MarketFirst Software Inc is the latest marketing software automation company to announce closer links with related front- office sales force automation packages and following Rubric Inc’s integration deal with Vantive Corp (CI No 3,625), MarketFirst has joined forces with Clarify Inc.
Clarify is using MarketFirst’s eMarketing software for its internal marketing, and will integrate it with the recently announced Clarify eFrontOffice sales and call center products. The combination is intended to create a customer interaction and relationship management product that starts at initial marketing and ranges through to prospect management and customer service. According to MarketFirst, sales force automation packages have been traditionally inward facing, whereas marketing automation is customer focused. The deal includes joint selling and joint marketing.
MarketFirst says it also has an integration deal with Vantive through Newton, Massachusetts-based consultant, Renaissance Worldwide Inc, but hasn’t got a corporate deal. It claims good relationships with Clarify, Vantive and Siebel Systems Inc. It also partners with other marketing software firms such as marketing analytics firm Epiphany Inc and campaign management software house, Prime Response Inc. Direct competitors are Rubric and Annuncio Software Inc.
Version 2.0 of MarketFirst is now in the early beta testing phase, with the full beta phase due to begin within a month. General availability is expected in the second quarter of the year. The new version includes extensions to the user interface and fax integration, as well as a new set of application programming interfaces for integration work. The exact level of integration with Clarify is still being negotiated. There are three options: simple email links between marketing and sales, data bridge integration and application level integration. MarketFirst says that it is exploring API-level integration with Clarify and its partners, Renaissance and Ernst & Young.
Siebel Systems says that – contrary to our recent article – it already has marketing software in the shape of its Marketing Enterprise package, which includes a pre-built datamart and online analytical processing server. It includes campaign management and marketing communications support. This is something we prefer to do in-house, a company spokesperson said.
