CMP Technology Acquires Customer Contact Center Standard, Broadening its Global Reach by Entering Chinese Call Center Market

CMP Technology Acquires Customer Contact Center Standard, Broadening its Global Reach by Entering Chinese Call Center Market

January 05, 2007

Leading U.S. Provider of Call Center Media, Events,
Training and Consulting Services, Strengthens Global
Footprint

    MANHASSET, N.Y., Jan. 5 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- CMP
Technology, a targeted media and marketing solutions
company serving the builders, sellers and buyers of
technology worldwide, announced today that its
International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) has
acquired Beijing-based Customer Contact Center Standard
(CCCS), establishing CMP as the leading provider of call
center certification, media, events, training and
consulting services worldwide.  Following on the
acquisition of ICMI in 2005, CCCS extends CMP's call center
management business into the exploding Chinese market.  CCCS
provides service quality certification for Chinese call
centers, as well as call center training and consulting for
corporate clients.  CCCS also publishes the monthly Customer
Service Review magazine and organizes the China Contact
Center Conference & Awards.   

    Call centers are growing at an estimated rate of 15
percent annually as government and commercial institutions
increase their responsiveness and efficiency in the
burgeoning Chinese economy.  In addition, the World Expo
2008 in Shanghai and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing are
fueling growth of the service sector and customer contact
services.  According to ICMI, approximately $485 billion is
spent annually to operate customer contact centers
worldwide; employing an estimated 18 million agents and 1.5
million managers. 

    "CCCS has been instrumental in the growth and
development of the call center industry in China.  The
acquisition gives us tremendous reach into the Chinese call
center marketplace and extends our portfolio of services
into one of the fastest growing call center markets in the
world," said Paul Miller,  President of CMP's
Technology Innovators Group.  "We can now provide our
clients -- both end users and suppliers -- with a full
range of world-class services events, training,
certification programs, media services and consulting -- to
enable them to dramatically enhance this key segment of
their operations." 

    "The acquisition of CCCS was based on an ongoing
and already successful working relationship that dates back
even before the CMP acquisition of ICMI.  We look forward to
applying our comprehensive and deep knowledge of all aspects
of call center operations -- built up over more than 20
years in the business -- to help fast track best practices
into Chinese market," added Brad Cleveland, President,
ICMI.  Cleveland has an outstanding reputation in China,
having keynoted the April 2005 CCCS annual conference and
provided industry training to local executives.  Linda
Harden, Director of Operations for ICMI, will oversee day
to day operations of the CCCS group from the US side to
insure a tight integration with the overall goals and
services objectives of ICMI. 
    About CMP Technology ( http://www.cmp.com ) 

    CMP Technology is a marketing solutions company serving
the technology industry.  Through its market-leading
portfolio of trusted information brands, CMP has earned the
confidence of more technology professionals than any other
media company.  As a result, CMP is the premier provider of
access, insight and actionable programs designed to connect
sellers and buyers in ways that yield superior return on
investment.  CMP Technology is a subsidiary of United
Business Media ( http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com ), a
global provider of news distribution and specialist
information services with a market capitalization of more
than $3 billion. 

    About Customer Contact Center Standard (
http://www.cccs.com.cn ) 

    Customer Contact Center Standard was founded as UBest
in 2003 as a consulting and certification firm.  In 2005,
the company became CCCS and was recognized by China CRM
Committee (affiliated with Ministry of Information
Industry, PRC) as an authorized entity to provide China's
call center operation and call center professional
qualification standards.  Mr. Guo Chengdong, founder and
head of CCCS, is a call center and customer service expert
in the Chinese market.  Its main products include CCCS
Certification, Customer Service Review (a controlled
circulation monthly journal), training and consulting
services and an annual conference.

    For more information, please contact:

     Alix Raine 
     SVP Communications 
     CMP Technology 
     Tel:   [phone] 
     Email: [e-mail] 


SOURCE  CMP Technology