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Moore Signs Exclusive Marketing Agreement With SchoolMatch; Database Service Provides School System Information To Prospective Home Buyers |
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MINNEAPOLIS, April 26, 1996-- Moore Data Management Services, a unit of Moore Corporation Limited of Toronto, has entered into a strategic alliance with SchoolMatch of Westerville, Ohio, to exclusively provide realtors with high quality auditable school information frequently requested by home buyers. SchoolMatch compiles and continuously updates data on all U.S. public school systems, as well as private and parochial schools, and American-accredited international schools in over 60 countries. Moore will immediately begin licensirg SchoolMatch data and will market the service directly to real estate brokers in the United States and Canada through its new Broker Services Group sales organization. According to John W. Mosey, vice president of sales for Moore Data Management Services, SchoolMatch gives brokers a powerful tool as well as a distinct advantage in the highly competitive real estate marketplace. "Whether a family is relocating to a new city, or simply desires to purchase a new home in the same area, one of the most important considerations in the moving process is the match between the community's schools and their children's needs," says Mosey. "Brokers who are able to provide a value-added service and whose agents act in the role of counselor in this crucial decision will forge stronger relationships with both buyers and sellers. SchoolMatch can help them gain listings as well as attract buyers because the service can be offered to both incoming and outbound families." Moore will license the SchoolMatch database to the real estate broker and provide updates on a subscription basis; the database is installed on the broker's computer and can be networked and accessed across all affiliated offices to request reports. Reports include national percentile ranks in important categories. Comparative information is available for all public and private schools, so it is possible to find a school system that mirrors' a client's favorite, or a client can benchmark a known schooling alternative. William L. Bainbridge, president of SchoolMatch, says that the data are all auditable, collected from official agency, county and state records, and this protects Realtors from liability, or claims of "steering." "The availability of this data puts decision making in the hands of the parents, where it belongs. They tell you what their parameters are, what's important to them and their child," says Bainbridge, "including such things as class size, tuition, availability of financial aid, competition for admission, number of faculty with advanced degrees, availability of course offerings, special education programs offered. We also provide community data such as per capita income of residents, housing values, prospective neighbors' education levels and percentage of school-age children. Within 24 hours, the agent has a comprehensive, yet user-friendly, report indicating the most compatible schools in the acceptable area to give to the client." In this age of the global village, corporate restructuring and relocation, SchoolMatch has gained widespread recognition in the media. The service has been featured in articles in Business Week, Parents, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Working Mother and Money magazines, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, as well as segments on the NBC TODAY show, CNN, CBS and NPR. Real estate brokers who subscribe to the service also attest to its effectiveness George V. Smith, president of HER Realtors(R) in Columbus, Ohio, who was recently named "committee chairman of the year" by the National Association of Realtors says,"Most people think that all Realtors are created equal -- that's not true. SchoolMatch provides a competitive advantage to the brokers who have it -- and use it! After we demonstrated to our agent associates all of the advantages of SchoolMatch' and they began using the service, HER set corporate sales records in each of the past few years. SchoolMatch has contributed to our success by playing a dominant role in providing our clients a service they need and want." "The agreement is a win-win-win situation," says Mosey. "Moore has the in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry to assist brokers in growing their business and to market this service effectively, SchoolMatch provides a superior product to offer our customers, and brokers have access to a cutting-edge tool to compete effectively in their market." Moore Corporation Limited (NYSE: MCL; Toronto, Montreal] is a global leader in delivering information handling products and services that create efficiency and enhance competitiveness for customers, including business forms and systems, business equipment, print management outsourcing, commercial and digital printing, labels, personalized direct mail, statement printing, and related services. Founded in 1882, Moore has approximately 19,000 employees and over 100 manufacturing facilities serving customers in 50 countries. Sales in 1995 were US$2.6 billion. The Moore Internet address is http://www.moore.com. CONTACT: Donna Eckert, Director of Media Relations, 847-615-6697, or Lesa Kruglick, Director Of Communications, 847-948-1676, both of Moore |