Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) today unveiled a new version of QuickBooks® Site Solutions, its Web site creation and management service for small businesses. This version includes several enhancements, including a new patent-pending technology called 'Site Frame.' With Site Frame, small business owners can enhance their QuickBooks Site Solutions Web sites with third-party Web applications built by developers participating in the Intuit® Developer Network who program to compatible application programming interfaces released by Intuit (See separate announcement today at www.intuit.com/pressroom).
"Small businesses want robust Web sites that help them run their businesses more effectively. With Site Frame, we've catapulted beyond 'brochureware' sites and into 'serviceware' sites," said Dan Nye, vice president and general manager of Intuit's Small Business Division. "QuickBooks Site Solutions and the new Site Frame technology will help small businesses build stronger relationships with customers and realize new business opportunities."
Using the Site Frame technology, small businesses can embed compatible third-party developed applications directly into their QuickBooks Site Solutions Web sites with an easy plug and play interface. The applications automatically assume the look and feel of the small business' Web site. Over the next several months, Intuit plans to increase the quantity and variety of applications. Intuit's recent acquisition of Apps.com, Inc., brings a collection of more than 5,000 business applications. (See separate announcement today at http://www.intuit.com/pressroom).
Adam Morgan, owner of Morgan Landscape harnessed the power of Site Frame by adding four new applications to his QuickBooks Site Solutions Web site, www.morganlandscape.com "I'm on the cusp of my busy spring-summer season. To help promote my services, I'm using the 'Tell a Friend' feature - the e-mail version of word-of-mouth referrals. To beef up my staff, I added 'Apply for a Job' - a way for me to receive resumes from candidates," explained Adam Morgan. "Best of all, while I'm out of the office, my Web site works for me and receives 'Requests for Proposals' from prospective clients. QuickBooks Site Solutions - how can you manage a small business in the new millennium without it?"
Additional New Capabilities
A recent report revealed that one-quarter of small businesses use the Internet to provide services and support to their customers. And 10 percent use e-mail marketing to promote their business . With these statistics in mind, Intuit has added several new customer collaboration and service capabilities.
- Get Paid Faster - QuickBooks Site Solutions and QuickBooks 2001 can help small businesses get paid faster by enabling them to post customer invoices on their Web sites and providing online payment options. Payments received via the Web site can be automatically downloaded and captured by QuickBooks 2001.
- Improve Customer Relationships - Intuit collaborates with CoVia® to give financial advisers the ability to create customized collaboration sites for clients.
- Reach New Customers - Intuit teams with Andalé® to allow small businesses to quickly and easily sell products on leading auction sites such as eBayTM, Yahoo!® and Amazon.com®.
- Promote Your Site - Through its relationship with iQ.COMTM, Intuit offers e-mail marketing campaign capabilities to small businesses.
Pricing and Availability
The new release of QuickBooks Site Solutions service is immediately accessible via www.quickbooks.com/site. It is also accessible from the current release of QuickBooks 2001 software. The Web site creation and hosting service is available for $19.95 per month, and includes a limited free trial. Optional services and third-party applications may require additional subscription or service fees. Internet access is required.
