SmartForce, the world`s largest e-Learning company, has announced a strategic agreement with Microsoft to provide an e-Learning solution to help Microsoft partners sell Microsoft products and solutions.
The e-learning programme is directed to the 20 000 plus registered users of the Microsoft Direct Access Web site.
"The Microsoft Direct Access Web site provides tools and expert knowledge that empower partners to market and sell Microsoft products effectively," says Milton Goldschmidt, MD of SmartForce Africa. "We intend to help partners develop their businesses, learn to identify sales opportunities and articulate product features and business benefits to their customers."
Previously, SmartForce provided technical training for the Microsoft Direct Access Web site. The successful implementation of this initiative prompted Microsoft to expand its agreement with SmartForce in order to offer free sales training to all registered Microsoft Direct Access users.
In terms of the agreement, SmartForce will use its e3 e-Learning application architecture and Microsoft Passport Services to create and deliver an e-Learning solution based on content co-developed by Microsoft and SmartForce.
Award-winning content, including interactive seminars and workshops, simulations and 24x7 real-time collaboration with subject matter experts, together with leading-edge instructional technology are the building blocks for the complete SmartForce e-Learning solution.
In a related announcement SmartForce has advised of the signing of its 100th million dollar-plus agreement. This accomplishment means that SmartForce has signed more than 100 agreements with its customers with fully committed contract value of over $1 million each.
"We believe that this number exceeds by a very substantial margin the total number of such agreements signed by all other e-Learning companies combined," says Goldschmidt.
SmartForce reached this milestone during the last quarter, in which it signed a record number of million dollar deals, more than twice the number signed in any other quarter in its history.
"With its comprehensive application infrastructure and experienced sales force, SmartForce has demonstrated its ability to secure major commitments from its customers," notes Goldschmidt.
"These commitments have been instrumental in making SmartForce the world`s largest e-Learning company, with an unparalleled customer base and market reach. The record number of million dollar deals signed in the fourth quarter helped SmartForce record $168 million in 2000 revenues, generate fully committed end of year backlog of $357 million, and become the one of the few profitable Internet companies in the market today."
Adds Goldschmidt: "The agreements further underscore the company`s transformation from an information technology content provider to a provider of e-Learning solutions that support key business initiatives.
"We are extremely gratified by the number and quality of the customer relationships we forged. They are a powerful validation of our strategy of providing complete e-Learning solutions that provide us access to entirely new audiences and corporate budget dollars.
"While we believe that our 100th million dollar deal marks a major milestone, we are confident that we will continue grow our customer base as more of the world`s leading companies select SmartForce as their e-Learning partner."
Share
SmartForce e-Learning is a comprehensive application infrastructure to support e-Learning initiatives in enterprises globally. Encompassing the largest body of e-Learning content in the world, and a fully integrated student environment, learning management system and a range of custom content creation and publication tools, SmartForce e-Learning provides the architecture that global enterprises are using today to implement e-Learning strategies to support their critical strategic business initiatives.
SmartForce:
SmartForce, the world`s largest e-Learning company, provides integrated enterprise e-Learning solutions. SmartForce e-Learning is available as a fully hosted Internet environment through an Internet rental model. With more than 2,500 major corporate customers, SmartForce e-Learning solutions bring the power of the Internet to the critical training business process.
The SmartForce e-Learning environment is also used by leading Internet, software and other companies to provide the infrastructure to support their e-Learning initiatives. SmartForce is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "SMTF." The company, which has more than 1,500 employees worldwide, has corporate headquarters at 900 Chesapeake Drive, Redwood City, Calif., 94063. Phone: 650.817.5900. Fax: 650.817.5061. Web site: www.smartforce.com.
Editorial contacts