AIT drives .NET and Web services adoption

14/07/2003

AIT has launched a market leading .NET CRM package, in a move welcomed by Microsoft. The latest version of Portrait, AIT’s Customer Interaction Management (CIM) software fully utilises the .NET framework and Web services architecture.

Portrait 2.3, which was recently released, maximises the .NET infrastructure to deliver highly configurable applications. It also includes full support for integration with external systems in a fast, simple and consistent way. Portrait’s XML-based architecture allows the consumption of data from legacy host systems, relational databases, middleware and EAI tools.

“We are delighted to work with AIT to drive adoption and momentum for .NET architected solutions,” said Mark Greatorex, director of .NET and Developer Group at Microsoft. “AIT’s success in delivering highly customised CIM solutions is indicative of the growing demand for these applications. We strongly support its decision to develop and built Portrait on our platform.”

“AIT firmly believes that Web services will transform the way businesses in every sector will interact with partners, suppliers and customers in the next few years. This conviction does not come out of thin air - it is based on real demand from our customer-base and we see our investment in .NET paying handsome dividends,” said Tim Shaw, CTO at AIT.
 
AIT and Microsoft customer, Nationwide Building Society, has used XML Web services from the outset to enable the integration of Portrait with existing systems. Since late 2002, the project has been rolled out to 7,000 staff and the UK Mutual aims to have delivered Portrait to the remaining 4,000 staff by the end of the year.

“.NET framework and visual studio .NET enhances configuration and rapid application deployment, which allows channel partners to implement Portrait solutions quickly. Portrait 2.3 also implements core channel applications like Portrait thin-client call centre, delivered through the .NET architecture. The .NET framework proves the perfect environment for us to deliver our Web services,” added
Tim Shaw.
 
NOTES TO EDITORS

About AIT:
AIT makes companies more successful by making them more responsive. Portrait, its Customer Interaction Management software (CIM), focuses on the most important part of traditional CRM: the point where it touches the customer.

Portrait helps business users and strategists design, model, deploy, manage and change the processes that drive customer interactions across all channels. By dramatically increasing a company’s responsiveness to change, Portrait helps win new customers, sell more to them and serve them better, while ensuring regulatory compliance. By mastering customer interactions, Portrait makes CRM work.
 
Portrait lets all customer data stay in the systems and data stores where it naturally lives so integrating with existing back-end systems is easy - even if those systems are changing. New configurations, new rules, new processes and new interfaces are generated in minutes instead of months.

The company has developed its specialist knowledge over 17 years, through successful deployments for its blue-chip client base. Customers include Alliance & Leicester, Bradford & Bingley, Britannic Money, First Data Europe, Lloyds TSB, Marks & Spencer Financial Services, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest, The Woolwich, Komercni Banka (Czech Republic), KeyCorp and Rainier Pacific Bank (US) and Benkar Advantage (Turkey).  For more information on AIT, visit the website at: http://www.aitgroup.com

Media Contacts

For AIT enquiries, please contact:

Jo Bateman
01491 416 600
jo.bateman@aitgroup.com

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

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