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In the high technology era of information zipping around the world almost instantly, the standard office dry-erase in/out marker board may be outdated.
An Anchorage software developer has begun marketing a simple program which shows at a glance employee status in or out of the office, detailed remarks. The program can hold extension numbers, or information on holding calls and update the data within a minute.
"It sits on your desk on the screen and reminds you to check out before you leave," said Steve Snyder, president of Touch N' Go Systems Inc.
The company released the Electronic in and Out Board program Sept. 1. The program is designed for PC networks in offices of up to 20 people. It runs with several types of Windows systems.
Snyder designed the program and plans to release an enterprise edition for 100 to 300 users.
One of Touch N' Go Systems' major buyers for the Electronic In and Out Board was the U.S. military, Snyder said. Pentagon employees are using the program, he said.
One user of the Electronic In and Out Board is another Anchorage software developer, GeoWorks North Inc. the firm purchased the software for its 10-person office at an office technology trade show in September, said Steve Colligan, president of GeoWorks North. "It's a tool and it's easy to use," he said. "We used to have a wipe marker board. We're software developers ourselves and this is a really simple, practical tool."
Touch N' Go Systems was incorporated in 1993, but came fully on line in January '95, said Jim Gottstein, chief executive officer of the company. In 1992, attorney Gottstein hired Snyder to develop computer programs to track 6 million acres of land in the Mental Health Land Trust. "When the project ended, I didn't want to lose Steve," Gottstein said.
"One of the things we learned with the Mental Health Lands was to gear up and gear down," he said. Staff on the project ranged from four people to 15 people, until a reduction back to four people, he said.
Touch N' Go Systems also designs network systems, databases, custom programming, Touch N'Time Billing System and the Touch N' Go Pilot logbook. Snyder has even programmed a system to compute bowling scores for Center Bowl in Anchorage.
The company's electronic in and out board is receiving some attention internationally on the Internet, Gottstein said. Touch N' Go Systems built its own World Wide Web page to market the product, which can be down loaded for a free 30-day demonstration. Gottstein lists receiving interest form such far away locales as Japan, Zaire, South Africa, Norway and Germany.
About 750 people are trying the program off the Internet, Gottstein said. Once the 30-day trial runs out, Touch N' Go Systems should begin receiving results of the marketing plan.
The company also has ads on the Internet, drawing people to its web page. "You have to have a reason for people to come to the web site, like free software," Gottstein said.
So far, the company has tracked 8,900 visitors to the web site, he said. "Distribution wise, the Internet is great. It's the forefront of technology as far as software is concerned," Snyder said. Gottstein and Snyder expect the program to take off after the release of product reviews in such publications as PC Magazine and Law Office Computing.
[Miami Herald] [PC Magazine] [Alaska Journal] Columbia Tribunel]
Touch N' Go In-And-Out
Board
provided by Bright Solutions,
Inc.
Box 211032 Anchorage, AK 99521
voice: (907) 338-8188 fax: (907) 333-5869
E-mail
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