DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE, TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 26, 1999--

Firms to Cooperate in Marketing and Identifying Mutually-Beneficial

Business Opportunities in Customer Relationship Management Sector

Spider Technologies, Inc. and Net Perceptions (Nasdaq:NETP) today announced that they are partnering to identify and pursue business opportunities in the rapidly expanding CRM arena.

Spider is the premier supplier of 100 percent Web-based customer relationship management (CRM) software that enables companies to build or expand direct sales channels. Net Perceptions is the leading provider of real-time personalization solutions for e-commerce applications.

"We live in an age when understanding a potential buyer's preferences is an essential piece of an effective marketing and sales program," said John Houtsma, Spider's executive vice president, worldwide sales and marketing. "Net Perceptions is the key to a competitive edge in the CRM world as well as for e-commerce businesses."

According to Houtsma, when customer interactions are logged on Spider's SpiderDirect(TM) software, Net Perceptions will enable the development of a purchasing preference profile. The profile can be accessed by the company using the SpiderDirect software during subsequent interactions to identify additional product recommendations to the customer. This process, Houtsma said, will create better cross-selling and up-selling results for SpiderDirect users.

"This relationship with Spider Technologies allows us to extend our reach into the call center management domain," said Steven Snyder, CEO of Net Perceptions. "The combination of Net Perceptions with SpiderDirect allows agents responding to customer calls to know in advance what products and services callers prefer based on prior purchases. This gives agents the ability to make personalized suggestions or to convert a service call into a new sales opportunity."

Net Perceptions interacts with customers on a one-to-one, real time basis, automatically gathering data about their individual wants, needs and interests. That information is then used to predict an individual's preferences and to make specific products and service recommendations.

The Net Perceptions solution facilitates synchronized sales and marketing between an Internet web site and telephone-based customer interactions with a customer contact center agent, while accurately forecasting what customers want to buy or see. The result is a highly personalized interaction that entices customers to visit the company's Web site -- or customer contact center -- more often, and to stay longer during each visit.

Spider addresses the needs of financial services, consumer electronics and "dot-com" companies who want to create a direct sales channel or better manage customer sales interactions using a new breed of web-based CRM software called SpiderDirect. This advanced software solution utilizes the customer contact center as the contact point and links the sales, marketing, customer care and back office functions into a fully-integrated direct marketing platform that offers companies better revenue margins than traditional sales channels.

About Spider Technologies

Spider Technologies, Inc., is headquartered in Englewood, CO, with development offices in San Diego, CA. Spider is an international supplier of next-generation CRM software that allows companies to turn their customer contact centers into direct sales centers, by linking a company's sales, marketing, customer care and back office functions into an integrated direct marketing platform. SpiderDirect, the company's innovative software solution, is used by multinational organizations including SONY, American Express and Norwest. Spider Technologies has offices in Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City and Denver. Visit the company's Web site at www.spiderdirect.com. For more information call 1-888-SPIDERDIRECT.

About Net Perceptions

Net Perceptions is the leading supplier of real-time personalization solutions that enable businesses to market to customers on a true one-to-one basis. Net Perceptions solutions increase new and repeat business by learning more about each customer's individual needs, tastes and preferences with every interaction, then making increasingly personalized product and service recommendations. Net Perceptions, based in Minneapolis, MN, is a publicly held company (NASDAQ: NETP) which operates additional offices in New York, San Francisco the United Kingdom and a joint venture in Japan. Customers include many of the world's best known brands including Art.com, Bertelsmann, Billboard TalentNet, Cdnow, E!Online, Micron, SkyMall, Tower Records and Ticketmaster Online. For more information about Net Perceptions products visit www.netperceptions.com or call 1-800-466-0711.