Parago, a provider of value-added, customer-care solutions, has released a trio of products designed to bring companies and their clients closer together.
Parago, an ancient Greek word meaning “to work behind the scenes,” has been doing just that for Staples.com. The office supplies site has been using Parago’s PromoCenter, InfoCenter and KnowledgeCenter service offerings.
The PromoCenter can handle a number of client needs, including online rebate processing and proactive e-mail promotions. The company's patent-pending rebate processing service is projected to handle more than 5.6 million rebates this year. That number is expected to increase to 12 million in 2001. On the e-mail front, Parago develops and monitors e-mail relationships to help boost customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Its InfoCenter is designed to simplify product registration and returns. On-demand product manuals are also on the horizon. Parago’s clients will be able to provide customers with easy-to-download instruction manuals for new and old appliances, electronics and other consumer products.
The KnowledgeCenter is the company's data warehousing offering. This technology includes data-mining services and customer surveys designed to help clients improve targeted marketing for new promotions.
While a number of companies offer these products separately, Parago is unique because it packages the products together, said Allan Steinmetz, executive vice president of marketing at Parago Inc., Dallas. “We take the pain out of doing promotions by converting them into generating revenue. We'll then help you to maintain that revenue and your customer relationships by data mining and giving you a better relationship with your customer base.”
As part of its introduction to the industry, Parago created its “Re-energize” campaign for Chicago's Internet World conference, which runs today through Thursday. The company’s booth has consoles where people can charge their cell phones and laptops. Visitors can also learn how Parago will help them re-energize their business models and customer retention rates, said Steinmetz. “We're basically saying you need to re-energize customer relationships. The way you do that is by using our programs.”
To teach attendees about the new products, the company is also holding an interactive game at its booth. The game, a takeoff on the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” TV show, involves participants watching a 90-second video about Parago’s products and then answering three questions based on the footage. Contestants can win batteries and flashlights as well as a chance to win a laptop computer.
Parago launched in June. The cost for its products and services begin at $3,000 a month.
