Marketing Services industry news provided by Financial News USA (OTC: FNWU). In the newly released benchmark report, "Software Development and Innovation: Speeding 'Time-to-Market,'" Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (HHS), found that Best-in-Class organizations realized an 18% decrease in time-to-market as a result of their R&D / Engineering Outsourcing engagement -- a rate that is over 26x greater than Industry Average organizations. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410182&cid=4898. This report examined and analyzed organizations' planning, deployment, use, and management of Research and Development (R&D) and Engineering Outsourcing to provide a roadmap for constructing the internal framework necessary for a successful outsourcing relationship. As part of their outsourcing strategy, Best-in-Class organizations determined and allocated the proper amount of internal resources, incorporated clearly defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs), utilized a variety of analysis and measuring tools, and essentially viewed their outsourcing partner as an extension of their internal R&D team to achieve product differentiation and expedited time-to-market. In fact, Best-in-Class organizations are 123% more likely than Laggards to ensure their outsourcing provider has "skin in the game." By viewing the outsourcing engagement as a value partnership rather than merely and employee-contractor relationship, most often accomplished by contractually stipulating that both the outsourcer and outsourcing provider have a financial stake in meeting and exceeding project objectives, Best-in-Class organizations experienced an 18% increase in research productivity / efficiency, as well as a 13% increase in customer satisfaction.
Harte-Hanks, Inc. (NYSE:HHS) recently announced that Don Aicklen has been promoted to corporate Vice President, with responsibility for leading the company’s National Markets Organization within its Direct Marketing segment. In his 27-year tenure with the company Aicklen has served in a variety of general management, sales management and national sales leadership roles. He most recently served as Group Managing Director for the company’s Select Markets vertical. Gary Skidmore, President of Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing, said, "Don is well-respected for his leadership abilities and deep knowledge of the markets we serve. He has been instrumental in launching new vertical market segments in automotive, government, and consumer brands, along with recently supporting our European sales team.
A recent survey of more than 200 IT and business decision-makers found them planning to expand deployments of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies beyond traditional applications. When asked what they are tagging or planning to tag with RFID technologies, IT assets were cited by the highest percentage of respondents (43%), ahead of more traditional manufacturing work in process, or WIP (35%), and inventory (30%). This demonstrates the growing use and business value of RFID technologies, according to a new study by Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (HHS). Surveyed users are also taking specific steps to maximize the business value of their RFID investments. Companies were divided into Best-in-Class, Industry Average and Laggard performers, based on criteria such as year-over-year changes in compliance with external Service Level Agreements (SLAs), unplanned downtime, and "time to information," or the time required to make raw data accessible and actionable for business users. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Best-in-Class companies surveyed are proactively and regularly testing and measuring performance of their Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and IT infrastructure deployments. These efforts helped those companies enjoy significant business benefits, including increased performance of their infrastructures and business value and ROI of their RFID investments, according to the new study.
Petel Incorporated (OTC: PTEI), the Broadband TV and Digital Media specialists, recently announce continued growth in revenue with an increase of 131% for Quarter 2 2008 over Quarter 1 2008. Further to Quarter 1 2008 closing with an increase in revenue of 82% over Quarter 4 2007, the board is pleased to announce the group has achieved a 131% increase in Quarter 2 revenue compared to the previous quarter. "We are pleased to register continued growth in revenues for the group from albeit a modest start to first quarter revenues of some $30,000. We now report quarter two revenues of $69,045," comments CEO David Morton.
Source : www.financialnewsusa.com
