Customer experience

Hopkinton, Mass. and Carlsbad, Calif., - EMC Corp., a Hopkinton, Mass.-based information infrastructure solutions provider, and Carlsbad, Calif.-based Document Sciences Corp. signed a definitive agreement whereby EMC will acquire publicly-held Document Sciences in a cash transaction valued at approximately $85,000,000. Document Sciences is a provider of document output management (DOM) software that facilitates highly personalized, multi-channel communications to customers, partners and suppliers. The acquisition complements and extends EMC's position in the transactional content management marketplace, the fastest-growing segment of enterprise content management, according to the company.

Despite taking much longer than initially expected, e-signature adoption is picking up steam, but is it worth it?

Though customer relationship management has been hyped, then written off, carriers are finding new uses for the technology.

Alpharetta, Ga. - BB&T Insurance Services plans to expand its metro Atlanta operation with the acquisition of Ott & Co. of Alpharetta, Ga.

New York - XL Insurance, the global insurance operation of XL Capital Ltd., has completed the purchase of Global Asset Protection Services LLC (GAPS) from Swiss Re. GAPS is a provider of unbundled loss prevention consulting services, offering individually tailored risk management solutions to risk managers, insurance brokers and insurance company clients operating on a global basis.

Frisco, Texas - Mark Depker, president of Hall Financial Group's management division, announced Skywire Software signed a new 49,500-square-foot lease for its new worldwide corporate headquarters at 3000 Internet Blvd. in the Hall Office Park development in Frisco, Texas.

Boston - Liberty Mutual Agency Markets (a strategic business unit of Liberty Mutual Group) senior special investigator Barbara Parker was honored by the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators (NSPII) with the 2007 F. Lee Brininger Award, which annually recognizes one insurance professional's outstanding contribution to the fight against insurance fraud.

Portland, Ore. - Kryptiq Corp., a provider of healthcare connectivity solutions, was recently acknowledged at the annual Portland Business Journal banquet honoring the most-admired companies in Oregon. The company received recognition as the fifth most-admired technology company, as determined by a survey of more than 2,000 Oregon CEOs.

Chicago - Aon Corp. has signed separate definitive agreements to sell its Combined Insurance Company of America (CICA) and Sterling Life Insurance Co. (Sterling). The Sterling transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter 2008, and CICA is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter 2008.

Columbus, Ohio - Grange Insurance, a Columbus, Ohio-based insurance provider, has been awarded the 2007 Insurance Standard of Excellence Award from the Web Marketing Association.