Press Release APR.06.2004

Intelligent 3D tax assistant, designed by CodeBaby, now working around the clock to assist online tax filers.

EDMONTON, AB, Canada

Just in time to assist Canadians during the April tax crunch, Intuit Canada has unveiled a breakthrough in online tax preparation: Laura, Intuit’s first computer-generated employee and Canada’s first virtual tax assistant. Offered exclusively for free to Intuit Canada’s most valued QuickTaxWeb™ customers, Laura is now working online to deliver tax tips, advice and friendly face-to-virtual-face support around the clock. Built using CodeBaby™ Corp.’s 3D virtual agent technology, Laura has been designed to make the tax preparation process intuitive, efficient and even fun.

Canadians looking to beat the last minute tax rush can file their taxes online right now, with a little help from Laura, at http://2003.quicktaxweb.ca/install.html.  This can be a stressful time for many Canadians, as the April 30th tax filing deadline approaches,” said Tom Forbes, Business Unit Manager for QuickTaxWeb. “This is where QuickTaxWeb and Laura can help. The team at Intuit has long prided itself on satisfying our customers’ demand for simplicity, ease and guaranteed accuracy. This year, with additional help from Laura, we’ve made it even easier for users to get their taxes done right, and get them done fast.”

CodeBaby’s technology combines leading edge 3D graphics and sound to create compelling, interactive and intelligent virtual agents. CodeBaby virtual agents, which are easy to integrate within a website or application, and communicate intelligently and directly with users, can deliver the right information to the right users at the right time.  By integrating a CodeBaby virtual agent into QuickTaxWeb, we are able to provide a higher level of service excellence, and deliver helpful tax advice 24 hours a day,” said Forbes. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve the experience our customers have with our products, and this enhancement demonstrates that.”

"Intuit is a world leader in personal finance, business accounting, and tax preparation innovation. We are very pleased to have helped them create Laura,” said Shaheel Hooda, CEO of CodeBaby. “Intuit Canada’s deployment of our technology illustrates how a CodeBaby virtual agent can enhance the user experience, increase online customer service, reduce customer service costs, and help corporations interact more effectively with their online customers. We look forward to other companies following Intuit’s lead and commitment to its customers. This is something we are very proud to be a part of.”

About CodeBaby

CodeBaby is a leader in web-based virtual agent technology, and enables corporations to integrate state-of-the-art, interactive 3D characters with their websites and online services. The CodeBaby™ Production Studio is a development platform that allows a company to design and deploy a 3D interactive character – to serve as a virtual assistant, sales agent, help agent, host or tutor. CodeBaby virtual agents can benefit a wide range of industries and services, including online banking, health care, Customer Relationship Management, forms management, telecommunications services and online entertainment. By hosting a virtual agent on a website, a company can interact with their customers more effectively and offer a higher level of online customer service, making the Internet and technology more enjoyable and easier to use. Additional information about CodeBaby is at http://www.codebaby.com.

About Intuit Canada

Intuit Canada is headquartered in Edmonton and has offices in Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. The company is a leading developer of e-finance solutions, including personal finance management, small business accounting and tax preparation software as well as Web-based services. Intuit’s products and services include Quicken®, www.quickensoftware.ca, QuickBooks®, QuickBooks® logiciel comptable, QuickTax™, ImpôtRapide™, Intuit WillExpert®, TaxWiz™ and ImpôtMatique™. Through Intuit GreenPoint, the company offers ProFile™, professional tax preparation software. Together, Intuit Canada and Intuit GreenPoint enable individuals, small businesses, retailers and financial professionals to better manage their financial lives and businesses. Visit Intuit Canada Limited at www.intuit.com/canada/ and Intuit GreenPoint at www.greenpointsoftware.com. Visit QuickTaxWeb, and meet Laura, at http://2003.quicktaxweb.ca/install.html.

Contact Information

For CodeBaby:

Media Enquiries Contact Form

For Intuit Canada:

Meaghan Benmore
Porter Novelli Canada
T. 604.602.6405
F. 604.681.0093