The simplicity, flexibility and processing power of Macromedia`s ColdFusion MX technology, supplied by Dax Data, the local Macromedia solutions distributor, made it the ideal choice for the development of a large call centre application at Benefit Recovery Services (BRS).
BRS (owned jointly by Safika Holdings, MGF Capital and Brian H Burts & Associates), commissioned Web developer Dawie de Villiers to do the job in October 2002. After assessing the needs of the company, De Villiers decided that ColdFusion would be the perfect solution because it interfaces between browser-based applications and the back-end MS SQL databases required. In addition, he says, once created, systems using ColdFusion are easy to maintain.
The call centre, which deals with a large number of pension funds, required a system that would allow operators to locate and contact people, automatically send e-mails and faxes, fill out the relevant documentation and file it with the pension fund involved. It would also have to file internal reports and track progress, all on a single system. .
"ColdFusion could build and deploy an application that met all these needs and was, therefore, the perfect choice for the job.
"The technology was particularly useful in the call centre where ColdFusion made seamless multi-access to the system possible, enabling a large number of people to access data simultaneously," De Villiers says. "Another advantage is ColdFusion`s intuitive English readable scripting language - CFML. In addition, ColdFusion connects to almost any database."
The call centre operates via a secure private network, which results in a cost effective implementation of the technology, something that was not possible with other options. "It also enabled me to implement this Microsoft browser-based application in only five months," De Villiers says.
He also used ColdFusion to update the company`s existing intranet and mass mailing facilities as it offers fast ordering and indexing capabilities. Security is paramount across the system and has been upgraded to prevent external, unauthorised access, ensuring complete data security and integrity.
"BRS`s ColdFusion implementation truly demonstrates the versatility of the product. The company has used it in at least three modular applications, making it the ideal, cost-effective rapid development environment. Companies with numerous needs can now invest in a single Web development technology for building diverse applications," says Jeremy Matthews, MD of Dax Data.
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