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Fujifilm Canada Selects Astea’s AllianceEnterprise eCRM SuitePerformance advantages of enterprise CRM software with integrated mobile access promise higher levels of service delivery for Fujifilm customers. Astea’s long-time industry stability and product support capabilities also cited as key selection criteria.Horsham, PA, August 15, 2001 – Astea International Inc. (NASDAQ: ATEA) announced today that Fuji Photo Film Canada Inc. will upgrade customer relationship management with Astea’s AllianceEnterprise eCRM Suite. The Astea software will support Fujifilm Canada’s call centers in Mississauga, Montreal and Vancouver, and nationwide field service delivery, including new mobile CRM capabilities. It was the second time this year that a North American subsidiary of Tokyo-based Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. selected AllianceEnterprise, which is already being implemented for the Minilab and Graphic Systems divisions of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. for similar applications.“AllianceEnterprise improves our management tools for raising call center and field service performance, and benefits customers as well as our own operational efficiencies,” said Fujifilm Canada’s vice president and general manager of technical and environmental services Roy Townshend. “We look forward to faster problem diagnosis when customers contact our call centers, shorter call handling times, and higher first-time fix rates when on-site visits are necessary. In addition to improving our operational costs, customers will share in our return on investment in AllianceEnterprise through higher levels of service delivery.” Harry Weening, director of information technology, said, “A number of CRM packages offer a field service component but AllianceEnterprise demonstrated superior capabilities in our independent evaluations. The fact that the software is being implemented by Fujifilm’s U.S. subsidiary only served to reassure us that we were making the right decision.” AllianceEnterprise replaces a system both Townshend and Weening described as “cumbersome” to use and poorly suited for deploying new mobile CRM technology. AllianceEnterprise’s EveryWareUR (untethered remote) option will enable Fujifilm’s field service representatives to travel with integrated, portable versions of the enterprise CRM solution, improving field service efficiency and accounting of field employees’ activities and related expenses. “Our introduction earlier this year of EveryWareUR, along with other AllianceRemote Suite options for AllianceEnterprise, addresses a pent-up market demand for service- centric mobile CRM among equipment makers and service providers. The Fujifilm companies in North America are excellent examples of the response we have been receiving for our new enterprise CRM solutions with integrated mobile access,” said Jim Kirby, vice president of sales and marketing at Astea International. Aside from AllianceEnterprise’s CRM performance advantages, Townshend and Weening cited Astea’s long-time industry stability and capabilities to deliver long-term system support as key selection criteria. “The inability of our existing vendor to continue product support acted as a catalyst for moving forward with this major upgrade to our CRM infrastructure,” explained Townshend. “Our search was attentive to finding a company that was capable of fulfilling the requirements of a long-term business relationship. The vendor’s industry experience, stability, financial health, support programs, and roadmap for the future were part of the decision process that brought us to Astea.” About Fuji Photo Film Canada, Inc. Fujifilm Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, one of the world's leading imaging and information product developers and manufacturers. Fujifilm Canada is based in Mississauga, Ontario, with regional offices in Montreal and Vancouver. Fujifilm Canada offers professional and consumer products and services in the film, camera, digital imaging, audio/video, motion picture, data media and photofinishing categories. The company distributes its products through an extensive network of dealers across Canada. Fujifilm Canada continues to create new dimensions in photography by introducing innovative photographic technologies in the film, camera, data media and digital areas. These technologies include: Super CCD, 4th Colour Layer Technology and Advanced Photo System (APS). About AllianceEnterprise eCRM Suite Astea’s AllianceEnterprise eCRM Suite delivers integrated, modular capabilities for field service management, call center management, sales force automation and professional services automation. The system offers web portals for employees, customers and partners, mobile CRM, and standardized integration with leading financial and ERP applications. AllianceEnterprise collapses multiple, interdependent business processes into a consolidated enterprise solution for better management of information, people, assets and cash flows. Astea’s PSOplus professional services support AllianceEnterprise with a portfolio of services for Business Consulting, Project Implementation, IT Systems Integration and Life Cycle Support. About Astea International Astea International Inc. (www.astea.com) specializes in Customer Relationship Management software for companies that sell, service and support equipment. Astea solutions are used in multiple industries to improve productivity, customer interaction, bottom-line profitability and top-line revenue growth. Astea has over twenty years of experience with automating customer-facing business processes and supports a global client base. Astea markets its products through direct and indirect sales and services networks throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. © 2001 Astea International Inc. Astea is a registered trademark and AllianceEnterprise eCRM Suite is a trademark of Astea International Inc. All other company and product names contained herein are trademarks of the respective holders. This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could materially affect future results. Among these risk factors are possibilities that the companies mentioned in this press release may not purchase licenses for AllianceEnterprise, the continuing acceptance of Astea’s products, general competitive pressures in the marketplace, and continued overall growth in the customer relationship management solutions industry. Further information regarding these as well as other key risk factors and meaningful cautionary statements that could affect the Company’s financial results are included at length in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Editorial Contact: Joe Mitchell Gregory FCA 610 642 8253 joe@gregoryfca.com top of page |
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