Archive for: May, 2008

PamFax growth stronger and stronger

We have reached the 35.000 user mark. This means our growth is strong and the user base in growing proportionally. The number of new users per day is increasing too. When we started back in August 2007 we had about 30 new customers per day and now we are coming close to 300!

We see the user base growing as well as the number of processed fax jobs/sent pages.

We are constantly monitoring the system and customer feedback and apply the learnings to new releases. We have done a lot to provide better and clearer feedback to PamFax users regarding error situations and how to resolve them. This results in higher success rates and a better customer experience. To be able to provide easier feedback, we have started a poll section of the forum where you are able to easily provide feedback to some thoughts we have. Help us improve PamFax here.

Another topic for us is integration. We think that PamFax users will want to have access to PamFax from other applications as well. So currently development is working on integrating PamFax in Facebook, Salesforce.com and in the Vista Sidebar. The integration will focus on providing information currently available in the Portal in other platforms. This will enable a PamFax user to have an overview of his fax account from multiple locations. Stay tuned for more information.

Upcoming Skype Toolbars will support PamFax

Great news has come. The next releases of the Skype Firefox and IE toolbars (which are included with every Skype installation) will have added support for PamFax.

It works pretty slick and allows you to click and send a fax. Very easy!

Example:

The toolbars are already available as beta release at the Skype Toolbar website here. So, check this out and let us know what you think.

PamFax server update released (pretty cool stuff!)

The new build (.49) addresses not only some minor issues but more interestingly has a new recommend to a friend option. This is a function where, after you sent your fax, you can easily have PamFax send a Skype chat to your friends and once five people start using PamFax we will add a cash bonus to your account automatically. For every five new users you will get a bonus! So, the more you recommend the more bonus (cash) is added to your account.

Note that only people that do no yet have PamFax show on the recommendation contact list. Also people you already have recommended do not show again . To prevent overuse, the maximum contacts you can recommend to (per fax job) is ten.

Another great feature is the support of PamFax in the upcoming Skype toolbars. Take a look here. Pretty cool stuff, so download the beta toolbar and give it a go.

No client update is required, so just keep faxing away.

Localised country names coming soon to PamFax

We are adding full localisation of country names to PamFax which makes it easier for your to select the country code when sending a fax.

With the next server release we will be adding the localisations and a check where PamFax will show a dialog in case you have entered a country code that differs from the default country code from Skype. This is added because we have seen that sometimes people forget to add the country code and then ending up with a fax failure. We will also be adding a hint text in the fax number entry box, similar to what Skype has.

Stay tuned for more good stuff to come soon!

PamFax server update went live

In our quest to further improve PamFax we have made a big step forward. A new server build went live which addresses the following things.

Change: Improved fax quality
Change: Improved fax number recognition

Bugfix: If stuck at “Initializing…”, it now reloads automatically
Bugfix: Fixed fax preview for large images
Bugfix: Fixed issues when sending to multiple numbers

Feature: The portal now shows the time of faxes on details page
Feature: Fax header-line is now is localized with correct date format in sender’s language settings

No client update is required. The architecture of the server platform is evolving according to plan. The backend is now even more stable and fast. The amount of time required to submit a fax has been reduced.

In addition we also fixed some bugs based on reports sent in by PamFax clients.

Stay tuned for more news soon!

eBay Developer Conference 2008

As in the past two years, i will be speaking at the eBay Developer Conference this year in Chicago June 16-18. This event is mainly for developers and partners around the developer programs of eBay, Skype and PayPal. As the last events in Las Vegas 2006 and Boston 2007 have been very interesting and lot of fun, I am really looking forward to this event.

I will speak in two sessions presenting our new eBay buyer tool for the Nintendo Wii and PamFax. As a special highlight, we are giving a Nintendo Wii to one of the attendees of the Wii-Session. It’s called “The View from the Couch of the Future in Digital Living Room” and will be on June 17th at 11am. Come in and grab the Wii.

If anyone wants to meet there in Chicago, just contact me.