Sedona Launches Next Generation Internet CRM Solution With Wireless Functionality; Intarsia Features Include Wireless Access, ASP Delivery and Personalized Portal Capabilities
LIMERICK, Penn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2000--SEDONA(R)
Corporation (NASDAQ: SDNA) (www.SEDONAcorp.com) today launched a
significant new version of Intarsia(TM), its Internet customer
relationship management (CRM) application for small-to-mid-sized
financial service companies.
Building on its recently announced Intarsia V1.2, the new version
provides for three major new capabilities: support for wireless
devices such as laptops and handheld PCs; a new portal front-end that
allows individual companies and users to personalize their own
Intarsia look and feel; and immediate use of the software on an
application service basis which will significantly reduce the cost and
time required for a financial services company to implement a
comprehensive CRM solution.
"This announcement is indicative of our aggressive plans to make
Intarsia available to every small and mid-sized financial services
company," said Marco Emrich, president and CEO, SEDONA. "The product
offers significant capabilities such as profitability management and
lead tracking, and now with the ability to personalize the system and
use it in a mobile environment, we offer some of the best
functionality found in any CRM environment of any size. Despite this
additional robustness, Intarsia is even more cost effective for
smaller institutions with its availability as an application service."
Intarsia's new wireless capabilities allow users to access the
system without having to be "plugged" into an Internet connection.
With mobile device usage on the increase, this new feature will grow
increasingly significant as users become less tethered to an office
location and travel or conduct face-to-face customer meetings outside
of their offices. This is a critical requirement for competitive
financial service companies striving to provide better customer
service.
"SEDONA's Internet CRM application gave us a quantitative look at
our customer information for marketing and customer service functions
throughout our organization, which has over a dozen locations
statewide," said Jay Coakley, vice president of marketing, Central
Bancompany. "Our goal is to leverage the information to target the
segments that have the best opportunity for a greater return on
marketing investment and customer management. We are very excited to
be able to participate in the beta program."
As an application service provider, SEDONA gives small and
mid-sized companies the option of outsourcing a CRM solution (via the
Web) at a low, monthly operational expense without having to purchase
additional hardware or software as well as hire additional personnel
to implement or maintain a new system.
"Having an Internet-based CRM system is critical to the success of
Bremer's relationship management strategy," said Troy Beaver, senior
vice president of marketing, Bremer Bank. "Intarsia is clearly the
most affordable and comprehensive technology solution available to
help us profitably manage our sales and marketing efforts."
How Intarsia Works
Intarsia users are able to enhance their internal customer and/or
prospect data from back office systems with "live" user demographics,
behaviors, interests and preferences information provided by
third-party content management suppliers. This enhanced data is then
visually filtered and analyzed to provide timely and precise
"information-on-demand" or "Smart Content" to all of Intarsia's CRM
front-office components, such as lead tracking and management,
profitability management, promotion management, segment management and
report publisher.
"Intarsia allows all customers to create focused, profit-driven
marketing programs and achieve positive sales results," said Alyssa
Dver, vice president of marketing, SEDONA. "As such, Intarsia directly
helps our customers achieve better results in acquiring new customers
and in retaining existing ones."
Intarsia is currently in beta testing with four financial services
companies including Central Bancompany, a Missouri-based bank holding
company with a network of more than a dozen banks statewide, as well
as Bremer Bank, a financial services company based in St. Paul, Minn.
with over 100 locations in the Midwest. Intarsia is scheduled for
general release in the fourth quarter of 2000.
For more information on Intarsia, please call 800-815-3307 or send
an email to sales@sedonacorp.com or visit the SEDONA Web site at
www.SEDONAcorp.com. |
