Thoma Bravo this week infused the stale exit market with fresh air, earning a 4x return on its investment in Datatel, a higher education software service provider.

After a four-year ownership, the buyout shop sold Datatel to Hellman & Friedman and JMI Equity. Terms weren’t disclosed, but a source familiar with the situation said the deal was valued at $570 million, earning Thoma Bravo a 4x return on one of the largest investments from the firm’s seventh fund. Under Thoma Bravo’s ownership, Datatel doubled its earnings and used its cash flow to pay down debt organically. Meanwhile, Thoma Bravo took a $124 million dividend recap in 2006.

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There’s no denying it: I have a sweet tooth.  So when the opportunity came about to join Moonstruck Chocolate’s Master Chocolatier, Julian Rose on his New York media tour, you better believe I jumped all over it.

Moonstruck is known for its fun, whimsical seasonal collections (like the delicious Pumpkin Patch Truffles I’m indulging in as I type), and their packaging never fails to impress.  But taking a slow bite while I listen to Julian describe the care, creativity, technique and ingredients that go into each hand-crafted morsel, makes me realize just how special these chocolates are.  It’s truly a high-quality chocolate experience. 

It’s no wonder that Julian has just been named one of the Top 10 Chocolatiers in North America.  Cheers to that, from a self-proclaimed chocolate lover!

by Terry Heilman, Sunstone Circuits

Becoming a customer-focused organization is a gradual and arduous process, but one that may be well worth the effort in terms of driving growth through capturing repeat business and attracting new clientele. Simply enhancing existing customer-service programs can help improve and retain critical business relationships, but to build a solid niche, investing in “extreme” customer service measures may be necessary.

Extreme customer service extends beyond a company’s help center and customer-service representatives. It permeates an entire organization, placing a customer’s needs at the center of each decision from product and service deployment to delivery and beyond.

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