AIRBORNE DELIVERS SHIPMENT TRACKING SMART CLIENT, ENABLING CUSTOMERS TO TRACK IMPORTANT PACKAGES WITHIN MS OFFICE
.NET-Connected Solution Delivers Easy, Dynamic Desktop Shipment Management Directly From Microsoft Outlook, Resulting in Improved Customer Productivity
SEATTLE, WA -- June 4, 2003 -- Airborne, Inc. (NYSE:ABF) (www.airborne.com) today introduced a .NET-connected solution that enables Airborne customers to proactively track shipments directly from their desktop computers in real-time using Microsoft Outlook. Called `Airborne Tracking Tasks,` this new Web services based solution provides greater productivity for customers by eliminating the need to call Airborne`s Customer Service Center or go to Airborne.com to check on delivery status. Airborne Tracking Tasks is now available free of charge at Airborne.com.
"By using Microsoft .NET and building on the smart client capabilities of Microsoft Office, we`re now able to provide our customers the critical package tracking information they need, all within a convenient email environment," said Rachelle Mileur, Director of E-Services for Airborne. "Our customers really appreciate the fact that we don`t create expensive technology with lots of bells and whistles, and then push them to adapt to it. Instead, we adapt useful and proven technology to meet our customers` needs. It`s a question of who comes first, and at Airborne, that`s always the customer," Mileur added.
Using Airborne Tracking Tasks is exceptionally easy. Customers create a Tracking Task as they would any other Outlook Task. A Web service retrieves real-time package status updates from Airborne`s shipment database over the Internet automatically, then populates Tracking Task status with the appropriate information. Users can view the status of their packages at a glance in the Outlook Task Summary pane, eliminating the need to open a Web browser.
"Integrating new tracking capabilities into this popular desktop tool is just the latest of many important steps we`re taking to improve ease of use for small to mid-size business shippers," said Rich Corrado, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Airborne Express. "The popular user interface of Outlook is a great way to provide customers with critical shipment information, helping them conveniently access the information they need, when they need it."
Taking advantage of the rich features of Outlook, Visual Studio .NET, the .NET Framework and Web services enabled Airborne to deliver a solution that provides customers with the benefits of a smart client application: a rich user interface, features that leverage the processing power of the desktop, integration with applications running on other systems through Web services, and an ability for users to access and act on information when not connected to the Internet.
"Airborne Express is constantly looking at ways to delivery greater flexibility and value to its customers. Airborne looked to Microsoft .NET to build Tracking Tasks, and with a development time of just 10 weeks, Airborne delivered the solution nearly twice as fast and for as half as much, had it developed the solution from scratch," said Neil Charney, director, Platform Strategy Group, at Microsoft Corp. "And the Web services interface Airborne built into its system can be easily used to integrate with existing enterprise customers, as well as create new services."
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