Metris Companies' New Intranet Features Percussion's Rhythmyx 5 Enterprise Content Management System

Business Wire, April 26, 2004

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2004

Major Bankcard Issuer Selects Rhythmyx 5 Citing Predictable Cost,

Flexible Delivery Architecture, Standards-Based Technology and Easy

Content Reuse

Percussion Software, a leading developer of practical software solutions enabling customers to maximize the value and quality of enterprise content, today announced that Metris Companies Inc. (NYSE: MXT) has rolled-out a new company intranet featuring Percussion's Rhythmyx 5 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system. The intranet, including its content management functionality, was implemented in only six weeks, and has been live since December.

Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Metris Companies is one of the largest bankcard issuers in the United States. The company has seven locations in four states and issues credit cards through Direct Merchants Credit Card Bank, N.A. of Phoenix, Arizona. At the end of 2002, the company's management decided to create an intranet, to meet the following goals:

-- Improving communication within the company,

-- Providing an online community for employees,

-- Enhancing efficiency and profitability, and

-- Leveraging the Web as a platform for delivering internal

business processing applications.

Incorporating a content management system was seen as key to the intranet's success, and after evaluating a range of solutions, Metris selected Rhythmyx 5.

According to Metris' Enterprise Application Architect, Jeff Michaelson, Rhythmyx 5 was the best fit for their needs. "We were attracted to Percussion and Rhythmyx for a number of reasons, including a flexible delivery architecture that enables the easy reuse of content in multiple contexts, and a predictable licensing model that fit our budget," he said. "The Percussion technicians and training staff also were able to work with us while we created our intranet, including the implementation of the content management system, in only six weeks. It's quite an achievement."

Barry Reynolds, president and CEO of Percussion Software, noted, "Metris Companies chose Rhythmyx 5 knowing that they were putting a significant challenge on the table, and we were happy to help them meet their business objectives within an aggressive timetable. This is the reason we developed our rapid implementation methodology. As delivered by our seasoned consultants and partners, it enables us to meet the complex time challenges faced by our customers."

About Metris Companies

Metris Companies Inc. (NYSE: MXT), headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is one of the largest bankcard issuers in the United States. The Company issues credit cards through Direct Merchants Credit Card Bank, N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary located in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.metriscompanies.com or www.directmerchantsbank.com.

About Percussion Software

Percussion Software's family of practical software solutions enables customers to maximize both the value and quality of their enterprise content through cost-effective content management, ease of content reuse, optimized delivery to multiple channels and increased efficiency. The company's flagship product, Rhythmyx 5, based on open standards, is the first Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution to provide cost-effective, multi-channel delivery of easily reusable content. Percussion's Lyrix 2 product, the first comprehensive Lotus Domino Content Integration solution, unlocks proprietary Domino content for reuse in other enterprise applications. Lyrix 2 builds on Percussion's Domino expertise, gained over the past 10 years from the company's line of award-winning and innovative Power Tools for Lotus Domino: Notrix, PowerFlow, and ServerAdmin Plus.

Percussion's portfolio of over 2,500 customers includes Fortune 1000 companies as well as other global, industry and public sector leaders, including Armstrong World Industries, Bank One, Bayer, Colgate, the FAA, Hitachi, HUD, IBM, ICI Paints, Intel, Jefferson Health System, MasterCard International, McKesson, Merck, MetLife, Motorola, Northrop Grumman, Prudential Insurance, Shell Chemical, the Dept. of State, 3M, Thrifty Car Rental, and Toshiba. Founded in 1994, Percussion Software is self-funded and profitable. More information can be found on the Web at www.percussion.com.

Percussion, Rhythmyx, Lyrix and Rhythmyx Express Portal are trademarks or registered trademarks of Percussion Software, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.