Company: Aplicor Inc., Boca Raton, Florida
Company Description: Aplicor provides an easy-to-use and subscription-based sales, marketing and customer service (collectively Customer Relationship Management or CRM) web-based software solution which improves marketing efforts, increases sales conversion rates, enhances customer service levels, improves customer retention and maximizes both customer share and lifetime value.
Nomination Category: Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Product Development Organization

Nomination Title: Aplicor Customer Accountability Program (CAP)

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated functional organization achieved in 2004 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Aplicor is a software publisher of subscription-based sales, marketing and
customer support, or collectively Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
software solutions. Removing up front capital purchase requirements and providing
the professional services to deliver and manage customer software utilization
empowers small and midsize businesses with the same type of sales and
customer management systems historically only available to larger companies
with deep IT resources and the financial means to make large upfront investments.

With the advent of a new hosted software delivery model, the company challenged
itself and the industry norm to not think of themselves as a software manufacturer
which simply delivers software, but instead as a trusted business partner and
accountable resource charged with the software’s implementation and full-time
utilization. To achieve success as an extension to the customer’s organization,
Aplicor implemented the Customer Accountability Program (CAP) which included
initiatives to promote communication, teamwork, dependability and customer trust.
Customer service not only became a cornerstone of the Aplicor’s business model,
but the most important critical success factor for the company.

Challenges in delivering software as a service include our clients’ fluid business
processes, continuously evolving client requirements, the constantly changing
technology landscape, and around the clock coordination among hundreds of
customers on four continents.

The CAP was included within Aplicor’s existing six sigma program and consisted
of a three tenant closed-loop business operating model. The company’s President,
Mark Wakelin, was assigned the full-time responsibility to implement and manage
the CAP. Program initiation began by creating a well understood customer-centric
environment. Executive management sponsored a new corporate culture,
additional resources were hired, all staff were provided new tools and training and
all compensation plans were adjusted to incorporate customer feedback.

The first CAP tenant is referred to as the Voice of the Customer (VOC) as includes
quarterly customer focus group meetings, an annual customer conference, a
customer advisory board, six annual surveys, random satisfaction reviews and an
online customer portal.

The second tenant is Customer Assessment and results in performance scoring
for Aplicor and each of its six lines of business. Anonymous surveys and internal
upward evaluations create scores among fourteen customer service activities.
Scores and trends are deciphered over several days in meetings with all company
staff. Customer Assessment data collection is the mechanism that translates
customer feedback into prioritized business initiatives.

The final tenant is Customer Service Improvement. Following Customer
Assessment results, each line of business identifies targeted areas for
improvement and new service initiatives. Directives include specific objectives, a
project plan and an objectively measured predicted achievement. Achievement
goals are then included in future Customer Assessments so that that success and
scoring is most heavily influenced by the affected customers.

In 2004, the CAP VOC completed 7,140 customer touches which resulted in
nearly a 300 percent increase in customer feedback and an increase in customer
satisfaction from 81 percent to 94 percent from the prior year. Customer-share
increased by 11 percent, customer churn decreased by 18 percent and average
operating margin increased by 9 percent.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]:

Aplicor’s Six Sigma Methodical Approach to Quality Software and Services
Delivery http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/client_commit.htm

Aplicor Named CIS Magazine “2004 Product of the Year”
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_tmcProductoftheYear.htm

Aplicor Named "Best Hosted CRM Solution" in the Sixth Annual Users Choice
Awards http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_userchoice2004HostedCRMsolutions.htm

Aplicor Receives "2004 TMC Labs Innovation Award"
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_tmclabs2004.htm

Aplicor Named "CRM Suite" Winner in the Sixth Annual Users Choice Awards
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/awards.htm

2004 'CRM Leader Award' by CRM Magazine
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_CRMmagazineElite.htm

2004 Tech-Fest & InternetCoast Technology Showcase Award
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_techfest.htm

Aplicor Named "Sales Automation" Winner in the Sixth Annual Users Choice
Awards
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_userchoice2004SFASMB.htm

2004 TMC CRM Excellence Award
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_tmc2004.htm

2004 TechIntellect Best of the Best Award
http://www.aplicor.com/4%20Company/pressrelease_TechIntel.htm

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of this nominated functional organization:

Chuck Schaeffer, CEO of Aplicor, leads in gathering the collective voice of the
customer, crafts and articulates vision, sets the company’s strategic direction and
maintains accountability for employee and customer success. Prior to Aplicor,
Chuck held the CEO role in four software technology organizations which
succeeded in achieving customer value, employee accomplishment, market niche
leadership, and shareholder value.

Chuck's credentials include Bachelor of Science (BS), MBA, CPA, Certified
Project Manager (CPM), Certified CRM Specialist (CCRMS), Certified Sales
Process Engineer (CSPE) and other technical certifications. Chuck is a foster
parent, volunteer with several non-profit organizations and active in community
service programs.