FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Alternate Access, Inc.
(919) 831-1860
Press@AlternateAccess.com
Cambridge, MA and Raleigh, NC - 31 December 2003- Artisoft®, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASFT), developer of the first software-based phone system, and Alternate Access®, specialists in converged communications, are proud to announce AA MASLink(tm), a comprehensive and expandable Call Center add-on for florists using the McShan Abner Systems (MAS) Floral Management System. MASLink was developed by Alternate Access through Artisoft's Open Communications Alliance to match the workflow demands of the highly competitive floral industry. This strategic relationship empowers both Artisoft and Alternate Access to promote the solution to their respective channels.
Artisoft's Open Communications Alliance is comprised of industry-leading companies working with Artisoft to deliver standards-based communications solutions with TeleVantage as the focal point. In an industry where profit margins are low, personnel turnover is relatively high, and timely customer service makes the difference in gaining or losing a loyal customer, MASLink is a florist's competitive advantage in both marketing and sales. MASLink reduces processing steps that cause delays in taking and fulfilling orders by phone, increasing the volume of calls a florist can handle swiftly, and with better customer service.
It builds on the rock-solid architecture of TeleVantage, Artisoft's premier software-based phone system, using MAS, a floral management solution designed by McShan Abner Systems of Scottsdale, Arizona. TeleVantage and MASLink's robust feature set offers florists MAS screen-pops with every inbound telephone call graphical desktop call control with comprehensive messaging and web browser capabilities. In addition floral deliveries are instantly logged MAS when drivers make a quick cell phone call to a TeleVantage IVR application. MAS provides comprehensive database management, giving a floral sales agent customized information on callers while, behind the scenes, delivering complete inventory management through integrated order entry with POS cash-n-carry functions. Florists immediately benefit from a running history of account activity, highly significant in that 50% to 70% of a florist's business is from regular customers.
An early adopter is George K. Walker Florist of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Joe Hinson, the company's president, says, "A new system just fell into our plans; and this one is so flexible," he says. "It seems that anything we want it to do, our new phone system CAN do." Hinson installed his new phone system twelve days before Mother's Day - a florist's busiest time of year. The result - by eliminating extra processing steps that cause communications gridlock, George K.Walker's orders were up by 20%. Fewer calls were dropped. And the average time agents were on the phone with customers went from 4 minutes to 3 minutes. Hinson says, "We are very pleased."
Artisoft, Inc. is a leading developer of open, standards-based telephone systems that bring together voice and data for more powerful and productive communications. Artisoft's TeleVantage delivers greater functionality, flexibility, and value than proprietary PBXs t a variety of customers, from small offices to large enterprise organizations with sophisticated call centers. Artisoft's innovative software products have consistently garnered industry recognition, winning more than 30 awards for technical excellence. The company distributes its products and services worldwide through a dedicated and growing channel of authorized resellers. For more information, visit www.artisoft.com
About Alternate Access
Alternate Access® provides easy-to-use, converged communications solutions for companies, large and
small, which value the telephone as their communication lifeline to customers. The company specializes in
application development and integration of software-based telephone systems, fax, interactive voice
response, speech recognition, Internet, call centers and CRM to boost productivity, customer loyalty, and
profits. Customers include businesses in banking, real estate, construction, staffing, florists, and other
service areas. Alternate Access quickly gets to the core of how your business works and combines the
convenience of your telephone with the intelligence of your computer-for bottom line results. Converged
Communications for Competitive Advantage™. For more information, contact us at
www.AlternateAccess.com or call toll free at 866-831-9273.