BMC Software announced the acquisition of KMXperts. KMXperts product functionality will enable customers to achieve their Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Business Service Management (BSM) goals with robust knowledge management integrated within BMC Software service management solutions.

Business Objects announced it has closed the acquisition of SRC Software. The acquisition was an all cash transaction of approximately $100 million US for all outstanding shares of SRC Software.

HDI announced the publication of Tools for Support Knowledge: A Guide to the Leading Tools for Building and Maintaining End User Support Knowledge Bases. The new publication will provide customer service and support professionals with a unique and valuable tool to assist them in successfully adopting and leveraging tools for knowledge management.

Empirix announced a proactive monitoring and management solution designed specifically for Cisco IP Contact Center (IPCC) Enterprise Edition telephony environments. Empirix's OneSight application management software now features monitoring profiles built for Cisco CallManager, the software-based

Horizon Wimba announced that it has acquired the assets of Silicon Chalk, the Vancouver-based company that creates software which, from within a class, broadcasts an instructor's prepared notes and lecture materials to local and remote students.

Salesboom.com announced the release of Salesboom.com v6.0, the latest release of Salesboom hosted CRM software updates. Salesboom v6.0 introduces a wide range of new features, from tools that its competitors do not have like Sales Team Management as well as Recurring Events and Tasks management; to a new focus on the Customer Lifecycle & Value, and Return on Customer (ROC) metrics.

Large business enterprises are struggling to manage the security vulnerabilities associated with a mobile and remote workforce, according to a new national and independent research study conducted by SupportSoft. And the risks may be even greater for financial institutions, which faced an estimated 34 million targeted security attacks in the first half of this year alone.

Surado Solutions announced the release of Surado CRM 5.0. Surado CRM 5.0 includes many improvements from an updated and more simplified user interface to the addition of powerful new functionality such as Interactive Workflow and integration with Microsoft Project Management-all value-adds to Surado CRM's already rich feature set included in the core suite.

Siemens Communications announced HiPath Xpressions Version 4.0, a solution that enables employees - especially mobile workers - to more efficiently manage and retrieve voice, e-mail and fax correspondence via a personal computer or telephone. The HiPath Xpressions portfolio provides enterprises with more deployment options and now includes a speech recognition command module and other mobility features designed with the message-management challenges of remote and on-the-go workers in mind.

A survey released by Socketware, makers of Accucast e-mail marketing solutions, at their annual Client Conference revealed that 68 percent of IT and e-mail marketers are concerned with e-mail deliverability issues, underscoring the business value of an effective e-mail marketing tool. Of the nine topics referenced, respondents identified e-mail filters (92 percent) and/or ISP blocking (76 percent) as their top concerns. Survey results also showed that companies have increased e-mail marketing campaigns over the past year (84 percent).

  "OUR TAKE" (more)

9/2/05 - CRM Functionality - What Percent do You Use? I have often heard people say they use a mere fraction of the total capabilities of their CRM solution. While I don't have any statistical figures, it seems the typical quoted figure is 15 - 20% of the total functionality. What does that mean?   It could mean that there is a tiger to be unleashed. If companies could figure out how to take advantage of that already purchased capability, perhaps they could make dramatic increases in the effectiveness of their CRM strategies. Or, it might mean the CRM solution does a bunch of cool things but those cool features don't help better run the business. It might also mean the features look good on paper but don't work as advertised.   Tell me your story. What percent of the total features of your CRM solution are you using? What would it take for you to use more of them? Send me a quick note and let me know what you think.   Gary Lemke, Publisher (Share your thoughts)