How did Scott help organizations maximize their technology? Why did utilities facing deregulation need systems provided by SCT?

Host: Welcome to our program. There is no doubt that the Internet has been a valuable tool in our business and personal life. On this segment we are going to see how the network is being used to extend the enterprise and improve customer relationships.
   Well, let’s introduce our guests. Mike Emmi, the Chairman and Executive Officer of Systems & Computer Technology Corporation, or SCT, and Scott Nevins, President and Chief Executive Officer of ClientSoft Incorporated. Gentlmen, welcome to both of you. Scott, let’s start with you. I understand that you’ve been using proprietary technology to help organization maximize their investment and technology. What does all that mean?
Scott Nevins, President & CEO, ClientSoft Inc.: It’s a good question. We are a software technology company and we use our produces to build these Web-based applications, e-business applications, to take and leverage the information that an organization has on its mainframe. Without making any changes whatsoever, within a very short period of time, we take that information and translate that into something that’s useable for a person like you and I to be able to get that information and understand what the information is all about.
Host: Well, we want to have a closer look at how this works, so we sent our correspondent to MetLife in Warwick, Rhode Island to send back this report.
Correspondent: Yesterday, an independent insurance agent would write up a policy and submit it on paper to the parent company’s main office. Then it might take a day or two or three to be processed. Tomorrow, that same agent will point a click through a secure, easy-to-navigate browser that connects to the company’s mainframe for instant and accurate policy transactions. Well, tomorrow is today at MetLife in Warwick, thanks to ClientSoft’s Webpack 2000. In the past, MetLife never gave its agents access to its mainframe because it’s not easy to do business with mainframe. The application of Webpack 2000 just changed the whole equation between the parent company and its agents. It significantly improves the ease of doing business. Even for today’s computer-savant insurance agents, the language of the computer mainframe is far from English. ClientSoft takes that computereae and translates it into easy, fill-in-the-blanks Web pages.  Not only does ClientSoft make the agent’s job easier in the officer, but now combing the portability of cell phones with Internet access of a Lap-top PCm the agent is able to access the company’s mainframe, access to powerful information from any remote location, for example, from a customer’s house. This revolutionary technology is hoped to change the way the insurance industry operates.
Host: Well, Mike, as I understand, the SCT is focused on making life easier for the customers. What can you tell us about that, Mike?
Mike Emmi, Chairman and Executive officer, SCT: We think the world is changing pretty dramatic- ally and the customers now have the power. Smarter organizations are recognizing that, so they realize that they have to build relationships and develop loyalty with their customers. SCT is helping organizations identify and leverage key relationships using Internet technology. For ex- ample, Campus Pipeline Solutions, one of our integrated enterprise software solutions, provides students, faculty administrations, and staff with access to information they need when and where they want it.
   Don’t confuse this with a website. Campus Pipeline gives each user their own personalized pipeline that brings together research materials, course materials, online registration and other relevant information the institution or the Internet can provide. For new students on the campus, Pipeline is making college life a lot easier. Campus pipeline is just one example of how SCT is helping organizations use technology to leverage key relationships.
Host: Well, obviously, on the bottom line you’re trying to establish a long-term relationship with the customer as a student. But this exists in other industries as well. Mike, what’s brought about this change, though, from the seller-centered to the customer-centered market, besides the fact that it’s a good business? And what are the driving factors here?
Mike Emmi: I think that one would be the global competition. There are just many more sources of product capability and so customers have many more places to shop. So smarter organizations are recognizing that they have to build the long-term relationship with the clients, deliver value over a long period of time, and by so doing they will harvest from that customer multiple millions of dollars in some examples.
Host: Well, Mike, what are some of the other business that SCT has got that have solved the problem with customer relationship management?
Mike Emmi: We are the largest supplier to the utility marketplace worldwide. With further deregulation in the utility marketplace throughout the world, including the United States, all utilities said they must establish relationships with a whole new set of customers and compete for business with them. And to do that you do re- quire a new system with new capability. There is a good example in Massachusetts. One of the utilities there facing deregulation needed such systems and copabilities to solicit and maintain relationships with their customers. Within eight months we installed such systems and they doubled their business. They doubled the number of their customers. They doubled their revenues in an eight-month period.
Host: Well, that’s all the time we have for today, but thanks to each of you for joining us.