Companies Gain Significant Financial Performance Achievements Through Executive S&OP

Creation of a Profit Optimized Supply-Demand Balanced Plan, Usage of Demand Forecasting Technology, Focusing on Process Re-Engineering Initiatives Are the Top Three Focus Areas Within the Executive S&OP.

July 11, 2007: 01:00 PM EST

A recent benchmark report by Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS) on the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) practices of 380 companies delivered findings on the differentiating characteristics of those companies with respect to their executive S&OP processes that are able to achieve a simultaneous reduction in costs as well as increase in top line revenue. This report is a continuation of Aberdeen 's research on how companies need to evolve their S&OP processes toward Integrated Business Planning.

Best-in-Class companies were defined based on improvements in key metrics like gross margin, logistics costs as a % of sales, complete order fill rate and average forecast accuracy at a product family level. Best-in-Class companies were identified as having the following differentiating characteristics:

• Best-in-Class companies are 2 times more likely to have the ability to
  create multiple scenarios to analyze the S&OP plan than all others.
• Best-in-Class companies are nearly 4 times as likely as the rest to
  have a well integrated S&OP architecture as compared to all others.
• Best-in-Class companies are 1.8 times more likely than all others to
  have a full-time S&OP coordinator managing the S&OP process.
• Best-in-Class companies are 2.2 times more likely than all others to
  have the ability to continuously monitor the S&OP output to ensure plan
  quality.

"The executive S&OP process is an area where companies are getting a significant competitive differentiator," says Nari Viswanathan, research director of the supply chain and logistics practice for Aberdeen . "It is important for companies to be aware of the process capabilities like scenario analysis, constraint management and business simulation that these Best-in-Class companies have invested in to achieve these advantages."

This study is made available to the public through the underwriting of: Atos Consulting, Infor, Kineticsware and Steelwedge Software.

To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, click here.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen(TM) for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market.
For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

© 2007 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
260 Franklin Street
Boston , Massachusetts
02110 -3112
Telephone: (617)723-7890
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com

About Steelwedge
Steelwedge Software. Inc. links CRM to ERP to facilitate Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes through familiar desktop applications including Excel and email. Steelwedge helps companies improve the effectiveness of their Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Performance Management activities. Leading companies including Air Products and Chemicals, Aurora Networks, EDS, Enterasys Networks, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell International, Juniper Networks, Monster Cable, Nvidia, Spansion, Tellabs and Teledyne have deployed Steelwedge innovative planning solutions. For more information, please visit www.steelwedge.com.

Steelwedge and all Steelwedge product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Steelwedge Software, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.