CKFR Checkfree Corp (MM)

CheckFree Health & Fitness Introduces CheckFree Contract Manager -- Automated System Reduces Time and Costs Associated with Reviewing, Processing and Storing Paper Contracts -- ATLANTA and SAN FRANCISCO, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IHRSA 2005 Booth #1823 -- CheckFree Health & Fitness, a business unit of CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR), today announced the introduction of CheckFree Contract Manager(TM), the first comprehensive electronic contract system for mid- to large-sized health club facilities. CheckFree Contract Manager significantly reduces the time that clubs spend processing and reviewing contracts each month, streamlines contract management and reduces paper storage expenses. CheckFree Contract Manager and the recently introduced CheckFree Schedule Manager(TM), an online self-service club activities reservation system, integrate fully with the existing CheckFree Club Manager(TM) system. With the introduction of these new products, CheckFree Health and Fitness meets the need for personalized yet efficient service with an end-to-end scalable software solution for health club management. "Creating and reviewing contracts is critical to ensure efficient and accurate processing of new members and fees, and provide proper reimbursement to sales staff. Unfortunately the task can be time-consuming and typically involves several members of the office staff," said Matt McKernan, vice president and general manager of CheckFree's Health & Fitness business unit. "CheckFree Contract Manager automates this process and dramatically reduces the time it takes to process new customers and payments, while reducing errors. This helps a club focus resources where they are most beneficial -- on the members and customer service." Without CheckFree Contract Manager, the back office staff would typically review thousands of contracts manually each month. With the new solution, club employees can focus more attention on important front-office responsibilities and customer service. In addition to expediting contract processing, using CheckFree Contract Manager eliminates the need for physical filing systems. This can provide additional real estate for members and reduce printing costs. A large health club typically stores up to 5,000 member contracts at any given time, which takes up expensive physical space. "In speaking with fitness club executives nationwide, we have learned that reviewing and processing contracts by hand requires the single largest time investment of any back office task. There is a distinct need for an electronic contract software system, such as CheckFree's Contract Manager," said McKernan. "CheckFree is dedicated to offering continued innovation and value to the health club industry, because that is where we pioneered our electronic payment technologies nearly 25 years ago. Now, by fully integrating CheckFree Contract Manager with our CheckFree Club Manager(TM) system, clubs can comprehensively manage membership contracts, facilitate electronic payments, and automate more of the club management process." Key benefits of CheckFree Contract Manager include: - Increased Efficiencies -- Automation of contracts speeds processing times and prevents errors, and allows staff in any club location to quickly retrieve specific member contracts. Elimination of paper frees up staff and physical space resources. - Flexibility -- Health clubs can easily customize CheckFree Contract Manager to their unique business rules. - Easy to use -- The software requires little training and is designed for staff members with basic computer knowledge. - Field Requirements -- CheckFree Contract Manager has pre-set requirements for important field information, helping to ensure that contracts are completed accurately and completely and eliminating the need for a second round of member inquiries. - Electronic Signatures -- The software can store signatures electronically, which is a key ingredient to removing paper from the equation. CheckFree Contract Manager is available immediately and can be purchased by clubs of any size. For more information on pricing and availability, call 800-242-9522 or e-mail . About CheckFree Health & Fitness CheckFree Health & Fitness, a business unit of CheckFree Corporation, has delivered targeted applications designed to meet the operational, financial and membership needs of the health and fitness industry since 1981. The unit is the single source for improving cash flow, expediting financials, and managing membership contracts and reservations. CheckFree Health & Fitness' complete suite of solutions enables clubs to grow and retain membership while helping to minimize day-to-day costs. About CheckFree ( http://www.checkfreecorp.com/ ) Founded in 1981, CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ:CKFR) provides financial electronic commerce services and products to organizations around the world. CheckFree Electronic Commerce solutions enable thousands of financial services providers and billers to offer their customers the convenience of receiving and paying their household bills online or in person through retail outlets. CheckFree Investment Services provides a broad range of investment management solutions and outsourced services to thousands of financial services organizations, which manage more than $900 billion in assets. CheckFree Software develops, markets and supports software applications that are used by financial institutions to process more than two-thirds of the 10 billion Automated Clearing House transactions in the United States. The division also provides global trade processing, reconciliation, financial messaging, compliance and electronic billing and statement software to thousands of organizations across the globe. DATASOURCE: CheckFree Health & Fitness CONTACT: Media, Judy DeRango Wicks, +1-678-375-1595, or , or Investors, Tina Moore, +1-678-375-1278, or , both for CheckFree Health & Fitness Web site: http://www.checkfreecorp.com/

Copyright