Software suits sales-force and marketing operations.
Share:
Press Release Summary:
ACCPAC CRM(TM) v5.5 is a complete Internet and wireless customer-relationship management system for small- and mid-size businesses. It provides customization and integration capabilities and supports various operating systems, database platforms, and deployment options. Offerings include inbound and outbound e-mail integration, sales forecasting, key attribute profiling, outbound call management, and customer care functions. E-mail support include Lotus Notes®, Microsoft® Outlook® and Eudora®.
Original Press Release:
Enhancements Improve Efficiency for SMB Sales Force, Marketing, and Customer Care Operations
PLEASANTON, Calif., May 12, 2003 - ACCPAC International, Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), announced today the release of ACCPAC CRM(tm) 5.5, the latest version of its award-winning customer relationship management (CRM) application for small and mid-size businesses (SMBs). ACCPAC CRM 5.5 includes a new user interface and significant enhancements throughout its Sales Force, Marketing and Customer Care automation functions. ACCPAC CRM 5.5 also introduces expanded e-mail integration and response management with support for most e-mail systems including Lotus Notes®, Microsoft® Outlook® and Eudora®.
ACCPAC CRM is a complete Internet and wireless CRM system for SMBs. Built on a 'no-compromise' Internet architecture, ACCPAC CRM provides stronger customization and integration capabilities than competitive solutions. It also supports a wider range of operating systems, database platforms and deployment options, making it a preferred option for SMBs looking for flexibility today and investment protection for the future.
"The release of ACCPAC CRM 5.5 is a major step forward for ACCPAC, our customers and our channel partners who serve them," said ACCPAC President and CEO, David M. Hood. "SMBs need enterprise functionality - without the associated cost and complexity. ACCPAC CRM 5.5 is designed to provide just that - world class CRM functionality that can be implemented and integrated easily and cost effectively."
ACCPAC CRM 5.5, like previous versions, provides instant integration upon installation with ACCPAC Advantage Series(tm) and ACCPAC Pro Series(tm) accounting systems, as well as built-in integration capabilities allowing it to work with accounting systems from other vendors. It supports Oracle®, Sybase® and Microsoft SQL Server databases, and runs on Microsoft Windows®, Apple® Macintosh® and the Pocket PC OS. It supports mobile devices including WAP enabled cellular phones and PDAs and can be deployed either in house or as a hosted service at ACCPAC Online(tm) (www.accpaconline.com).
ACCPAC CRM is available in two versions: ACCPAC CRM, which provides fully integrated Sales Force, Marketing, and Customer Care automation, and ACCPAC CRM SalesTeam(tm) for those businesses that want to start with Sales Force automation only. Both versions are available in three editions (Small Business, Corporate and Enterprise) to address the varying needs of the SMB Market. This flexible approach to packaging and pricing allows customers to buy what they want, when they want it, and enables them to deploy CRM at their own pace as their needs grow and budgets allow.
Because of its vendor-neutral approach, web browser access, scalable component packaging and pricing, and instant integration to back office accounting functions, ACCPAC CRM can provide companies with reduced implementation costs, quicker implementation times and, therefore, a faster return on investment.
Already, ACCPAC CRM 5.5 has been named by ISM, Inc., a leading CRM consulting firm, as one of the Top 30 CRM software packages for 2003 and is featured in ISM's 11th edition of The Guide to CRM Automation (www.ismguide.com).
"ACCPAC CRM 5.5 was chosen from dozens of CRM software packages, which were tested by the ISM Software Lab at its Bethesda, Maryland-based headquarters," said Barton Goldenberg, president of ISM. "ACCPAC CRM was rated according to 171 selection criteria, including 105 business functions, 48 technical features, and 18 user-friendliness/support features. ISM congratulates ACCPAC on the company's outstanding achievement."
ACCPAC CRM 5.5 New Features
Building on the product's existing strengths in back office integration and breadth of supported technology, ACCPAC CRM version 5.5 offers clients many significant enhancements, including:
New, Improved User-Friendly Interface
ACCPAC CRM 5.5 incorporates a newly designed user interface that makes the user's experience fast and intuitive. The new interface provides a cleaner look and feel, and greatly simplifies navigation with smoother screen transitions, and crisper, cleaner, easier to read screen content throughout.
Enhanced Inbound and Outbound e-Mail Integration
Extending the product's interoperability with other business applications, ACCPAC CRM 5.5 provides new integration with multiple e-mail systems, an Advanced Mail Management Server that automates inbound e-mail handling for greater staff efficiency, and new features for complete outbound e-mail processing.
The Advanced Mail Management Server lets users set custom rules for automatically monitoring and processing inbound e-mails. For example, e-mails that come in to a general "technical support" e-mail address can be automatically logged as a support case and rerouted to an appropriate staff member based on the customer type, profile and Service Level Agreement.
Enhanced outbound e-mail processing allows users to send e-mails from multiple areas in ACCPAC CRM 5.5 and create standard e-mail templates that can be reused. These e-mails can be sent using delivery capabilities included with ACCPAC CRM, or using Microsoft Outlook or other mail services.
Sales Forecasting
ACCPAC CRM 5.5 offers improved Sales Forecasting features, allowing sales staff to easily provide forecasts to their managers on an as-needed basis. Forecasts can now be rolled up throughout an organization and managers have the ability to add their own assessments to the forecasts of their direct reports. Historical forecasts are also retained within the system.
Marketing Automation
Key Attribute Profiling enables users to assign selected pieces of key data - attributes - to specific customers, prospects, or groups. These key attributes can be stored, reported on and used as a basis for future marketing activities. Key attributes are user-defined and can be any characteristic that may be of value for retrieval in the marketing cycle, for example: prospects who attended a product demonstration; who indicated interest in a purchase; or who use a competitor's product.
Outbound Call Management automates the process of performing outbound phone-based telemarketing campaigns. This new feature enables a telemarketer to access a call list and display the approved telemarketing script including merged prospect information such as first name. Workflow action buttons are available to schedule calls, and call results can be tracked for follow-up reference.
New, Improved Customer Care Functions
Customer Service Knowledge Base supports the ability to store solutions to common support questions for quick, easy lookup. Knowledge Base items can be automatically e-mailed to customers, improving overall customer support response times by delivering answers to all affected customers the moment an issue is resolved. Customer Service Knowledge Base can also be accessed directly by a company's customers or business partners from a self-service Web page.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) Alerts enable ACCPAC CRM 5.5 users to ensure that customer response commitments are met. For example, if a customer's SLA dictates response to an issue within 24 hours of initial contact, ACCPAC CRM 5.5 can be set to alert appropriate support staff of the time remaining to fulfill the 24 hour response commitment. SLA Alerts can be set to support a customer service level commitment for all customers, for specific customers, or for individuals.
Pricing and Availability
ACCPAC CRM 5.5 and ACCPAC CRM SalesTeam 5.5 are available now through authorized ACCPAC Solution Providers worldwide starting at an SRP (USD) of $1995 and $995 respectively. To locate an ACCPAC Solution Provider, call 800-945-8007, or visit www.accpac.com.
About ACCPAC
ACCPAC International, Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Associates International, Inc. (NYSE: CA), provides small and mid-size businesses a broad range of end-to-end business management applications designed to enhance customers' competitive advantage. Product lines include ACCPAC Advantage Series(tm), ACCPAC Pro Series(tm), ACCPAC HR Series(tm), ACCPAC Business Analysis Suite(tm), ACCPAC eTransact®, ACCPAC Exchange(tm), ACCPAC CRM(tm), ACCPAC Warehouse Management System(tm), ACCPAC ePOS(tm), Simply Accounting®, FAXserve(tm) and ACCPAC Messenger(tm).
Based in Pleasanton, Calif., USA, with offices in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Mexico, the Middle East, the Netherlands, South Africa, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom, ACCPAC has more than 500,000 customers and more than 6,500 channel partners in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information about ACCPAC and our products, call 1-800-945-8007 in North America, or visit ACCPAC at www.accpac.com and www.accpaconline.com.
Copyright © 2003 ACCPAC International, Inc. All rights reserved. ACCPAC, the ACCPAC logo and the ACCPAC product names set forth above are registered trademarks or trademarks of ACCPAC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
