NEW YORK -- C3Expo Show, June 27th, 2006: First Guarantee, Inc. announced today SureTime 1.0, a new software program that promises to bring consumers and businesses the assurance of fair and accurate billings as well as significant increases in employee productivity.
The software allows employers for the first time to authenticate billable time whether it's coming from an on-site employee, work-at-home telecommuter, or off-site contractor. Consumers also gain peace of mind when an attorney, accountant, or other professional bills by the hour and employs SureTime´s unique billing assurance system.
SureTime replaces traditional time-billing software that relies on the user to manually input the time in which he or she worked. Such software provides no assurance that the activities performed during this time were even work related.
"Unless I´m checking in on them hourly, how can I know whether an off-site employee or contractor spent Friday afternoon working or playing golf?" said Brent Winters, founder of First Guarantee, Inc. "Now I´m free to hire the best people from anywhere in the world, without sacrificing peace of mind or productivity."
In fact, Florida based First Guarantee has hired people from around the world, including Phil Clarke who has provided software development services from both his home and his Turbo Computer Systems office in Toronto. "SureTime gives my clients peace of mind so I´ve been free to work from Toronto or even from the U.K. when I´ve gone to visit my mother," says Clarke.
What about user privacy? According to First Guarantee, SureTime always operates with the user's full knowledge, running as a toolbar on his or her computer. Multiple options exist to help balance employee privacy with company and client interests. For example, SureTime never records passwords or the actual text typed by the user. However, the applications and documents used, the time spent in each, and the general level of activity are typically logged.
Unlike traditional time-keeping products, when the SureTime user returns from a break, an inactivity window will pop up informing the person exactly how long he or she was away. The time can then be quickly categorized and logged. With SureTime, one no longer has to remember how long a lunch break or client meeting lasted. The user may also review his or her log and exclude personal activities from a billing to further increase time sheet accuracy. The log is encrypted and secured by a password to protect the integrity of the data and to safeguard the user´s privacy.
A time-saving auto-billing feature allows a SureTime user to automatically clock out when playing solitaire or accessing a favorite news site and to clock back in after exiting. This capability also helps to increase project tracking and billing accuracy by automatically allocating time to designated clients, projects, or tasks based upon the application or document used.
First Guarantee provides a free version of the software known as SureTime Reporter to businesses and consumers. With the Reporter and a SureTime provided log file, one can verify the accuracy of the activity and the time being billed. Therefore, consultants, accountants, and service companies can offer SureTime logs to provide billing assurance to their clients. Plus, company employees can use SureTime to track time and to authenticate billable hours in the workplace or while working from home. SureTime for Windows is $149 (Standard) or $299 (Professional). The SureTime beta software is available now for free trial download at www.suretime.com, or by calling 1-877-892-4040.
Carey Oster
Media Relations
First Guarantee, Inc.
carey[at]suretime.com