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When helpdesk queries on database connectivity escalated,
Added: (Thu Mar 30 2006)
A switch to DataDirect drivers has helped QAS, the address data capture specialist, cut its helpdesk costs significantly.
London-based QAS, which provides address data software to customers around the world, turned to DataDirect after noticing that a large percentage of support calls for one of its products involved problems with ODBC connectivity.
In a company with more than 9,400 customers worldwide, this was a considerable drain on the QAS support resources. With a quarter of all support issues for its QuickAddress Batch range centring on ODBC connectivity, QAS lead product manager Gary Edsall realised that tackling this single issue could result in a substantial reduction in support calls and expensive helpdesk costs.
QAS�s QuickAddress data management solutions verify and enhance address database entries and support data accuracy for customers as diverse as Chelsea Football Club, Nissan and Princeton University. The aim is to provide customers with hassle-free accurate address data.
QuickAddress Batch software from QAS uses ODBC drivers to connect to customers� various databases, to process and write back improved data, so customers do not have to export the data from the database.
This means QAS is not database dependent. But the company was still relying on the drivers available from major database vendors for its ODBC connectivity. With support issues escalating, QAS realised this approach was not working out and wanted to implement a better alternative before releasing its new version of QuickAddress Batch software.
It was vital to implement ODBC connectivity that really could work seamlessly and easily with any database. For this seamless connectivity, QAS chose ODBC drivers from data connectivity specialist DataDirect Technologies. DataDirect Technologies is fully committed to database independence, with components for every major database, platform and data access API.
QAS opted for DataDirect partly because of DataDirect�s leading market reputation and close relationship with major database vendor Oracle, but the critical consideration was that QAS�s developers found it easy to work with DataDirect�s drivers. This was crucial, because QAS is integrating the drivers into its own product, not simply bundling them in.
QAS has now incorporated DataDirect�s ODBC Connect drivers into its latest release of QuickAddress Batch and has reaped immediate benefits. �The number of support inquires has dropped dramatically,� comments QAS�s Edsall.
As a result, QAS is now considering extending its use of DataDirect software. �QAS is definitely contemplating using DataDirect drivers in some of our other products that could make use of it,� says Edsall.
About QAS
QAS is the UK's market-leading supplier of address management and data accuracy solutions. QAS began trading in 1990 and experienced significant growth to reach revenues of �49.2 million by the end of 2004. Outside the UK, QAS has offices in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. QAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Experian�, the global information solutions company.
About DataDirect
DataDirect Technologies is an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS), a US$300+ million global software industry leader, which is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.
It is the most comprehensive data connectivity vendor. It has components for every major database, platform and data access API and is fully committed to database independence with products that are optimised for interoperability.
DataDirect Technologies has been in the data connectivity business for over 15 years. Our developers have a deep knowledge of connectivity standards and the underlying database engines. DataDirect has been instrumental in the development of data connectivity standards and continues to participate on a number of expert panels such as JDBC 3.0 and 4.0 and JDBC Rowsets; various W3C Working Groups for XML; and the ANSI SQL/XML committee and Middleware Group Expert List.
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Further information from Salli Roskilly, Saffron Communications Limited
T: +44 (0)1763 208708 F: +44 (0)1763 208813 E: salli@saffroncoms.com