New Delhi – August 25, 2008 – Salesforce.com [NYSE: CRM], the market and technology leader in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), today announced the acquisition of InStranet, the leading provider of knowledge management technology for business to consumer (B2C) call centers.  The acquisition brings powerful knowledge base Dimensions technology to Salesforce CRM Customer Service & Support, enabling customers and call center agents around the world to quickly find the answer they need, the first time. The addition of this game-changing technology and approximately 350,000 global call center agents aggressively accelerates the momentum of Salesforce CRM Customer Service & Support in the growing customer service and support market, which is currently estimated at $3.4 billion by Gartner (Gartner, Market Trends: CRM Software, Worldwide, 2007-2012, March 31, 2008). 

“I’d like to welcome the InStranet team to salesforce.com,” said Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO at salesforce.com. “We’re excited to add this unmatched technology to our SaaS applications and Force.com platform. Not only will it make our service and support offering stronger for our customers and further their success, but it will help catapult our growth in the customer service and support space.”

Aaron Katz, Area Vice President, Corporate Sales, Asia Pacific, Salesforce.com said, “This acquisition presents a vast opportunity for us in India given the booming BPO industry. Call centers in India will move to the next level in providing a higher level of customer service, in terms of being faster and more efficient, with Instranet’s critical knowledge management technology to support them. Finally, call centre operatives will have access to an industry leading knowledge base that gives them the answers they need and none of the background ‘noise’ they don’t.”

“Delivering our technology as a service had become a key focus for us due to strong interest from our customers,” said Alex Dayon, founder and CEO of InStranet. “This is an exciting opportunity for all of us at InStranet, and will be a huge leap forward for the SaaS market.”

“This acquisition gives Salesforce CRM Customer Service & Support unique technology that provides a better approach to knowledge base management,” said Sheryl Kingstone, director, Enterprise Research at Yankee Group. “And the timing is ripe – companies have been asking for a better way to organize their corporate knowledge to serve customers, and this acquisition will help salesforce.com differentiate itself from the competition.”

The Customer Service and Support Market Opportunity – Turning Agents into Brand Champions and Customers into Evangelists

Among the top five providers of customer service applications, salesforce.com was the fastest growing by revenue in 2007 (Source: IDC, “Worldwide Customer Service Applications 2008 Vendor Shares: Economic Uncertainty Will Drive Service Applications,” Doc # 213028, July 2008).  Thousands of customers around the world such as Qualcomm, Transunion, Corporate Express, and Misys have already standardized on Salesforce CRM Customer Service & Support.  According to Gartner, at least 75% of customer contact centers will use a form of SaaS by 2013 (Gartner, Magic Quadrant for CRM Customer Service Contact Centers, Maoz, March 19, 2008).

Traditional customer service and support vendors’ “search and hope” approach using keyword search technology has been riddled with failure: Customers struggle because they can’t find the right answer to their questions through Web-based self-service portals, and call center agents are more challenged than ever to help customers due to the large amount and complexity of information buried in their knowledge bases. According to IDC, searchers fail to find what they are looking for 30-50% of the time (Source: IDC, “Microsoft Buys Powerset Up the Web Search Ante,” Doc # lcUS 21330608, July 2008).

InStranet has solved the customer service and support challenge by taking a completely different approach to knowledge base management through its patented knowledge base Dimensions technology, which adds the customer’s context, such as product or geography, to the knowledge base to quickly hone in on the right solution and eliminate irrelevant search results.  This powerful technology provides call center agents with accurate answers to customer questions at an unmatched speed and greatly improves customers’ Web-based self-service experience, drastically reducing the number of calls to call center agents by frustrated customers.  Given that Yankee Group estimates that a customer service call costs $5.50 on average (Yankee Group, Great Expectations: Self Service Success Can Happen, Kingstone, May 2006), InStranet’s customers are saving money and providing higher levels of customer satisfaction.

In addition, because of the technology’s open architecture, it provides rapid time to value, with deployments taking place in weeks as opposed to months.  This approach has found tremendous customer success in the most demanding enterprises, including some of the world’s largest call centers supporting more than 35,000 agents.  Salesforce.com is adding this technology innovation as a key component to Salesforce CRM Customer Service & Support, enhancing its Call Center and Customer Portal applications in use today by thousands of companies around the world.

Salesforce.com Acquires InStranet

Salesforce.com’s acquisition of InStranet closed on August 4, 2008, for approximately $31.5 million, which includes the assumption of $4.2 million in cash on InStranet’s balance sheet. This acquisition does not have an impact on salesforce.com’s results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2009, which will be announced later today.
InStranet is headquartered in Chicago, IL, with most of its operations in Paris, France. As part of its ongoing commitment to customer success, salesforce.com will continue to support InStranet customers and plans to fully integrate the seasoned InStranet management team and employees. 
 

FedEx Express is a subsidiary of FedEx Corp.
The new Boeing 777F service will provide Indian businesses with better international connectivity as well as additional capacity.  The deployment of the new freighter is part of a series of service and capabilities up-grades by FedEx Express in India to strengthen the company’s commitment to offering unprecedented connectivity and world-class services in the country.

The new Boeing 777F is the world’s largest twin-engine cargo aircraft, which delivers operational efficiencies as well as greater fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions.  FedEx Express is the first U.S.-based, global, all-cargo airline to add the Boeing 777F to its fleet and has already taken delivery of 12 Boeing 777Fs with 32 still on order; for a total of 44 Boeing 777Fs anticipated by the end of fiscal 2019.

This is the first-ever Franchising Trade Mission organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce to visit India, which will also stop in Mumbai and New Delhi.

The delegation may present concepts, which may provide mutually beneficial and lucrative opportunities for partnerships in the areas of food and beverage and services franchises.

The participating companies include some of the most successful and sought-after US franchises like Applebee’s, BannaStrow’s Crepes and Coffee, CKE Restaurants- Carl’s Jr., Denny’s, Focus Brands – Schlotzsky’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Carvel Ice Cream, Johnny Rockets, Molly Maid, One and Four LLC – Wonderworks Amusement Parks, Titanic Pigeon Forge and Crime Museum, Pollo Tropical, Radio Shack, Rita’s Ice, United Franchise Group – EmbroidMe and Billboard Connection,  Wendy’s/Arby’s International, and Wing Zone and Which Wich.

In addition, the Franchise Times Magazine will travel from the United States to report on the activities.

For more details and to review the profiles of the participating franchises, please visit http://www.buyusa.gov/india/en/ftm.html

Source: Press Release

Hyderabad, September, 2008: Texas Instruments India today celebrated the 50th anniversary of the invention of the Integrated Circuit (IC) – a Nobel Prize winning discovery that led to the generation of life-changing technological advances in the field of electronics globally and expanded the possibilities of how we learn, connect, grow and discover in our day-to-day lives. The naïve yet dynamic IC that was invented way back in 1958 by Sir Jack Kilby, a Texas Instruments scientist and Nobel Laureate today practically sits on every mobile phone in the world and is making waves in fields as diverse as medical, energy, automotive, security and surveillance, etc.

As part of the ongoing global celebrations to commemorate this milestone, TI India named the 100-seater auditorium in their Bangalore campus as the “Jack Kilby Auditorium” and unveiled an exhibition of Sir Jack Kilby’s rare photographs and the integrated circuit accompanied by a story board on the invention of the chip. The company will also organize a series of talks on Innovation by technical experts culminating in a seminar in the weeks to come.

As a befitting homage to this great inventor, Texas Instruments India also organizes the Jack Kilby Science and Technology Quiz for school children each year, in five major Indian cities. Intended to ingrain the scientific rationale and fire young minds with the desire to imagine and innovate, this is an endeavor to bring out the nascent spirit of invention in children at a time when ideas take form. This year, this quiz which is in its sixth edition, will be launched in October. 

On a global level, to commemorate the event, Texas Instruments announced its new “Kilby Lab” at Dallas, Texas. This lab will be a center of innovation designed to foster creative ideas for breakthrough semiconductor technology and will build on Jack Kilby’s legacy of revolutionizing lives through chip innovation.

In his commemoration address, Dr. Bobby Mitra, Managing Director, Texas Instruments India said, “The best way we can celebrate Jack Kilby’s contributions is by providing people with the opportunity to carry on his work and find new ways for a microchip to dramatically improve millions of lives around the world through technology innovation”.
 “Our endeavor will be to combine TI’s experience in developing new chip technologies and our understanding of customer needs with the dreams of a new generation of innovators. Technology springs from imagination, and at TI, we want to create an environment where people can both imagine a better world and help build it”, Dr. Mitra added. 
During the 50 years since the invention of the IC, technology continues to take on critical problems in healthcare, power efficiency and public safety, touching people in every corner of the globe. Engineers worldwide are creating innovative applications to help tackle many of the world’s most pressing challenges. For example, portable healthcare equipments, previously unaffordable in countries like India, are now available even in remote regions. More energy efficient consumer products with low power consumption and recycled components are feeding the global “green movement”. In medicine, new applications of the IC are helping turn large imaging devices into hand-held products. Other advances being made include cardiac defibrillators planted inside the human body, powered indefinitely by ambient energy or the body’s own heat.
Kilby’s invention also made possible one of the greatest educational resources of this century – the Internet. Today, people work on their keyboards and set the thousands of microchips inside a PC to retrieve information. The current worldwide demand for microchips represents a $250 billion-a-year industry. It continues to feed technological revolutions in every industry, from aerospace and electronics to medicine and zoology.

Thus, the Kilby dream of the IC has revolutionized the way the world lives; in communication, in healthcare, in safety and security. The Internet, the low-cost mobile phone, the hand-held blood-pressure meter: the IC has indeed stepped into our lives, and changed it. That is the power of Jack Kilby’s dream: to inquire, to ideate, to invent.

Its a New world, with new threats and new Risks !

The socio-economic and political environment across the world is becoming increasingly complex with emergence of diverse and serious threats to organizations, individuals and families. While the India story is still strong – business are faced with new risks – often without precedent anywhere else in the world. Like we have learnt with many other experiences – what works globally – does not necessarily work in India. Though 9/11 had global repercussions, the Indian sub continent faces its own set of unique security challenges.

And that is because there are Six distinct Forces of Risk which are peculiar to India and which every corporate will need to address, if they wish to protect their competitive advantage. These forces are:

regional instabilities:  which bring instances of terrorism and violence closer to businesses and their stakeholders
socio-political changes: and increased internal disturbances, that can change a situation from normal to disastrous in a matter of minutes. 
environmental changes: and the adverse affect that is having on the economy
organized crime: like increased consumption of narcotics among youth and and its influence on corporate India
fierce global competition: and increasing instances of corporate espionage and information loss
demographic and value changes: resulting in issues such as increased attrition and workspace violence.
 

These six forces are increasing every organization’s risk exposure dramatically. Most matured corporates realize the pressing need to address these risks in a holistic and strategic manner.  But while they make massive investments in security technologies or complex and cumbersome processes – the exposure remains unabated.

Is Corporate India prepared? 

In view of the above, I was wondering if you would be interested in pursuing a story on “Emerging Security Challenges for India Inc.” – that would cover aspects like:

What has changed for corporate India post 9/11?
What are the emerging physical, business continuity, employee and IT related threats that organizations are facing today?
How should organizations in India design corporate security strategies taking into account the six forces of risk at play?
 

You could approach CXOs from organizations to get their perspective. From a third party’s perspective, I could coordinate an interaction with Captain Raghu Raman, a security consulting veteran of 20 years and CEO of Mahindra Special Services Group (MSSG) – a leading corporate risk consulting firm.
Incidentally, MSSG had recently conducted a Corporate Security Survey 2008, that assesses the current state of security preparedness among India Inc. a copy of the survey is available on the website homepage www.mahindrassg.com

-Contributed by Saketh

Mumbai, August 29: The emerging situation with regard to the upcoming Nano project in West Bengal is disconcerting. The adverse impact of the continued violence and intimidation of the work force of the Nano plant is not restricted to Singur or West Bengal but will resonate in India’s global image.  This was stated by Mr. Tarun Das, Chief Mentor, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The CII statement also said that the process of development and growth being held ransom for short sighted political mileage is unwarranted and cannot be dismissed as a problem of a particular state.

The Nano project has caught the attention of the world and showcased India’s potential as a small car manufacturing hub. It is critical for all stakeholders to encourage investments in the country and create a cordial investment climate at a time when the country is striving to sustain its impressive GDP growth, added Mr. Tarun Das.

~Will also launch travel, medical, health, home, family, lifestyle, online, remote site and other assistance services~

Mumbai, August 27, 2008: Europ Assistance Group owned by the $ 80 billion Generali Group and the Pioneer and Inventor of the ‘Assistance’ concept worldwide, launched in India with its best in class automotive services. Headquartered in Mumbai, the fully owned Indian subsidiary of the Group, Europ Assistance India Pvt Ltd. has entered into an agreement with MyTVS to provide Pan-India 24/7 automotive roadside assistance service solutions. These services will now be available to the customers of Automobile Manufacturers, Motor Insurers, Financers, Leasing Companies, Banks and other Corporations.

Through this association with MyTVS, Europ Assistance has established the largest 24/7 Roadside Assistance Network in India, comprising of 1600 providers at 1000 locations covering 22 states. Work is underway to scale up the existing network to 2400 providers covering 1200 locations. The network of service providers includes on the spot repair companies, workshops and towing companies some of which have flat bed trucks that are capable of towing any brand and model of passenger vehicles.

Commenting on the occasion of the launch, Alain Cruchet, Managing Director, Europ Assistance India, said, “We felt this was the right time for us to launch and invest in India which we identified as a key market as part of our Middle East and Asia Pacific growth strategy. The Assistance concept is at a nascent stage here and we see tremendous potential for growth in this sector, aided by the booming industry.

Europ Assistance will introduce several customised ‘peace of mind’ packages in India which include information, prevention, financial coverage and assistance services of all types. Being the inventor and pioneer of the Assistance Concept, the Group has an unrivalled know how, expertise and experience in the areas of Travel, Automotive, Health and Home & Family assistance acquired over a period of 43 years and covering 208 countries.

Globally, roadside assistance is an essential part of the product offering of reputable automobile manufacturers, insurers etc. This service ensures a stress and trouble-free driving experience and helps improve customer satisfaction and increase customer loyalty. The Europ Assistance Group has ventured into the Indian Automotive market to deliver the very same European & World Class Automotive Services.”

The range of Automotive Services that will be offered in India will focus mainly on loyalty enhancement assistance services in the automotive sector such as 24×7 Nationwide Emergency Roadside Assistance, Extended Warranty for New and Used Vehicles, Maintenance Contracts, Fleet Management, Accident Management and other related services.

Internationally, Travel and Automotive Assistance, the two historical activities alone represent almost 75% of Europ Assistance Group’s turnover. Automotive assistance is Group’s primary activity representing almost 45% of its global turnover through leading automobile manufacturers and insurers.

Commenting on the complete range of services, Bikram Puri, CEO -  India Business & Commercial, stated “Besides Auto Assistance Services, we will be introducing our full range of Travel, Medical & Health, Home & Family, Lifestyle, Online, Remote Site and other Assistance Services in the country in a phased manner. The services will be made available soon to the customers of various corporations such as Auto Manufacturers, Insurers, Banks, Travel and other Companies with whom we are tying up to provide customer care.”

The Company has established its 24x7x365 India Alarm (Call) Centre based in Mumbai for round-the-clock access to worldwide and domestic assistance services marking the beginning of its offerings in India. This is the 37th Alarm (Call) Centre for the Group. The Indian team of Europ Assistance comprises of several experienced technical experts, advisors and senior managers from the field of assistance and they are using the same world class technology platforms, systems, processes, quality standards and best practices that the group uses across the world to deliver to high quality services and world class customer care.

The Group, headquartered in France, is committed to investing in its Indian arm to scale up the operations over the next few years. The worldwide Group handles two calls every second and provides one assistance intervention every two seconds.

“We are delighted with the opportunity to bring the innovative iPhone 3G to India,” said Manoj Kohli, president and CEO, Bharti Airtel. “As India’s leading telecom operator, Bharti Airtel has always stood for innovation and customer delight. With our reach across the country and iPhone’s revolutionary features, we have a valuable proposition for our customers in India.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Bharti Airtel, India’s leading integrated telecom company, to bring iPhone 3G to millions of mobile customers in India,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “We can’t wait to get this revolutionary product in the hands of even more people around the world.”

Soon customers will be able to purchase iPhone 3G at Airtel Relationship Centers. Details of pricing and availability will be announced at a later date. Airtel customers who wish to receive more information on iPhone 3G can send an SMS with keyword “iPhone” to 54321 (toll-free).

*Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.

Bharti Airtel Limited, a group company of Bharti Enterprises, is India’s leading integrated telecom services provider with an aggregate of 66.69 million customers as of end of April 2008, consisting of 64.37 million mobile customers. Bharti Airtel has been rated among the best performing companies in the world in the BusinessWeek IT 100 list 2007.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone