SIDEWARE SYSTEMS INC. ANNOUNCES REVOLUTIONARY NEW E-BUSINESS SOFTWARE
Tool Built Using IBM'S VisualAge For Java
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JULY 21, 1998
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Today, Sideware Systems announced Dr. Bean, a new
e-Business software tool that enables customers to deliver live, personalized customer service over the Internet. Sideware Systems used IBM's VisualAge for Java* in their development efforts. Sideware's use of VisualAge for Java in creating Dr. Bean, provided assurance of the mission critical solution working robustly with IBM middleware products including Net.Commerce*, DB2* and Domino**. VisualAge allowed Sideware Systems to quickly assemble JavaBean-based applications using its powerful visual component wiring capabilities.
With the number of Internet users growing exponentially, a substantial
sales channel is now emerging. It's currently estimated that by the year 2000, half of online retailers expect to be making 20% of their sales on the Web. However, recent studies have shown that only 30% of Internet users have purchased on the Web, although many others have shopped without buying. "To turn an online shopper who is 'just looking' into a committed buyer, requires that a company provide the type of personalized customer service people are accustomed to when shopping in person or over the phone," said Owen Jones, President of Sideware Systems. "Dr. Bean fills the void that exists in e-Business customer service by providing companies the ability to deliver live, personalized customer service right over the Internet."
Dr. Bean
Dr. Bean's thin client applet is activated at a vendor's e-Business Web site by clicking on an icon. Once activated, e-Business customer service reps (CSRs) can take control of customers' browsing and lead them through web pages on a guided tour, or follow them to assess their purchasing interests. With a single mouse click, customers can access and "chat" with a live CSR who answers questions, suggests alternate products for out-of-stock items, promotes add-ons, and discusses sales specials.
Special features include:
* CSR lead-follow browser synchronization
* same-time chat contextual to web pages
* customer call-queuing/prioritization
* vendor CSR call-escalation
Dr. Bean also provides a number of e-Business advantages, tracking of
customer activity/buying history, push content prompted by customer profile and up-sell & cross-sell, all of which contribute to increased sales, profits and entrenched customer loyalty. Written in pure Java, Dr. Bean requires no download or storing of additional software on customers' PCs.
"IBM works in conjunction with software vendors like Sideware Systems to provide e-Business solutions for our mutual customers," said Emilie McCabe, vice president of marketing, IBM Application Development and Object Technology. "Dr. Bean makes a difference to the shopping experience at e-business sites. It is a timely and innovative product that we believe helps customers take advantage of the benefits of e-business."
VisualAge For Java
"We are quite interested in advancing our relationship with IBM and jointly addressing the growing needs of the e-business market," added Mr. Jones. "Sideware has performed considerable research on products and technologies available for delivering e-Business solutions and chose to embrace and leverage the power of IBM's Middleware Java-enabled products including:
VisualAge*, Visual Warehouse*, Net.Commerce, Lotus Domino, and DB2 because IBM is a leader in e-business development and offers the most comprehensive line of products for fostering e-business development."
IBM's VisualAge for Java, Enterprise Edition v2.0 is the world's leading Java programming tool for building complex applications for use on the Web. Version 2.0 includes enhanced scalability and flexibility for building enterprise applications within multiple server environments. More than just a stand-alone tool, it is backed by a complete set of integrated components and a team of Java professionals. With VisualAge for Java v2.0,
IBM is helping customers leverage existing business information and assets to build complex Web applications, paving the way to e-business.
About Sideware Systems
Sideware Systems Inc. develops and markets computer software that exploits its patented concurrent technology. Sideware Systems Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Vancouver Stock Exchange trading under the symbol:
SYD. For more information regarding Dr. Bean and/or Sideware Systems,
contact Cynthia Morgan, public relations, by phone at 604-986-6121, email at cynthia@sideware.com or visit the company's Internet Web site at sideware.com.
Sideware Systems is a member of IBM's Solution Developer Program, which is designed to help the more than 22,000 commercial software developers worldwide reduce development costs and take their products to market quickly. The program facilitates the development and sale of third-party software applications running on IBM hardware and software platforms by providing business services, technical services, marketing services and information services. For more information on the Solution Developer
Program, visit the Web site at developer.ibm.com.
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* Indicates trademark or registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
** Indicates trademark or registered trademark of Lotus Development
Corporation.
All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
THE VANCOUVER STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe
harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this communication (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Sideware Systems Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the future anticipated direction of the high technology industry, plans for future expansion, various business development activities, planned capital expenditures, future funding sources, anticipated sales growth and potential contracts. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Sideware Systems Inc. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to development and expansion activities, dependence on existing management, financial activities, domestic and global economic conditions, changes in federal or state income tax laws, and market competition factors.
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