Neighborhood America Partners with Athena East to Solve Business Problem Causing Some Online Communities to Fail

Companies are adopting social networking practices at such a rapid pace that many don’t always have the specialized in-house resources needed to effectively manage an online community. With the announcement of a new partnership, customers now have the opportunity to complement Neighborhood America’s award-winning enterprise social network platform with community management expertise from Athena East, ensuring business goals are met and returns are delivered.

Naples, FL (EMWNews) August 19, 2008 — Businesses launching online communities intending to help customers feel connected to a brand often overlook an important key success factor: a dedicated staff to ensure the company listens to the conversations occurring online and informs the right stakeholders within the company what is happening. Companies are adopting social networking practices at such a rapid pace that many don’t always have the specialized in-house resources needed, or the budgets, to effectively manage a community.

To address this growing need, Neighborhood America has partnered with New York based Athena East, a full service consulting firm meeting the community management needs of Fortune 500 clients, from providing recommendations for the social networking technology to community moderation and content generation.

“Our enterprise social network solutions provide an easy-to-use interface along with an exceptional level of customer training and support, and because of this, nearly 100% of the communities we’ve supported since 1999 have been self-sustained,” said Dan Miller, Executive Vice President of Neighborhood America. “But the market has made a definite shift this year, and many are turning to outsourcing this function as a way to get up and running quickly. Our partnership with Athena East ensures that our customers have a valuable alternative to in-house community management, with a team that is experienced in ensuring business goals are met and returns are delivered.”

Like Neighborhood America, Athena East has grown its impressive customer base organically, with nearly 90% of new business coming from customer referrals.

“We’ve researched this market carefully to find the right partner – one who we could trust to provide the same level of care we provide our customers, with a solution that would deliver the enterprise results they seek,” said Tezza Yujuico of Athena East. “We found that in Neighborhood America.”

Named the software industry’s ‘best social networking solution’ for enterprises earlier this year, Neighborhood America’s ELAvate platform enables organizations to build online and mobile communities. With the Athena East partnership, the company continues its momentum of building strategic partnerships that complement its solution offerings and provide customers with a full depth of technology and services intended to optimize results. Learn more about Neighborhood America’s partner program, contact Sam Carson, Director of Channel Sales, at 703.766.3528.

About Neighborhood America

Neighborhood America’s ELAvate solution was named the software industry’s ‘best social networking solution’ for enterprises, honored with the 2008 Codie Award. ELAvate enables companies to build online and mobile communities to engage consumers, facilitate ongoing dialogue around their brand, and gain continued business intelligence. Brands such as Scripps Networks, FOX News, and Adidas rely on Neighborhood America for its award-winning technology and commitment to guide them through the entire community-building process – from strategy, through implementation, to ultimate success. Learn how your company can gain a competitive advantage by visiting: www.neighborhoodamerica.com.