Eye Care Innovator Optos Sharpens Clarity and Focus of Global Vision with Astea
Horsham, PA, November 26, 2002—Astea International Inc. (NASDAQ: ATEA), a leading provider of Service Smart, Enterprise Proven Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions, today announced that Optos plc, an emerging global company in revolutionary retinal diagnostics technology, has selected the Astea AllianceEnterprise Suite to automate management of customer support, equipment service and sales operations. AllianceEnterprise will be implemented at the Optos North America facility in Marlborough, Massachusetts and will be integrated with the company’s financial and ERP systems at Optos plc headquarters in Dunfermline, Scotland.
The service-oriented nature of Astea AllianceEnterprise CRM reflects Optos' commitment to true partnership with its customers,” said Jane Naish, the company’s technical manager. “Optos provides the equipment that delivers the Optomap® Retinal Examination and works with our doctor partners to achieve increased patient care and satisfaction. Using AllianceEnterprise, Optos' clinical, technical and marketing support representatives will have a complete understanding of each customer's circumstances and needs.”
The Optomap exam delivered by Optos’ ultra-wide-field retinal imaging equipment is revolutionary technology that plays a key role in the early detection and prevention of many eye conditions that can affect not just sight but overall health too. Optos provides the equipment and support services to eye care professionals through its pay per patient fee system, Access Technology Now (ATN). This business model, which avoids an upfront capital outlay, serves to make the technology available to more eye care professionals and increase the quality of care for more patients.
Since placing its first system in August 1999, Optos has grown its base to hundreds of customers, and by design most are in the United States. Aside from the size of the U.S. eye care market compliance with FDA regulations is helping to validate the Optomap technology for easier acceptance in other world markets.
Astea’s global presence and AllianceEnterprise deployments at other FDA regulated companies perfectly aligned with Optos’ CRM selection criteria,” said John Reed, Astea vice president of sales.
Also, their pay-per-use strategy versus outright equipment sales heightens their reliance on strong customer partnerships and the ‘Service Lifecycle Management’ direction that Astea has taken with AllianceEnterprise.”
Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) is as leading edge to business process automation as Optomap is to eye care. The Astea solution calls for integrating AllianceEnterprise CRM with Optos’ existing manufacturing ERP and corporate financial systems—so all operate synergistically to maximize business metrics such as customer loyalty, revenue opportunities, profit and market share.
As with the vision driving the successful rollout of Optomap technology, Optos’ selection of AllianceEnterprise CRM will prove to be as farsighted and innovative for managing assets and customer relationships in a global marketplace,” predicts Reed. “In addition to its foundation product, the company is developing additional products and services for use by eye care professionals worldwide. The upside is tremendous and AllianceEnterprise will be instrumental for Optos to realize their true business potential.”
About Astea International
Astea International Inc. (www.astea.com) is a global supplier of integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions that provide service-centric companies with a rapid return on their technology investment. Astea's flagship product, AllianceEnterprise CRM Suite, integrates, automates and streamlines sales and service business processes, thereby increasing productivity, competitive advantage, customer focus, top-line revenue growth and profitability. The full module set includes Sales & Marketing, Contact Center, Field Service, Professional Services and Mobile CRM solutions. Extending relationship from the field to the front office, the Company offers over twenty years of domain expertise, linking disparate business organizations and collapsing the time from contract to cash. Astea AllianceEnterprise manages the entire customer lifecycle from generating leads, to closing sales to providing world-class support that drives business.
More information about Optos and Optomap Retinal Examination is available at www.optos.com.