Siebel taps wireless trend with new suite
Throwing its hat into the wireless ring, the firm announces a series of applications geared for sales and service personnel.
Siebel, which makes customer relationship management (CRM) software that automates a company's sales, marketing and call-center needs, said its Siebel Wireless suite will help employees monitor and update sales leads and order information on a handheld device. The new software also allows employees access to the Web over a mobile device.
Siebel isn't the first company to tap the growing wireless market to expand its services offerings. Siebel competitors Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft, Pivotal and Clarify have all started to deliver their own business applications via wireless devices.
Oracle recently unveiled its new Portal-to-Go software that allows users to access the Internet from a wide range of handheld devices. Yesterday, the longtime Siebel rival launched a new company called OracleMobile.com. The firm plans to modify Internet content to work with wireless devices such as cell phones. Oracle is shipping its first complete Web-based CRM suite this year, which can also be accessed by using wireless devices.
Siebel's new software also will allow consumers as well as companies to order products or services and track the progress of an order over the Net. Employees on the road will be able to update and review account information, access calendars and contracts, or order products through mobile devices, the company said in a statement.
Siebel also announced a partnership with Big Five consulting firm Andersen Consulting for its new wireless application suite.
The company plans to make the new software package available to customers this spring. Pricing was not disclosed.