Remedy updates Help Desk to target CRM market

Remedy Corporation has released the latest version of its flagship helpdesk product, while announcing plans to target the customer relationship management (CRM) market.

Remedy Help Desk 4.0 offers an updated user interface, and the simultaneous release of Remedy Service Level Agreements 4.0 allows users to see when they're about to breach service level agreements (SLA) and take action accordingly, claims Remedy. For example, call centre agents at a distributor could see when the deadline for a delivery is about to be missed, and take action to avoid breaking the SLA.

Meanwhile, Remedy is also setting its sights set on the CRM market by setting up a separate business unit and promising products by the second half of this year.

Andrew Dawson, Remedy marketing manager EMEA, said: "Our customers are already developing CRM-style applications - so obviously there's a demand there."

To address the market, Remedy is creating CRM products based on technology from a company called Baystone, a former Remedy ISV (independent software vendor) which it recently acquired.

A further move sees Remedy creating a third distinct business unit to concentrate on Employee Workforce Automation (EWA) software, which allows the dynamic updating of, for example, internal purchase requisitions.

Remedy systems integrators include Andersen Consulting, Cap Gemini, IBM Global Services, Logica and Unisys.