Auto~Star Honoured with Microsoft Initiative Award for Inspiring Customer Loyalty with Winning Technology Solutions

August 29, 2005

MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA –Today Auto~Star Compusystems announced it has won the Regional Winning Customer Award for outstanding competitive efforts in the country of Canada. The company was chosen out of a field of top Microsoft Partners within Canada for delivering market-leading solutions that highlight the benefits of working on the Microsoft platform.

“It is an honour to be recognized by Microsoft for the success we have received with our Star~Plus product,” said Robert Symmonds, president of Auto~Star. “We have found that many of our customers look to us to provide a solution that is compatible with their existing IT investments. The fact that the Star~Plus solution is built from the ground up with Microsoft tools has been the key to our success.”

Auto~Star was recognized for its successful implementation of a Microsoft-based
solution, versus utilizing the technology of other vendors, that resulted in significant benefits to customers. Award winners were required to have implemented solutions involving successful migrations, custom software development or completing customer upgrades that leverage Microsoft technology. Auto~Star won this year’s award by expertly developing customer solutions that exemplify the benefit of working on the Microsoft platform rather than those of other technology vendors.

In order to remain competitive, Auto~Star strives to provide its client base with timely upgrades and new versions of its core product, Star~Plus. Based on customer demand, the management team began a review of the largest revenue generators within the Canadian retail landscape. The team examined a number of development platforms, including Linux. However after extensive research, Auto~Star chose to remain with Microsoft.

“It is a privilege to recognize Auto~Star as a regional winner of this year’s Winning Customer Award,” said Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft. “It is this level of commitment in reaching out to customers and underscoring the value of the Microsoft Windows integrated software platform that enables continued success for us and for our partners. We applaud Auto~Star for its efforts to implement solutions that successfully met its customer’s IT needs by migrating its systems to take advantage of the Microsoft platform.”

The Microsoft Partner Program Awards recognize Microsoft Partners that have
developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions over the past year. Multiple awards are distributed in four categories: Partner of the Year for Technology Innovation, Partner of the Year for Sales and Marketing, the Specialization Excellence Awards and the Microsoft Initiative Awards, which also includes the Customer Experience Award.

Auto~Star Compusystems, Inc., developers of Star~Plus point of sale software and Star~Link head office software, is a privately held company established in 1982. Auto~Star’s head office is based out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. For more information please visit www.auto-star.com.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sarah McOuat, Marketing Manager
Auto~Star Compusystems Inc.
Voice: (888) 460-6963 ext. 1507
Email: sarahm@auto-star.com

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