New Pig Plugs Leaks in Customer Operations with Smarter Commerce

ARMONK, NY and PITTSBURGH, PA, November 11, 2011 –- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced New Pig Corporation has deployed IBM software to transform its e-commerce ordering system for its more than 200,000 customers and distributors. The company, a leading manufacturer of absorbents for leak and spill cleanup products, is using IBM’s e-commerce software to automate its Web presence, making buying easier, faster and more social, resulting in improved customer loyalty and increased online sales revenue.

Together with IBM, New Pig is leading the way as more manufacturers move from the role of traditional suppliers to direct-to-consumer sellers. New Pig is using IBM Websphere Commerce, a key component of its IBM Smarter Commerce initiative, to put the customer at the center of decisions and actions. For example, the solution's community marketing capabilities enable New Pig to reach its customers through social media tools, such as the company’s corporate blog, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, with tailored promotions and personalized offerings.

According to a recent report from Gartner, ““e-commerce is no longer just for retailers and pure-play online sellers. E-commerce interest and hype have moved into new markets, such as manufacturing, wholesale/distribution, telecommunication, entertainment, software developers/publishers, media/publishing, healthcare, transportation and financial services. Some examples of this are branded manufacturers launching their own e-commerce sites to develop customer intimacy and generate incremental revenue with improved margins."

WebSphere Commerce streamlines the customer ordering process by integrating marketing and shopping across all channels, including the company’s website, catalog and call center. For example, the software has enabled New Pig to take into account how customers would want to purchase its products and create: