ADERANT Announces New Client Relationship Management System 'Purpose Built' for Professional Services Organizations at 2005 Marketing Partner Forum

Business Wire, Jan 19, 2005

ATLANTA & SAN DIEGO -- ADERANT Front Office CRM Integrates All Aspects of Client Engagements, Enabling More Informed Decisions That Drive Client Satisfaction and Firm Results

ADERANT, the global software provider committed to unifying front and back office operations through customized practice management applications, today announced plans for a new client relationship management (CRM) system designed specifically for professional services organizations. ADERANT Front Office CRM provides complete embedded capabilities that unify core front- and back-office applications, and empowers professionals working directly with clients to instantaneously access every aspect of client relationship, matter and billing information. This CRM solution is the first in a family of integrated, next generation applications designed to power the Front Office of professional services organizations.

Adding CRM capabilities strategically extends ADERANT's market-leading practice management portfolio by enabling professional service firms of all types to create a matter-centric business process from a single interface. This extension increases the speed of information retrieval and provides single-source access to vast amounts of client information. Broadening the professionals' view into clients and matters enables real-time decision making that better services clients and meets critical firm wide business objectives. An embedded and customizable business application platform unifies all aspects of practice management--a critical capability that eliminates a disconnected flow of information between front and back office systems and removes the risk of missing potential business opportunities.

"In an industry where time truly is money, professional services organizations need fast, reliable and real-time access to every piece of information that will help better serve their clients," said Michael J. Simmons, CEO of ADERANT. "Embedding CRM into our already robust portfolio of practice management solutions provides services organizations a full view into client and matter information at every level within the firm."

About ADERANT Front Office CRM:

ADERANT's overall product strategy is to deliver a fully embedded and customizable business application foundation that unifies the essential elements required to operate, automate, control, analyze and grow a profitable professional services practice. CRM will be one component of a series of ADERANT Front Office applications that will ultimately enable a firm to create a completely matter-centric business process that is:

--Flexible via robust customization and workflow enablement

--Intuitive by nature through a single user interface built on the Microsoft Office system

--Cost-effective with a unified Front and Back Office database and management infrastructure

--Scalable due to its Microsoft.NET framework

--Integrated to Case Management, Document Management and Knowledge Management

"ADERANT'S commitment to continually providing innovative solutions that address the needs of professional organizations like ours further proves we made the right decision when selecting ADERANT as our partner for professional services solutions," said Joe Thimm, senior controller of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, PLC. "As we continue to focus on the business of law, integrating systems and client information into a single source will be critical to ensuring our long term financial success."

Effectively managing all aspects of firm/client relationships is critical for professional services organizations, including legal, accounting and consulting firms. Embedding ADERANT Front Office CRM with the financial management, reporting and analytics capabilities ADERANT already offers firms a single source for accessing every aspect of client activity. Combining CRM with these powerful tools provides unique insights into business operations that ensure firms are building and maintaining relationships with their most valued clients.

Product Availability:

The strategy calls for a two-phased rollout of ADERANT Front Office CRM. The initial version delivers current users contact, list and event management capabilities, as well as integration with Microsoft Outlook. Subsequent releases will further extend these same features, and will also promote complete visibility into matter and client data, integrate with other Microsoft Office applications and add case management functionality.

"Professional services firms are increasingly looking for solid front office applications that unify all aspects of client and matter information into one integrated solution," said Brian Sommer of TechVentive, an analyst firm focused on service, people and project oriented technologies. "A lack of integration between front and backend solutions can result in disappointed clients, missed growth opportunities and other problems. ADERANT is one of the first software providers addressing this critical market need."

ADERANT Front Office CRM provides:

--Desktop Integration - Allows management of contacts with integration to a central contact store