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Encover And Hahn Consulting Partner to Deliver Best Practice-Based Solutions for Marketing & Selling Service Contracts Through Direct and Indirect Channels

Companies Are Working with Leading Manufacturers and Channel Partners To Transform How Service Contracts Are Managed and Sold

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., (June, 30, 2004)--Encover (TM), Inc., the leading provider of technology-enabled services for marketing, selling and managing service contracts, and Hahn Consulting, Inc., the premier marketing consulting firm focusing on the strategies, marketing and selling of service and support, today announced a partnership to integrate and systematize their best practices for selling and marketing service contracts through direct and indirect sales channels. Encover and Hahn Consulting are also collaborating to provide an integrated solution that includes blended best practices, Hahn's business process strategy, consulting and training, and Encover's technology-enabled marketing and sales solution.

"Selling service contracts into the installed base is the fastest, most cost-effective way to increase high margin revenue, yet the complexity of this business significantly impacts a manufacturer's ability to capture the true services revenue potential," said Chip Overstreet, president and CEO of Encover, Inc. "The complexity is magnified further when manufacturers have a mixed distribution model; but the results of selling services correctly has a material, positive financial impact for every member of the demand chain. By coupling Hahn Consulting's world renowned expertise around strategy, consulting and training, together with Encover's expertise in management, marketing and selling solutions, we're able to help manufacturers drive substantial new revenue while increasing partner profitability and loyalty."

"In a traditionally product-centric world, a growing number of manufacturers are turning to services as a fundamental part of their strategy - not only to deliver more revenue, but also to establish a stronger relationship with their channel partners and end customers," said Al Hahn, CEO, Hahn Consulting. "Yet with limited resources focused on services, manufacturers and their distribution partners are missing out on significant upside potential. Encover's proven technology and services dovetail with Hahn Consulting's focus on strategy and program development, and we're working together to deliver an end-to-end solution to the market."

Integrated Best Practices

Because of complexities and the iterative, labor-intensive approaches for managing and selling service contracts, neither manufacturers nor their channel partners have the resources to effectively sell into the entirety of their installed base - let alone to touch each and every service sales opportunity. Applying best practices helps companies target new service revenue opportunities within their installed base, and to execute more effectively in closing these opportunities.

Both Encover and Hahn Consulting have independently developed best practices for different areas of the service contract lifecycle, and the companies are working together to integrate these best practices.

"Encover delivers a process-based technology that greatly enhances the way manufacturers can interact with their selling partners and their end customers, opening up a whole new set of options for driving revenues and increasing partner and customer satisfaction," said Hahn. "We're working together to systematize the best practices that are now possible, and we're already seeing the results in the marketplace."

An Integrated Service Sales Solution: From Strategy to Revenue

In addition to the best practices integration, Hahn Consulting and Encover are working in tandem to deliver the strategy, processes, technology and people to enable manufacturers and their channel partners to sell more service contracts. The integrated solution provides end-to-end service business transformation and includes:

A service contract audit that helps manufacturers assess their current service business processes and map them against industry best practices;
Strategy consulting services, helping manufacturers assess and build their value-based service programs, packages and pricing for both direct and indirect sales channels;
Tiered training, from the executive level, to the field sales organization, to the inside sales team;
A suite of integrated services for managing, marketing and selling service contracts, both direct and in conjunction with channel partners; Encover's service sales specialists are certified in Hahn Consulting's "Value Based Selling" methodology, which has been proven with dozens of leading manufacturers;
A robust Service Management application that underlies the entire service contract lifecycle, including installed base management, opportunity management, quoting, and entitlement management across every part of the demand chain - the manufacturer, channel partners and end customers.

Total Service Opportunity Analysis Now Available

Through September 31st, 2004, Hahn Consulting and Encover are offering a Total Service Opportunity(TM) Value Analysis to qualified manufacturers at no cost. For more information on this offer, contact info@encover.com.

About Hahn Consulting, Inc.

Hahn Consulting is the premier marketing consulting firm serving the world's leading providers of services for computers, software, networking, office equipment, high-tech capital equipment, medical equipment, test equipment, and other segments of high technology. With more than 15 years of experience in service sales strategy, Hahn Consulting has trained more service professionals in the skills and techniques of Marketing and Selling services than any other group in the world. Hahn has developed proprietary, best practice capabilities that are taught through courses including: Value-Based Selling Skills; Value-Based Negotiating; Selling Professional Services, Best Practice Service Pricing, and Best Practice Service Marketing, Al Hahn is a founding member of the Encover Board of Advisors. For more information, go to www.hahnconsulting.com or call (503) 352-1250.

About Encover, Inc.

With over $500 million in service contracts currently under management, Encover is the market leader in managing, marketing and selling service contracts on behalf of high technology manufacturers and their channel partners. The Encover solution is comprised of dedicated service sales professionals, multi-channel marketing programs, robust enterprise software, and a suite of best practices that are proven to transform service sales and maximize service contract revenue. The company has top tier clients "including Cisco, Diebold, Kodak and SonicWALL". For more information on Encover, visit www.encover.com, or call 650-903-8700.

Encover is a trademark of Encover, Inc. All other products or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Encover Media Contacts:

Andrew Hoerner
Encover, Inc.
andrew@encover.com
650.903.8736

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