Avnet Partner Solutions Launches CRM Advantage to Help Partners Quickl

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2005--

    Provides low cost of entry and expanded opportunities for partners

    Avnet Partner Solutions, a division of Avnet Inc. (NYSE:AVT) and a value-added distributor and provider of enterprise servers, storage, software and services, today announced CRM Advantage -- a bundled Microsoft CRM solution designed to help partners enter the customer relationship management (CRM) marketplace quickly by reducing their startup costs.
    Available in both HP and IBM server configurations, Avnet Partner Solutions' CRM Advantage includes hardware, software and implementation services that are needed to get Microsoft CRM up and running in a customer's environment. This allows partners to immediately begin offering Microsoft CRM solutions to their existing customer base and provides a strategic growth path to reach new customers. As their business grows, partners can invest in additional sales and technical resources that extend their Microsoft CRM practice.
    "According to Gartner, the North American CRM market is expected to grow to $10 billion by 2006," said Andrea Harrison, director of Microsoft Business Solutions Marketing. "Avnet Partner Solutions has lowered the barriers of entry to the CRM marketplace for its partners."
    To help partners quickly and easily demonstrate the value of Microsoft CRM to potential customers, Avnet Partner Solutions has incorporated Microsoft CRM into its Demo Advantage service. The Web browser-based service enables partners to cost-effectively demonstrate Microsoft CRM to customers using real production software pre-populated with sample data. Partners can also use Demo Advantage to train employees on Microsoft CRM, as well as dozens of other industry-leading applications.
    "Our customers are asking for CRM solutions that are easy to deploy and use," said Rick Rubenstein, president, RMS Business Systems. "Microsoft CRM fits perfectly into our customers' enterprise environments, and CRM Advantage helps us bring this solution to them quickly and easily."
    "CRM Advantage is a great addition to our ServicesPlus offerings," said Tony Vottima, vice president of business development, Avnet Partner Solutions, Americas. "Through partnerships like the one we have with Microsoft, we add a new dimension to distribution, creating more solutions for our partners to bring to the marketplace."

    About Avnet Partner Solutions

    Avnet Partner Solutions is an industry-leading, value-added distributor and provider of enterprise servers, storage, software and services with operations in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Avnet Partner Solutions provides solutions from industry-leading manufacturers including Computer Associates, EMC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Network Appliance, Oracle, StorageTek and VERITAS -- driving growth for partners and manufacturers. Visit: www.aps.avnet.com.
    Avnet Partner Solutions is part of the Avnet Technology Solutions operating group of Avnet Inc., which enables success from the center of the technology industry, providing cost-effective services and solutions vital to a broad base of more than 100,000 customers and 250 suppliers. The company markets, distributes and adds value to a wide variety of electronic components, enterprise computer products and embedded subsystems. Through its premier market position, Avnet brings a breadth and depth of capabilities which help its trading partners accelerate growth and realize cost efficiencies. Avnet generated more than $10 billion in revenue in fiscal 2004 (year ended July 3, 2004) through sales in 68 countries. Visit www.avnet.com.

    Product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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CONTACT: Brodeur Worldwide for Avnet Sonia Bovio, 602-808-1164

KEYWORD: ARIZONA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE NETWORKING PRODUCT SOURCE: Avnet Partner Solutions

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