Canadian Fund Firm Using WebLine Softwareu

Trimark Investment Management Inc. of Toronto is using an advanced Internet-based system to interact with financial advisers.

The company, which manages about $24 billion of assets across 30 funds, is using software from WebLine Communications of Burlington, Mass., to connect with advisers on the Internet and telephone at the same time.

Advisers can get immediate help over the phone by clicking a "Call Me Now" button on Trimark's Web site.

Stephen Main, Trimark's assistant vice president of information systems, said the WebLine software will help his company provide "leading-edge customer service."

Putnam Funds of Boston and mortgage.com of Plantation, Fla., were already using WebLine's system. Mr. Main said Trimark spent about $75,000 on the software, which 25 to 30 representatives use in its call center.

A rep returning a financial adviser's call can link their browers and see just what is on the adviser's screen. The adviser and the rep also can exchange information on their computers as they talk on the phone.

WebLine's software can transmit voices over the Internet, but Trimark opted not to use that feature for now. Mr. Main said some of its clients may not have enough bandwidth yet.

Mr. Main said Trimark will conduct formal surveys about the technology and will compare the number of "Web calls" received to general phone calls and e-mail queries.

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