Which microcomputer software company did $52.2m sales last year, saw pre-tax profits of $3.4m on sales of $6.7m in February 1987 alone, has an estimated 30% share of the IBM Personal word processing market, has just $73,000 of debt, and resolutely refuses to go public – and what is the secret of its success? The answer, to be found in the Wall Street Journal last week, is WordPerfect Corp of Orem, Utah, which reckons that its toll-free help line – staffed by 100 of its 350 employees – made dealers comfortable about stocking its eponymous product on their shelves.
