales is the first solution resulting from the company's acquisition of InSite Marketing Technologies. Using InSite's unique Trusted Advisor(tm) technology, Silknet eSales ensures that e-merchants take the skills of their best sales personnel and incorporate them into a virtual assistant that determines what the customer would like to buy and then maps a selling style to the personal buying style of the customer. The goal of the Silknet eSales virtual assistant is to not only make it easier for a customer to buy products and services, but to also build a higher level of trust and personalization between the customer and the company. To build trust, customers interact with one or more unique virtual sales assistants, or personas, that make recommendations and handle objections based on the customer's preferences. The tone or style of the persona is mapped to the personal buying style and knowledge base of the customer, resulting in a more personalized interchange that is closer to an in-store or business to business sales experience. Silknet eSales also provides a forum for customers to discuss products and services with the virtual assistant who shows them why specific products are right for them.

cozone.com, a wholly-owned Internet subsidiary of CompUSA Inc., worked in partnership with InSite (now Silknet) to develop the Notebook Advisor, and is the first to commercially implement this new solution to increase sales and foster customer trust and loyalty. ``Self-service works well for simple products, but for more sophisticated products, consumers need to build a level of trust and comfort, as well as feel well-informed about the products before they purchase,'' said Iang Jeon, vice president of business development and strategy for cozone.com. ``cozone.com brings the on-line shopping process closer to an in-store experience by providing a virtual sales assistant named Jill who guides customers through the on-line buying process, answering questions and making recommendations that fit each customer's preferences.''

``Personalization technology is the next necessary step for e-businesses of the future,'' said Chris Selland, vice president, Internet Computing Strategies and Customer Relationship Management for the Yankee Group. ``E-merchants need to move away from the electronic catalogue format, which presents consumers with volumes of random products. They need to take the knowledge of their best sales people and move it into their Web systems to help customers buy the right products. Unlike traditional product advisors, Guided Selling brings a personal touch that not only helps the customer select the right product, but also builds a higher level of personalization and trust in the process. The Yankee Group believes that successful e-businesses of the future will employ Guided Selling technology like Silknet's to create more compelling and helpful customer experiences.''

Silknet eSales' Trusted Advisor technology for building trust based customer experiences was developed in part through research at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Trusted Advisor technology takes personalization to a new level, allowing e-merchants to treat shoppers as if they ``know'' them without requiring them to identify themselves or answer lengthy lists of questions. As customers browse the site, Silknet eSales uses micro-segmentation technology to collect insights into their behavior based on demographic and psychographic information, enabling the e-merchant to understand the customer's purchasing needs at a personal level. This data is automatically incorporated into Silknet eSales and is immediately used to increase sales effectiveness by further personalizing the shopping experience.

``For e-merchants to capitalize on the benefits afforded by the Internet, on-line shopping sites need to act more like people, not product catalogues. The ultimate personalization is putting people on both ends of the transaction--people want to buy from people,'' said Stefania Nappi, president of Silknet's Trusted Advisor Division, formerly InSite Marketing Technologies. ``It is cost-prohibitive to put live experts on the e-merchant's end of the transaction, but with the Silknet's trust-based customer experience embodied in Silknet eSales, an e-merchant can deliver virtual people who set a new standard for building customer loyalty and selling products. Customers feel much more comfortable purchasing products on the Web when they are dealing with a system that provides the interactive `personal' attention.''

Silknet eSales can be added to a company's existing Web site or kiosk, with no disruption to the existing operation. Each Silknet eSales virtual assistant is customized to deliver the look, feel and approach that is right for the sales situation. E-merchants can save time and money by offering a 24x7 virtual sales staff that provides consistent and accurate services and solutions to customer problems. This lowers the number of emails and phone calls from customers and in turn frees up the live sales staff to focus on the most complex cases. Silknet eSales is available immediately through Silknet's worldwide sales force.
About Silknet eBusiness Experience

The Silknet eBusiness Experience product line is a suite of e-business solutions. Silknet eBusiness System is a Web-based platform for building, deploying and configuring customer-centric e-business applications. Silknet eService, built upon Silknet eBusiness System, is a customer service application that enables a company to provide customer self-service and collaboration using the Web, email, the telephone and other messaging media. Silknet eCommerce, a Web-based solution for building and managing an electronic storefront, is the first e-commerce solution to integrate e-service.

About Silknet Software
Silknet Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:SILK - news) provides the industry's leading customer-centric e-business applications and systems for Global 2000 and dot.com companies such as Office Depot, Microsoft, Priceline.com, Beyond.com, Sprint, Utility.com, Inacom and Bell Canada. Built from the ground up with Web technologies and standards, Silknet's software allows companies to build strong customer relationships through personalized marketing, sales, electronic commerce and customer support services. Silknet's approach integrates all customer interactions and data whether across the Web, by phone, through e-mail or in person, providing the company's agents, partners and the customers with a single view of their relationship. Silknet is headquartered in Manchester, N.H., with offices across North America and in Europe. Additional information can be obtained on the World Wide Web at http://www.silknet.com or by calling Silknet at 603-625-0070.

Silknet eBusiness Experience, Silknet eService, Silknet eCommerce, Silknet eSales and Silknet eBusiness System are trademarks of Silknet Software. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include the following: fluctuations in customer demand; the Company's ability to manage its growth; the risk of new product introductions and customer acceptance of new products; the rapid technological change which characterizes the Company's markets; the risks associated with competition; the risks associated with international sales as the Company expands its markets; and the ability of the Company to compete successfully in the future, as well as other risks identified in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to those appearing under the caption ``Risk Factors'' in the Company's Prospectus dated May 5, 1999.

Contact:

Editorial Contact:
Patrick J. Scannell, Jr.
Silknet Software
(603) 625-0070
pscannell@silknet.com

top of page