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Mazda's Internet Lead Generation and Management Program Generates Industry-Leading ResultsRESTON, Va. --(Business Wire)-- April 10, 2006 -- Proxicom, Inc., an affiliate of The Gores Group, today announced strong results from its collaboration with Mazda North American Operations to develop a program of dealer-centric tools and processes that enables dealers to connect to consumers via the Internet. The Mazda Dealers On Line (MDOL) Program includes lead acquisition, distribution, and dealer support. Program results have been impressive. MDOL has posted industry-leading dealer response rates with over 90 percent of leads receiving a manual response from a Mazda dealer within the established standards. More than 85 percent of Mazda dealers now participate in this voluntary (and dealer-funded) program, reflecting a 20 percent increase in dealer involvement from 2004. Rudy Privitelli, Group Manager, Relationship Marketing of Mazda North American Operations stated, "Proxicom has helped Mazda drive down the cost of leads for our dealers, reduce Mazda's costs for managing the program, and has significantly improved the performance of our dealers. Mazda can attribute 12% of our sales to the online channels that Proxicom helps to build and maintain." The new program has also dramatically reduced the number of leads that do not receive a response. "The MDOL Program delivers a winning proposition benefiting Mazda, its dealers, lead providers and consumers. Proxicom is proud to have contributed to Mazda's bottom line by strengthening the lead routing between its corporate website and dealerships, increasing the number of buyers and closing the loop with dealers to ensure positive performance levels," stated Greg Morrell, Proxicom's Managing Director for Automotive. Adds Morrell, "Since 2002, Proxicom has been engaged in developing and managing components of Mazda's online dealer programs, underscoring our commitment to long-term partnerships that produce exceptional results." Working closely with Mazda Interactive Marketing, Mazda IT, and Mazda dealers, Proxicom's program management support included development of a new lead routing engine to accommodate leads from multiple sources; roll-out of a new in-dealer Lead Management tool with integrated communication plans; generation of training materials and regional communication plans; and the implementation of performance metrics and reporting for ongoing management. Mazda's Privitelli stated, "Drawing on Proxicom's lead management expertise, we implemented a comprehensive lead management program that has delivered outstanding results. In fact, J.D. Power and Associates noted that Mazda was ranked second only to Lexus in dealer satisfaction with our Online Buying Service, especially in the category of business generation.* It's great to work with a partner that understands our business dynamics; it's even better when that partner helps our program advance to an industry-leading position." Program Details Proxicom built a lead aggregation and distribution engine which gathers all leads Mazda generates, including purchased leads from third-party sources such as other automotive shopping web sites. The leads are scrubbed for data accuracy, and the engine removes duplicate leads across all sources. The leads are then distributed to participating Mazda dealers where dealer response to these leads is monitored. In addition to the tools, Proxicom has facilitated program management of MDOL and has been instrumental in establishing dealer and field communication and training strategies to support the dealers. * J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services Study About Proxicom Proxicom, Inc., an internationally recognized Internet and information technology consulting firm, delivers custom-tailored web applications, industry-specific management consulting and IT solutions, and system integration services to Global 1000 organizations. Through the experience and ongoing passion of its talented professionals, Proxicom develops Internet and information technology solutions that transform the way business is done across a number of select industry groups including: Automotive, Healthcare, and Financial Services. Founded in 1991 as a systems integrator, Proxicom, an affiliate of The Gores Group, LLC, has developed and built web solutions for such blue-chip companies as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Dupont, Mazda North American Operations, GMAC and Toyota Motor Sales, among many others. Headquartered in Reston, VA, Proxicom also has offices in New York, NY; Chevy Chase, MD; Detroit, MI; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, Irvine and San Francisco, CA. (www.proxicom.com) About The Gores Group, LLC Founded in 1987, The Gores Group is a private equity firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm's operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. The Gores Group has become a leading investor, primarily in the technology and telecommunications sectors, having demonstrated over time a reliable track record of creating substantial value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, Colorado and London. For more information, please visit www.gores.com. |
