Kana Software

KANA Software, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verint Systems (NASDAQ: VRNT) and provides on-premises and cloud computing hosted customer relationship management software products to many of the Fortune 500, mid-market businesses and government agencies.

For the French publisher, see Kana (publisher).
KANA Software, Inc.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryComputer software, Customer service management software, Customer relationship management software
Founded1996
HeadquartersSunnyvale, California
Key people
Mark Duffell
(Chairman of the Board, President and CEO)
ProductsKANA Enterprise, KANA Express, LAGAN Enterprise
RevenueUS$100 million (2012)
Number of employees
350 - 500 est. (2013)
ParentVerint Systems
Websitewww.kana.com

History

Mark Gainey founded KANA, named after a rescued Shepherd-Husky mix, in 1996.[1] The purpose was to market a software package designed to help businesses manage email and Web-based communications.[2] It grew around this core offering.[3]

In 1999, KANA Communications (as it was then known) acquired Connectify[4] followed by Business Evolution and NetDialog.[5]

In 2000, KANA made its then-largest acquisition, Silknet Software. The purchase price was $4.2 billion, despite the fact that both companies were relatively small. Silknet was an early multichannel marketing software company. Industry analysts were generally cool to the purchase though some said it made sense strategically.[6]

In 2001, KANA merged with BroadBase software.[7] KANA was a major stock market success during the dot-com bubble, and while it contracted significantly during the following downturn, it remained in business as an independent company through the following decade.

In 2010, Accel-KKR acquired KANA's assets and liabilities for approximately $40.82 million.[8] The same year, KANA acquired Lagan Technologies, a government-to-citizen customer relationship management company based in Northern Ireland.[9] The software was rebranded as LAGAN Enterprise, a package that compiles information from sources such as 311 calls and map overlays to improve resource management.[10]

In 2011, KANA purchased Overtone, which allowed companies to monitor social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.[11] The software was rebranded as KANA Experience Analytics.[12]

In 2012, KANA bought Trinicom, a Dutch company that makes mid-market customer service multichannel ecommerce, especially in the BeNeLux region.[13] Less than three months later, KANA purchased Sword Ciboodle, a company that specializes in contact center software.[14] Industry analysts generally looked favorably on the acquisition; Ciboodle's established business process management gave KANA products for a full-featured CRM package for customer service with social media marketing.[12][15] "Between the two companies, almost every aspect of customer relationship experience... is covered."[16][17][18] The combined organization operates under the KANA brand. Ciboodle's CEO, Mike Hughes, who had led the company prior to its purchase by Sword, left the company after KANA's purchase was finalized. He was replaced by KANA executives.[19]

In 2013, KANA announced the KANA Enterprise product which the company marketed as "a unified platform supporting both agent-based and customer self-service scenarios".[20][21]

In 2014, Verint acquired the operating assets of KANA for $514 million.[22]

Product families
  • KANA Enterprise: Enterprise omni-channel CRM package
  • LAGAN Enterprise: G2C enterprise CRM package
  • KANA Express: Cloud-based multichannel customer service system

References
  1. Network World. 14. IDG Network World Inc. 26 May 1997. p. 10. ISSN 0887-7661.
  2. "Kana Communications Will Buy Silknet Software for US$4.2 Billion". Wall Street Journal. February 8, 2000. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  3. Taylor, James. "First Look – Kana — JT on EDM." JT on EDM — James Taylor on Everything Decision Management. EDM, 10 Aug. 2010. Web. 26 Aug. 2011. <http://jtonedm.com/2010/08/24/first-look-kana/>.
  4. Kuchinskas, Susan (October 4, 1999). "IQ News: Acquisition Begets New Kana Software Offering". adweek.com. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  5. Dembeck, Chet (December 7, 1999). "Kana Buys BEI and NetDialog". ecommercetimes.com. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  6. Wallack, Todd (February 8, 2000). "Kana Acquires Silknet in Deal For $4.2 Billion". SFGATE/San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  7. Kana and Broadbase Software merge to survive
  8. "KANA Deal done". KM World. January 6, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  9. McDonnel, Francess (July 2, 2013). "Up-and-coming NI businesses on the menu for hungry US corporations". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  10. Napier, Jessica Renee (June 6, 2013). "Buffalo Uses 311 Data to "Sweep" Neighborhoods Data collected by Buffalo, N.Y.'s 311 Center determines where its multi-jurisdictional Clean Sweep program will conduct operations". Government Technology Magazine, a division of e.Republic. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  11. Dignan, Larry (April 5, 2011). "Kana buys Overtone: It's a run on 'social listening' companies". ZDNet. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  12. Maoz, Michael (June 12, 2012). "Kana Buys Ciboodle for Improved Customer Service and Social CRM Reach". Gartner. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  13. Wang, R "Ray" (2012-04-25). "News Analysis: KANA Enters MidMarket With Trinicom Acquisition". Forbes. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  14. Staff (July 11, 2012). "Kana Bolsters Customer Experience Management with Ciboodle Buy". Enterprise Apps Today, Quinstreet Enterprise. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  15. "KANA Software Acquires Ciboodle The deal brings together two customer service solution providers". CRM.com/ a division of CRM Magazine. July 10, 2012.
  16. Myers, Anthony (July 12, 2012). "Kana Software Goes All In on Customer Service with Ciboodle Acquisition". CMS Wire. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Luckily for companies who do business with either, they'll now be doing business with both because Kana has now acquired Ciboodle. Between the two companies, almost every aspect of customer relationship experience, web customer service and customer engagement is covered.
  17. Greenberg, Paul (9 January 2013). "The customer experience challenge met: KANA responds". ZDNet. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  18. Leggett, Karen (July 10, 2012). "More Market Consolidation As KANA Software Buys Sword Ciboodle. It's A Sound Strategy, But The Proof Will Be In The Execution". Forrester.com. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  19. Bain, Simon (7 December 2012). "Ciboodle boss quits after sale to Kana". The Herald Scotland. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  20. "KANA Launches Industry's First Omni-Channel Customer Service Suite". Wall Street Journal. April 16, 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  21. Brandweiner, Natalie (16 Apr 2013). "KANA introduces "industry first" end-to-end omnichannel service solution". MY customer/ a Sift Media publication. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  22. "Verint to Acquire KANA Software..." January 6, 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
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