Rivermine (News - Alert) -- a provider of automated telecom expense management (TEM) solutions for both wireline and wireless usage -- has received a “Strong Positive” rating in Gartner’s (News - Alert) MarketScope for Telecom Expense Management Worldwide, 2H07 report.

Rivermine was one of three companies to receive the “Strong Positive” rating -- the highest possible rating -- out of the 30 vendors evaluated for the report, according to Rivermine officials.

Mark Logan (News - Alert), president and CEO at Rivermine, believes that receiving a Strong Positive rating from Gartner is the highest possible industry affirmation. He said in a press statement, “We feel it reflects our market leadership as well as our customers’ satisfaction with Rivermine’s wireline and wireless expense management solutions.”

According to the latest Gartner’s report, Rivermine’s core strength lies in its inventory management and continuing development to bring business intelligence associated with telecom expenditures to market.

The reports noted that Rivermine improved on last year’s strong customer satisfaction surveys to secure very good scores.

Noting that Rivermine and BBR were already investing in a market-leading approach to TEM partnerships by integrating their applications and services, the reports expects that Rivermine’s acquisition of mobile TEM company will be successful and faster than typical market assimilation because of the existing partnership.

The report also observed that early in 2007, Rivermine secured the industry's potentially influential partner to bring managed services and TEM BPO to market. IBM GTS agreed to use Rivermine's application and services as the core of its TEM offerings.

Also, IBM plans to offer its TEM solution as a stand-alone service as well as bundled within broader outsourcing agreements. Gartner report suggested that IBM’s presence in over 170 countries could potentially make this a compelling offering globally.

“Because of its overall performance, Rivermine is promoted to a Strong Positive rating,” the report stated.

Logan pointed out that Gartner’s “Strong Positive” MarketScope rating adds to Rivermine’s current market momentum, as the company achieved more than 100 percent revenue growth in 2007 and added more than 20 new customers in the last four months of the year. Also, he added, nearly 250 companies have now selected Rivermine as their solutions provider.

Evaluation criteria for this latest Marketscope report included business model, customer experience, innovation, product/service, operations, and market responsiveness and track record.

Gartner estimates that the TEM market generated revenue of approximately $600 million in 2007 and will grow to $1.7 billion by 2011.

According to Gartner, “The strongest influence in the market will be the emergence of system integrators (Sis) and outsourcers in the market. Their long time experience to condition the market with outsourcing value statements and services is what is needed for TEM to expand and grow into a global market.”

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Anshu Shrivastava is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

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