DENVER, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Percepta, a provider of customer
management solutions to the automotive industry, today announced a strategic
alliance with Helm, Inc., the distributor and marketer of factory authorized
automotive service information for more than 60% of the U.S. market. Percepta
will provide a customer care solution to Helm, a leading provider of
niche-marketing services providing merchandising, fulfillment and inventory
management programs for Ford Motor Company, General Motors, American Honda
Motors, NAPA, Bendix, DaimlerChrysler, and Davenport University.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050404/LAM124LOGO)
As a subsidiary of TeleTech Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTEC), Percepta's
proprietary technology and processes, aligned with TeleTech's breadth and
depth of human capital resources, will enable Helm to scale according to
market demand. Through Percepta, Helm will have access to advanced customer
management technologies and analytics for an in-depth assessment of their
customer needs. This will drive increased customer satisfaction, brand
loyalty, and operational effectiveness for Helm, resulting in enhanced
business performance. Percepta will also support Helm with their strategic
corporate initiatives by providing sales support for their new business
development initiatives.
"Percepta will help Helm to scale our business cost-effectively while
minimizing our implementation risks," said Dennis Gusick, president and chief
executive officer of Helm. "Customer satisfaction is a key priority for Helm,
and this solution enables continual improvement of the customer experience."
"Helm provides a unique service to their clients by providing creative
marketing solutions that utilize their core merchandising and fulfillment
services," said Tom Loberto, president and chief executive officer, Percepta.
"The combined capabilities of Percepta and Helm will generate effective
customer care, scale, and speed to market, providing complex fulfillment
services in a single package."
ABOUT HELM
Helm has been servicing Fortune 500 companies for over 60 years. Their
dedicated team is focused on delivering the most efficient and productive
solutions possible for customers. One of their unique strengths is the
ability to offer customers complete programs all under one roof. As the sole
distributor and marketer of factory authorized technical service information
for Ford Motor Company, General Motors, American Honda Motors and others, Helm
fulfill orders for more than 60% of the U.S. automotive market. Today, in
developing integrated brand merchandising programs for clients such as NAPA,
Ford, Bendix, DaimlerChrysler, and Davenport University, they are recognized
as a "Top 50" Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) Distributor, making them
one of the largest promotional products companies in an industry of more than
18,000. Helm is ISO 9001:2000 Certified.
ABOUT PERCEPTA
Established in April 2000, Percepta is a global joint venture with Ford
Motor Company and TeleTech Holdings Inc., and provides customer management
services and solutions to the automotive industry. Percepta manages Customer
concern resolution, Inbound and outbound marketing information services;
Warranty and policy claim management; Pre-purchase information services recall
and technical advice; online vehicle purchase management; dealer lead
verification and distribution; customer financial services support; claims
center; corporate support center; marketing & communications center; dealer
certification programs; and, eLearning on behalf of various clients in the
automotive industry. Percepta operates worldwide from locations in Melbourne,
Australia, Toronto, Canada, Glasgow, Scotland, Coventry and Warley, England
and Koln, Germany, as well as Melbourne, Florida, Dearborn, Michigan and
Rockleigh and Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States. Percepta is ISO
9001:2000 Certified.
ABOUT TELETECH
TeleTech is a global business services company that provides a full range
of front- to back-office solutions including customer management, BPO,
database marketing, and outsourced services to measurably enhance clients'
core customer management processes. TeleTech's ability to create innovative
strategies, combined with its global technology platform and delivery
infrastructure, helps clients increase revenue, lower costs, and retain their
customers around the world. TeleTech's products and services, standardized
processes, and recognized capabilities to implement complex global projects
make the Company a valued partner for clients that include Global 1000
businesses and governments. TeleTech partners with clients to offer 150
languages, through its more than 32,000 employees, in 17 countries. For
additional information, visit www.TeleTech.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements relating
to future results. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause TeleTech's
and its subsidiaries' actual results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to
the following: the ability for the Company to execute its growth plans and to
achieve its three-year financial goals and targeted cost reductions; the
Company's ability to increase profitability via the globalization of its North
American best operating practices; the ability to successfully launch and
generate revenue from new product introductions; the estimated revenue
associated with new or renewed client agreements; the possibility of the
Company's Database Marketing and Consulting segment not returning to historic
levels of profitability; the ability of the Company to fund its future growth
initiatives; greater than anticipated competition in the customer care market,
causing adverse pricing and more stringent contractual terms; risks associated
with losing or not renewing significant client relationships, or early
termination of a client agreement; the Company's ability to close new business
and fill excess capacity; consumers' concerns or adverse publicity regarding
the products of the Company's clients; higher than anticipated start-up costs
or lead times associated with new ventures or business in new markets;
execution risks associated with performance-based pricing metrics in certain
client agreements; the Company's ability to find cost effective locations,
obtain favorable lease terms, and build or retrofit facilities in a timely and
economic manner; risks associated with business interruption due to weather-
related events; risks associated with attracting and retaining cost-effective
labor at the Company's customer management centers; the possibility of
additional asset impairments and restructuring charges; risks associated with
changes in foreign currency exchange rates; economic or political changes
affecting the countries in which the Company operates; changes in accounting
policies and practices promulgated by standard setting bodies; and, new
legislation or government regulation that impacts the customer care industry.
Please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended 2004, for a detailed discussion of factors discussed above and other
important factors that may impact the Company's business, results of
operations, financial condition, and cash flows. The Company assumes no
obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect actual results
or changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements.
TeleTech, the TeleTech logo, TeleTech On Demand, and Customer Insight
Analyzer are trademarks of TeleTech Holdings, Inc.
CONTACT:
Investors
Karen Breen
+1-303-397-8592
Dan Campbell
+1-303-397-8634
Both Investor Relations
Media
Julie Lucas
Public
Relations
+1-303-397-8555
All of TeleTech Holdings, Inc.
