Technology As A Sales Tool: How Organizations Use Electronic Notebooks To Retain Customers And Increase Sales Robert D. Walla, Michael S. Zachowski, Richard P. Albert Astrix Technology Group 175 May Street Edison, NJ 08037

Abstract R&D Organizations spend millions of dollars annually on the implementation of new technology. The main focus to date has been to leverage technology within the company to increase the efficiency the organization. Many companies are now extending technology beyond the traditional product development pipeline to include their customers in an effort to increase customer loyalty and drive sales. Most of the information technology tools (data acquisition systems, LIMS, electronic laboratory notebooks) have been deployed within the R&D organization to eliminate manual data collection processes, share data across the enterprise and increase organizational efficiency. However, much of this data collection effort ceased when the new product or application was shipped to market. The next generation of data capture is to connect R&D organizations with their existing clients and prospects. The utilization of technology outside the traditional R&D organization into the customers environment provides valuable information to product development staff that was previously unavailable. It has been demonstrated that collection, interpretation and utilization of this customer centric data improves client service, promotes client retention and ultimately increases revenue. The use of electronic notebooks is ideally suited for this application and links the product development cycle to the customer.

What is an Electronic Notebook? "AN ELECTRONIC NOTEBOOK IS A SYSTEM TO CREATE, STORE, RETRIEVE AND SHARE FULLY ELECTRONIC RECORDS IN WAYS THAT MEET ALL LEGAL, REGULATORY, TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC REQUIREMENTS." -Member Consensus Definition,Collaborative Electronic Notebook Systems Association (CENSA)

Benefits Of Electronic Notebooks  Increases Individual And Organizational Efficiency  Increases Quality By Eliminating Manual Data Entry and Resulting Transcription Errors  Knowledge Retention  Facilitates Access To Data Across The Enterprise  Decreases Costs

Electronic Notebooks Current Value Proposition Current Uses Of Electronic Notebooks Increase The Efficiency Of The Organization, Improve Quality, And Reduce Costs “Bottom Line Results”

Electronic Notebooks A New Paradigm Progressive Organizations Use Electronic Notebooks To Link The R&D Departments To Their Customers

Electronic Notebooks Client Facing Applications  Valuable Data Is Collected Outside The R&D Laboratory At Customer Locations  Data Is Used To Better Service Client And Sell Additional Product  Electronic Notebook Applications Add Value To Commodity Businesses

Electronic Notebooks New Value Proposition Client Facing Electronic Notebooks Can Improve Customer Retention, Increase Margins, and Drive Sales “Top Line Results”

Client Facing Electronic Notebook That Collects Process Water Chemistry and Equipment Operational Data. Used by Customers To More Efficiently Manage Cooling Water Systems, Including Functionality For Trend Analysis, Benchmarking and Predictive Modeling. Case Study 1 Client: Global Water Treatment Company Project Overview:

Case Study 1 Electronic Notebook Allowed Customers To View And Analyze Trends

Case Study 1 Global Water Treatment Company Electronic Notebook  Introduced in 1998  Deployed In Over 3000 Sites In 12 Countries  Used By Company Representatives  Installed At Client Facilities  Provided Valuable Functionality To Client  Company Used Data To Predict System Failures  Reduced Total Operational Cost  Leveraged Sales Of Treatment Chemicals  Reduced Price Erosion

Case Study 1 Success A Company Vice President stated “The implementation of Astrix’s system leveraged over $ 7.5 million in increased sales for our Industrial Services Division in one year.” A Company Vice President stated “The implementation of Astrix’s system leveraged over $ 7.5 million in increased sales for our Industrial Services Division in one year.”

Electronic Notebook To Collect Performance And Exposure Data On Architectural And Automotive Finishes At Customer Sites. Provides Customers With The Ability To Perform Complex Analysis and Decision Making Regarding Product Usage. Case Study 2 Client: Global Coatings Company Project Overview:

Case Study 2 Electronic Notebook Allowed Customers To Collect Data On Site

Case Study 2 Global Coatings Company Electronic Notebook  Used By Customers To Record Performance Data  Allowed Customers To Compare Data Between The Company’s Product  Provided The Customer Data In Real Time. Reduced The Need To Search For Competitor Solutions

Case Study 2 Success A Company Product Manager stated “The implementation of the Electronic Notebook Has Reduced The Customer Turnover Rate by 10% In The First Year.” A Company Product Manager stated “The implementation of the Electronic Notebook Has Reduced The Customer Turnover Rate by 10% In The First Year.”

Benefits Of Client Facing Electronic Notebooks Astrix Technology Group Global Solutions Provider To The Regulated Community  Increase Customer Retention  Capture Critical Product Information  Reduce Costs  Increase Margins  Increased Sales

For More Information, contact: Astrix Technology Group 175 May Street Edison, NJ