The SSPA Announces ADP, Cisco, HP Consumer Service and Support, Quantum Corporation, Symantec, and Ultimate Software Are Winners of STAR Awards for Best Practices

HP Consumer Service and Support Inducted into Hall of Fame

(San Diego, CA — Tuesday, April 11, 2006) – The Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA), the largest and most influential association for technology services and support professionals, today announced ADP, Cisco, HP Consumer Service and Support, Quantum Corporation, Symantec, and Ultimate Software are the recipients of 2006 SSPA STAR Award for Best Practices. The SSPA STAR Awards for Best Practices recognize companies for developing, implementing and benchmarking the most innovative and efficient processes for service and support delivery in seven unique categories.

The SSPA also inducts HP Consumer Service and Support into its Hall of Fame. This special recognition is awarded to companies that have won five SSPA STAR Awards since the program inception in 1989. All winners were honored during a luncheon and awards ceremony Tuesday, April 11, at the SSPA Conference in San Diego.

“This year included an outstanding collection of best practices applicants, creating a remarkable competition. The innovative processes’ being utilized within service and support organizations across the board continues to advance their capacity to deliver world-class customer service,” said Bill Rose, SSPA Founder and Executive Director. “The quality of applications undeniably amplified the level of challenge in critiquing them.”

The 2006 STAR Award for Best Practices winners by category are:

CUSTOMER SUCCESS – Cisco
In a new category introduced this year, Cisco has been awarded for showing exemplary measures toward integrating programs and processes to make their customers successful.

GROWING THE BUSINESS – HP Consumer Service and Support
This award was presented to HP Consumer Service and Support for utilizing best practices in detecting customer needs for additional services, recognizing sales opportunities, defining new product features, and strengthening customer relationships.

LEVERAGING CUSTOMER FEEDBACK – Symantec
Symantec demonstrated the best use of customer feedback throughout the support and product development processes. Key performance metrics include: capturing and communicating customer feedback throughout the organization, efficient escalation processes, and customer advocacy.

MANAGING PEOPLE – Ultimate Software
Ultimate Software has been selected for demonstrating innovative best practices that resulted in high employee satisfaction and low attrition rates, among other key metrics.

OUTSOURCING – Quantum Corporation
This award was presented to Quantum Corporation for developing and utilizing best practices in outsourcing part or all of their support operations, thus bringing the most benefit to their customers and shareholders.

SELF-SERVICE – HP Consumer Service and Support
HP Consumer Service and Support won this award as their best practice resulted in the most improvement in customer self-service use, success rates and various other areas including case/call reduction, customer satisfaction, etc.

SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY – ADP
ADP Dealer Services won for their support technology selection deployment and integration with other applications, including those in other parts of the organization.

HALL OF FAME AWARD – HP Consumer Service and Support
The SSPA Hall of Fame is a Lifetime Achievement that has been reached by only ten companies in the award’s history.

The STAR Awards for Best Practices recognize companies that have developed, implemented, and benchmarked the most innovative and efficient processes for service and support delivery. Companies seeking this award must pass through a rigorous review by a select industry committee, providing specific baseline data, a detailed description of the process, performance metrics, returns and benefits, and other information about what makes their best practice unique.

To learn more about the Service and Support Professionals Association and the SSPA STAR Awards for Best Practices, contact:

Diane Brundage, SVP Marketing & Volume Operations
SSPA
(408) 354-7136
dbrundage@thesspa.com

About the SSPA
The Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA) is the leading advisory, community and education trade group for the global tech support industry. SSPA’s core constituents are the executives and managers responsible for service and support operations, and overall customer relations, at the world's leading technology companies. SSPA provides (1) research and expert analysis of emerging business issues, (2) conferences, professional development, and other curricula promoting industry best practices, (3) rigorous certification and awards programs that identify and celebrate exceptional customer service, and (4) active advocacy in the business and IT press on issues important to service & support providers