Sikorsky Aircraft Selects SPSS Predictive Analytics to Improve Customer Satisfaction

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced helicopters for commercial, industrial and military industries, has selected market-leading Predictive Analytics software from SPSS Inc. (Nasdaq: SPSS) to increase customer loyalty by proactively anticipating customer needs in helicopter fleets. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX). Sikorsky helicopters are used by all five branches of the United States armed forces, along with military services and commercial operators in more than 40 nations. Sikorsky offers customers various maintenance assurance programs to help improve aircraft availability and operate their fleet at a known cost. Included in this offering is the Total Assurance Program (TAP), covering up to 98 percent of costs related to parts and services. The organization sought a software solution to help identify and predict equipment maintenance for helicopter customers, ultimately increasing customer satisfaction. Sikorsky selected SPSS Predictive Analytics text mining and data mining software and its Predictive Analytics enterprise-wide enabling platform to analyze helicopter and pilot data collected by the aircraft health and usage monitoring system and flight maintenance log records. SPSS Predictive Analytics gives Sikorsky the leading technology to analyze structured data, such as historical and current information on individual helicopters, and to use text mining for the unstructured data, including pilot and maintenance crew fault logs. By incorporating information from all data sources, Sikorsky will be able to determine the relationships between how the aircraft is being operated and maintained and the consumption of parts. The deeper understanding of these correlations will allow Sikorsky to take proactive action to reduce direct maintenance costs. Ted Kell, manager of logistics technology at Sikorsky Aircraft, said, "The incorporation of SPSS into our customer maintenance program supports our continued goal of being recognized worldwide as the number one vertical flight company that serves our customers with exceptional one-to-one service.” Jack Noonan, SPSS chairman, president and CEO, said, "Sikorsky Aircraft’s investment in SPSS will enable the organization to be proactive about customer loyalty, predictive maintenance and, most importantly, safety of its machines. Through the use of SPSS Predictive Analytics, manufacturers worldwide are able to enhance reporting capabilities, manage inventory, and improve the quality of goods.” About Sikorsky Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacturing and service. The company's mission statement reflects its long commitment to safety and innovation: "We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere...every time™.” Sikorsky helicopters have saved an estimated 2 million lives since performing the world's first helicopter rescue in 1944. Sikorsky is a company of United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., which provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries. About SPSS Inc. SPSS Inc. (Nasdaq: SPSS) is a leading global provider of predictive analytics software and solutions. The company’s predictive analytics technology improves business processes by giving organizations forward visibility for decisions made every day. By incorporating predictive analytics into their daily operations, organizations become Predictive Enterprises -- able to direct and automate decisions to meet business goals and achieve a measurable competitive advantage. More than 250,000 public sector, academic and commercial customers rely on SPSS technology to help increase revenue, reduce costs and detect and prevent fraud. Founded in 1968, SPSS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, please visit www.spss.com.