Inference Corp, El Segundo, California has announced a CasePoint WebServer for Internet access to CBR2, its customer support and help desk software. CBR2 is designed to enable internal computer support departments or external help desks to answer queries by providing them with a database of reference documents and case studies of past problems. Help desk staff access the CBR2 database by typing in the query. The system then throws up a set of related questions to diagnose the problem and a solution to it. Internet users will be able to access this database on the World Wide Web via its CasePoint graphical user interface using Mosiac or a Unix dial-in service. The Internet-ready help desk system will ship in May for $20,000 for 10 users. The company says it now talking to AT&T Global Information Solutions and Compaq Computer Corp in the US, and 3Com Corp in the UK, to provide external support for its Web server. Inference has been selling CBR2 as an off-the-shelf product for the last 12 months and now has 25 s hrinkwrapped packages covering Microsoft, Lotus and WordPerfect word processing and spreadsheet packages. It also sells CBR authoring tools so companies can customise their own help desk systems. Inference software requires an 80486 processor, runs under Windows, and use 4Mb of RAM. In order to expand its software support services, Inference has now signed a joint sales agreement with Washington-based Vycor Corp in which both companies will acts as resellers for their respective products. Vycor develops Windows client-server customer support software, most notably DP Umbrella SQL, which tracks calls so help desk staff know the user’s name and past queries, if they have called before. Inference hopes to provide customers with a total customer support package with the addition of DP Umbrella SQL. Vycor says it entered into the agreement to gain a foothold in as yet uncharted European markets.
