Software manages content developed by diverse audiences.
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Press Release Summary:
Combining blogs with enterprise-class management tools, iUpload Customer Conversation System facilitates internal and external communications, drives operational efficiencies, and creates sales and marketing channels. Wiki capabilities transform one-way blog entries into environments that encourage broad collaboration. Offering turnkey approach, iUpload Express delivers baseline functionality including multiple blogs, wikis, discussions, and aggregated group views of blogs.
Original Press Release:
iUpload Introduces Flagship Customer Conversation System
New Release Delivers Major Enhancements, Including iUpload Express, Which Streamlines the Deployment of Corporate-Wide Blog Initiatives
BURLINGTON, Ontario, Jan. 31 -- iUpload today announced the general availability of the iUpload Customer Conversation System, the industry's first integrated platform for managing content developed by a diverse set of audiences. The release also marks the introduction of iUpload Express, a package based on industry best practices that offers a low-risk, cost-effective way for companies of all sizes to quickly roll out blogging initiatives that meet their specific needs. Wiki capabilities have also been added to the system, creating a powerful environment for collaboration when combined with iUpload's community and aggregation capabilities.
In use by more than 50 companies across a range of industries, the iUpload Customer Conversation System combines blogs and related social media technologies with enterprise-class management tools to deliver a platform that improves internal and external communications, drives operational efficiencies and creates new sales and marketing channels. iUpload's system combines a comprehensive set of blogging, wiki and content management tools with the IT management capabilities required for enterprise deployment, such as security, workflow, regulatory compliance and integration with existing enterprise applications and other third-party solutions.
In October 2005, iUpload and market research firm Guidewire Group conducted an industry survey that shed light on the state of blogging in the enterprise. The survey revealed that corporations are increasingly adopting blogs for both internal and external communications in order to improve relations with customers as well as overall business processes. Among those surveyed, 89% of respondents indicated that they are either blogging now or are planning to blog in the future. Despite the growth of blogging in the corporate environment, companies continue to struggle to develop a strategic plan for implementing, managing and getting maximum value from their blog initiatives.
"One of the biggest things we've learned from our large customer base, which includes global leaders such as McDonald's and The New York Times Co., is that there is really no limit to how you can use blogs in the enterprise," said Robin Hopper, CEO of iUpload. "From building community and improving communications to rapidly responding to sales and marketing challenges, blogs have emerged as an effective tool to address strategic business challenges. With the iUpload Customer Conversation System we've integrated a range of end user and backend management capabilities with implementation services to provide a one-stop shop for successful blog initiatives."
Cannondale Bicycle Corp., the leading manufacturer of high-end bicycles, has been working with iUpload for the past year on a variety of blog initiatives. Cannondale was looking for new ways to engage more directly and interactively with its customers to strengthen the company's brand and help drive sales. After evaluating a number of different options and technologies, the company turned to iUpload to make it happen.
"In today's world of heightened customer involvement and interaction, the conversation about our company and products is going to happen with or without us, so it's really important that we participate in an ongoing and direct conversation with our customers and be viewed as a hub for all things biking," said Janet Maurice, who heads up Cannondale's web operations. "In taking advantage of this new social media and facilitating community through iUpload's solution, we not only creatively build our brand and new products based on customer input, but perhaps more importantly, we are able to promote cycling as a lifestyle choice to the masses and get people excited about riding."
New capabilities in the iUpload Customer Conversation System include:
iUpload Express: The Industry's First Blogging Implementation Roadmap
iUpload Express delivers the market's first turnkey approach to launching a successful enterprise blogging initiative, combining solutions and implementation services, and providing companies a low-risk way to evaluate blogging technologies. iUpload Express delivers the baseline functionality of the iUpload Customer Conversation System, including multiple blogs, wikis, discussions, aggregated group views of blogs, visitor submissions and sets the stage for long-term success.
Wiki Capabilities
Wiki capabilities have been added and extend all the way down to an individual blog post level, transforming one way blog entries into environments that encourage broad collaboration. Not only can information be presented in a more traditional wiki format, but any blog post can be edited by visitors. The platform's permissioning features have also been extended to wikis providing editorial control over who should be allowed to create new or edit existing wikis.
Out-of-the-Box CRM Integration
iUpload is the first enterprise blogging solution to provide out-of-the-box integration and support for leading CRM systems to leverage blogs, wikis and content management tools to improve sales processes. To date, iUpload has announced integration with salesforce.com and NetSuite.
Discussion Forums
New threaded comments and discussion forum capabilities enable new views of blog posts or aggregated posts, enabling customers to create discussion forums automatically with a single platform.
Definable Feature Set
The iUpload Customer Conversation System is completely customizable, allowing customers to control a range of functionality, from the specific features offered to the look and feel of the blog environment.
New Editorial Approval and Advanced Aggregation
Enables customers to liberate user-generated content for re-use on other web properties automatically and put submissions through a customizable approval process complete with editorial capabilities to ensure the quality of any repurposed content.
Engage and Manage External Blogs and Web Feeds
External blogs and web feeds can be drawn into the community to provide even broader content with the same editorial control and permissioning.
Security
A very granular security model allows each visitor and blogger to have different levels of permissions defining who can view, contribute and publish information at the category level.
Compliance Reporting
Supporting the need for accountability -- particularly for public companies -- the iUpload Customer Conversation System includes full versioning and compliance reporting. This allows customers to know and report what was on any blog at any given time including posts, images, attachment, and comments.
Availability
The iUpload Customer Conversation System is available immediately. Interested organizations should contact iUpload at sales@iupload.com.
About iUpload
iUpload enables Internet-based business communities for the purpose of improving communications, enhancing customer relationships, driving sales leads and gathering marketing data. The iUpload Customer Conversation System helps customers achieve operational efficiencies and create new sales and marketing channels. Current iUpload customers are leaders across a range of industries, from publishing and entertainment to finance and retail, and include McDonald's, Knight Ridder, Cannondale Bicycle Corp., Stillwater National Bank, The New York Times Co., and Trump University. Privately held and founded in 1998, iUpload is based in Burlington, Ontario. For more information visit www.iupload.com/ .
