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UniPress Software Announces FootPrints 6.5, the Latest Version of the FootPrints Line of Web-Based Help Desk and Customer Support Automation Solutions EDISON, N.J. --(Business Wire)-- May 11, 2004 -- UniPress Software, Inc.FootPrints 6.5 Combines Signature Ease-of-Use with an Expanded Feature Set for Both Internal and External Support Automation, New Levels of Sophistication, and Stronger Performance for Large Sites UniPress Software, Inc., a leading provider of web-based service desk automation software, today unveiled a major enhancement to its FootPrints(R) product line. The new FootPrints 6.5, available in traditionally licensed and hosted versions, offers a 100% web-based platform to centrally manage incoming service and support requests from multiple channels, streamline workflow and operations, automate business processes, and improve the overall customer support experience. Available by the end of this month, FootPrints 6.5 is uniquely designed to manage both internal help desk and external customer service for mid-size and small organizations, and departments or functions within large organizations. The FootPrints line of 100% web-based service desk tracking and automation software consists of FootPrints, FootPrints for eService, The FootPrints Hosting Service, and FootPrints for Exchange. The FootPrints product line also includes integrated add-on modules that automate additional business processes through the service desk, including dynamic LDAP-based and ODBC address book integration, asset management, software distribution, telephony integration, web-based remote control and chat, and access to professionally written support solutions knowledge bases. FootPrints 6.5 Tools - New, Sophisticated Functionality Designed for Real-World Support Environments FootPrints 6.5 includes powerful automation features, while retaining its signature ease of use, flexibility, and fast implementation qualities that appeal to organizations of all sizes. New features and major enhancements for the service desk include a full service level management module, advanced agent management, and workflow features, an automated, customizable flashboard for a single, comprehensive view of multiple support metrics, advanced database maintenance capabilities, enhanced performance to manage large ticket volumes, cross-project searching and reporting, and expanded project templates for multiple business applications. FootPrints 6.5 also includes many new capabilities for customer support automation, such as a new FootPrints Customer eService Portal for extending the customer self-service experience, dynamic access to external corporate SQL-based databases and address books, and customer survey management. FootPrints 6.5 offers the following enhancements to its powerful support automation technology: The Customer eService Portal: With FootPrints 6.5, organizations can now make it even easier for their customers to use self-service online. By easily deploying a simplified and highly customizable, single frame screen embedded within their existing web site, organizations can give external audiences the ability to search FAQs and solution knowledge bases to find answers independently without having to log-in. It also allows a complete visual integration between the FootPrints self-service screen and the organization's web site. Advanced Agent Management and Workflow: The new FootPrints 6.5 helps organizations automate the agent work process by offering individual work schedules and an agent availability matrix for managing schedules. It also includes a new "follow-the-sun" escalation capability, providing the ability to escalate issues to different teams working in different time zones to help organizations optimize their global 24/7 support. Service Level Management: FootPrints 6.5 includes a new Service Level Agreement module that's fully customizable with contract information, automated due dates, multi-tiered escalations and SLA reporting. This new capability enables service desks to meet their internal and external service level commitments, such as gold, silver, and bronze levels, and it helps customer support organizations manage service warranties or agreements. Automated, Customizable Flashboard for Single View of Multiple Metrics: Included in FootPrints 6.5 is a customizable administrative Flashboard that provides a consolidated, real-time view of multiple service desk activity and performance metrics. It also includes a new metrics report wizard that measures additional quantitative data, including first-call resolution rates and service level metrics. Ability to Link Dynamically to External Databases: An optional, add-on module for additional cost, FootPrints Dynamic SQL Database Link provides the ability to link dynamically to customer contact information in an organization's existing, external relational database and access their most current contact records stored in SQL, Oracle, and other ODBC-based directories. In addition, FootPrints 6.5 can dynamically access external data from any SQL-compliant database, such as service contract, asset, or other information for a user's issue, and place this data into the FootPrints ticket database. Easy-to-use setup wizards allow you to integrate with no database administration or consulting required, and the latest data will always be returned. Advanced Database Maintenance: FootPrints 6.5 includes archive, backup, restore and purge utilities to help organizations manage their growing ticket data and maintain optimal system performance. Cross-Project Searches: FootPrints 6.5 provides the ability to view tickets in multiple projects in a single window, which is especially important as agents and customer service representatives often work on multiple projects at one time. New Project Templates: FootPrints 6.5 offers additional project templates to help automate business processes in numerous departments, including human resources, facilities management, and more. It also includes a built-in customer survey project for processing and reporting on survey data from a support project. "I am very impressed with the improvements in the new version of FootPrints, and the support at UniPress has been a great help. The team there is second to none," said Bob Moran, system and network administrator at Austin, TX-based API International, Inc., a leading infrastructure and DMS consultant for the automotive industry. "I ran the beta upgrade earlier this week in my Linux and MySQL environment and things are going very well." "Working with FootPrints customers for nearly a decade, we have discovered they typically share three primary challenges; they want to increase, or regain, control of their service and support environment, they need to do more with less resources, and they want a 360 degree, real-time view of their customers," said Mark Krieger, President of UniPress Software. "With the versatility and web-based design of FootPrints 6.5, organizations of all sizes, and across a range of industries, can meet and exceed these challenges, and many others, and deliver extremely high levels of automated customer service and support that offer a consistently positive user experience for both internal and external audiences." Pricing & Availability Available by the end of the month, a three-agent Starter Pack for FootPrints 6.5 technology will cost $3,995. The FootPrints Dynamic SQL Database Link is available as an add-on module, with pricing starting at $1,995. Volume, concurrent user, and site license pricing options are also available. The FootPrints Hosting Service is also available at no additional software costs, and requires a modest 18% annual hosting fee. UniPress provides discounts for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. FootPrints technology is available on the GSA schedule under contract number GS-35F-0391L. Contact UniPress for additional product and pricing information at 732-287-2100. About the FootPrints line of Support Automation Solutions: Since its launch in 1996, the FootPrints line of support automation solutions has evolved as a flexible, web-based service desk suite with a low total cost of ownership and fast ROI, and today is used by nearly 2,000 organizations worldwide. The product line has garnered many industry awards and been frequently recognized by industry analysts. About UniPress Software, Inc. Headquartered in Edison, New Jersey, UniPress Software, Inc. is a developer of web-based service desk automation software targeting mid-market companies, departments within large enterprise organizations, and small businesses. The company's FootPrints(R) product line, launched in 1996, provides a comprehensive range of capabilities to significantly improve help desk and customer support operations, and is widely used by nearly 2,000 corporate organizations, government offices, and educational institutions worldwide, including Prudential Financial, BHP Petroleum, IBM, Kampgrounds of America, Schwab Soundview Capital Markets L.P., Hunter Fan Company, the IRS, and the University of Pennsylvania. For more information, contact UniPress at 732-287-2100, or via the web at www.unipress.com. |
