Onyx Software Announces a New Generation of CRM: The First Digital Workplace for the Front Office

Breakthrough Web Application Consolidates CRM Functionality, Third-Party Applications and Relevant Internet Content into a Single Interface

Onyx Software announces the UK launch of Onyx Enterprise Portal, a new generation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The 100 percent Web-based product is the first to combine the power of front-office software, third-party applications and Internet content into a single, digital workplace personalised for each individual. It provides Web-based CRM across sales, marketing and customer service functions.

"Onyx Enterprise Portal will radically change the effectiveness of the front office by providing a single destination from which employees, partners and customers can conduct daily business," says Onyx Software president and CEO Brent Frei. "Employees have one place to go to get everything done. A personalised digital workplace maximises both individual and corporate productivity while keeping the customer as the centre of attention, resulting in increased customer satisfaction at a lower cost. There is no longer the need to waste time toggling between applications, launching multiple browsers and surfing the Web in search of information."

"With most companies' competition only a mouse-click away, the Internet is driving change in the way we do business. Gaining competitive advantage is down to converting brand loyalty into 'stickiness'. Onyx is putting itself ahead of the pack by powering its CRM offering with all of the benefits that the Web can offer," says Nick Hewson, CRM analyst, Hewson Consulting. "Onyx's vision to synthesise front-office content and applications into a comprehensive, user-friendly interface will provide employees with all the information necessary to become more productive and better equipped to serve the end customer." To maximise effectiveness, Onyx Enterprise Portal can be personalised to provide each front office worker with the exact information and application functionality needed throughout the day. A sales user for example may have a single interface that lets them manage key account data, the sales pipeline, configuration information, commissions and expense reports; view daily stock prices for customers, have directions to their next appointment and get breaking news on competitors. Users can determine which CRM functionality, third party applications and Internet content is most relevant for them and the interface can be customised accordingly.

Being 100 percent Web-based, the personalised digital workplace is always available. Whether from the office, a home computer or the road, users will have any time, anywhere access to their own digital workplace. Onyx Enterprise Portal also can easily be extended to partners, prospects and customers.

Windows DNA Thin Client N-Tier Architecture

Onyx Enterprise Portal has been designed from grass roots to take full advantage of the latest Internet technology to maximise performance, scalability and responsiveness. Built on Microsoft Windows Distributed interNet Applications Architecture (DNA), Onyx Enterprise Portal is a thin client design with a highly extensible n-tier, component-based architecture. "Onyx Enterprise Portal is configurable at both the user interface and business services layers. It is in line with Microsoft's vision of a Digital Nervous System (DNS) -- making business flexible and responsive to customer needs by ensuring that information gets to the relevant parts of an organisation in the quickest and most efficient way," says Stephen McBride, industry marketing manager, Microsoft UK. "If the new battlefield is managing the customer lifecycle enabling organisations to achieve competitive advantage, then Onyx Enterprise Portal equips businesses with the weapons needed to win."

Application and Content Partners

Onyx Enterprise Portal users will have seamless access to productivity tools, Web collaboration and Web presentations, pricing and commissions, industry and problem-resolution capabilities, expense reporting and more. This is achieved through application partnerships with Active Touch, Captura, Expensable.com, FirstLogic, Instinctive Technology, Microsoft, Primus and Trilogy. In conjunction with the delivery of Onyx Enterprise Portal, Onyx has also developed partnerships with leading third-party application vendors and Internet content providers to form a single workplace where front-office users can spend their entire day. Relevant content is provided through a partnership with Sales Director Magazine with further geographically specific content providers to be announced.

Availability

Onyx Enterprise Portal will be offered through Onyx Software's direct sales force and its value added resellers. Onyx Enterprise Portal is currently in beta testing and will be generally available later this quarter.

About Onyx Software

Onyx Software is a leading provider of Web-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. The company's innovative e-Business software combines comprehensive CRM functionality, third party applications and Internet content into personalised digital workplaces for marketing, sales and service employees, business partners and customers. Onyx's systems are scalable, flexible, reliable and deploy quickly. They result in rapid return on investment and industry leading customer satisfaction. Onyx Software operates worldwide, supporting large, medium and small companies such as American Express, Cognos, Credit Suisse, Giga Information Group, NTL Internet, Prudential, Sharp Electronics, US Bancorp Piper Jaffray, AAH Meditel and Visio Corporation.

Contact:	Claire Bibby	Matthew Batters/ Xanthe Vaughan Williams
	Onyx Software	Herald Communications
	01344 322 034	0171 331 1300
	claireb@onyx.com	batters@herald-pr.com vaughanwilliams@herald-pr.com