IFMX News....
Informix and ESRI Italia Partner To Improve Call Center Workflow and
Customer Satisfaction
GeoCare Solution Uses Informix Technology to Answer Customer Queries in Real-Time
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 1999-- Informix®
Corporation
(Nasdaq:IFMX - news), the technology leader in enterprise
database-powered solutions, today announced a strategic partnership
with ESRI Italia, the leading supplier of GCP® (Geographic
Communication Platform) applications, to combine the power of
Informix's object relational database with ESRI Italia's GeoCare® call
center support application. As the use of spatial data in call centers
grows, operators can use the Informix/ESRI Italia, solution to provide
real-time answers to customers' questions related to geographic areas.
GeoCare also allows the information to be shared with other call
centers and their customers via an intranet or the Web.
GeoCare now utilizes the flexibility and performance of Informix
Dynamic Server(TM) with Universal Data Option(TM), and ESRI, Inc.'s
Spatial Database Engine (SDE) DataBlade® Module, to streamline the
information gathering and distribution processes ultimately enhancing
customer satisfaction. The flexibility of Informix and ESRI's
technologies provides operators with the ability to answer any type of
question -- from ''how far away is the nearest service center'' to
''where can I get reception on my cellular phone.''
''Both GeoCare and Informix's database management system are
specifically designed to manage large quantities of complex data being
accessed by a high volume of users,'' said Gianluca Attura, chief of
ESRI Italia's GisTel division. ''The combined architecture and
functionality of these technologies gives our customers the performance
they need to manage this immense amount of information in a demanding,
real-time call center environment.''
When someone phones the call center with a question, the operator
enters that query into a customized system interface. All the
components of the system work together to gather and display the
requested information within seconds so the operator can give the
customer an instantaneous response. Customer requests that can not be
answered can be automatically distributed to other customer service
centers using Internet-enabled technology. This drastically improves
the overall efficiency of the call center and improves customer
satisfaction by eliminating the need to place callers on hold or call
them back.
''Informix is the only database technology currently optimized to
handle advanced
geospatial data types and complex queries within the server,'' said
Daleen duPlessis, Marketing Manager, Informix Global
Telecommunications. ''This makes our performance significantly faster
than our closest competitors and is therefore ideally suited for
specialized applications such as ESRI Italia's Call Center solution.
This level of performance gives both ESRI Italia and its customers a
key competitive advantage.''
The solution also can integrate seamlessly with existing databases or
data warehouses to enhance decision making processes within the
company. In addition, GeoCare® can be augmented with geographic
processing capabilities to act as the core of a company-wide Geographic
Information System which allows for expansion and growth.
About ESRI Italia
ESRI Italia, based in Rome, Italy, delivers to agencies and corporate
users geographic information systems which improve their competitive
advantage and help them attain higher customer satisfaction. Through
its GisTel division, ESRI Italia provides leading-edge products and
solutions based on GCP®, a sophisticated yet user friendly geographic
communications platform that is the core of real-time
geographically-enabled information systems.
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Apropos and Intrawest To Create Resort Rental Module For
Informix-Powered Apropos Suite
Intrawest to Deploy Complete Apropos Suite at Newly-Acquired Breeze/Max
Rental Chain on Linux Platform, Will Roll Out Apropos Rental to Resort
Sites Across North America
SEATTLE and MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 1999-- Apropos
Retail Management Systems Inc., the leading provider of software for
chain retail management for small and mid-size chain retailers, and
Informix® Corporation (Nasdaq:IFMX - news), the technology leader in
enterprise database-powered solutions, today announced an agreement
with Intrawest Corp., the largest destination resort operator in North
America, to create a Resort Rental add-on module for the Informix-based
Apropos Retail Management System.
''The Apropos Resort Rental project fills a surprising void in the
resort industry,'' said Kent McNall, president of Apropos. ''We found
in working with Intrawest that there were very few good options for a
resort operator who wants both a world-class retail management system
and a great rental management system. We will create a world-class
system for resort operators of all sizes and integrate it with our
existing Apropos system.''
Added Sandy Black, vice president of retail operations for Intrawest,
''Rental systems available for resorts are primarily based on older
technologies and aimed at small resort-rental operations. We needed a
solution befitting the size of our operations, and we are confident in
our decision to team with Apropos and Informix to deliver a solution
that can scale as we continue to grow.''
One of the first deployments of the new system, to begin immediately
and continue through 1999, will be Intrawest's newly-acquired
Breeze/Max chain of rental shops based in Denver, Colorado. The
Breeze/Max stores will be installed on the Linux operating system,
marking the second major chain using Apropos to opt for the Linux
environment. (In November, 1998, Apropos and Informix announced Jay
Jacobs as the first major retail chain to select the Apropos solution
for the Linux platform.) In addition to 50 Breeze/Max stores, Intrawest
currently operates over 120 stores in 12 resorts, and over 50 rental
shops at those resorts. All are scheduled for Apropos installations
over the next two years.
''Informix and Apropos have a history of innovative product
developments that rely on taking each company's core competencies and
combining them to deliver superior end user products,'' said Kenneth
Leung, global retail industry manager for Informix. ''The partnership
with Intrawest to deliver the Resort Rental module serves to reinforce
our commitment to doing what it takes to deliver the best retail
solutions possible.''
According to Mr. Black, a typical Intrawest resort comprises many
business operations at a single location. For example, the Intrawest
ski resort of Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia will have mountain
and ticketing operations, over 30 retail and rental operations, hotel
and restaurant hospitality operations, and real estate and property
management operations. Traditionally, each of these business units has
required separate software systems to manage. ''With Apropos, we're
moving towards reducing the number of systems we must maintain,
particularly in retail,'' says Black.
As with all Apropos software, the Apropos Rental package will be
powered by Informix databases. ''Informix continues to provide the kind
of database and development technology that we need for the new
millennium,'' said McNall. ''Informix is the leader in commercial Linux
database engines and applications. Their aggressive support of the
Linux environment allows us to save our customers a lot of money with
no compromise in performance or reliability.'' Intrawest utilizes
Informix databases throughout their operations. Many of their
operational systems, from lift ticketing to retail and now Rental
Management, are based on Informix.
Intrawest is currently using the full suite of Apropos Retail
applications, including the Apropos Retail Data Warehouse, at four of
their 12 destination resorts across North America: Whistler/Blackcomb,
Copper Mountain (Colorado), Snowshoe Mountain (West Virginia), and the
Sandestin golf resort in Florida.
About Intrawest
Intrawest is the leading developer and operator of mountain resorts
across North America. The company owns ten mountain resorts, including
Whistler Blackcomb, rated North America's no. 1 resort. Intrawest also
owns Sandestin, a golf and beach resort in Florida, and has a premier
timeshare business. The company also has a significant investment in
Compagnie des Alpes, the largest ski company in the world in terms of
skier visits. Intrawest also owns 45% of Alpine Helicopters, Ltd.,
owner of the largest heli-skiing operation in the world. Intrawest
Corporation's shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (IDR)
and the Toronto and Montreal exchanges (ITW). The company is
headquartered in Vancouver, B.C.
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