RightNow Technologies bright spot in tech industry

Amid the wreckage of tech companies across the country, Greg Gianforte says his company, RightNow Technologies, is the one bright spot in the industry.

By KAYLEY MENDENHALL, Chronicle Staff Writer

"We save people a ton of money," Gianforte, founder of the Bozeman-based tech company said in a recent interview.

Industry analysts and customers seem to agree.

The company has been mentioned in Forbes, American Banker and Investor’s Business Daily in recent months.

When the high-tech downturn first hit in the spring of 2001, RightNow initially cut staff to weather the storm. Now that things are looking up, the company has hired more than 50 people since August in Bozeman and its other offices.

And RightNow http://rightnowtech.com/ signed up 56 new customers for its software in the fourth quarter of 2002.

"The company is a true pioneer in the notion of using the Internet for delivery of post-sale customer service," said Bill Frerichs, an analyst with D.A. Davidson in Portland, Ore. "That’s probably their biggest market. It has succeeded because their prices are much lower than what most people initially tried to charge in that market."

RightNow makes software for companies that are on the Web. Its programs manage the "frequently asked questions" section of a company’s Web site, constantly updating the answers to meet customers demands.

"It’s like if you had a 1-800 number on a product," Frerichs said. "But it’s cheaper to use the Internet."

When customers can find answers about a product on a Web site, they don’t have to call the company. Therefore, companies save money by scaling down their customer service work force or freeing up their employees to do work other than answering the phone.

Frerichs also praised RightNow for being able to install its software within days of receiving a request. Plus, companies can try RightNow’s product before they buy it.

"We’ll install our solution and prove our claim before you take the risk," Gianforte said. "We don’t think customers should pay for stuff unless it does what we say it does."

He gives credit for much of the company’s success to his employees, saying 76 percent of RightNow’s expenses are in wages. Because the company is doing well, Gianforte said they’ve attracted some high-caliber new employees from large tech companies out of state.

"We feel very fortunate that we’ve had this continued success," Gianforte said. "Being able to defy gravity when everyone else is going down in flames is a good thing."

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2003/03/29/news/rightnowbzbigs.txt