CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM Improves Ability to Capture Leads; Product Dramatically Increases CRM Value

Business Wire, April 5, 2005

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- CardScan, Inc. today introduced CardScan Pro for Microsoft Business Solutions CRM, a software package available with a business card scanner that lets users quickly, easily and accurately add lead contact information to a Microsoft CRM system. The product tackles head-on the issue of making clean, complete key contact information available not only for sales people but for all CRM system users whose mission effectiveness depends on it.

Without CardScan Pro, transcribing key account contact information into a CRM system is a tedious and error-prone process. Because it is so difficult and time consuming, most sales professionals simply don't enter all the contact information available - it languishes in a pile of business cards. Even when entered, information is often incomplete and inaccurate, rendering it useless for analysis, communication campaigns and other vital CRM uses that add to system ROI.

CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM quickly and accurately reads data from a business card and transfers it to the appropriate fields of Microsoft CRM without typing. It creates contacts or leads, creates or assigns accounts based on input data, sets the lead source and lead topic, and checks for duplicates.

"Microsoft CRM allows you to take each lead through a systematic sales or marketing process, but you can't manage a lead that doesn't get entered," said Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Business Solutions. "Leaks at the very top of the sales funnel are often overlooked by companies that spend a lot of energy managing every other aspect of the sales process. CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM can help businesses resolve this important issue."

"The benefits of CardScan go beyond just time savings for people," said Rebecca Wettemann, vice president of research at Nucleus Research, a Wellesley, MA-based global provider of research and advisory services. "A clean database of customers and prospects can be leveraged for more effective marketing and lead generation campaigns, up selling and cross-selling as well as greater customer satisfaction."

"Complete, accurate and up-to-date contact information for key decision makers is a make-or-break issue for CRM system effectiveness," said Peter J. Weyman, president of CardScan, Inc. "Our contact capture technology has led the industry for over a decade, and we're confident that our simple to use, technically sophisticated product will help users fully leverage the contact management power of their Microsoft solution and increase the overall ROI of their CRM program."

At eight ounces CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM fits in the palm of your hand and is easy to use even when traveling. CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM reads and interprets English, French, German, Spanish and nine other languages. It is USB-powered so that a separate power supply is not needed and it is USB 2.0 certified. CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM has also passed the Veritest compatibility test ensuring high quality compatibility with Microsoft CRM products.

It is available worldwide through CardScan Pro for Microsoft CRM Businesses Partners and Affiliates as well as directly from CardScan, Inc. A typical pricing scenario for a 25-person firm is $240 ($USD) per seat.

About CardScan, Inc.

Founded in 1993, CardScan, Inc. is the leading provider of products and services to capture, access, maintain and leverage business contact information. The company has recently expanded its reach into the Customer Relationship Management market place helping companies more effectively integrate contact information into the presales and post sales activities of an organization and improving its return on investment. CardScan, Inc. is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. It is a privately-held company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.