Salesnet Offers Discounts To Upshot Users

Reacting to Siebel's acquisition this week of Upshot, hosted CRM rival Salesnet is offering Upshot customers product discounts and free-migration services.

Siebel surprised the CRM industry Wednesday when it announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Upshot, of Mountain View, Calif., among the first providers to deliver CRM software as an online service, for $50 million in cash.

Siebel Systems' CEO Tom Siebel told financial analysts Wednesday that Siebel acquired Upshot, which has about 1,000 customers, for Upshot's technology and its staff of approximately 100 engineers and customer service personnel. The Upshot software will be merged with Siebel's CRM OnDemand, which Siebel announced October 2, by the second quarter of next year.

Boston-based Salesnet said it is offering its program to Upshot customers who do not want to migrate to Siebel CRM OnDemand.

Salesnet's Trade-Up Choice Program promises current Upshot users Salesnet's software for 10 percent less than what Upshot customers now pay, along with free migration services. The program is available until December 15. Upshot customers can call Salesnet at 877-350-0160 for terms and conditions.