The Client
The Agora Companies are a consortium of more than 30 media businesses around the world, publishers of financial, health, travel and special interest books and newsletters---each offering ideas, information and insights generally unavailable in the mainstream press. It is the only network of its sort in the US and the world… and it’s growing. Last year, The Agora Companies produced and marketed over 300 publications reaching more than 4 million readers around the globe.
The Unfulfilled Need
With the company’s commitment to original, alternative and useful views, an innovative and agile subscription and marketing solution was a must. The Agora had a long-term vision of radically expanding their promotion and marketing, and wanted the flexibility necessary to achieve that goal to be available in the system they chose to purchase. The previous vendor was not set up to change course or make changes quickly and was not interested in doing so. The Agora was frustrated at missing marketing opportunities due to limited and inflexible functionality and a poor relationship.
The Partnership
A search for a compatible vendor partner who would work with them to realize their vision led them to AdvantageCS. They were impressed with the depth of functionality of the Advantage software and with the expertise and capability of the development staff. Both companies committed to making the partnership work through frequent and candid communication, shared responsibility and problem solving through creative and original thinking.
The Result
Twenty years have since passed. Since joining forces, The Agora has made Advantage their
largest source system for transaction, fulfillment, email lists and customer
information. Dedicated ACS employees are practically extensions of The Agora’s staff. The
Agora continues to complete dozens of modifications to the application each year, always
pushing the Advantage application forward in new and exciting directions.
The Agora’s business has doubled in size in those twenty years. Innovative marketing strategies
and inventive promotions have been the catalyst for hundreds of new products, new markets,
and whole new businesses, mostly facilitated by Advantage at the center of their tightly
integrated software solutions.
The relationship that AdvantageCS and The Agora have developed has enabled them to not only
support their businesses and their marketing strategies but has also been the reason for the
implementation of so many of the Advantage system features. The Agora and AdvantageCS have
worked together to launch in production functionality such as Continuous Updates, Continuous
Posting, WorkFlow Events, Omni Stream, Single Service Screen, Note and Contact Management
and a Web-based Sales tool, as well as many, many more.
These tools have supported The Agora’s heavily integrated and diverse environment and helped
The Agora affiliates push their businesses forward in their respective market space.
This application has been invaluable in enabling The Agora businesses to grow unimpeded by a
rigid system.
