Siebel eRetail 7 Delivers World-Class Customer Service

Siebel eRetail CRM Applications Help Retailers Acquire and Retain Profitable Customers

SAN MATEO, Calif. - March 28, 2002 - Siebel Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEBL), the world`s leading provider of eBusiness applications software, today announced new and enhanced functionality with the release of Siebel eRetail 7. Reflecting Siebel Systems` proven domain, industry, and technology expertise, Siebel eRetail 7 provides depth and breadth of customer relationship management (CRM) applications for retailers, resulting in faster software deployments, high rates of end user adoption, and more efficient customer acquisition and retention.

Unparalleled CRM Functionality Delivers Compelling Return on Investment

Siebel eRetail 7 helps retailers improve bottom line results by providing the industry`s only comprehensive and integrated CRM offering. All phases of a relationship with the retail customer can be addressed with Siebel eRetail 7 integrated marketing, selling, and service functionality. Siebel eRetail 7 delivers operational and analytic retail CRM functionality with unrivaled ease of use, scalability, and performance.

Siebel eRetail 7 applications address the challenges of a broad range of retail industry segments. For example, grocers can use Siebel eRetail Marketing 7 to manage every step of the marketing process-from customer segmentation, to offer and program design, to campaign-while providing marketing managers and retail executives with more real-time insight to program results. Similarly, with Siebel eRetail Call Center 7, retailers can maintain a consolidated view of all customer interactions across multiple touchpoints and communications channels, ensuring consistent execution of the retail brand promise and prompt, accurate handling of customer service inquiries.

"Siebel eRetail Applications ensure Marks & Spencer consistently delivers exceptional customer service in a highly productive, multichannel environment," said Mike Christie, IT Program Manager of Marks & Spencer, plc. "Marks & Spencer is continually refining its products and service portfolio to ensure the customer receives the best possible quality and value for their money. The product and market business intelligence provided by Siebel eRetail Call Center is invaluable in this role."

Siebel eRetail 7 includes a broad range of new products and features designed specifically for retail organizations. Benefits of implementing Siebel eRetail 7 include:

Targeted Customer Marketing - Enables retailers to create multichannel, multistage marketing campaigns to deliver the right message, to the right consumer, through the right media, with real-time measurable results.

Superior Customer Service - Provides retailers with software applications that enable consistently superior service regardless of location, time of day, or channel, driving increased customer satisfaction and reinforcing brand equity.

Improved Employee Performance - Targeted for use by every employee in an organization, Siebel Employee Relationship Management (ERM) is a suite of Web applications that drives organizational and employee performance and reduces operating costs. Siebel ERM provides a prebuilt employee portal that includes applications for performance management, business analytics, online learning, help desk, and company news. By using Siebel ERM, retail employees are more effective and better aligned with the company`s overall objectives.

Reduced IT Cost through Zero - Footprint Web Architecture-With no software to install and administer on the desktop, even the largest retailers can quickly deploy Siebel eRetail 7 applications while benefiting from reduced deployment and administration costs.

"Coordinated marketing, sales, and customer service on a single platform enables retailers to drive revenue and achieve brand superiority at a significant cost savings. Siebel Systems has worked closely over the past several years with blue chip retailers such as Marks & Spencer, CompUSA, and Home Shopping Network to ensure that they realize sustainable competitive advantage with our proven, market-leading CRM applications," said Mike Murphy, General Manager of Siebel eRetail. "Today, Siebel eRetail 7 combines comprehensive out-of-the-box functionality with the flexibility to configure the solution to precisely reflect a retailer`s unique brand promise."

Smart Web Architecture Enables Rapid Deployment and High User Acceptance

Siebel eRetail 7 was built on the foundation of the Siebel 7 platform. With the release of Siebel 7, Siebel Systems introduced the Siebel Smart Web Architecture, the industry`s first and only zero-footprint Web architecture that provides high levels of interactivity previously available only from Windows desktop applications. Siebel 7 was built from the ground up to operate in heterogeneous environments and by supporting integration via an application network, allowing organizations not only to integrate front office and back office systems, but also hundreds of other applications essential to retailers. By offering robust application network support, Siebel eRetail 7 ensures interoperability with the many applications within a retail organization`s systems environment, including homegrown legacy systems, industry-specific niche applications, and head office human resources and finance systems.

Robust Analytical Capabilities Provide Customer and Business Insight

Siebel eRetail 7 is also shipping with Siebel Analytics 7, which includes visual, prepackaged, and fully configurable reports and interactive dashboards with best practice metrics for sales, marketing, service, partner management, and executive users. All Siebel 7 Industry Applications deliver tailored and robust analytical and reporting capabilities that provide role-based analytics with insight into customer trends and overall business performance.

Automated Upgrade Path Provides Low Total Cost of Ownership

Siebel eRetail 7 offers a clear and easy upgrade path for customers, including automated upgrade functionality, resulting in reduced deployment times and the lowest total cost of ownership. Unlike most applications software, Siebel eRetail 7 allows existing customers to employ an automated process to upgrade to the latest version of the application by combining and merging customizations with new functionality on the enhanced platform.

"IBM has taken its strong heritage of innovation and leadership in retail and point of sale technology a step further by creating the IBM MerchantReach portfolio of solutions to help retailers leverage the potential of integrated multichannel retailing. These powerful eBusiness solutions allow retailers of any size to improve their business efficiency and enhance customer service," said David Petiford, Vice President, Global Retail Industry, IBM. "Siebel eRetail 7 is an important part of this MerchantReach portfolio of solutions. Siebel eRetail 7`s comprehensive CRM applications promise to help retailers make customer service their true competitive differentiator."