On Demand PR

Previous Clients
The companies shown here are those On Demand PR has worked with in the private sector. For all local government National Project assignments please visit the Government section of this web site, and visit Special Projects for all of the conference, exhibition and gala dinner events that we have provided Event Management representation.
• Interactive Intelligence – IP-based multi-channel platform (PR capacity)
• SCALA – Performance and Leadership Management (Market Research capacity)
• Minerva – Culture Change Management – November 2002 to November 2004
• Optimis – Workforce Management – October 2003 – March 2004
• Blue Pumpkin – Workforce Management – January 1999 to September 2002
• CRM Industry Awards – January 2001 to May 2004
• National Outsourcing Association (NOA) – June 1997 to November 2003
• Lagan – CRM software – April 2002 to May 2003
• MJF & Redd Projects – Interior Design – June 2002 to August 2003
• CosmoCom – IP-based platform – May 2002 to February 2003
• Interdec – Interior Design – March 1999 to September 2002
• Apropos – Multi-channel software – March 1998 to May 2002
• ServiceWare – Knowledge Management – April 1999 to November 2000
• Call Centre Management Association (CCMA) – July 1995 to February 2000
• Assoc.of Computer telephone Integration Users and Suppliers (ACTIUS) – April 1993 to February 1996

Clients during the period of 1993 to 1998

• royalblue – Call Centre and HelpDesk Divisions – June 1996 to February 1998
• Applied Voice Technology – Unified Messaging – April 1995 to November 1996
• Careline Services – Telemarketing Bureau – June 1995 to December 1995
• Envoy Systems – Computer Telephony Integration – January 1993 to June 1996

On Demand PR role: PR Management – with a focus on editorial opportunities and writing case studies.

Interactive Intelligence Inc. (Nasdaq: ININ) offers business communications innovation, experience and value with software solutions for enterprise IP telephony, contact centre automation, customer self-service, and unified communications and messaging.

Interactive Intelligence employs approximately 350 people and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. The company has 12 offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The European corporate office is located in Uxbridge, England, and serves more than 250 customers throughout EMEA.
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On Demand PR role: Market Research – with a focus on conducting a market research campaign into the subject of Assessment/Development Programmes and Competency Frameworks.

The Scala Group specialises in improving the performance of organisations by developing Leaders, Teams and Individuals from when they join, to the time they move on to their next career opportunity.

The principals of the Scala Group are specialists in different aspects of this and work closely together to deliver services to organisations across all these areas.

What is a Competency Framework? A competency framework is a method by which management can identify the key skills, areas of knowledge, values, and other behaviours that make for successful performance.

What is an Assessment/Development Centre? This is a ‘virtual’ centre maybe made up of one/two people or uses external sources. It is a programme following on from the competency framework and is more of a psychological model. People assessed will go through a series of interviews, role play, observed, profiled and given a rating. This may be used when being considered for promotion.
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On Demand PR role: PR and Marketing
Duration of Assignment: November 2002 to November 2004

Culture Change Management - To encourage a whole group of people to be working to the same goal, requires a complete mind set change of behaviour and attitude and that's Minerva's speciality.

Minerva is one of the UK’s leading Culture Change Management consultancies with over 20 years’ experience in helping organisations to find, win, retain and grow their customers. Minerva’s work tackles the ‘people’ issues cited as the cause of many change or CRM programmes failing to achieve their full potential. All CCM programmes are measured by results and this is reflected by Minerva practising shared risk and reward contracting where possible.

With high profile clients such as: Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, BT Retail, Agfa-Gevaert, Tesco Personal Finance, Getty Images, Coca-Cola Enterprises and Norwich Union.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: October 2003 to March 2004

In June 2003 the UK management team of Blue Pumpkin, headed by CEO Julian Harper, acquired Blue Pumpkin UK from Blue Pumpkin Software Inc. (BPSI) and launched the new organisation – Optimis Limited.

It was set up to develop identified key value-added solutions that Blue Pumpkin customers were willing to purchase as a complete package of services and products alongside the existing range.

During the time On Demand PR represented the newly formed organisation it was run as a separate company, and continuing to resell Blue Pumpkin products as Blue Pumpkin Software (UK) Limited (BPUK).

The operation was purchased by Witness Systems in 2005.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: January 1999 to September 2002

Blue Pumpkin 'Director-Enterprise' is a Workforce Optimisation software application for call centre managers to schedule staff, forecast ‘what-if’ scenarios and the Web-based self service model empowers agents’ access to shifts, vacations and breaks via their desktop Web-browser.

On Demand PR worked with Blue Pumpkin from January 1999 to September 2002, during which time the company grew from 5 people in Regus office in Heathrow to 45 people with their own offices in Camberley. In the late 90's when Workforce Management software was just starting to emerge in the UK and we were part of the five man team, On Demand PR was responsible for more than just press relations, and one of the most rewarding initiatives at that time was to carefully craft award nominations and go out to win! We didn't do too bad either... take a look…

In September 1999 at Voice Europe, Blue Pumpkin won 'Best Call Centre Solution', and two months later at the Irish Contact Centre Awards they scooped 'Best New Product 1999'. In May 2000 Blue Pumpkin was voted the 'Most Innovative Call Centre/CRM Product of the Year' Award at Call Centre Solutions show and in September 2000 at Call Centre Expo Blue Pumpkin won 'Best of Show Award'.

Blue Pumpkin sought a new direction for the company in September 2002 and took an 8 month break from the services of On Demand PR. When they decided to re-launch the company with a new name - Optimis Group - we were delighted that they chose to work with On Demand PR again. It was if they had never been away!
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On Demand PR role: PR for the event
Duration of Assignment: January 2001 to May 2004

Through many years On Demand PR’s working relationship with Wilson Publications, the publishers of CRM Magazine and Customer Service News asked us if we would be willing to dedicate some time to providing PR services to the first ever CRM Industry Awards.

The fourth, and last annual CRM Industry Awards were held on Tuesday 27th April 2004 at the Carlton Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge London. The Duchess of York, founder and life president of the charity Children in Crisis presented the Awards at the gala dinner for the UK’s only CRM Industry Awards that recognise and encourage achievement in the field of Customer Relationship Management.

On Demand PR has always given its time for free to publicise the CRM Industry Awards and in 2004 we went one step further and accompanied 10 people to Trek the Conquerors Route in Mexico from 28th May to 6th June. This involved walking 150 miles over 10 days, and climbing mountains to the highest peak of 4,300 metres (13,300 feet). We raised money for Children in Crisis and when we closed the web site in July we exceeded our target and raised over £3200 (including cash and cheques) - please visit this link to see the wonderful encouragement from friends and clients that helped to reach that figure: www.justgiving.com/julesinmexico

For more information on Children in Crisis contact: Rachel Virden rachelv@childrenincrisis.org.uk
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On Demand PR role: PR, Marketing, Event Management, Editor/Publisher, Web Content
Duration of Assignment: June 1997 to November 2003

National Outsourcing Association - The Association for Effective Business Outsourcing, was re-launched in February 2002. The NOA’s role primarily began in 1994 with the network outsourcing industry and has evolved to support every type of business technology outsourcing issue, whether the company is involved in e-business, benchmarking or SLA (Service Level Agreements), the NOA helps businesses to understand the dynamics of the outsourcing industry.

In April 2002, instigated by On Demand PR, the NOA launched its first special interest group for Outsourced Contact Centres and the UK's largest outsourced contact centre company Vertex were the founder members.

For the period of June 1997 to November 2003, On Demand PR's role involved arranging monthly member seminars; PR; Editor and Publisher of the quarterly magazine 'The Business Outsourcer'; sourcing sponsorship for events; arranging for member to present at external conferences and controlling the web site content.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: April 2002 to May 2003

Lagan’s Citizen Relationship Management - FrontLine™ is a product that allows organisations to communicate effectively with their citizens or customers through telephone and face to face, via any electronic channels and in any supported language (including complex languages such as Arabic, Korean and Mandarin).

Based in Belfast, Lagan was established in 1994 and delivers CRM solutions, principally to the Government and Communications sectors. Lagan won the Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 Awards 2001 and the Industrial Research & Technology Unit /PriceWaterhouseCoopers – Innovation in Business Awards 2001. Customers include; Birmingham City Council, Newcastle City Council and Bristol City Council.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: June 2002 to August 2003

In business since 1979 in the churn management, storage and data management and outsourcing facilities management market sectors. Companies looking to resize or relocate their contact centres or offices or those requiring on-going outsourced FM have been customers for many years. A sample of customers include: Thames Water Property, British Airways and GSK.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: June 2002 to August 2003

Sister company to MJF, Interior Design specialists, Redd Projects design and build call centres and offices throughout the UK. Case studies available - New Deal Skates (Retail) and Thales (Government Defence).
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On Demand PR role: PR and Marketing Management
Duration of Assignment: May 2002 to February 2003

CosmoCall Universe is a software application that enables a universal queuing engine to process all types of multi-channel communications over a single IP-based platform to end users and ASPs.

CosmoCom, develops and supports a new generation of call centre platforms. CosmoCall Universe™, is a pure IP core product connecting eBusinesses and their customers in multi-channel sessions via the Internet and telephone, also managing e-mail and voice messages, all in a single unified platform.

A US company, the flagship product CosmoCall Universe was 18 months ahead of its nearest UK competitor and is the world's leading provider of IP contact centre platforms. Both BT and Cable & Wireless have incorporated CosmoCall Universe in their packaged contact centre offerings.
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On Demand PR role: PR Management
Duration of Assignment: March 1999 to September 2002

interdec design and build call centres and offices throughout Europe. Offering a fully integrated service for relocation, start-up, refurbishment or re-organisation projects.

In 1999 interdec working spaces had an impressive client list in the interior design for corporate headquarters and offices market, but unknown in the call centre industry.

On Demand PR contributed to their success in achieving their objective of launching into the call centre sector and winning major interior design accounts. In addition to the press relations, marketing, exhibition stand design, we did it through...yep, you've guessed it - through awards.

There has only been one show in the call centre industry that has an award for Best Call Centre Design and that's CMP's event - Call Centre Expo. On Demand PR's contribution was fundamental in interdec's award nominations for both 2001 and 2002, from initial draft through to approvals process with interdec's customers. In 2001 interdec's customer NFU Mutual Direct in Glasgow won Best Call Centre Design and in 2002 the award was given to interdec's customer BSkyB.
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On Demand PR role: PR, Marketing, Event Management
Duration of Assignment: March 1998 to May 2002

Launched in 1997 Apropos is a software application to blend Web, email, voice and fax interactions in one single agent queue enabling a consistent level of customer service.

One integrated system provides fully integrated multimedia capabilities that enable contact centre agents to effectively manage all types of customer interactions—email, Web chat and callback, fax and voice—in a single multimedia queue.

Apropos Technology is headquartered in Illinois, USA with offices in Buckinghamshire UK and has more than 250 clients worldwide.
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On Demand PR role: PR, Marketing and Event Management
Duration of Assignment: April 1999 to November 2000

ServiceWare, Inc., founded in 1991, was one of the fastest-growing provider of eService solutions. ServiceWare delivers a comprehensive, integrated family of eService solutions that enable organisations to easily provide customers with fast, accurate answers to inquiries across all touch points – Web, phone, fax or in-person. Based on ServiceWare’s robust knowledge base, eService Suite enables customers to build the best service destinations for eBusiness.
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On Demand PR role: PR, Marketing, Event Management, Publisher
Duration of Assignment: July 1995 to February 2000

The Call Centre Management Association (CCMA) was formed in May 1995 to give an identity to the profession of Call Centre Management and to seek national recognition of this industry. The membership is available to users only across all market categories.

Throughout the five years that On Demand represented the CCMA we were responsible for launching the association, publishing and sponsorship of the quarterly publication Plugged In, all of the annual gala award dinners, press relations and targeting for increased membership.
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On Demand PR role: PR, Marketing, Event Management, Publisher
Duration of Assignment: April 1993 to February 1996

Association of Computer Telephone Integration Users and Suppliers (ACTIUS) was formed in 1993. The objective of the association was to provide a forum for discussion, education and help for both users and suppliers of CTI products and systems. At the highest point of its five year formation ACTIUS had 250 members mostly based in the UK with 10% in Europe, North & South America, South Africa and Australasia. In addition to the two annual seminars, ACTIUS members also received a comprehensive manual of all of its members’ details and a CTI Glossary of Terms.

On Demand PR were responsible for launching ACTIUS in 1993 and during our three year assignment project managed events, sourced sponsorship and increased membership.
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The following PR, Marketing and Event management assignments in this section were held during 1993 to 1998. These organisations no longer exist in the context they have written about below, however at the time they were considered leaders in their specialised sectors.

We have not amended the text, but placed them here so that you can see the organisations that On Demand PR represented in the early 90’s.

royalblue – formerly known as Intercom Data Systems – June 1996 to February 1998

royalblue - Call Centre division specialises in customer service systems for CTI enabled Call Centres. The latest version of its ROSTRVM product portfolio, will be launched at Voice Europe 97. Key to this is the release of ROSTRVM on Windows NT4, including support for ActiveX, Microsoft’s Component Object Model and Java. In addition ROSTRVM provides comprehensive native support for client platforms including Windows 3.X, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2 and Unix. Its extended product functionality makes ROSTRVM 3 the most complete product family available for large call centre environments. ROSTRVM provides interfaces to telephony devices, offers full integration facilities; has over 300 customers and has sold in excess of 7,500 Call Centre seats which converts to over 25% of the CTI software market. Clients include: Abbey National, Littlewoods Lotteries, Legal and General, BT Syntegra, RAC and Seeboard.

royalblue - Customer Interaction Software Division has developed HelpDesk for Windows. A fully-featured, highly customisable, support management system which has been designed to provide the most easy to use, and powerful environment for implementing any global support operation, and was show cased at the Microsoft Global Xtreme 97 Summit in Orlando. Since its launch in June 1994 it has sold over 7,000 licences (the fastest selling CIS in the UK) and it’s Version 4 is the first 32 bit customer support software to be built to run under Windows 95 and Windows NT. A sample of their 650 clients include: BT, Abbey National, Virgin Atlantic, OFTEL, Lloyds TSB, Nokia and the AA.
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Applied Voice Technology is one of the largest world-wide suppliers of Unified Messaging and Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVR) and has more than 30,000 systems installed world wide with over 12 years experience in the voice processing market. CallXpress3 is AVT's flagship product, based Microsoft's NT platform, AVT support their own Desktop for Windows and the Exchange "In Box" to enable a customer to see voice, fax and E-mail on their personal computer. AVT’s Unified Messaging software allows the user to receive messages from emails and faxes via the telephone and respond immediately from anywhere in the world using text to speech technology. AVT has recently announced the launch of its AgentXpress NT platform for Call Centres. This system is a complete Call Centre Solution in a single platform, providing the highest quality call routing and Agent Productivity tools available on the market today. Interesting and unusual European case studies available - from Electrolux and Water Authorities to the largest Tulip wholesaler in Holland.
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CareLine Services comprises of: CareLine Connections, CareLine Products and CareLine Consulting. CareLine Connections is a campaign based TeleMarketing bureau. CareLine Products provide a portfolio of Outsourcing services and branded products such as DriveCare, Service Care and StaffCare. CareLine Consulting architect TeleBusiness solutions for companies across Europe, with over half their current engagements related to mainland European and Pan-European projects. Careline Services provide TeleBusiness Services to more than 70 of the top European and UK companies.
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Envoy Systems Limited – 1993 to 1996 – Envoy was a result of a business buy-out from the Swedish organisation Enator. On Demand PR initially joined Envoy in a telemarketing capacity and quickly saw the opportunity to promote Computer Supported Telephony (as it was known at that time prior to being renamed by ACTIUS as Computer Telephony Integration CTI). Envoy was bought out by Aspect Telecommunications plc in 1996.
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