U.S. Businesses Getting Good Marks for Customer Satisfaction
Findings are part of Omega’s new monthly ScoreBoard Benchmark Index^SM, unveiled as company
announces that 31 firms have qualified for its annual NorthFace ScoreBoard Award^SM. The awards
will be formally presented at SCORE Conference 2007, June 11-13 at the Seaport Hotel, Boston.

BILLERICA, Mass.; April 9, 2007 – American businesses are doing a good job of improving levels of satisfaction and loyalty among their business customers, but still have a ways to go to match the top performing companies in this key area. These findings are part of new research from the Omega Management Group Corp., specialists in helping companies boost revenue and profits by implementing loyalty management strategy programs that increase customer and employee satisfaction.

Omega today introduced its ScoreBoard Benchmark Index^SM (SBI), which will measure business-to-business customer satisfaction and loyalty each month beginning in May in key service and product categories across multiple industries. The ratings will be posted on the company’s website, www.omegascoreboard.com. The SBI uses proprietary process methodology developed by Omega’s Center for Loyalty Research, and is used to determine winners of the prestigious Omega NorthFace ScoreBoard Award^SM.

News of the SBI coincides with Omega’s announcement today that 31 organizations qualified in 2006 for the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award. Since 2000, the award has been presented annually to companies who, as rated only by their own customers, consistently exceeded customer expectations during the calendar year.

The ScoreBoard Benchmark Index measures customer satisfaction levels on a 5-point scale during the year in such categories as technical support, field service, sales process, customer service, product quality, professional services, account management and training. A company must earn a score of 4.0 or higher on this scale to qualify for the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award.

Based on Omega’s review of its customer satisfaction and loyalty data for 2006 against its 5-point scale, the SBI rating for all industries is 3.6 for services and 3.8 for product. For NorthFace ScoreBoard winners, the SBI rating is 4.2 for services and 4.5 for product. Omega’ s research indicates that companies that consistently achieve a 4.0 rating or above are succeeding in locking in profitable, long-term customer relationships, which significantly raises the bar on their competitors.

“We have compiled data on business-to-business customer satisfaction and loyalty for thousands of companies since 1984, longer than anyone else in our industry,” said John Alexander Maraganis, president & CEO of Omega. “With the proven expertise of our Center for Loyalty Research, the ScoreBoard Benchmark Index is the clear standard of reference for customer satisfaction and loyalty in American business today.”

Measuring Excellence in Customer Service and Loyalty

The NorthFace ScoreBoard Award recognizes organizations who not only offer exemplary customer service, but who also center their existence on a deep commitment to exceeding customer expectations. In 2006, more than 165 projects, many international in scope, were judged from over 75 companies based in the U.S. and abroad. Most of the companies have earned the award multiple times.

“Our industry has become flooded with customer awards, with many based on a simple application process,” said Maraganis. “Due to its unique ‘customer-only vote’ criteria, the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award has been viewed from its inception in 2000 as the only true objective benchmark for recognizing excellence in customer service. That’s why the ScoreBoard Benchmark Index has instant credibility as an industry standard.”

Omega will formally present the 2006 NorthFace ScoreBoard Awards during ceremonies on June 13 at SCORE 2007, being held at the Seaport Hotel in Boston from June 11-13; call (800) 711-5196 for more information. This annual conference is the only event that explores best practices in developing a loyalty management strategy and incorporating this action plan within an organization’s many customer-facing operations. Hundreds of service, support, sales, marketing and human resources executives from the country’s leading companies attend each year.

And the Winners Are:

Note to Editors: City and state denotes either company headquarters or principal location where customer satisfaction work was conducted. ^*Two divisions of Waters qualified, thereby counting for two awards.

About Omega

Since 1984, the Omega Management Group Corp. has been a recognized expert in developing and implementing customer and employee loyalty management strategy that lead to increased product and service revenue and profits. The loyalty management services include customer and employee surveys, employee incentive programs, key account retention strategies, win-back strategies, competitive benchmark studies, and marketing of customer satisfaction results to employees, customers and the marketplace. For more information on Omega and SCORE 2007, visit www.omegascoreboard.com or call (800) 711-5196.

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