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October 2001
Next-Gen Network Assurance On The
Go
Empirix Inc. has rolled out Hammer TransPort, a
portable multimedia test solution for next-generation
networks. The Hammer TransPort is designed to provide
industry-standard quality assurance metrics in a
single chassis for all standard toll-quality media. It
can be configured with analog or T1/E1 connections and
supports CAS/ISDN, or SS7 signaling to support
interfacing to a variety of next-gen network
equipment. Housed in a sturdy, lightweight chassis,
the Hammer TransPort allows users to generate and
terminate test calls using tones or real voice. The
new product also comes standard with the Hammer VoIP
Testing System (VoIPTS), which allows measurement of
connect and speech latency as well as verification and
analysis of voice quality and the ability to monitor
network conditions.
www.empirix.com / Ph: 781-993-8500
Qwest For Web-Based Contact Center
Solution
Qwest Communications International Inc. unveiled an
integrated, Web-based customer care solution for
enterprise companies. Powered by Telera Inc.'s Voice
Web Application Platform, Qwest Web Contact Center is
a Web-driven platform that routes and processes voice
applications. The technology enables customers to use
a telephone to access functionality formerly reached
only through the Internet, such as Web content,
e-commerce transactions and highly personalized
self-service. The solution is offered in two
customizable packages. Qwest Web Connect is designed
to allow creation of Web-powered voice applications
such as touch-tone and speech-enabled voice response,
complex queuing and outbound call placement. It can
also provide Web-based real-time and historical
reporting, and access to detailed call records.
Additional features include virtual ports for
customers, dedicated broadband access between call
center facilities and the Qwest backbone network and
the option for premised-based equipment for customers
who choose not to host the entire system with Qwest.
Qwest Web Connect & Route provides Qwest Web
Connect functionality augmented by call distribution
systems integration, which allows customers to
automatically distribute inbound calls across multiple
contact center locations.
www.qwest.com / Ph: 303-992-1400
vReps Unite!: Single-Server
Capability From NativeMinds
NativeMinds Inc. has implemented enhancements to
NeuroServer, its product used to create, implement and
maintain virtual service representatives, or vReps,
which are automated, online service agents that answer
customers' frequently asked questions. The product
now supports IBM DB2 databases in addition to its
current support for the Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server
and Access platforms. The enhanced NeuroServer now
makes it possible to create and run multiple vReps on
a single server. This ability is designed to enable
businesses to reduce IT overhead by eliminating the
need for additional hardware as they deploy more vReps.
Also, development and administration of multiple vReps
is simplified by running them on the same server, and
vRep administrators can manage the default and back-up
servers from the same interface. The product's
Contributor Interface (Web-accessed form for content
owners to contribute updates and suggestions) was
upgraded to work with Active Server Pages for easier
integration with Web content databases and greater
vRep versatility and functionality.
www.nativeminds.com / Ph: 800-968-1002
eOn Implementation Of Supervisor
WorkSpace Set
eOn Communications Corp. reported the launch of eOn
Supervisor WorkSpace, a management and reporting tool
for its eQueue multimedia contact center solution.
Based on a Java platform, the Supervisor WorkSpace is
designed to provide contact center managers with a
customizable set of monitoring, reporting and
administrative capabilities, and to ensure that all
customer contacts (e.g., voice, e-mail and Web
interactions) are efficiently managed and provide the
highest service levels. Supervisor WorkSpace also
provides real-time management displays and alerts, can
be customized for quicker and easier identification of
customer contact patterns and trends, and provides a
package of standard reports. The product also allows
contact center managers to more effectively track
agent performance and customer activity across all
communications channels. Users can access all
Supervisor WorkSpace capabilities from a standard Web
browser. Initial implementations of the product are
scheduled to begin during the fourth quarter of 2001.
www.eoncommunications.com / Ph: 800-955-5321
LaGarde Tools Up StoreFront For
E-Business
LaGarde, Inc. has released StoreFront 5.0 Merchant
Tools that, in conjunction with its StoreFront family
of e-commerce software, are designed to provide Web
developers with a comprehensive e-commerce solution
for online merchants. Merchant Tools are browser-based
tools that an e-tailer can use for daily store
administration and product maintenance once the
StoreFront Web store has been created. The tools
include two main components: Store Management (online
administration tools) and a desktop module installed
on a merchant's computer. Once installed on a Web
site, the tools are easily accessed through any Web
browser. Among many features are e-mail and
promotional mail configuration and administration,
managing affiliate partner programs, tax rate
updating, sales and promotions administration, as well
as inventory maintenance tools for managing products,
categories, manufacturers and vendors. Also included
are sales reporting tools, invoice printing and a "sale
checker" feature.
www.lagarde.com / Ph: 800-943-5823
GMT Planet - Jupiter Edition
Version 8 To Orbit Soon
GMT Corp. announced plans to launch, later this month,
an enhanced version of its GMT Planet - Jupiter
Edition workforce management solution. Version 8 will
feature Mission Control, a real-time contact center
control and management tool. This statistical display
and analysis feature is designed to enable managers to
monitor and quickly respond to the dynamic call center
environment, providing information necessary to run
the center, including statistics about call volumes,
service levels, average speed to answer, adherence to
schedules and staffing, and more. Mission Control
enables managers to view raw data or to compare and
analyze the differences in data. Multiple levels of
data can be displayed, from a single queue to an
entire center's operations. Also, the Employee Time
Center component is now Web-enabled and allows
management and staff to view and print schedules and
timesheets, to make and review vacation and holiday
requests, etc., over an Internet connection. It also
allows employees to swap shifts with other employees
according to criteria established by the scheduling
manager.
www.gmtcorp.com / Ph: 770-416-6000
Wireless Virtual Assistant From
eGain
eGain Communications recently unveiled its wireless
virtual agent, which is a combination of eGain
Assistant with Curious Networks' Continuum Embedded
software. The wireless version of eGain Assistant is
designed to enable users to get answers and assistance
on Web sites via all mobile devices, including
Internet-enabled personal digital assistants (PDAs)
and two-way pagers. A life-like, conversational
virtual agent gives users specific, detailed
information to their inquiries, free of extraneous
content such as pages of links, menus and icons. eGain's
software is enabled for use on wireless devices via
Curious Networks' Continuum Embedded Edition. Using
natural language dialogs, eGain Assistant can provide
a simple user interface that enables users to ask and
receive answers for exactly what they want without
tedious navigation and slow response times. Using a
mobile device, customers can find information such as
flight times, gate assignments, stock quotes, account
balances or order status.
www.egain.com / Ph: 888-603-4246
New NICE CEM Platform
NICE Systems has released NICE CEM 8.7, its newest
customer experience management platform. The platform
is a modular solution encompassing the NiceLog system
for recording, NiceUniverse quality management
application and additional modules, including NICE
Learning, NICE Link, NICE Analyzer, NICE VoIP and NICE
Executive Connect. The new release features recording
solutions for multimedia contact centers as well as
integration with additional switches, CTI drivers and
popular e-mail management systems to capture and
evaluate interactions across all forms of
communication. Features include enhanced interaction
storage and retrieval, reporting and analysis tools,
integration with CRM applications, expanded scheduling
options and Web-based applications to access quality
evaluations and reports.
www.nice.com / Ph: 888-577-6423
Intecom's Centergy For Multisite
Management
Intecom, Inc. has released Centergy Version 1.2,
designed to provide consolidated administration and
management, and help improve business efficiencies and
customer relationships through the daily management of
performance at each call center site. The solution
features a view of real-time performance data, ranging
in scope from the individual agent to the enterprise
level. Data can be partitioned so supervisors see only
what they need to see, but enterprise management can
view data for all groups, customers and sites.
Centergy provides standard and custom reporting
capabilities for multisite, multitenant call centers.
Reports can roll up to the agent, group, center and
enterprise levels. Custom and standard reports support
filtering for permission-based views at every
management level. Centergy's distributed
architecture enables companies to centralize
operations such as workforce management, technical
support and quality monitoring. Centergy incorporates
Intecom's PointSpan enterprise voice infrastructure
and supports up to 8,000 agents and 64 call centers
per system, and as many as 800 managers can access
operations data simultaneously.
www.intecom.com / Ph: 800-468-3945
CRM For The Healthcare Industry
Pegasystems Inc.'s PegaCRM Healthcare product, its
enhanced healthcare customer relationship management
offering, is available. PegaCRM Healthcare is designed
for healthcare payer organizations and automates many
common member inquiries, supporting contact
management, account maintenance and history, sales
inquiry, fulfillment and member portal connectivity.
The solution can integrate with the rest of the
institution's front- and back-office applications,
helping to leverage an organization's legacy systems
and investments. It is rules-based, scalable and thin-
client architected, and can be used either as a
departmental package or the initial part of an
enterprisewide CRM solution. Add-on modules include
member services and claims exceptions processing. The
solution features business process automation,
customizable dialog and scripting, multilevel
escalation criteria, work assignment and
prioritization capabilities and many auditing and
reporting features.
www.pegasystems.com / Ph: 617-374-9600
ZAMBA Unfolds Its CRM Blueprint
ZAMBA Solutions announced the availability of an
integrated, customer-centric portfolio of solutions,
CRM Blueprint, designed to provide a comprehensive
framework of interdependent processes and technologies
for effectively and efficiently meeting end customer
needs. As part of the CRM Blueprint, ZAMBA has
designed and developed integrated, interdependent
solutions geared for enabling companies to deliver
consistent and valuable interactions across all
customer touch points. The set of predefined
solutions, designed to encompass the entire
customer-facing experience, addresses CRM strategy,
analytics and marketing, contact center, content and
commerce, field sales and field service, and
enterprise integration of cross-functional processes
and technologies to deliver consistent customer value.
www.zambasolutions.com / Ph: 800-677-9783
Audio Quartet From Pro Tech
Debuts
Pro Tech Communications, Inc., a subsidiary of NCT
Group, Inc., recently introduced four new products: a
headset, multimedia amplifier, USB (Universal Serial
Bus) audio interface and DSP (Digital Signal
Processor) microphone. Pro Tech's Apollo headset, a
one-piece ABS plastic structure, features a patented
quick-disconnect cable for easier headset release and
includes a high-end, noise-canceling microphone for
improved audio clarity. The Gemini multimedia
amplifier is designed for telephones and PCs enabling
voice over IP applications, and features top-mounted
volume controls, patented gating and suppression
circuitry, VOX control, dual mute switches and headset
jacks. The USB audio interface offers a direct audio
port (eliminating the need for a sound card), has a
direct digital input with volume control and recording
capabilities, and is compatible with existing
headsets. The DSP intelligent microphone provides
speech recognition, voice control, dictation and other
features of high signal clarity through proprietary
algorithms and acoustic design, and output levels can
be matched to the required input levels.
www.protechcom.com / Ph: 800-468-8371
Alcatel Assists Do-It-Yourself
Convergence Trials
Alcatel (Alcatel) began offering the
Alcatel Convergence Starter Kit, a solution designed
to provide medium to large enterprises the ability to
trial voice/data convergence with options of
in-building wireless capabilities for mobile workers
and soft-phone functionality for remote workers. The
kit is comprised of an Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 IP-based
PBX and an Alcatel OmniStack 6024 stackable LAN, four
Alcatel IP phones, four Alcatel digital phones, two
Alcatel in-building wireless phones and Alcatel
PC-telephony software. With the inclusion of an
IP-enabler, the Kit also demonstrates how a digital
phone can easily evolve into a full-featured IP-phone,
without disruption and any change to the user
interface. It is geared to provide businesses with the
opportunity to sample in-building wireless
capabilities so that mobile users can take customer
calls anytime, anywhere, and still access the same
features as their Alcatel desktop phones. The Kit can
also help businesses enhance teleworkers' PCs to
obtain the full range of Alcatel's desktop phone
features, including voice, fax and e-mail messaging
integration.
www.alcatel.com / Ph: 800-995-2612
iemagine Bolsters Webware Suite
iemagine Inc. announced three new accounting
applications in the iemprove Webware Suite. Continuing
its concentration on providing business-critical
solutions, the application service provider's latest
offerings include: Time & Billing, a Web-based
timesheet and project billing application; Expense
Control, designed to help businesses manage and
collect expense data for client billing, and which
features reporting and customizable categories for tax
purposes; and Ledger, which stores transactions and
account data with security-classified account numbers
and allows transaction posting and review via the Web.
From a Web browser, a business can customize iemprove
applications for deployment over the Web. The
applications, deployable in 15 languages, are "convertible"
to stand-alone software for users who prefer to host
solutions in-house.
www.iemagine.com / Ph: 312-988-4849
SYMON Adds Historian To Arsenal
SYMON Communications, Inc. has announced the release
of its new cross-platform reporting tool, Historian,
which is designed to standardize and unify contact
center reports. SYMON Historian provides control of
data while unifying contact center reports by allowing
users to customize reports to their specific business
needs by collecting real-time data (even from
dissimilar platforms) and merging it into a single
reporting tool. Historian offers integration and
scalability through its open architecture and
adherence to industry standards. As data are
collected, Historian will batch and write data
elements by highest number, lowest number, event
count, summed values, standard mathematical average,
or a time-weighted average. Data entry intervals can
be set by the user to increase or decrease the
granularity of data recorded. Historian data can be
stored in various databases including: Oracle, Sybase,
SQL Server and Access 2000. Reports can be created and
viewed using standard ODBC-compliant reporting tools
with automatic database and table creation, and
according to user-defined selection and frequency
criteria (e.g., timed, real-time, or on change).
www.symon.com / Ph: 281-240-5555
AIM Enhances Its Experts
Applied Innovation Management, Inc. (AIM) released
Version 6.5 of its family of Web-based IT support and
CRM software solutions (HelpDesk Expert, Asset Expert,
Bug/Defect Tracking Expert and Change Management
Expert). Each solution is designed to offer reliable
performance either in a stand-alone or integrated
environment. New features include an enhanced GUI and
navigational structure, reporting features that
incorporate Microsoft Excel Reporting, enhanced chart
capabilities with interactive Java-based layouts and
expanded report templates and new alarm/alert
capabilities.
www.innovate.com / Ph: 702-617-8140
ViryaNet Gives Voice To Field
Service Solution
ViryaNet Ltd. has released ViryaNet Voice Portal, a
component of its Service Hub 5.0 product. ViryaNet
Voice Portal is designed to allow field engineers to
access new calls, obtain detailed information about
assignments and report time-critical information
(e.g., labor, travel time and expenses) using natural
voice commands from any wireline or wireless phone.
The solution runs on a voice server that conforms to
VoiceXML, an emerging standard language for accessing
Internet information through speech-based
applications. ViryaNet's Service Hub enables service
organizations to schedule and dispatch field service
technicians, and allows field engineers to wirelessly
access relevant information regarding the service they
are providing. With Voice Portal, Service Hub can
allow communication with a wider variety of
applications, platforms and devices.
www.viryanet.com / Ph: 800-661-7096
Quaero Initiates Outsourced
Services
Quaero, a CRM service provider, announced Quaero
Springboard, designed to address companies' needs
for intelligent and strategic customer communication
services without incurring large, upfront CRM
investments. Quaero's CRM outsourcing division was
formed to help companies outsource all or part of
their CRM programs to avoid large infrastructure
investments, and overcome technical and organizational
challenges that impede the success of CRM programs.
Quaero helps companies maximize their customer
profitability through its intelligent customer
relationship management services with development of
CRM roadmaps, rapid data mart development, customer
analytics and campaign management implementations.
www.quaero.com / Ph: 877-570-2199
Getting There Is Half The Customer
Satisfaction
RightNow Technologies, Inc. has launched RightNow
Locator, designed to enable companies to effectively
link their Web presence with their "brick-and-mortar"
locations. The solution provides accurate, up-to-date
online maps and driving directions to retail
facilities, authorized service centers, corporate
offices, distribution centers, partners and other
locations. Customers can be directed to locations
based on their most important selection criteria,
including geographic proximity, hours of operation and
the availability of selected products or services. By
providing answers to questions about store locations
or branch offices online, RightNow Locator can also
help reduce call center loads and boost revenues at
physical locations of sales and service. RightNow
Locator is provided as a hosted service, and it can
run as a stand-alone application or be integrated with
RightNow Web eService Center and other RightNow
solutions. The software's architecture is scalable
and flexible, allowing companies to support multiple
dealer channels and product lines through a single
software installation.
www.rightnow.com / Ph: 877-363-5678
Teloquent Gives Voice To Its
Integration Platform
Teloquent Communications Corp. has integrated
automated speech recognition technology into its
Teloquent Interchange software platform, which is an
open, multiple communication product that integrates
call center and CRM systems. The integration of speech
recognition results from a partnership with Sonexis, a
global provider of voice technologies and solutions.
The Interchange platform enables voice, e-mail and Web
contact driven by multichannel interaction routing and
queuing, and seamlessly integrates with legacy network
and CRM applications. Based on scalable Java 2
Enterprise Edition (J2EE) architecture, Interchange is
interoperable with any enterprise application. Other
functionality and features include switch platform
neutrality, universal agent desktop, location and
network independence, and browser-based management and
administration.
www.teloquent.com / Ph: 888-TELOQUENT
DocExpress Automated Project
Reporting And Documentation
Telelogic AB announced the availability of DocExpress
3.0, an automated reporting and documentation suite.
This release consolidates all previously available
DocExpress products into a single, integrated, open
and scalable platform. DocExpress 3.0 is designed to
simplify and automate the task of gathering,
formatting and publishing data from various systems
and software development tools into archival and
deliverable documentation. With more integration to
third-party development tools, data can be imported
from Telelogic tools (e.g., DOORS, Tau UML Suite and
CM Synergy) and third-party content sources including
Rational Rose, Microsoft Visio and the Microsoft
Office suite. The product features easier data access,
automatic capture and refresh of content from multiple
applications/tools, real-time reporting, customized
content styling and formatting and customizable
applications within the suite. It can be configured
with links to specific tools, which can be updated as
tool selections change within an organization. It is
currently available on Windows 98/2000/NT and requires
Microsoft Word, FrameMaker or an HTML editor.
www.telelogic.com / Ph: 949-830-8022
Acxiom's Opticx Peers Into
Database Quality
Acxiom Corp. announced the availability of Opticx, a
new customer data analysis process designed to help
companies realize new revenue opportunities and reduce
marketing costs. Opticx is designed as a first step in
unlocking capital tied up in database inefficiencies
by providing a "holistic view" of a company's
data and its relationship with its customers, and
enabling quick and effective corrective measures.
Acxiom also demonstrates the potential for
improvements that AbiliTec, its customer data
integration software, and InfoBase data products can
provide to the data. As part of the Opticx process,
customers receive a value analysis report
demonstrating the return a customer can realize by
investing in Acxiom's CDI solutions along with
industry benchmarks developed to show customers how
the quality of their data measures up against the
average database in their industry. Opticx reports are
based on actual data received by companies, with
results produced from the customer's test file.
www.acxiom.com / Ph: 501-342-1000
Digisoft Presents New Dialing
Platform
Digisoft Computers, Inc. has released Switch Dialing,
an automated dialing platform. Switch Dialing is an
outbound solution designed to optimize a company's
phone switch to dial numbers in a similar manner to
predictive dialing. In lieu of a predictive dialer,
Switch Dialing enables the client to utilize the
technology included in the phone switch to dial. For
organizations that have a phone switch in place, this
solution provides an automated dialing system at a
fraction of the cost of a predictive dialer. The
solution dials on the lines assigned to it, transfers
the answered call to an agent and continues to dial.
The phone switch manages inbound calls, transfers,
conferences and performs other telephony-related
functions generally required in a typical predictive
setting. Traditional phone switch functions, such as
audio monitoring, coaching and call reporting, would
continue to run through the switch.
www.digisoft.com / Ph: 212-687-1810
Applied Acquires Badger Technology
Applied Innovation Inc., a provider of
telecommunications network management solutions,
announced it has acquired Badger Technology, Inc.'s
remote network management systems and information
collection device business (Remote NMS Business).
Badger, a privately held company, primarily targets
the wireless telecommunications markets. Badger's
product offerings will be integrated into Applied
Innovation's Ohio manufacturing operations, while
sales and engineering functions will be maintained at
Badger's current offices in California. While both
companies specialize in mediation and efficient
management of networks, Badger has focused on the
wireless market and Applied Innovation has
concentrated on the wireline market. The agreement
called for Applied Innovation to purchase certain
assets of Badger's remote network management
business for cash, a note and deferred cash
consideration based on future sales of the Badger
products. Badger will retain the assets associated
with its legacy remote metering business and continue
to operate that business independently.
FutureCall: New Ownership At
The Helm
FutureCall Telemarketing West, Inc. was acquired by a
private investment firm and is now known as FutureCall,
LLC. The company will remain headquartered in Colorado
Springs, Colorado. Immediate plans call for the
implementation of new technological systems, which are
intended to increase FutureCall's ability to provide
outbound calling capabilities, expand inbound call
handling and reporting capabilities and add
technological features, such as digital call
recording, Web integration, GUI interface, IVR and
VoIP capabilities. The technological transition is
scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
FutureCall will be run by Ron Berthiaume, chairman,
and Mike Carney, president and COO. The company has
also enlisted the services of Brent Welch, a former
COO of MATRIXX Marketing, as acting CEO.
Propelis Spins With Jacada
Jacada Ltd., a provider of enterprise user
interface solutions, has acquired the assets and
assumed certain liabilities of Propelis Software,
Inc., a business unit of CNT and a provider of
business process management and legacy integration
software. Propelis products include Propelis EAi
(Enterprise Access integrator), which integrates data
and processes from multiple legacy applications, and
Propelis BPm (Business Process manager), a business
process and workflow management system that automates
business processes while integrating enterprise
systems. The acquisition is expected to enable Jacada
to expand its solution set by leveraging Propelis
technology with its offerings. The Jacada Interface
Server, a fully integrated development and deployment
environment, is used to modernize and extend existing
legacy functionality, help developers more easily
build modern user interfaces for new applications and
generate a consistent look and feel across new and
existing applications.
Relizon To Purchase Epsilon
The Relizon Company plans to acquire marketing
solutions provider Epsilon Data Management Inc. in a
move intended to enhance and expand its capabilities
in customer relationship management. As part of The
Relizon Company, Epsilon will maintain its brand
identity and keep intact its management team. Relizon
will merge its eCRM group into Epsilon, creating a new
business unit with an expanded customer base, larger
pool of resources and increased opportunities for
growth. Founded in 1969, Epsilon is currently owned by
DMDA, Inc. "Epsilon's experience and expertise in
direct and database marketing, particularly data
mining and data analytics, will allow us to offer
customers a more robust and complete set of marketing
solutions," said Rodney A. Hedeen, Relizon's
president and chief executive officer. Financial terms
of the agreement were not disclosed.
Call_Solutions Nets ARM
Call_Solutions.com, Inc. announced the acquisition of
Advanced Response Marketing, Inc. (ARM) of Dallas,
Texas. ARM specializes in direct marketing campaigns.
Its services include campaign strategy development,
audience definition, creative design and content for
direct mailing promotional programs, mailing data
management, integrating telemarketing to recipients
and results analysis. With the acquisition,
Call_Solutions expects to provide a single-source
solution for clients desiring integration of
direct-marketing techniques, fulfillment solutions and
call center services for managing the customer contact
experience.
NEC Acquires MCS; Expands Presence
In Contact Center Market
NEC America, Inc. announced the acquisition of Micro
Computer Systems, Inc., a privately held software
development company specializing in networking
products and Internet/Intranet access. MCS designs and
sells its interoperability software worldwide; its
flagship product, Calypso Message Center, is a
customer contact management solution that tracks,
routes, reports and archives incoming e-mail and
Web-based chat activities within blended call centers.
Based on the integration of the Calypso Message Center
with NEC's contact center products, ContactWorX is
an application designed to provide capabilities to
address e-mail and Web contacts within the NEC
CCDesign product suite.
FFP Implements Innovative Web
Recording
Fulfillment Plus, Inc. (FFP), a provider of customer
relationship management and teleservices, reported the
release of a call center recording system technology
designed to provide sales verification and quality
assurance, and to meet FCC regulations. The system
creates a permanent voice record that allows FFP to
verify sales with consumers who have questions
regarding transactions, and ensures that FFP customer
service representatives follow predetermined scripts
and provide "high-touch" customer service. FFP's
proprietary system also offers data storage and
management to meet FCC regulations that dictate that
all calls resulting in a sale must be recorded and
then stored for two years. The Web-enabled recording
system is activated through the computer monitor once
the consumer has agreed to have the conversation
recorded. FFP's recordings serve as their own files
that are attached electronically to the sales record.
The file can be searched by customer phone number or
ID number. Since FFP's recordings are electronic
voice files stored with the sales record and not on
servers or in databases, information can be accessed
almost immediately.
Avaya Leverages Boulder To Move
Speech Rec Tech Mountain
Avaya, Inc. and the University of Colorado at Boulder
are undertaking a joint research initiative to develop
natural language speech recognition technology for
self-paced training programs and other business
applications. To fund the research, Avaya donated
$250,000 to the university's Center for Spoken
Language Research and the Alliance for Technology
Learning and Society program, both of which will work
with local Avaya research and development engineers.
The project's goal is to create a new generation of
voice recognition tools that intelligently engage
users with greater levels of verbal and visual
perception. Part of the donation will be used to
develop a toolkit that simplifies speech recognition
development and integration, making it easier to
deploy and maintain speech-enabled CRM solutions
within an enterprise environment.
EPOS Extends Focus On Alliance
Program
EPOS Corp., a provider of interactive voice and Web
self-service solutions, has begun efforts to expand
and enhance the EPOS Strategic Alliance program. The
program focuses on creating strategic relationships
with complementary businesses that enable end-to-end
solutions to meet customers' needs. EPOS' Alliance
categories are designed to offer the best-of-class
solutions to customers. EPOS alliance partners are
provided with the tools and support required to
deliver the latest technology for self-service
solutions in sales, marketing, technical support,
customer service and training. The extended focus on
strategic alliances will enable EPOS to broaden
product offerings and solutions to customers in a wide
range of markets.
Witness Inaugurates Channel
Partner Program
Witness Systems, Inc., a provider of multimedia
recording, performance analysis and electronic
learning management software, announced its Global
Solution Provider Program, designed to help channel
partners penetrate the rapidly evolving contact center
market. Through the program, channel partners are
provided with a structured training roadmap and
verification process to ensure they have the expertise
to market and sell Witness Systems' eQuality
software suite. By joining the new solution provider
program, channel partners are recognized for having
proven expertise in Witness Systems' performance
optimization solutions, and have the opportunity to
invest incrementally with revenue opportunities
correlating to the level of those investments. The
program is expected to extend the company's eQuality
offering to today's expanding community of VARs,
including application service providers, e-business
consultants, IT consultants, Web integrators,
independent software vendors and traditional
technology resellers.
FrontRange Puts SANDi To Work In
GoldMine
FrontRange Solutions Inc., a provider of CRM and
customer service and support software, will provide
GoldMine 5.5 customer management users the ability for
mobile telephone voice access through the Sound
Advantage Natural Dialog Interface (SANDi ) by Sound
Advantage LLC. FrontRange will sell GoldMine PLUS
Voice powered by SANDi CRM to its network of solutions
partners for placement in their customer sites. Sound
Advantage will provide sales support and tools, as
well as direct technical support and technical support
training for FrontRange. The new functionality, geared
especially to enabling the mobile workforce, will
allow users, in one call, to access the information in
their GoldMine database to schedule appointments,
retrieve contact information, dial any company or
contact by voice, listen to and send e-mail, etc.
GoldMine PLUS Voice will be available in international
versions beginning January 2002.
IBM Approves Magic Solutions
Magic Software Enterprises, Ltd., a provider of
application development technology and business
solutions, reported that its Magic eDeveloper and
Magic eMerchant offerings have received IBM Corp.'s
ServerProven Certification, designed by IBM to help
its customers easily identify complete solutions for
their business-critical e-business needs. The
ServerProven program is limited to IBM PartnerWorld
members, who must complete a rigorous testing and
evaluation process before their offerings will be
certified. All certified products are validated to
install quickly, start up easily and run reliably on
IBM servers. Both eDeveloper and eMerchant are
certified on all of the Intel platforms, including Red
Hat Linux and Microsoft's Windows NT, Windows 2000
Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
Island Data, iBack Office Join
Forces
Island Data Corp. and iBackOffice.com Ltd. have
partnered to provide iBackOffice customers with access
to Island Data's Web self-help and e-mail response
solutions and Island Data customers with access to
iBackOffice's outsourced contact center services.
iBackOffice, a provider of outsourced customer and
technical support services, and Island Data, a
solutions provider for the online customer service
market, will cooperate on marketing and sales
activities designed to bring the best of both
companies' offerings to their customers.
Talisma To Offer Hipbone
Technology
Talisma Corp. and Hipbone, Inc. announced an OEM
relationship under which Talisma will integrate
Hipbone's co-browsing technology into its eCRM suite
of product offerings. Talisma is packaging Hipbone's
co-browsing capabilities into both its on-premise and
hosted versions as a separately priced option. Talisma
selected Hipbone because its technology demonstrated
compliance with the stringent security, auditing
ability, transaction control and verification
standards and regulations now mandated by financial
services institutions, a key market for Talisma.
TANDBERG Forges Agreement With
Hello Direct
TANDBERG, a provider of videoconferencing solutions,
and Hello Direct, a developer and business-to-business
marketer of desktop telephony and equipment interface
products, have concluded a strategic distribution
agreement. Hello Direct will market the TANDBERG 500
and 1,000 small group videoconferencing systems to its
subscriber and customer base through its Web site (www.hellodirect.com),
telemarketing sales team and catalog. Hello Direct
cited the ease of use, quality and functionality of
TANDBERG's products as determining factors in
entering into the agreement.
Entretel Reaches Turning Point
Accord
Entretel Inc., a provider of training program design
and performance improvement consulting in call center
environments, and Turning Point Training and
Assessment Systems Private Ltd. of India have entered
into a partnership arrangement. The deal will furnish
Entretel and its TelePro System of Contact Center
Performance Improvement with a presence in the rapidly
emerging markets in India, and provide Turning Point
with a program to ensure their trainees meet
international standards of call quality excellence.
While Entretel has been actively establishing
strategic relationships primarily in the U.S., this is
its first such relationship outside North America.
Turning Point's services include performance
assessment, competency testing, training and
development, and service quality audits. Contact
centers have been a mainstay of its business.
Netonomy, Nuance Ink
Marketing Deal
Netonomy, Inc., a provider of self-service and
e-commerce solutions for the wireless communications
industry, announced a global joint marketing agreement
with Nuance Communications, a provider of voice Web
software. MyNetonomy customer managed relationship (CMR)
software will be co-marketed with Nuance's speech
recognition, voice authentication and text-to-speech
software to provide communications service providers
with voice-enabled interactive voice response (IVR)
functionality that can be accessible to subscribers
from any telephone at any time. Subscribers can
securely access their accounts through the
personalized MyNetonomy portal via natural language
voice commands in addition to menu-driven IVR. The
addition of a Nuance-powered MyNetonomy customer touch
point is intended to improve customer service,
satisfaction and retention, increase revenue, enable
efficient roll-out of value-added services and enable
more cost-effective call center management.
IEX Enters Iberian Distribution
Partnership
IEX, a Tekelec company and a provider of contact
center solutions, concluded a distribution agreement
with Internexus-CTi of Madrid, Spain, a Grupo DYCSA
company and a global provider in the contact center
arena. Under the terms of the agreement,
Internexus-CTi will resell the IEX TotalView Workforce
Management product in the growing Spanish and
Portuguese markets. Art Olender, international
director of contact center solutions for IEX, said, "The
agreement with Internexus-CTi strengthens our presence
in Western and Southern Europe and positions the
TotalView product as the workforce management solution
of choice in the Spanish market."
Active Voice, L&H Enter
Licensing Pact
Active Voice, Inc., a provider of unified
messaging and computer-telephony software solutions,
announced a licensing agreement with Lernout &
Hauspie Speech Products USA, Inc. (L&H), a
provider of advanced speech and language solutions.
Under the agreement, Active Voice will use L&H
RealSpeak as the text-to-speech component of its
PhoneSoft products: Unified Messaging, E-mail Reader
and Telephony Software Development Kit for the Lotus
Notes/Domino information management environment.
PhoneSoft users can now listen to Lotus Notes e-mail
messages read aloud by a human-sounding voice, making
it easier and more efficient to access and manage
messages (e-mail, voice and fax) from the Lotus Notes
Inbox, through a touch-tone telephone or over the
Internet.
Syntellect Adds Fonix
Text-To-Speech
Syntellect Inc., a provider of open systems,
enterprise voice portal software and hosted services,
announced it has signed an agreement with Fonix
Corporation, a provider of "natural-user" interface
technology solutions for wireless and mobile devices,
Internet and telephony systems and vehicle telematics,
to license Fonix Text-To-Speech (TTS). The Fonix TTS
engine will be integrated with Syntellect's Vista
Interactive Media Response software solution to
provide a natural-sounding voice to a wide range of
applications such as stock quotes, order management
and customer support. The Fonix engine uses a fraction
of the hardware, both in terms of processing power and
memory of other text-to-speech offerings. As a result,
Vista can provide enterprises high user satisfaction
with system cost savings.
Digisoft Joins Artisoft
Alliance
Artisoft, Inc. reported that Digisoft Computers, Inc.
has joined its Open Communications Alliance to provide
sophisticated scripting capabilities to call center
agents using TeleVantage, Artisoft's software-based
phone system. Recently introduced, TeleVantage 4.0 is
designed to offer mid-sized businesses sophisticated
call center functionality, including advanced queue
routing, trend reports, real-time statistic tracking,
remote IP agent support, and agent monitoring,
coaching and recording. Digisoft's Telescript is a CRM
application designed to increase call center
efficiency and productivity through the use of
advanced graphical scripting, real-time reporting,
multiple dialing platforms and an open database
design. The combination of products is expected to
furnish an effective and affordable call center
solution for the targeted market.
Web-Enabled Contact Center
Offering From Amcat And TeleSpear
Amcat, Inc. and TeleSpear Technologies partnered to
release a "new generation" Web-enabled
computer-telephony software for call centers
worldwide. In addition to the traditional telephony
communication formats, Internet users can use as many
as 10 added touch points to communicate with
businesses. Some of the channels included in the
customer communication software offering are Web
collaboration, chat, e-video, e-fax and automated
e-tours. Initially, the alliance will deploy the
Web-enabling, multichannel software created by
TeleSpear. The integrated product (with Amcat's CTE
Call Center Solution software) will be released in the
second quarter of 2002.
SAS, Big Blue In CRM Accord
IBM Corp. and SAS Institute announced a strategic
alliance geared to deliver comprehensive solutions for
analytical customer relationship management to
customers in specific industries, starting with
financial services and telecommunications. SAS also
becomes a major player in IBM's partner program. The
two companies will enhance each other's offerings to
customers and further integrate technologies to
provide solutions in these targeted industries for
building and maintaining lasting, profitable
relationships with their customers. The alliance
combines SAS analytical applications and data
warehousing technology with IBM's strength in
e-business infrastructure, technology, data management
and services. SAS and IBM will also develop marketing
plans to jointly promote these solutions and share
leads for customer opportunities in these industries.
eLoyalty Adds FaceTime IM To
Offerings Portfolio
FaceTime Communications, a provider of instant
messaging applications for business, entered into a
marketing alliance with eLoyalty, a management
consulting and systems integration company focused on
building customer loyalty. As part of the alliance,
eLoyalty will leverage FaceTime's Instant Message
Director as part of its managed services offerings to
provide call centers with the ability to improve first
call resolution by enabling time-sensitive problem
solving and rapid escalation to appropriate knowledge
resources. According to Forrester Research, the
instant messaging channel will rapidly supplant
browser-based customer service chat systems. FaceTime
believes it is well-positioned to help its partners
and customers capitalize on this opportunity.
[ Return
To The October 2001 Table Of Contents ]
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