PRESS RELEASES

VANCOUVER, BC – August 29, 2013 - HootSuite, makers of the most widely adopted social relationship platform, has expanded its App Directory with the addition of SugarCRM, the company that makes every user a customer expert. SugarCRM, the customer relationship management tool who recently received $40 million in private equity funding from Goldman Sachs, helps organizations by increasing efficiency and control of the sales and customer service pipeline. SugarCRM joins HootSuite’s existing enterprise-focused apps such as Salesforce and Yammer, to help companies manage social marketing, social customer service, and social selling and is available immediately to HootSuite’s seven million users; and is free for all HootSuite Enterprise clients.

Using the app, sales and customer support users can quickly create SugarCRM Leads and Cases based on unique social media messages, then assign and share them with their appropriate teams for quick action and follow up. In doing so, teams can enrich their SugarCRM database with social insight for Lead Generation and Case Creation in the following ways:

• Sales Teams: Users who engage in social selling and lead generation can quickly identify and create Leads with SugarCRM, based on a social media profiles found within social channels in their HootSuite dashboard. As a result, teams will generate larger quantities of leads and expand traditional sales channels by tapping into opportunities they discover on social. Leads are warmer and of higher-quality since they’re based on real-time insights and conversations with prospects.

• Customer Service Teams: Users who engage in social service, including help desks, call centers, and social media communities, can quickly create Cases in SugarCRM from social media messages found on social channels in their HootSuite dashboard. Cases can then be shared with the entire customer service team in SugarCRM. Teams can increase customer satisfaction levels because they can quickly address and resolve customer complaints they discover on social.

“Social media is fast-becoming a major asset for customer-facing teams across entire organizations, from sales to customer support. Businesses are really starting to see the benefits of using social media to enhance customer engagement and reap the benefits of social selling,” says Gregory Gunn, Vice President of Business Development at HootSuite. “So I’m thrilled to introduce SugarCRM to the HootSuite App Directory. This new integration allows business teams to better follow up with social media leads, nurture relationships in real-time, and close deals easier than ever before.”

“Sugar aims to give organizations the tools they need to provide the best possible experience to each and every customer, in every interaction they make. The difference between acquiring and retaining a customer and losing them lies in knowing each one inside and out,” says Chuck Coulson, Vice President of Business Development at SugarCRM. “We’re excited for this integration with HootSuite, and the ways it will help sales and customer support staff – with Sugar they can deliver a better customer experience and develop long-term loyalty within the HootSuite dashboard.”

HootSuite’s growing App Directory, which includes an arsenal of over 60 Free and Premium apps, is built for the needs of HootSuite’s global Enterprise users including PepsiCo, HBO, Virgin, Sony Music, and 744 of the Fortune 1000 companies. The apps provide them with top-tier tools that simplify workflow and increase productivity as they integrate social into all facets of their business. The SugarCRM app was developed by InsightfulCRM, a SugarCRM preferred partner, who helps organizations better engage with clients through customer-centric strategies for lead generation, loyalty, experience, and sales processes. Visit the App Directory now to install the new SugarCRM Premium App today.

More information:

• Blog Post: http://blog.hootsuite.com/sugarcrm-app-integration

• HootSuite App Directory: https://hootsuite.com/app-directory

• HootSuite Enterprise: http://hootsuite.com/plans/enterprise

• Media Kit:http://media.hootsuite.com/media-kit

About SugarCRM

SugarCRM delivers an integrated solution that empowers every user who interacts with customers to better understand and engage their customer, so every connection drives value. SugarCRM’s market-leading open Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform delivers the agility, flexibility, and security required to equip each customer facing professional with the information and tools they need to know their customers better, do their job better, and deliver a consistent, superior customer experience across the organization, every time. SugarCRM applications have been downloaded more than 12 million times and currently help over 1.2M end users across disciplines effectively engage their customers. Over 6,500 organizations have chosen SugarCRM’s On-Site and Cloud Computing services over proprietary alternatives. SugarCRM has been recognized for its customer success and product innovation by CRM Magazine, InfoWorld and Customer Interaction Solutions. For more information, visit http://www.sugarcrm.com.

About Insightful

InsightfulCRM provides services and technology to help organisations better engage with current and future customers.  With a customer-centric approach, InsightfulCRM works to improve outcomes in the areas of lead generation, sales, service, customer experience and loyalty. InsightfulCRM is a HootSuite and SugarCRM partner with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, visit http://www.insightful.com.au.