Necho Debuts CD Of Best Practices

<B> Necho Debuts CD Of Best Practices</B>

By Mary Ann McNulty


Going beyond user manuals and technical documentation, Necho Systems Corp. of Nississauga, Ontario, has compiled a CD-ROM guide to walk new customers through a best-in-class implementation.

Called SmartER Start, the CD contains technical requirements, product documentation, user guides, training manuals, product configuration assistance, interface instructions and some of the lessons learned by others in implementing automated expense reporting software. It is designed for use by project managers, application administrators, IT managers and training staff.

"SmartER Start evolved from listening to our clients about the challenges of the implementation process. From that we developed a self-service tool that transfers Necho's implementation experience and methodology to our clients," said president and founder Scott Anderson. "Our objective has been to demystify the process and provide our clients with cost-saving solutions to help them achieve maximum efficiency."

Much of the information on the CD is in Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Project and Excel, to allow customers to copy and paste information into their own systems.

Formed in 1995 as a unit of Rider Travel, Necho has received several million dollars in venture capital financing for its expense product, which automates every step of the expense process, from creating claims through audit and payment. Among its clients are American Electric Power, AT&T Asia Pacific, Genentech Inc. and Southland Corp.

"We expect Necho's SmartER Start will assist us in managing the success of our implementation," said Steve Quincel, application administrator for American Electric Power in Columbus, Ohio. "By providing their clients with a solution that drives implementation costs down, and gives me access to information easily for a more effective process, they have demonstrated a strong commitment to their clients.