5/26/99 Network News (Eur.) 22
1999 WL 9136324
Network News
Copyright (C) 1999 VNU Business Publications Ltd.; Source: World Reporter (TM)
Wednesday, May 26, 1999
Small is beautiful for Flexion Ex 3Com employees aim to capture the SME market
for CTI.
David Rae
Ex-employees from Racal, 3Com and Siemens have launched Flexion
Systems, with the aim of addressing the requirements of small
businesses.
The company hopes to target the SME market with a PBX-based
technology, which it claims will provide practical tools for
customer-relationship management, at up to 70 per cent of the cost of
legacy systems.
"CTI has been slow to evolve and reach a mass market because of the
complexity and cost involved," said Andrew Bale, CEO and founder of
Flexion Systems.
"Flexion Systems is here to change the landscape."
However, Gary Marsden, Flexion's director of sales, denied that the
company was at risk of becoming swamped by the big boys. "3Com, Cisco
and Siemens all have very strong programs in this field," he said. "What
we found lacking was an organisation that really understood the small
business market.
Marsden hopes that, because of this, Flexion will enjoy a "significant
share of the $2.5bn combined UK and US market, and as a result be able
to compete with the two or three major players."
The Flexion system, the X.300, is fully integrated and can be
installed and managed by one supplier. This, Flexion claimed, will
eliminate the need for a dedicated in-house IT manager.
The product's features include PBX functions, voicemail, integrated messaging and internet access. These are all available through standard
hardware and user interfaces.
The X.300 will begin initial customer shipment in July, with full
roll-out expected in September. It is expected to cost GBP3,000 for a
typical eight-user system.
Flexion Systems: (01628) 827 260
www.flexion.com.
---- INDEX REFERENCES ----
KEY WORDS: SMALL BUSINESS; COMPANY NEWS
NEWS SUBJECT: Small Business, Entrepreneurs (SML)
INDUSTRY: Electrical Components & Equipment; Semiconductors; Industrial Technology (ELQ SEM ITC)
SIC: 3674; 3699
Word Count: 257
5/26/99 NETWORKN 22
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