Blackboard Client Support Listening Session

1. Blackboard Client Support Listening Session Process, Technology, and Key Performance Indicators Presented By Bill Schroeher September 29, 2005

2. Agenda • Overview • Blackboard Support Offerings • Client Support Standards • The 4 C’s • People • Who is part of the Client Support Team • Technology • How Blackboard Provides Support • Process • How Blackboard works with you • Performance Indicators • Measuring the service • Listening Session • We welcome your feedback, suggestions and comments

3. “You and your staff quickly responded to the problem and understood its importance. The service we received this week in response to this issue was exemplary. You really care about your product and your customers.”Larry McGrath, University of California Riverside "I simply can't be happier with the level of quality support that I'm receiving from Blackboard right now!“Eric Kunnen, Grand Rapids Community College System Administrator Support Dedicated Technical Support Manager 24 hour support and toll free number Access to Behind the Blackboard, the web-based support solution Surveys, newsletters, and other client communication Client service reviews Six global support locations Overview: Blackboard Client Support

4. Client Support Standards • Expectations surrounding the Client Experience have increased dramatically as Blackboard and other enterprise solutions have become more mission critical • Fundamental changes in quality of service can be the differentiating factor for one company in every market • Blackboard understands the needs of our clients and strives to exceed expectations • By developing client support standards, Blackboard has created a culture of superior client service

5. Blackboard’s Support Standards: The 4 C’s • Competency • Professional and efficient communication • Thorough analysis • Leverage of knowledge resources • Commitment • Exceeding expectations • Ownership • Developing relationships • Holistic and forward-thinking approach to assisting clients • Communication • Responsive • Proactive • Clear • Care • Respect and understanding • Sensitive to the importance of every situation

6. How Blackboard Implements our Support Standards People Performance Indicators Technology Process • System Administrators • Client Advocacy • Underlying Technology Expertise • TSM • AM • Community • User Groups • List_serv • Client Satisfaction • Response Time • Case Reviews • Live Call Rate • Total Contacts • Employee Satisfaction • Cost/Productivity Goals • Organizational/ Maturity goals • Project 24 • Engineering Services • Global Services and ASP Operations • Client driven requirements • Enhancement Requests • Application Packs • Performance Benchmarking Team • Root Cause Analysis • Behind the Blackboard • Peoplesoft • Google • IP Telephony • Parature • Lab infrastructure • “How to” Documentation • Release Notes • Tutorials

7. Rely on Dedicated Resources People • Clients interact through 2 dedicated points of contact • Account Manager and Technical Support Manager CLIENT # 138679 http://behind.blackboard.com Technical Support Manager Greg Poland 1-888-788-5264 X 1234 Account Manager Michael Weber 1-800-424-9299 X 2833 mweber@blackboard.com

8. Dedicated Support Contact:The Technical Support Manager People • Skill Set • Experience across front-end and back-end of Blackboard applications • Expertise with Operating System and Database architecture • Responsibility • Dedicated to resolving client issues and maintaining ongoing communication around outstanding requests • Limited client pool enables personalization • Measurement and Performance • Responsiveness • Quality of case management and client service • Overall client satisfaction • Regionally Aligned with Blackboard Teams

9. Root Cause Analysis People • Dedicated resources focused on identifying root cause of client reported issues • Training and Quality • Trend analysis of client reported issues • Recommendations to Product Management on product and technology changes • Training of staff on new products and features • Knowledge Management • Manage organizational knowledge around processes and products • Ensure appropriate communication and content management methods • Monitor and assess client list_serv postings

10. Growing Communities and Collaboration People

11. Client Support Infrastructure Technology • Enables easy replication of client issues using support lab environment • Over $100K spent on hardware infrastructure • Hardware Load Balancer for replication of enterprise environments • Multiple Blackboard versions installed and configured on all supported platforms • Performance benchmarking team for robust testing in client-simulated environments

12. Self Service - Behind the Blackboard Technology • Comprehensive web-based service center • 7,000 system administrators and 165,000 students and instructors • 2,300 Knowledge Base Articles • Product-related documentation • Personalized account information • Create, view and update support cases

13. Search - Behind the Blackboard Technology • Single engine searches across all resources including: • Knowledge Base Articles • Behind the Blackboard Web Content • www.blackboard.com • Client List_servs • Documentation • Release Notes • Known and Resolved Issues

14. Enhanced Documentation Technology • Revamped Release Notes to enable easier reference of product issues • Clearly highlights new features • Complete Known and Resolved Issues in easy to report Excel format • Quick Tutorials that demonstrate key Blackboard capabilities • “How to” documentation to explain advanced features • Key Documentation now available in MS Word format

15. Global Call Center Technology Netherlands Japan • Follow the sun model with six Global Support locations • VOIP Telephony System integrating global offices • Multi language capabilities • Blackboard staff fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Japanese, Chinese • 24 x 7 access to any over 200+ language interpreters Phoenix, AZ Washington, DC Mexico Singapore

16. Project 24 Process • Blackboard Client Support will respond to all client requests within 24 hours • Client Requests • Case creation via phone call to Blackboard Client Support or entry on Behind the Blackboard • Client reply to emails from support@blackboard.com • Notes added to existing cases via Behind the Blackboard • Project 24 does not override Blackboard Service Level Agreements (SLA)  • Severity 1 and Severity 2 issues carry higher responsiveness requirements

17. Influence Product Direction Process • Client-driven Requirements • Enhancement Request Program • Blackboard Idea Exchange • Messaging Lounge • Early Development Dialogue • Product Development Partnership • Product Testing (Beta) • Client-focused development • Application Packs • Rapid response to market needs • Engineering Services Team • Dedicated development resources for client reported issues • Performance Operations Workbook

18. Measuring our Progress Performance Indicators • End User Satisfaction • Surveys sent to contact after every case is closed • Comprehensive client satisfaction survey • Costs/Productivity Goals • Support Infrastructure vs. Human Resources • Multi channel contact avenues (e.g., email, phone, web) • Cost-effective and customer centric • Employee Satisfaction • Job satisfaction • Motivation • Advancement • Organizational Maturity Goals • Financial success does not equate to maturity • What was good enough last year is not good enough this year

19. Client Facing Metrics Performance Indicators

20. Summary • Quality service standards • Dedicated Technical Support • Industry leading technology infrastructure • Client-focused development through partnerships • Measured through strict performance metrics

21. Questions, Discussion