Beginning November 2009 at Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide, PASW Statistics Certification offers an objective assessment of an individual's skill in PASW Statistics - the foundation of Predictive Analytics. Part of the Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) portfolio of products from SPSS, PASW Statistics is used by commercial, government and academic organizations to attract and retain customers, grow revenue and mitigate risk.

PASW Statistics Certification will also create a worldwide user community taking advantage of Predictive Analytics Software to improve business outcomes. This trusted network allows those with certification to collaborate on development efforts, share business problems and solutions (by industry), showcase achievements and search for potential employment.

PASW Statistics Certification testing will begin in November 2009. To ensure success in the certification exam, SPSS also offers a training program providing the necessary skills and understanding of PASW Statistics to become certified.

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Analyses that previously required multiple steps and knowledge of statistical techniques can now be completed in minutes to drive more targeted and effective campaigns. PASW Direct Marketing has an intuitive interface allowing marketers to quickly perform sophisticated analysis with six analytical procedures, including recency, frequency, and monetary (RFM) analysis, cluster analysis, and prospect profiling. PASW Direct Marketing also allows marketers to improve campaigns to potential customers through postal code analysis, propensity scoring, and control package testing.

Dan Skoglund, president, marketing services group at dbp Chicago, a marketing and production services agency, said, "PASW Direct Marketing is a fantastic tool that allows our non-technical business users to get results delivered in seconds that are easily deciphered in color-coded charts. This module gives users all the statistical tools they need to easily conduct various marketing analyses, which are essential for companies like dbp Chicago to better understand and classify customers, and improve campaign results."

For marketers today, the old adage still holds true, that "half the money spent on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." Organizations can quickly maximize the value of marketing dollars by selecting the customers and prospects most likely to respond to campaigns. For instance, the "propensity to purchase" function relies on previous response information and customer characteristics in ranking which customers and prospects are likely to respond to an offer. This eliminates people on mailing lists least likely to respond, and keeps funds and resources targeted on profitable revenue generation at every interaction.

Gina Miller, vice president, director of customer engagement at Colman Brohan Davis, Inc., a brand strategy and creative marketing firm, said, "We use research and data-driven insights to help brands find a differentiated position in highly competitive industries. We constantly work to develop more cost-effective, strategic communications that drive revenue. PASW Direct Marketing is a smart application that better targets campaigns, and is a tool that can streamline our ability to identify, keep and nurture the best customers."

Jason Verlen, chief product strategist for SPSS, said, "The top marketers are taking a mathematical approach to better understand customers and optimize campaigns. Knowing specifically which customers to target - and more importantly, who not to target - reduces marketing waste and quickly adds ROI and value, so marketing is no longer viewed as a business expense. PASW Direct Marketing - and all the new modules now available with PASW Statistics 18 - deliver incredibly robust functionality that increases the usability of advanced analytics on a single platform."

Register for PASW Direct Marketing Webinar

For more information on PASW Direct Marketing, please register for a complimentary webinar - "Easily Identify the Right Contacts" - on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, at 11 a.m. CT.

Pricing and Availability

All PASW Statistics 18 modules are now available for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms on the desktop; and Windows, Solaris, Linux, AIX and HP/UX on the server. Pricing for PASW Direct Marketing, and every other PASW Statistics 18 module is available at the SPSS Web Store.

About SPSS Inc.

SPSS Inc. is a leading global provider of Predictive Analytics software and solutions. The Company's complete portfolio of Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) products - data collection, statistics, modeling and deployment - captures people's attitudes and opinions, predicts outcomes of future customer interactions, and then acts on these insights by embedding analytics into business processes. SPSS Solutions address interconnected business objectives across an entire organization by focusing on the convergence of analytics, IT architecture and business process. Commercial, government and academic customers worldwide rely on SPSS technology as a competitive advantage in attracting, retaining and growing customers, while reducing fraud and mitigating risk. Founded in 1968, SPSS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, please visit www.spss.com.

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SOURCE: SPSS Inc.

Tim Powers, SPSS Inc. 
(312) 251-6553 
tpowers@spss.com

A recent IBM Global CIO Study involving 2,500 CIOs from 78 countries found that leveraging analytics to gain a competitive advantage and improve decision-making is now the top priority for CIOs. As more organizations harness the exponential growth of data with Predictive Analytics to improve decision-making, the demand for smart and savvy professionals fluent in this knowledge is critical. The PASW Statistics Certification gives employers the confidence in an individual's ability, and advances careers and creates leadership opportunities for these professionals.

Joe Somma, director, market intelligence at Independent Health, said, "We have built an analytical platform with Predictive Analytics Software from SPSS to improve our marketing efforts, better engage with customers and improve treatment outcomes. Finding professionals with the right skill set in statistical analysis is paramount to furthering our organization's goals. The PASW Statistics Certification establishes a basis to find qualified candidates, screen for the best talent and locate low-risk employees that can give us a competitive edge."

PASW Statistics Certification will also create a worldwide user community taking advantage of Predictive Analytics Software to improve business outcomes. This trusted network allows those with certification to collaborate on development efforts, share business problems and solutions (by industry), showcase achievements and search for potential employment.

Michael Bigenwald, vice president of worldwide education for SPSS, said, "The introduction of an official certification program for PASW Statistics establishes an industry baseline of knowledge for statistical analysis using our product. By providing a formal declaration of an individual's professional competence with PASW Statistics, this certification serves as a significant differentiator in Predictive Analytics and an asset for those vying for positions in today's job market."

Availability

PASW Statistics Certification testing will begin in November 2009. To ensure success in the certification exam, SPSS also offers a comprehensive training program providing the necessary skills and understanding of PASW Statistics to become certified. Pearson VUE, the global leader in computer-based testing, will administer the exams at its testing centers worldwide. For all other inquiries or certification questions, please visit www.spss.com/certification or send an email to certification@spss.com.

About SPSS Inc.

SPSS Inc. is a leading global provider of Predictive Analytics software and solutions. The Company's complete portfolio of Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) products -- data collection, statistics, modeling and deployment -- captures people's attitudes and opinions, predicts outcomes of future customer interactions, and then acts on these insights by embedding analytics into business processes. SPSS Solutions address interconnected business objectives across an entire organization by focusing on the convergence of analytics, IT architecture and business process. Commercial, government and academic customers worldwide rely on SPSS technology as a competitive advantage in attracting, retaining and growing customers, while reducing fraud and mitigating risk. Founded in 1968, SPSS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, please visit www.spss.com.

SOURCE: SPSS Inc.

Tim Powers, SPSS Inc. 
(312) 261-6553 
tpowers@spss.com