Thursday, April 29, 2010

Prepare for Any Emergency by Planning, Organizing and Securely Sharing Personal Information with Those Closest to You: FranklinCovey Launches Emergency Preparedness Software: Confidant

Prepare for Any Emergency by Planning, Organizing and Securely Sharing Personal Information with Those Closest to You: FranklinCovey Launches Emergency Preparedness Software: Confidant

Be prepared for any emergency or disaster by planning, organizing, and sharing with those closest to you a complete record of your critical personal information by using Confidant, a new emergency preparedness software launched today by FranklinCovey (NYSE:FC).

SALT LAKE CITY (PRWEB) February 12, 2008

 Confidant is an easy-to-use application that allows you to create and catalog a complete record of your key personal information, protected by bank-standard security, and then distribute it to key recipients for backup.

"Part of a good life plan is planning for an emergency we hope won't happen, such as an accident, disaster, or death. In an emergency, loved ones often have difficulty gaining access to family members' most important personal information and documentation, such as identification, medical records, insurance, bank accounts, and wills or trusts," said Jeff Anderson, Senior Vice President of Product Management for FranklinCovey. "Planning in advance using Confidant makes that vital information available to users and the people they designate, not only in an emergency, but always."

Confidant was created for the purposes of recording and sharing critical personal information securely without making the process burdensome. It typically takes only an hour to create a record, which can be updated at anytime. The emergency preparedness software is structured with the following tabs, into which a user enters document location, key person contact information and notes:

About Me: Record fundamental personal information, including telephone, e-mail and home address, vital statistics, and more.

Medical: Record medical, dental, nursing, and other healthcare provider information.

Legal: Record attorney information, as well as important legal documents and where these documents can be located when needed.

Insurance/Benefits: Record information about insurance policies, plans, and benefits; insurance agents; military or government benefits; retirement plans; and more.

Finance: Record a list of types of accounts you hold and the financial institutions where they are located.

Final Wishes: Specify your religious choices, funeral or ceremony wishes, memorial donations, burial preferences, and people to be notified.

Notes/Comments: Record miscellaneous notes or personal preferences.

My Confidants: Easily contact friends, relatives and other important persons with pertinent personal information.

Confidant was designed as a secure and simple repository for received files and does not store copies of key documents, but indicates where others can locate them. For security, the information is 256-bit encrypted (CIA-standard) when the file is created and can be password-protected.

Users may not want all recipients to have access to all categories of information so the software asks users to identify recipients and select which categories of information each recipient should receive. Users can then send to one recipient only one category of information, to another recipient several categories of information and to another recipient, all categories of information. A separate file is created for each recipient and Confidant distributes the encrypted files by e-mail or permits the printing and mailing of files to recipients who may not use e-mail. The software tracks what information has been sent to whom, the date when it was sent, and allows users to send updates at any time.

Recipients can either purchase their own copy of the software or download the free reader version, which permits them to access and view received files but does not allow them to create or distribute their own files. Once equipped with the software and the received file, a recipient has an organized electronic record containing such information as the name and contact information for the sender's doctor, where to find insurance information, how to locate copies of important legal documents, and other critical information.

"The impact of any emergency is greatly increased if there has been no planning in advance and no one knows how to contact family doctors, find insurance information, locate legal documents, or access vital information necessary to manage one's affairs. Planning with Confidant ensures that in emergency circumstances, your critical information is available to the people closest to you, so they can access it immediately, which gives you and them peace of mind," said Anderson.

Availability and Pricing

FranklinCovey Confidant is available in all FranklinCovey channels, including 87 FranklinCovey retail stores, www. franklincovey. com, or by calling 800-819-1812. Suggested retail price is $49.95.

About FranklinCovey

FranklinCovey (NYSE:FC) is a global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools, and assessment services for organizations and individuals. FranklinCovey helps companies succeed by unleashing the power of their workforce to focus and execute on top business priorities. Clients include 90 percent of the Fortune 100, more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, thousands of small and mid-sized businesses, as well as numerous government entities and educational institutions. Organizations and individuals access FranklinCovey products and services through corporate training, licensed client facilitators, one-on-one coaching, public workshops, catalogs, more than 80 retail stores and www. franklincovey. com. FranklinCovey has nearly 1,500 associates providing professional services and products in 39 offices and in 95 countries.