CTC and Astea Announce Partnership to Deliver Service Lifecycle Management & Mobility Solutions in Japan

HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Astea International Inc. (Nasdaq: ATEA), the leader in service lifecycle management and mobility solutions, announces that it has entered into a partner relationship with ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation ("CTC"), a leading systems integrator in Japan, with sales of approximately US $3.0 billion. The partnership combines CTC's deep IT services expertise and systems integration experience with Astea's global service lifecycle management and mobility solutions.

CTC will act as a value added reseller of Astea Alliance solutions, giving their current and future customers access to Astea's industry leading service lifecycle management and mobility solution. CTC will market, sell and deploy the Astea Alliance suite to their existing customer base as well as aggressively pursue new customers in Japan. CTC's customers can leverage this comprehensive solution to increase first-call resolution, decrease call times and call center operating costs, streamline spare parts inventories, and ensure that service level agreements are met ultimately streamlining processes and increasing efficiencies.

"Japan is one of the fastest growing service lifecycle management and mobility markets," said Hideo Yamazaki, Managing Director, Astea International Japan Inc. "There's an immense need for these solutions in Japan, and together, we're offering Japan-based and global companies an effective way to drive service revenue through increased customer satisfaction."

Astea is unique in its offerings as it provides the total end-to-end service lifecycle management and mobility solutions that can support a company's entire service business or provides a modular approach that complements existing applications. Astea offers service management, mobile workforce management, scheduling optimization, parts and inventory management, reverse logistics management and customer management solutions ---- all on a single central repository. Additionally, Astea is the only solution provider that provides all of the three major components that comprise true service lifecycle management – back office service management; mobility; and real-time scheduling optimization solutions. These solutions enable companies to improve their global service operations by significantly increasing productivity and profitability as well as delivering a consistent level of service around the world, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and retention.

"The Japanese market is of strategic importance to Astea and represents tremendous opportunities for international growth. Demand for effective and proven service lifecycle management and mobility solutions continues to climb as companies across the globe uncover the immense revenue opportunities associated with delivering superior and consistent service," said Zack Bergreen, CEO and chairman, Astea International.  "We are excited to have CTC as our value added reseller in Japan, and we look forward to working with CTC to expand our footprint in the service lifecycle management and mobility market. As we continue to increase our presence in Japan, they will be an integral partner in enabling companies to provide the highest levels of customer satisfaction to their customers."

About CTC

Established in 1972, ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) provides advanced IT solutions to enhance enterprise network systems, and offers various outsourcing services, such as operations by its own data centers. CTC supports such market segments as telecommunications, broadcasting, finance, retail, distribution, manufacturing, education, government, medicine, pharmaceutical, chemicals and apparel. CTC has formed partnerships with more than 200 leading IT companies from nine countries. These partnerships range from those with global multinational IT companies to those with highly focused venture businesses. Around 7,000 people work for CTC throughout Japan, and their service edge lies in offering one-stop 7 x 24 support in approximately 100 service centers.

About Astea International

Astea International (NASDAQ: ATEA) is a global provider of software solutions that offer all the cornerstones of service lifecycle management, including customer management, service management, asset management, forward and reverse logistics management and mobile workforce management and scheduling optimization. Astea's solutions link processes, people, parts, and data to empower companies and provide the agility they need to achieve sustainable value in less time, and successfully compete in a global economy. Since 1979, Astea has been helping more than 400 companies drive even higher levels of customer satisfaction with faster response times and proactive communication, creating a seamless, consistent and highly personalized experience at every customer relationship touch point.

www.astea.com.   Service Smart.  Enterprise Proven.

© 2010 Astea International Inc. Astea and Astea Alliance are trademarks of Astea International Inc.  All other company and product names contained herein are trademarks of the respective holders.

SOURCE Astea International Inc.