ServiceBench to Host Retail, Manufacturing Leaders at Service World 2008

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ServiceBench, a subsidiary of N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW) and the leading provider of web-based service management solutions, today announced Service World 2008 will be held Aug. 20 to 22 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C.

This 5th annual ServiceBench user conference is expected to attract more than 100 service executives from leading manufacturers and retailers across a wide range of industries to share success stories and strategies that will help their organizations improve service quality, maximize product performance and decrease operational costs.

“Service World provides a unique forum for our customers to maximize the value they receive from our solutions and share information on best practices with peers who are similarly committed to driving excellence at all levels of their service organization,” said John Estrada, COO of ServiceBench.

Service World 2008 will focus on driving excellence in leadership throughout the post-sale service chain. Participants will have an opportunity to learn from each other through case study presentations, breakout sessions and social activities.

Solutions-oriented breakout sessions will focus on key service management and service intelligence issues. The breakout sessions this year have been expanded into a full afternoon giving more time for participant conversations and enabling more topics to be covered, including:

• Leadership will bring together warranty executives to discuss future service management needs, customer service and performance metrics, business uses for reporting and dashboards and fraud detection metrics and methods.
• Fraud Detection will focus on how to improve this important aspect of your service operation.
• Special Interest Groups (SIGs) for appliances and consumer electronics will enable participants to delve into service management issues and solutions specific to their industries, including improving the service experience, building customer loyalty, managing product and part returns and setting industry standards.

Conference attendees will also have an opportunity to learn more about NEW, ServiceBench’s parent company. Tony Nader, NEW president and CEO, will present an overview of the synergies between NEW and ServiceBench. In addition, Luke Kathol, vice president of quality and service management, will discuss the changing face of service and what NEW is doing to continue driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Chris Wallace, veteran broadcast journalist and host of Fox News Sunday, will give the keynote address on the morning of Aug. 21. He’ll provide his unique perspective of current political affairs and the leadership skills needed to attain the highest office in our country. A dinner event on Aug. 21 will be held at the newly opened Newseum.

About ServiceBench

ServiceBench, a subsidiary of N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW), is the leading provider of technology-based service management solutions that generate profit and competitive advantage for U.S. manufacturers and retailers. ServiceBench helps many of the world’s leading companies transform post-sale service activities, such as management of service calls, field service, parts, claims and service contracts, into seamless, integrated and customer-focused processes. The ServiceBench on-demand system enables service transactions between manufacturers or retailers and their network of parts suppliers, distributors and service providers. ServiceBench has been recognized by Deloitte as one of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in North America and listed by Manufacturing Business Technology magazine as one of 40 emerging software vendors. Based in Fairfax, Va., ServiceBench also has an office in Columbia, Md. For more information please visit www.servicebench.com.

About N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW)

NEW is the leading provider of extended service plans, buyer protection services and product support, providing coverage to more than 150 million consumers. Founded in 1983, with headquarters in Sterling, Va., NEW provides award-winning post-sale consumer care for leading retailers, consumer service providers, wireless carriers and financial services firms. For more information, please visit NEW at www.newcorp.com or call 1-800 WHAT’S NEW (1-800-942-8763).