Firepond's Concierge Selected for Local Government's Innovative Information Portal.Business/Technology Editors WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2001 Web Self-Service Solution Provides Information Access, Tailored Answers to Questions for 500,000 Residents in Gloucestershire, U.K. Firepond (Nasdaq: FIRE), a leading provider of comprehensive guided selling Guided Selling is a concept that enhances the sales process of customer specific products and services. Guided Selling enables organizations in an automated fashion to analyze customer needs, determine the proper features, products and services and to translate the result into a and customer service solutions, today announced that Gloucestershire County Council in the U.K. has selected Firepond's Concierge web self-service solution to facilitate access to their web portal See portal. , called the "Gloucestershire Gateway." With Concierge, users will be able to type in a question in their own words and be directed to the web page containing the relevant information and/or have their question answered directly, without the intervention A procedure used in a lawsuit by which the court allows a third person who was not originally a party to the suit to become a party, by joining with either the plaintiff or the defendant. of a customer service agent. The information portal will be the main gateway to information about all public services Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. in Gloucestershire provided by the multiple partners in this project. The initiative is an important step in a nationwide program launched recently in the U.K. called Implementing Electronic Government. Gloucestershire County Council's core activity is providing public services, such as education, social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales , libraries and environmental services The various combinations of scientific, technical, and advisory activities (including modification processes, i.e., the influence of manmade and natural factors) required to acquire, produce, and supply information on the past, present, and future states of space, atmospheric, to all areas of the county. Other public service bodies in the partnership provide services such as recreation and leisure, planning, tax collection, housing and benefits. A grouping of local councils and other public service bodies called the Electronic Gloucestershire Group was tasked with finding a cost-effective cost-effective, n the minimal expenditure of dollars, time, and other elements necessary to achieve the health care result deemed necessary and appropriate. solution to provide life-event information to the county's residents and tailored answers to their questions. One of the group's major priorities is to provide a single point of information and response for all 500,000 residents of Gloucestershire. By working together, the 35 public service bodies benefit from a common knowledge base of answers for the county's residents' questions, giving users a seamless route to the information they need without having to approach several different agencies. David Badham, Head of Information Systems at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "The Firepond Concierge solution will help us provide an improved service to people living in Gloucestershire, while reducing the costs associated with information delivery. At the same time we can maintain the existing branding of our partners' web sites." "Firepond's customer assistance product suite represents a best-in-class solution for any organization with a large customer base," said Firepond CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Klaus Besier. "By helping customers help themselves on the web, Firepond's Concierge enables companies to build strong and lasting relationships with their primary constituency. In this instance, Firepond is helping the Gloucestershire County Council put an end to the traditional `government run-around' by providing direct and easy access to information for its constituency of half a million people." About Firepond Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Firepond (NASDAQ: FIRE) is a leading provider of comprehensive selling and customer service solutions that help companies more profitably acquire and retain customers. Firepond's product lines leverage proven intelligence engines and patented automation technology to drive new revenue streams, increase profitability, and manage customer interactions across all channels and throughout the sales and service cycle. Firepond's SalesPerformer(TM) suite of guided selling software products help companies improve their sales performance across all selling channels, with products for Web selling, field sales, channel sales, sales configuration, and sales administration. The eServicePerfomer(TM) suite delivers superior online service experiences at every eCustomer touchpoint, with Web, email and live assistance products. Firepond's global customers include ABB n. 1. Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, Noun 1. ABB - an urban hit squad and guerrilla group of the Communist Party in the Philippines; formed in the 1980s , AT&T Wireless, Compaq, Continental Airlines, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Shield A US not-for-profit health care insurer that is a reimbursement intermediary for physicians. Cf Blue Cross. , Hitachi Construction Machinery, Honda honda a quick release metal eyelet for the end of a lariat. When the restrained animal is no longer required it is not necessary to slacken off the loop and pull it over the head—a very great advantage when working with wild cattle or unbroken horses. of Japan, KLA-Tencor and Sikorsky Aircraft For other meanings and similar spellings, see . Sikorsky is an American aircraft and helicopter manufacturer. It was founded 1923 by a Ukrainian born American aircraft engineer Igor Sikorsky, who made the first stable, single-rotor, fully-controllable helicopter to enter Company. Portions of this release contain forward-looking statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. regarding future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. We wish to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results indicated by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: difficulties with the implementation and integration of Firepond products, difficulties and financial burdens associated with acquisitions, our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, quarterly fluctuations in operating results attributable to the timing and amount of orders for our products and services, market acceptance of our Firepond SalesPerformer Suite and Firepond eServicePerformer Suite its components in chosen vertical industries, our ability to keep pace with changing product requirements, factors affecting the demand for ebusiness sales and marketing solutions, and other risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Firepond and Firepond product names are trademarks of Firepond, Inc. All other product or company names are the properties of their respective owners. |
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