STEP 9/SPSS TO DELIVER TELCOM'S A REAL-TIME SOLUTION

Step 9 Software Corporation and SPSS Inc announced a strategic partnership to integrate SPSS analytic technologies into Step 9's iCustomer, an expanded and intelligent Order Entry/Order Management application that improves service provider's business operations through intelligent management of the customer lifecycle. The joint solution will give service provider executives the ability to measure performance in key areas, such as service provisioning, product profitability, and overall customer churn, and generate up-to-the-minute business intelligence.

"As competition in the carrier market intensifies, it is important for service providers to better understand their operational processes and their customers," said David Hawley, an analyst with the Yankee Group's telecom e-business practice. "Analytical tools that create business intelligence are rapidly becoming part of the operations support system infrastructure needed for today's service providers to remain competitive."

Under the agreement, SPSS will develop a customized version of its advanced analytical CRM solution, CustomerCentric, that will be integrated with iCustomer. The resulting solution, Step 9's ENTERPRISE IQ, will feature powerful analytics and comparative performance measurements that turn service providers' operational support system (OSS) data into knowledge for a competitive advantage.

"We are very excited about our partnership with SPSS," said Mark Merrick, chief executive officer and president of Step 9. "By enhancing iCustomer with SPSS' analytical solution, Step 9 is adding a new dimension to the service provider's front office. The result is an intelligent OSS that will not only manage customer orders and trouble tickets, but also provide insight into the carrier's complete business operation."

"Our partners are key to our success," said David Blyer, SPSS vice president. "Therefore, we enable our partners to be more successful by providing them with leading analytical solutions that result in strategic competitive advantages for them and increased value to their customers. By incorporating our analytic solution into its order management application, Step 9 will enable its customers to access key operational data to monitor performance, identify opportunities and retain customers."

Using ENTERPRISE IQ, service provider executives will have the ability to measure the performance of various parts of their business with the click of a mouse and make faster, better decisions. Without leaving the iCustomer interface, they can perform analytical queries on data from multiple operational support systems, such as an order entry, billing or network inventory system. ENTERPRISE IQ will translate the data into up-to-the-minute key performance indicators, such as customer churn or product profitability, that match the needs of key decision makers and span multiple business and OSS dimensions.

ENTERPRISE IQ will also provide the capabilities for geographical, exception, ranking, cause-and-effect and comparative analysis. For example, with comparative analysis, an organization can easily compare its current performance against previous results, benchmarks or goals to determine where delays occurred and where improvements can be made. In addition, with geographical analysis, service providers can customize ENTERPRISE IQ to report information in map-based views. Trouble tickets, for example, can viewed by type of problem and by region, state or city.

About CustomerCentric

CustomerCentric is SPSS' industry-specific analytical CRM solution. Based on proven technology and a business-driven methodology, CustomerCentric transforms operational data into timely, accurate, and actionable information that enables organizations to drive more profitable customer relationships.

CustomerCentric gives organizations an end-to-end customer intelligence system for more effective and proactive decisions at every point of customer contact. Data-derived scores are delivered to operational CRM systems to drive personalized content delivery. In addition, CustomerCentric enables companies to deploy customer insight to managers and executives so that they can make informed, data-driven decisions.

CustomerCentric is a customizable solution that includes a series of pre-built, industry-specific models, reports and key performance indicators. SPSS analytical CRM expertise allows users to quickly begin working with their customer data. The SPSS consulting team works closely with business managers, analysts and information technology professionals to help companies use CustomerCentric in ways that are most useful for achieving business objectives.

About SPSS Inc

SPSS Inc enables organizations to develop more profitable customer relationships by providing analytical solutions that discover what customers want and predict what they will do. SPSS analytical solutions integrate and analyze market, customer and operational data in key vertical markets worldwide including: telecommunications, health care, banking, finance, insurance, manufacturing, retail, consumer packaged goods, market research and the public sector.

Headquartered in Chicago, SPSS has more than 40 offices worldwide, over 900 employees and 1999 revenues of $142 million. The company also has won the following awards: No. 77 on Forbes 2000 list of the "200 best small companies" and as the 22nd most profitable company on the Nasdaq exchange by Equities magazine; 1999 World Class Solution award in business intelligence and named "best decision support system for business intelligence" in the 1999 RealWare award competition; No. 12 on the 2000 DM Review 100; placed No. 16 on the 2000 Softletter 100, a ranking of the top 100 personal computer software companies in the United States; and No. 115 in the 2000 Software 500, a ranking of the world's largest software vendors by Software Magazine; listed on Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers for 2000. For more information, visit www.spss.com.

About Step 9 Software Corporation

Step 9 Software Corporation, a privately held company based in Fairfax, Va., creates a business advantage that enhances service providers' operations through an expanded and intelligent Order Entry/Order Management solution that tracks customers every step of the way. Driven by a customizable workflow engine, Step 9's iCustomer product suite intelligently manages customers, orders, and internal operations and delivers business intelligence capabilities. Step 9's iOSS partnership program provides a speed-to-market advantage by using cartridges that link iCustomer to other OSS applications, such as network inventory, billing, and LEC gateway. For more information, visit www.step9.com.

Contact SPSS, Susan Kalell, 800-525-4980, pr@spss.com.