New Maintenance Management System Aims To Extend Equipment Life And Maximize Uptime For Restaurants And Hospitality Properties (Austin, TX, April 22, 2004) eBlox, Inc., a developer of web software tools based in Austin, Texas, today announced the introduction of mobileTRAQ, a smart, affordable, easy to implement equipment preventive maintenance & repair management system designed specifically for busy food and hospitality professionals. The application is web-based and features preventive maintenance (PM) scheduling, automatic work notifications and reminders, equipment and facility management, multiple user roles, short and full-detail work tickets, and work and cost history. mobileTRAQ also comes with a simple user interface for requesting and performing maintenance and repair work - making it an ideal solution for small and mid-sized restaurants and hospitality properties that need to stretch equipment life and maintain uptime. "We really like what mobileTRAQ brings to the table," said Mike Sherrill, Manager of Alamo Draft House, a combination restaurant/movie theater with locations in Austin, and Houston, Texas. "It's scheduling and notification system removes a lot of guesswork." PM's can be scheduled in advance to run over the life of the equipment. Then, when a specific PM instance becomes due, mobileTRAQ automatically sends a notification to the assigned resource and the task shows up in their work list. The system also allows for scheduling one-time tasks and repairs, and larger projects such as inspections, opening new locations, or upgrading an existing location. "My staff and I no longer have to keep schedules in our heads. mobileTRAQ stores and delivers the details and work reminders exactly when we need them, so I can focus on other important areas without worrying about maintenance slipping through the cracks," Sherrill said. "In addition to scheduling and managing work requests, mobileTRAQ allows customers to manage their equipment as well as multiple locations," said Donna Fritz, VP sales and marketing for mobileTRAQ. For example, mobileTRAQ provides an area to store additional information/specs on equipment, which can be a valuable time and cost saver when maintenance or repair work is being performed. Customers can view a variety of equipment detail right on the work ticket including model, manufacturer, warranty status, last service date and install date. "If more information is needed, they can click to an equipment detail page to view all available data including product specs and purchase amount." There is also an equipment current value estimator to assist with repair/replace decisions. Users access mobileTRAQ through a web login page and immediately view a personalized "Dashboard" that displays assigned work that requires immediate attention. Depending on their role, users see either just their tasks (Staff or Vendor role) or all system data (Manager or Administrator role). "The interface was designed with speed and simplicity in mind," said Brent Buford, CEO of eBlox, who also oversees all interface design. "A work request can be created and entered in as little as 2 minutes, making it easy for non-maintenance staff to report needed repairs during or after their shift. Work requests can be updated and/or closed out in under a minute." mobileTRAQ is currently offered on a monthly basis for $49.95, with a discount for annual licenses. More information about mobileTRAQ, including a no-obligation, free 30-day trial, can be found at www.mobiletraq.com. An overview sheet is also available for download. About eBlox mobileTRAQ is built by eBlox, Inc., an experienced web technology solutions provider located in Austin, Texas. A primary focus of eBlox is building powerful, yet cost-efficient web-based tools that help small- and mid-sized businesses. mobileTRAQ is the latest in a successful line of eBlox tools and systems that reduce manual processes and operating costs and is built on eBlox' experience within the restaurant, promotional products, and customer support industries. For more information about eBlox, visit www.eblox.com. Contact Information: Donna Fritz VP Sales & Marketing eBlox/mobileTRAQ 512-867-1001 donna@mobiletraq.com