Jessica McNulty, USWeb/CKS, 415/369-6722 or
[email protected]
USWeb/CKS Announces ClientCONNECT � Initiative
Client Relationship Management Program Raises the Bar for Client Loyalty In Internet Professional Services Market
SAN FRANCISCO - September 20, 1999 - USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB), a leader in Internet professional services, today announced its ClientCONNECT � initiative, a proprietary client loyalty program designed to enhance the building of long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with its clients.
"After our people, clients are our number one priority. We succeed by helping our clients become the leaders of today and tomorrow," said Robert Shaw, CEO of USWeb/CKS. "By incorporating a formalized, yet flexible, process into the way we manage our client relationships, we are giving our employees and clients the tools to bring these relationships to the next level."
In partnership with PDI, a leading organizational effectiveness consulting firm specializing in client relationship management, USWeb/CKS designed the ClientCONNECT program to foster the ongoing exchange of insight and experience between the company and its clients. In the digital economy, USWeb/CKS believes the definition of a relationship is more than a monetary transaction between buyer and seller. It also includes the creation of value in the relationship itself, the exchange of intangibles like information and experience - a principle USWeb/CKS refers to as "value exchange." The company is committed to building its client relationships on the basis of this principle. It will use the insight, experience and feedback gained from clients to evolve its business, deepen client relationships and anticipate client needs in the marketplace.
"Investing in client loyalty - maintaining strong client relationships over the long haul - will ultimately be the key to survival for all professional service providers in the digital economy," said Justin Behar, industry analyst for GartnerGroup's Dataquest IT Services.
"USWeb/CKS has always been very responsive to our needs. The ClientCONNECT initiative goes a step further by creating a process for gathering our feedback, and acting on it," said Yasmin Fatah, Marketing Communications Manager for Ameritech Industry Information Services. "The initiative demonstrates a commitment by USWeb/CKS to make the right decisions for a successful business relationship over the long-term, not just for closing a deal."
ClientCONNECT Components
There are two components to ClientCONNECT - a Relationship Review and a Project Review. The Relationship Review is based on a proprietary methodology whereby USWeb/CKS conducts in-depth, structured interviews with individual client contacts, soliciting their candid feedback and then taking action to more closely map business practices to individual client needs. The Project Review is an online survey distributed to project contacts at key milestones during an engagement. Both components help USWeb/CKS deliver Time-to-Value, the company's new standard for success which requires the company to apply its insight, experience and scale to deliver breakthrough results quickly.
About USWeb/CKS
USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB) seeks to transform businesses in the digital economy and create sustainable market leadership for its clients. As a leading Internet professional services firm, USWeb/CKS has created a new standard for success in the digital economy - Time-to-Value. Time-to-Value means USWeb/CKS applies its extensive insight, experience and scale to deliver breakthrough results quickly. The Company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with more than 3,800 professionals in over 50 locations worldwide. Additional information about USWeb/CKS is available by calling 415/284-7070 or 612/995-8964 (International).
ClientCONNECT is a trademark of USWeb Corporation. USWeb/CKS and the USWeb/CKS logo are registered trademarks of USWeb Corporation in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.