Contents - AL-Tax

8.1 Summary of Key Facts 117in a secure and timely fashion, and (c) ensuring that all legal and client-specificdisclosure requirements are fully satisfied.After the initial launch, the Account Management Group handles all technical,financial, marketing, customer service and other aspects of ongoing relationshipswith clients. Payment or fee issues may arise, for example, if clients and USPhave different assessments of the increase in sales volume attributable to the directmarketing program (although both assessments will be based on the same negotiatedmetric). USP’s Account Management Group is also in regular contact withits clients’ marketing staffs to assess the effectiveness of its direct marketing campaigns,determine how to modify the program or its presentation so as to optimizeresponse rates, etc.8.1.3 USP: Marketing GroupUSP’s Marketing Group is divided into two subgroups. The first of these subgroupsis responsible for testing and maximizing response rates to the data solicitationspage. It does so by varying the format of the page and the range of informationrequested, and developing and evaluating specific rewards. The other subgroup consistsof copy writers, graphic artists and production teams. These individuals areresponsible for designing and producing USP’s data solicitations pages and customizeddirect marketing messages.8.1.4 USP: Information Technology GroupUSP’s IT Group has developed all of its core software internally, which has thefollowing functionality:1. IT tools that support the Marketing Group’s online data solicitation and testingprocedures, parse response rates by page design, content and reward, and estimatethe volume of purchases attributable to USP’s direct marketing programs;2. Software that resides on USP’s server; and,3. Software that facilitates online communications with clients’ customers.USP’s IT Group is constantly in the process of maintaining, testing and upgradingits systems and building in new functionality. The Company’s IT infrastructural andmaintenance costs include Oracle license fees, hardware, hosting and telecom costs,voice/data systems costs, network engineering, etc.8.1.5 USP: Customer ServiceUSP has a large Customer Service Group, which responds to clients’ and customers’inquiries regarding safeguards in place to maintain the confidentiality of personaldata, the use of such data, rewards, measures of program effectiveness, etc.