New versions of Handheld Contact launched

New versions of Handheld Contact launched in Australian and New Zealand Markets
CRM on the handset extended to Windows Mobile devices

Melbourne, July 2007: GL Computing and Sage Business Solutions have announced the availability of Handheld Contact v1.0 for Mobile Windows devices and the users of ACT! by Sage, giving mobile professionals greater access to vital information about their clients and customers while on the road.

GL Computing and Sage Business Solutions have also released the latest version of HandHeld Contact v2.0 for the BlackBerry

Handheld Contact adds the power of mobility to ACT! by Sage, the number one contact and customer manager in the world. ACT! enables individuals and small business customers to instantly access key contact and customer information and manage the key relationships that drive the success of their business. Handheld Contact was created for ‘on-the-go’ business travelers, sales executives and field staff who use ACT! to manage their business relationships and need immediate access to this database of customer information while out of the office.

The features of Handheld Contact allow the end-user to:

  • Access accurate and current ACT! data anytime, anywhere on a handheld device
  • View and edit ACT! information
  • Call and email ACT! contacts from BlackBerry, Pocket PC, or Treo (running Windows Mobile 5 or 6)
  • Automate two-way wireless synchronisation
  • Synchronise 26 predefined fields and up to 50 user defined fields
  • Use activities, notes, and history the same as in ACT!
  • Centralise administration of 50+ PDAs

Ken Prokopec, Business Development Manager for ACT! by Sage, comments, “Handheld Contact gave mobile professionals using BlackBerry devices, the ability to close the gap on real time data and access key customer information, allowing them to be more productive while on the road. The new upgrade now gives users of Mobile Windows devices the same advantages as their BlackBerry counterparts.”

The latest versions of Handheld Contact include the following improvements:

  • Faster searching and sorting of contacts
  • Alarms for important events such as meetings, calls and other scheduled activities
  • Improved synchronization - the application will continue to synch with ACT! by Sage while the user is completing other tasks on the device
  • Better tracking tools for emails, phone calls and SMS’ sent from the PDA in ACT!’s history
  • Access to view other users’ activities and to schedule activities for them
  • Improved interface and design including colour-coded calendar and enhanced personal preferences

IDC have forecast that CRM/SFA (Sales Force Automation) will be the leading application driving mobile use over the next 3 years. Additionally, according to Aberdeen, “70% of firms say that Mobile SFA will have a Significant or Major impact on their company over the next five years”.

As part of the release of the new versions, Sage Business Solutions has signed a deal with GL Computing that will now allow the distribution of Handheld Contact to Sage’s ACT! Certified Consultants and reseller networks. To cement the deal GL Computing and Sage are offering a range of pricing and bundling deals for new and existing end-users.
Mike Lazarus, ACT! Evangelist for GL Computing and 20-year ACT! veteran has said, “The drive for greater mobility for Sales and Field Service professionals has been blurring the line between the CRM and Smartphone markets for some time. Handheld Contact is the glue that keeps ACT! as the number one choice for mobile CRM users and enables firms to increase the ROI on their Mobile Windows or Blackberry infrastructure”
More detailed information on Handheld Contact and trial versions can be downloaded from www.GLComputing.com.au/HHC

For more information please contact:
Mike Lazarus, GL Computing, Email: MLazarus@GLComputing.com.au
Ken Prokopec, Sage Business Solutions, Email: Ken.Prokopec@sage.com

About ACT!
ACT! is the number contact and customer manager in the world. ACT! enables individuals and small business customers to instantly access key contact and customer information, manage and prioritise activities, and track all contact-related communications so you can grow productive business relationships.

About Sage
Sage Business Solutions is part of the Sage Group plc, the LSE-listed business software vendor. With over 52 million customers in 140 countries worldwide, Sage is a global leader in mid-market business software.

Sage has offices in Sydney and Melbourne and more than 140 business partners throughout the Australia / New Zealand / Pacific Island region.

About GL Computing
GL Computing is a specialist organisation, focused on the distribution and development of products to aid in the design and implementation of Contact Management and Sales Force Automation systems. Operating since 1991, GL Computing has supplied value-added distribution services to CRM resellers across Asia Pacific and has written add-on products sold through resellers around the world. For more information visit www.GLComputing.com.au

About Handheld Contact
Handheld Contact is a service enabling two-way, wireless synchronisation between your handheld device and your ACT! Contact and Customer Management software. Handheld Contact is made by J2X Technologies. J2X is leading provider of personal and business productivity applications which are powered by patent pending wireless data synchronisation technology.

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