everse and Baskin–Robbins Launch Ice Cream Chain’s New CRM Channel

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2003 – Today, everse corporation (everse), a technology consulting, software development, and application outsourcing company, and Baskin–Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty stores, announced the launch of the chain’s newest customer relationship management (CRM) channel, the Baskin–Robbins Birthday Club. The initiative is the culmination of the second phase of the everse–Baskin–Robbins relationship, which began in 2001.

Originally created more than 30 years ago but discontinued in 1997 due to prohibitive administrative and maintenance costs, the Baskin–Robbins Birthday Club provides participants with special offers redeemable on their birthdays. Integrating its Customer Relationship Management and Application Design & Development services, everse developed a suite of applications to deliver and administer the Birthday Club via Baskin–Robbins’ portal, thereby reducing costs for the chain while increasing convenience for its customers.

Applying its Customer Relationship Management service to the Birthday Club project, everse helped Baskin–Robbins define the new customer touchpoint, identify and eliminate gaps in CRM processes, and develop a framework to integrate the new channel into existing enterprise systems. Through its Application Design & Development service, everse brought to the project the technical expertise, software development discipline, process–centric methodology, and feedback–oriented change management necessary to provide rapid delivery of application function while minimizing project risks and costs.

Said Joseph E. Adney, Baskin–Robbins Senior Director Marketing, “The Birthday Club applications are central elements of Baskin–Robbins’ long–term CRM strategy. They enable us to increase the quantity and quality of communications with customers and develop one–to–one relationships with them, enhancing the impact of our promotional efforts and driving business to our stores.“

To ensure the Birthday Club would be scalable and flexible to accommodate future innovations and enhancements, everse built the applications using object–oriented analysis and development. everse created a .NET architecture to connect data access, business logic, business façade, and presentation layers and to ensure seamless integration with Baskin–Robbins’ existing enterprise systems. To shorten the development lifecycle while ensuring a high–quality end product, everse used Singleton design for the Birthday Club solution.

Within one month of the launch of the Birthday Club, more than 33,000 people have registered for the program – 6,400 in one day. According to everse VP, Marketing Communications, Sangram Kakulavaram, “In only one month, the new Birthday Club program is already a success for Baskin–Robbins and its customers. As users continue to register for the program, they both add value to and receive value from their relationships with Baskin–Robbins.“

About everse corporation

everse is a technology consulting, software development, and application outsourcing company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Bangalore, and Shanghai. The company mobilizes its expertise in Business Technology Consulting, Application Development & Outsourcing, and Enterprise Integration through its proprietary e-v-e-r-s-e Methodology. everse creates process-centric solutions that address the full range of its clients' functional issues and build long-term business relationships. everse has collaborated with Global 1000 and middle market companies including Allied Domecq PLC, Baskin-Robbins, Conexant Systems, CorVel Corporation, the California Public Utilities Commission, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company, Farmers Insurance Group, Knott's Southern California Resort, Medtronic Minimed, Newhall Land and Farming Company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, ValleyCrest Companies, and Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation.

About Baskin–Robbins

As the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty stores, Baskin–Robbins’ high–quality premium ice cream, specialty frozen desserts, and beverages are available in the company’s more than 4,500 retail stores around the globe. Operated by Randolph, Mass.–based Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants (ADQSR), Baskin–Robbins is part of U.K.–based Allied Domecq PLC, one of the world’s largest spirits and quick service restaurant companies.