The Inaugural 2010 ThinkForward Awards Presented to 8 Solutions Providers

CRM consultancy Beagle Research Group recently delivered its inaugural 2010 ThinkForward Awards for laudable CRM software-producers. In particular, as Denis Pombriant, founder of Beagle Research says, the award recognizes software companies for three criteria: sustainability in business processes, cost containment, and building stronger customer relationships. The award name “ThinkForward” originated from Thomas Watson, Sr.’s “think” motto, and Apple’s “Think Different” advertising campaign.

ThinkForward 2010 Award Image

In this set of inaugural awardees, three of the eight received all three distinctions:

Communispace is credit for pioneering a community-based approach that allows customers themselves to discuss, find solutions, and give the company feedback on consumer needs.

iCentera provides a sales solution that significantly cuts down on sales travel costs. The software also allows marketing and sales departments to work in conjunction to share the right information to the right clients.

Not unexpectedly, Salesforce.com makes its way onto this list as one of the best examples of CRM enterprise software development that benefits business users.

The other five CRM solution providers were recognized for two of the three qualities: business process sustainability and cost containment.

Brainshark offers multimedia and voice capabilities to better internal and external company communications at low costs.

Cloud9 Analytics provides accurate business analytics that allow businesses to make better investments and company judgments.

Kadient software complies sales data and provides analysis to show company sales trends.

Unisfair offers a virtual convention and events platform that allows companies to market, sell, recruit, and train without heavy organization or travel.

Zuora’s solution helps with provisioning and change management and reduces billing-related overhead costs.

Granted, Pombriant states that he is 100% sure that the consultancy did not identify every business IT solution company that provides business sustainability. “But what we were trying to do,” saya Pombriant, “is identify major categories of companies that were doing things in the three major areas that we see as important to sustainability.”

In his own opinion, Pombriant believes that such CRM solutions should focus on solving travel expenses by using mobile devices or other communication media that don’t require personal meetings. Additionally, as baby boomers retire and start spending less, businesses will have to work harder to understand consumer trends and to perhaps resort to social technologies.

Another important development, as Pombriant remarks, is that the once-rampant technology bubble is slowing down. Market spaces have been filled, and businesses will have to be more creative and customer-savvy to provide valued products. Businesses can’t simply cash in on the technology boom anymore, but instead need to learn about what the market demands.

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