NetSuite Gets Personal With Web Analytics

Many companies offer turnkey online application suites, but perhaps no one has been as ambitious as San Mateo, Calif.-based NetSuite. The company began with what was largely an accounting application, added e-commerce and Web-site building features, and later tacked on inventory management, CRM and ERP components.

Today, the company announced what it describes as the most significant update to date with the launch of NetSuite 10.0. The new release "has hundreds of new features," said NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson, "but two really stand out."

Nelson is referring to NetCommerce Analytics, which is designed to allow you to track individual visitor behavior, and NetSuite Upsell Manager, which sets out to help businesses find new sales opportunities based on order history.

Know Your Customers
Nelson said the NetCommerce Analytics does everything that applications from competitors such as WebSideStory and Webtrends do, but also allows you to drill down on a customer-by-customer basis, so that you can see the most recent activity of any client or prospect.

"It's not just aggregated data, but also by individual records — stuff those other companies will never do. Now, I can literally see what each customer did. And I know before I pick up the phone," said Nelson.

Those Web tracking details immediately become part of the customer's record for CRM purposes. This, rather than just aggregate data, is what those responsible making sales are looking for, Nelson said.. "The big picture is not valuable to the sales person."

Intelligent Upselling
The second major component of NetSuite 10.0, Upsell Manager, is designed to suggest products or services that a customer is likely to purchase based on statistical intelligence collected from the purchasing activity of all shoppers. "It's based on historical day. It's always working, compiling data," Nelson said.

In NetSuite 10.0, according to the company, each customer and opportunity record has a new tab that suggests the products or services that a sales rep should offer to a customer. In addition, Nelson said, you can leverage this intelligence for marketing efforts. "You can take that info and create group e-mails and other marketing campaigns, make sales calls and so on," he said.

Not only can you use it to upsell, but the customer says, "these guys really know my business."

When and How Much?
NetSuite 10.0 is available immediately. Pricing starts at $99 per user, per month. That price includes NetSuite Upsell. NetCommerce Analytics is sold as an add-on module for $199 per month.

Originally posted on ECommerce-Guide.com, part of Internet.com's Small Business Channel.

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