New application for contact collaboration
Contact Network has announced the latest version of its flagship application, which allows organizations to better leverage their extended network of employees’ contacts and use their collective relationship capital within a secure, private internal network.
Company chairman and co-founder Geoffrey Hyatt explains Contact Network 2.0’s Google-like search interface enables users to simply enter a target company or industry, and the search results instantly provide a ranked list of colleagues who may have useful contacts. They then request introductions from their colleagues. Private contact information is never disclosed until colleagues choose to share it, Hyatt emphasizes. Further, all participants can set their privacy settings and level of sharing.
The ranking of search results is based on a proprietary algorithm that scores recent e-mail traffic, electronic address book entries and employment history. The application requires no training, data input is automated and maintenance is included in the subscription fee.
Contact Network can run independently or be integrated into an existing CRM system to generate leads to feed the pipeline and facilitate introductions that can re-ignite a stagnant deal, says Hyatt.
New features in Contact Network Version 2.0 features include:
- improved search capabilities, including search by industry with full SIC coding at more than 125,000 companies;
- additional privacy options, such as anonymous participation, selective participation to decide which groups of users can request information from which contacts and pinpoint participation to include/exclude individual contacts, companies or types of contacts;
- full support for Lotus Domino/Notes, in addition to continued support of Microsoft Exchange/Outlook; and
- extensive administrative dashboard for the knowledge management and IT staff, with full monitoring, real-time database and system statistics and an improved user administration console.
The Contact Network application is currently available now and provided to enterprises for a monthly subscription fee, which includes installation and full support.