The alliance will see the integration of Quicken's suite of products - including QuickBooks 2002, due for an April 9 debut - with Microsoft's Office XP and Windows XP. A media gathering today was given a demonstration of QuickBooks integrated with Microsoft Outlook and Word.
"Quicken and Microsoft are getting together to provide a more robust technology-based solution to small businesses throughout Australia," Paul Houghton managing director Microsoft Australia said at a media conference today.
-The small business market does represent a significant growth opportunity to the overall economy within Australia long term, and the use of information technology or communications technology within that market space is going to be a key driver in the overall growth of that segment," he added.
Businesses engaging in Quicken's subscriber licensing program will be charged an entry-level price of around the AU$500 mark but will be whacked with a AU$4.90-a-minute fee for telephone support. Quicken Advantage Program clients, for the full cost of the software plus an average fee of AU$450 per year, will receive unlimited service and support.
Working with Quicken's 5000 Professional Partners the integrated solution will be marketed to the business accounting software house's 750,000 Australian customers and the alliance has hopes to roll it out globally.
-We're not ruling anything out," Houghton said.
Greg Wilkinson, CEO of Quicken Australia said the solution was aimed at small to medium businesses with a head count of about 40.
The platform, he said, provides small businesses with everything they need. -It's so integrated it feels like one product," he said.
$500 plus, for that sought of money, my small business will stick with the $20 Zions book, from the local office supply shop.It does all we need.