Oracle releases latest version of Siebel CRM

Here at Extraprise, we're excited to share the news that Oracle has recently released the latest version of Siebel CRM, version 8.1.1. Here's what the online version of B2B Magazine has to say about it:

"Oracle has launched the newest version of its Siebel customer relationship management system for lead nurturing and customer loyalty management. Aimed at the communications and public sectors, the newest version provides industry-specific customer self-service, enhanced use of multichannel applications with Siebel Chat, and comprehensive search capability. Its Siebel Loyalty feature enables clients to offer membership enrollment and management, including loyalty points accrual and redemption, member services, partner management and promotion management. The company said Siebel CRM 8.1.1 provides cost-savings through its use of open-standards technology. " —Christopher Hosford

Simultaneously, Oracle announced a number of Social CRM offerings that support desktop and portal based access to Siebel information "mashed up" with social network information such as LinkedIn and Facebook.This release, represent almost 30 person years of engineering and has significant enhancements in all areas of the product including:

• Fusion Middleware-based updates to Siebel Self-Service, including Siebel eSupport and Siebel eCommerce;
• Vertical-specific self-service applications for communications and public sector organizations; Improved multichannel capabilities with deeper search and better use of Siebel Chat;
• New customer loyalty features in Siebel Loyalty including loyalty points accrual and redemption, member services, partner management and promotion management;
• New features in Siebel Marketing for strategy and planning, multichannel response, and lead management; and
• Extended sales forecasting capabilities for cross-functional teams, deal registration capability, and an enhanced user interface for Siebel Sales.

Particularly germane to Extraprise were major announcements around the 8.1.1 Marketing module. New features in Siebel Marketing provide a closed-loop solution that provides the marketing organization actionable insights by automating processes across the marketing function, from strategy and planning to multi-channel response and lead management execution. Related to marketing, and part of a major push by Oracle, is the evolution of their Loyalty platform as a "fourth pillar" regarding CRM (the first three are sales, marketing, and support). Within the loyalty offering are means of increasing the value of interactions on a 360 degree basis. You can view an in depth webinar on the release and its significance presented by Anthony Lye, VP of Oracle CRM. Below is a screen capture from the presentation focusing on some the differentiators associated with Siebel Marketing.

As might be expected, the webinar touched on the current economic conditions, positioning it as an opportunity to introduce fundamental, transformational change within organizations. There was also a focus on ROI, accelerated payback periods, and major TCO improvements facilitated by the 8.1.1. release.

The discussion about Social CRM focused on the changes in the marketplace and the ineffectiveness of disruptive marketing and a transition to engagement and support for all types of new commerce (and commerce facilitating) models like C2C interactions fostered by sites like Facebook and C2B interactions where people are speaking directly to the companies that serve them.