Parature’s customer support software has received a 2009 Product of the Year Award from Technology Marketing Corporation’s (TMC (News - Alert)) Customer Interaction Solutions magazine.

Parature’s customer support software -- which is delivered via the software-as-a-service model -- enables organizations to more efficiently serve, support, engage with and retain their customers. Essentially the company provides Web-based customer support portals, delivering a range of self-serve options, which can be fully customized and seamlessly integrated with a company’s Web site. These Web portals support knowledge bases (FAQs) where customers can have their basic questions answered without having to wait on hold to speak to a call center agent; Web forums, where customers can start a dialog on a topic with other customers or company representatives; and Web chat, giving customers the option to open up a chat session with a customer service rep, among other self-serve features.

The system also allows customers to create their own service tickets. So, for example, if a customer can’t get an answer to their question using the other “channels,” available through the portal, they can open up a ticket by clicking on a ticket icon – and issue a ticket to an agent, who will pick up that ticket based on skills based routing.

Perhaps most important this system captures all customer data and packages it into a wide range of reports so that it can be analyzed for the purpose of driving strategic business decisions.

“Parature (News - Alert) is honored to be a recipient of this prestigious Product of the Year Award,” said Parature CEO Tim Davenport in a release. “Parature is committed to setting the standard for support teams worldwide by continuing to bring innovative products to market and by providing the smartest, most efficient way for organizations to support their customers.”

“I am pleased to honor Parature for its hard work and success,” said Rich Tehrani (News - Alert), CEO, TMC. “Parature has demonstrated excellence in contact center technologies as well as providing ROI for the companies that use them. For 12 years, Customer Interaction Solutions magazine has been honoring innovative companies for their contributions in advancing technologies and application refinements.”

The 12th Annual Product of the Year Award winners will be featured in the January 2010 issue of Customer Interaction Solutions magazine.