I nformationWeek 500. The rankings are published in the magazine's Oct. 12 issue. Much of SAS' success stems from listening to the needs of our 3 million-plus sof tware users and providing the software they want, as measured by the better than 98 percent annual customer renewal rate. From the vendor perspective, SAS has the only e-business solution to integrate and add intelligence to information from all of an org anization's customer or supplier contact channels, online and offline. Integrating information from the Internet, extranets, call centers, e-mail, and campaign management systems creates a holistic view of the customer or supplier.
Nothing has the potential to improve our customers' effectiveness like information technology.
However, to realize that potential, we have to innovate and adapt to changing business needs, rather than push technology just because it is new. The InformationWeek 500 measures the innovative ways in which companies gain business advantage through the use of technology. InformationWeek editors sought to identify and reward organizations that demonstrate a pattern of implementing cutting-e dge technological and business innovations. Their research is critical to companies seeking to benchmark themselves against vertical industry peers. A 98 percent customer renewal rate is one indicator of SAS' successful use of CRM technology.