Best-in-Class Companies Experience 6.5x Average Customer Operations Performance Improvements Versus Competitors -- Do You?

Best-in-Class Achieved an Average 13% Overall Annual Improvement in Customer Satisfaction, Customer Issue Resolution Speed, and Customer Issue Resolution Accuracy


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - April 7, 2009) - In today's economic climate, organizations are being pushed to deliver results despite budget constraints and economic conditions. The latest benchmark research report, "Operational Business Intelligence," announced by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), found that eighty-two percent (82%) of respondents are cutting budgets to some degree as a result of the recession. In light of the economic downturn, organizations are attempting to increase customer loyalty, and in so doing, reduce customer churn and defections at a time when the customer relationship may be the only source of revenue that can be counted on. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5392.

The report reveals the operational business intelligence capabilities that top performing companies are acquiring to increase internal awareness and focus on operational processes and performance. Aberdeen's research further found:

    
--  Best-in-Class performers are 84% more likely to utilize operational
    forecast tools as part of their sales and customer-facing management
    process
    
--  Best-in-Class companies are 79% more likely to enable access to and
    analysis of operational data within an hour or less of business activity
    taking place
    

"This is an age of urgency," says David Hatch, VP and Group Director, Aberdeen. "While traditional Business Intelligence (BI) solutions continue to address the strategic information needs of decision makers with analysis of historical data and period-based trending, organizations are realizing the potential of applying BI technology and approaches to more immediate information needs."

A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part to the following underwriters: Dimensional Insight, Genesys, and Infor.

For complimentary access to Information Technology Research, including Business Intelligence, please visit http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/-information-technology.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

© 2009 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com

Contact Information: Media Contact: David Hatch Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5329 david.hatch@aberdeen.com