July 2000
TelAlert 5.0 From Telamon
Telamon, Inc., a provider of wireless notification and remote
systems management, has released Version 5.0 of TelAlert, its
application-driven field messaging solution. The system for wireless
notification and remote response is designed to enable wireless devices to
integrate with back-office applications. TelAlert is designed to help
mobile professionals by supporting wireless devices that can act as
interfaces for any back-office application, connecting them to the office
from wherever they may be. The company said that it enhanced the product's
multiple protocol support with the addition of BellSouth Wireless Data's
protocol for easier communication with servers outside a firewall, and
SNPP, another means for providing two-way messaging and strengthening
TelAlert's appeal to the field service industry. A Windows-like GUI
interface was also added to simplify operation for Windows users and
administrators. New features include a familiar Windows environment,
multi-user administrative capabilities, increased access supporting a
wider selection of Internet paging services and protocols, an improved Web
Client, easier installation, writing to the system log, modem sharing
support, message filtering during downtime, flexible and user-chosen
functionality, improved support for Dialogic telephony cards on PBX
Systems and greater control of log file rollover. TelAlert server runs on
Windows NT, and over 13 different UNIX platforms.
No. 510, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
Microlog Launches uniQue 2.1
Microlog Corporation, a provider of customer contact software
applications and a range of professional services, announced the
availability of uniQue version 2.1. Microlog's Web-based uniQue portfolio
of contact center solutions includes five major components: uniQue RM
(Relationship Management), uniQue IVR, uniQue CTI, uniQue Web and uniQue
Media. Each component is designed to be incorporated separately, added as
an upgrade or combined as a total solution into contact center
environments with or without existing telephony and media server
infrastructure, CRM applications, or legacy transaction systems and
databases. Among the administrative features included in uniQue 2.1 is
session recording and playback of an entire contact transaction with the
customer, whether the customer used e-mail, chat or was browsing the Web.
If a customer was browsing a company Web site prior to a request for help
or collaboration, the agent can view a listing of the pages (the
"click stream") that the customer visited prior to the request.
Additional enhancements include: configurable, predefined URL pushes; text
shortcuts for chat and e-mail; and e-mail attachments. E-mail functions
include configurable provisions for internal and external escalation
paths. uniQue 2.1 has a provision for optimizing the match of a contact to
the required agent skill based on wait time versus available proficiency
in the requisite skill(s). This is meant to expand the ability for
skills-based routing into skills weighting with optimal match. Other
enhancements include Agent Spell Check and Web Push and Follow, where the
agent can push pages to the customer and follow as the customer navigates,
both sharing the same screen image during the assisted browsing session.
No. 511, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
AVT Introduces CallXpress Version 5.30
AVT Corporation, a provider of business-to business communications
solutions, announced the release of CallXpress and CallXpress Enterprise
Version 5.30. This latest release includes streamlined administration and
is designed to provide several enhancements for supporting the mobile
professional. Features include the ability to send a voice reply to an
e-mail message and an enhancement to the existing Live Reply component
that enables mobile users to check messages from any telephone and, by
pressing one button, connect directly to the message's originator.
Building on the company's fax solution, RightFAX, CallXpress version 5.30
now allows users to access their e-mail messages via the telephone and
forward the e-mail message, along with the complete body of the attached
document, to any fax machine. Document types that can be rendered include
Microsoft Word and Excel documents, PowerPoint files, .PDF and HTML files.
Also part of the CallXpress e-Admin Connection suite is a new client
application designed to help administrators better manage multiple
CallXpress systems across the Internet. AVT's Global User Administration
client application provides a unified view of all CallXpress and
CallXpress Enterprise systems across a multisite enterprise network.
Administrators can see all systems and user accounts on the network and
perform administrative changes across multiple systems simultaneously,
without having to navigate between separate views for each server. Also,
with its integrated Digital Networking module, version 5.30 synchronizes
user and server data across the Internet. This enhancement is meant to
reduce maintenance tasks for system administrators and ensure that all
users are able to seamlessly communicate as if they were at the same
location.
No. 512, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
ServiceWare's eService Suite 3.0 Debuts
ServiceWare, a provider of e-service solutions, announced its new
integrated product suite, eService Suite 3.0. The software and content
solution is designed to allow companies to provide personalized e-service
tailored to the needs of customers, partners and employees. Based on
ServiceWare's Cognitive Processor technology, eService Suite accumulates
and stores knowledge with each interaction. eService Suite 3.0 is a
Web-based infrastructure intended to enable businesses to develop and
manage a knowledge base of service-related support information and
disseminate that knowledge through multiple communication channels,
including Web-based self-service, e-mail, chat and telephone support.
eService Suite uses natural language searching tools and intuitive
matching that aims to deliver the best solution based on the context and
history of the question. eService Suite consists of four products:
eService Site, eService Professional, eService Architect and
RightAnswers.com. While each product serves different purposes for various
users within an organization, all comprise an integrated solution designed
to create effective service destinations for e-business. eService Site is
the Internet or Intranet "entry point" providing Web-based
self-service for customers and employees. eService Professional is a
Web-based application interface for customer service professionals that is
meant to enable easier navigation of the knowledge base, view various
components of it and capture and revise additional knowledge. eService
Architect provides knowledge authoring, editing, management and
maintenance capabilities and administrative tools for product suite
functions. RightAnswers.com is an Internet-based knowledge portal intended
to enable ServiceWare customers to access a continuously updated database
of more than 350,000 problem-solution pairs. Customers can go to the Web
site, type a natural language query and receive a single list of probable
answers from licensed knowledge bases. ServiceWare also provides
implementation and integration services for deployment of its solutions,
and offers education and training to enable clients to support
implementation and maintenance.
No. 513, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
TEDAS Debuts In U.S. With Phoneware SBX V2.0
TEDAS, Inc., a developer of software products for
computer-telephony, announced the availability of Phoneware SBX Server
V2.0 and Phoneware SBX Workstation products for the North American market.
Phoneware SBX Server is designed to provide the major functions of
traditional PBX systems and the ability to use standard data networks
based on the IP protocol for voice transmission, making separate and
different infrastructures for voice and data unnecessary. Phoneware SBX
Workstation offers complete integration of traditional telephony and
Internet-Intranet (LAN/IP)-telephony. Phoneware SBX Workstation integrates
with both Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes. To support developers,
integrators, VARs and interconnects interested in developing integrated
applications, TEDAS offers the Phoneware SBX Server SDK (software
developer's kit). It is meant for use in developing vertical market
applications and to provide applications tailored to the specific needs of
individual customers. TEDAS said that companies are faced with a choice of
many technologies that do not offer open architectures, are proprietary
products or require retrofits to a customer's infrastructure. Phoneware
SBX Server and Phoneware SBX Workstation are designed to deliver the
scalability and functionality that businesses require.
No. 514, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
ASC Introduces Call Commander
ASC Telecom, L.P., a provider of voice and data recording systems,
announced the introduction of its new Call Commander voice recording
system. Call Commander is designed to provide selective recording for
small- to medium-sized call centers. It can be used by centers whose
current platform and PBX/ACDs cannot support CTI (computer-telephony
integration) or by organizations not ready to invest in a CTI system.
Configuration is possible from each supervisor's workstation connected via
LAN or WAN. The Call Commander is an open, platform-independent module
compatible with all analog and digital phone systems. It provides
connectivity to all recorders in the ASC Marathon Suite. With a capacity
of up to 512 agents configured into 32 recording channels, Call Commander
provides scalability and flexibility. For centers that need to grow beyond
that, multiple Call Commander modules can be linked together. Call
Commander is also compatible with Inspiration, ASC's agent training and
evaluation software suite. Inspiration provides online evaluation of agent
calls based on company-defined criteria. Similar to Call Commander,
Inspiration is scalable to support from 10 to 500 call center agents.
No. 515, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo
Plan B Communications, a telecommunications and Internet access
provider, announced the appointment of three key executives. Charlene
Copeland was appointed vice president of operations. Ms. Copeland came
to the company from AT&T Canada, where she served as director of local
access services. Terry Whiteside was named vice president of
technology. Whiteside was previously director of data planning and
engineering at MetroNet. Joseph Tagliaferro was named director of
MIS and operations. He came to Plan B from AT&T, where he was
architecture division manager.
AuriQ Systems, Inc., an Internet media company, named Bennet
James Bayer its president and chief operating officer. Bayer replaces
Koichiro Ikudome, founder of AuriQ Systems, who will remain chief
executive officer and chairman of the board. Bayer was previously managing
director of Infonet, a data services company and ISP.
Steven Swagel was appointed chief financial officer of Ukibi,
a provider of contact management engines. Swagel, most recently a
financial manager with Xerox Corporation, is also co-founder of D'Avignon
LLC, an e-commerce company.
Convergys Corporation announced that David F. Dougherty,
president of Convergys' customer management group, was appointed chief
development officer reporting directly to James F. Orr, chairman,
president and chief executive officer of the company. Replacing Dougherty
as president of the customer management group is Ronald E. Schultz,
currently Convergys' chief operating officer.
Sally L. Garnett was named chief information officer of Pathnet.
Garnett joins Pathnet from Intermedia Communications, where she served as
director of information services.
Norman Lehman was named president of DraftWorldwide Canada,
replacing Irvin Lebovits, who left the company to pursue other interests.
Prior to joining DraftWorldwide in 1996, Lehman was principal and creative
director at WebVisit Ltd.
Daleen Technologies, Inc., a provider of e-business solutions,
appointed Jim Moore vice president of partner management. Moore
brings over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications and customer
management and billing industries. Steven Kim was named vice
president of development for BillPlex, Daleen's customer management and
billing software product. Kim was previously vice president of engineering
at Clear Communications.
The i-Support Association, a professional membership
organization focused on Internet-based technical customer support, has
named Fred Slack as its first chairman. Slack, executive vice
president of KEWi.Net, has more than 20 years of experience in sales and
marketing in the computing industry, including positions at IBM, Digital
Equipment Corporation and 3Si.
Stream International announced that Larry S. Schumer has
joined the company as senior vice president of worldwide human resources.
Schumer was most recently a senior partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers'
human resources consulting practice.
Bluestone Software, Inc., a provider of enterprise interaction
management software, announced the appointment of Anthony I. Wasserman
as vice president of its new research and development facility in Redwood
Shores, California. A pioneer in software modeling and an architect of the
groundbreaking Software Through Pictures modeling environment, Wasserman
has led engineering of complex, e-business Web sites. He is also a
professor at the University of California.
Metrocall, Inc., a wireless data and messaging company, named William
F. Schwartz corporate vice president of retail operations. Prior to
his appointment, Schwartz spent 29 years with the Washington Post where he
managed retail and advertising programs.
Geographic Data Technology, Inc., a developer of map databases,
promoted Dan Adams to vice president of transportation data
applications. He was previously GDT's manager of business development for
transportation. Also, the company named Jay Benson vice president
of development. Prior to joining GDT in 1999, Benson was a manager and
consultant at Renaissance Worldwide, Inc.
Cal Holman was appointed senior vice president of e-commerce and
Internet development of Vital Processing Services, a provider of
technology-based commerce enabling services. Prior to joining Vital in
1997, Holman was with Total System Services, Inc.
Brigade Corporation, a provider of outsourced Internet customer
support, announced that Carl Albrecht has joined the company as
vice president of worldwide sales and client services. Prior to joining
Brigade, Albrecht was most recently vice president of sales and marketing
at Image Technology Solutions (ITS), an Internet-based hardware and
software services company.
Robert Couture was appointed chief operating officer by Berkeley
Enterprise Partners, a professional services firm specializing in
connecting customer communication channels to the Web. Couture most
recently served as senior vice president for Xerox Corporation's documents
solutions group.
Ten Square, formerly known as iamworks, announced two executive
appointments. Jim Brady was appointed chief scientist. Brady is
responsible for Ten Square's new Internet media delivery channel and will
ensure patent protection of its Internet transport technologies and
communication network. Eugene K. Buechele was named vice president
of engineering and chief technology officer. Buechele will be responsible
for managing the company's product development and roll out as well as
driving the development of its digital transport technology.
Sagent Technology Inc., a provider of real-time e-business
intelligence solutions, announced the appointment of Steve Gary to
vice president of business development. Before joining Sagent, he served
as senior vice president of marketing and business development for
Informatica Inc.
Brian Harris has joined Kanisa Inc. as vice president of
its service implementation group. Harris was most recently director of
Firepond. David Kay was promoted to vice president of solutions and
technology. Prior to joining the company as product director, Kay was
group product manager for Netscapes's SuiteSpot server family.
Additionally, Scott Huffman was promoted to vice president of
engineering. Before joining Kanisa, Huffman was director of research and
development at PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Technology Center.
Formus Communications Inc., a European broadband communications
services provider, announced the promotion of Dr. Jean-Philippe Favreau
to vice president of Internet services. Favreau, most recently director of
engineering services for Formus, was with Cadmus Internet Publishing
before joining the company in 1998.
Buffalo International, Inc. announced that David Rubin
has joined the company as its VAR channel sales manager. He was most
recently involved in business planning and research at ShoppingInTheUS.com,
Inc.
Magic Acquires Two Firms
Magic Software Enterprises, a provider of application development
technology and business solutions, announced completion of two
acquisitions aimed at strengthening its position as a provider of
e-commerce and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. Magic
purchased a majority interest in Sintec Call Centers Ltd. (Sintec), a
Magic Solutions Partner and a developer of call center management software
in Israel. Magic plans to market and sell the Magic-based solution (which
already has been implemented in Israel) worldwide under the brand name
Magic eContact. Magic will roll out the new solution as part of its CRM
suite. Magic also acquired ITM, another Magic Solutions Partner with
expertise in the development and implementation of e-commerce projects.
ITM's major focus in on e-commerce software development. It also provides
Internet computing services, including the design, development and
implementation of Intranet, Extranet and e-commerce projects. ITM will
play a central role in the continued development, refinement and project
support of Magic's b-to-b e-commerce solution, Magic eMerchant.
Kana Completes Silknet Merger
Kana Communications, Inc., a provider of a comprehensive suite of
integrated e-business solutions, recently announced that it has completed
its acquisition of Silknet Software of Manchester, New Hampshire. The
company said that the combination of its online customer communications
solutions and Silknet's customer-centric e-business applications is
intended to result in a Web-architected e-business platform and a
comprehensive suite of customer-facing applications for marketing, sales
and service communications. This is intended to allow e-businesses to work
with one vendor for their complete e-business customer communications
needs.
GN Netcom Inks JABRA Acquisition Agreement
GN Netcom, a manufacturer of telephone headsets and voice input devices
for hardline and wireless applications, signed an agreement to acquire
JABRA Corporation, a supplier of hands-free headset/earset products for
mobile and cordless phones. GN Netcom said that the mobile telecom market
will continue its rapid growth and, with its acquisition of JABRA, GN
Netcom has secured a broader product platform with leading-edge mobile
telephone products and access to important sales channels in North
America. Together, the companies expect to offer a broad array of
products, including future Bluetooth-enabled wireless devices. Following
the merger, JABRA will continue to operate as a strategic business unit
within the GN Netcom Group under the leadership of its present management
team. Its operations will continue to be headquartered in San Diego,
California.
infoUSA On The Getko In Canada
infoUSA, a provider of proprietary business and consumer
databases, data marketing services and Internet marketing solutions,
announced the acquisition of Getko Direct Response of Canada. Getko Direct
Response, a Canadian list and data processing supplier for the direct
marketing industry, was bought from Cendant Corporation. Vin Gupta,
Chairman and CEO of infoUSA, said that the company plans to increase its
presence in Canada through the acquisition and accelerate its Internet
presence with a complete redesign of it www.infocanada.ca site.
Xperio, A New Customer Support Venture, Bows
Frank W. Keith III and Steve McCullough recently announced the
launch of a new customer care management consulting company, Xperio, Inc.
Xperio draws from the expertise of both of their Atlanta-based companies,
Support Center Solutions, Inc., and Close The Distance, Inc. Both men see
a need to develop and implement sophisticated customer support business
practices that put the customer first and keep them at the center of all
business strategy. Xperio said that its philosophy is based on helping
clients create a superior brand image based on high-quality customer care.
Among the company's consulting solutions are services such as customer
support strategy and program development, support processes and procedures
development, developing e-support or Web-enabled customer contact centers,
outsourcing analysis and recommendations, and assessment, selection and
implementation of tools and technologies.
TelAthena Sets Release Date For MetaScript
TelAthena Systems LLC, a provider of interaction software technology for
CRM contact centers, announced that its programming API, MetaScript, is
scheduled for release on August 1, 2000. The application programming
interface is intended to allow users to create their own front-end Visual
Basic applications and take full advantage of TelAthena's core software
product. MetaScript will not include the TelAthena Windows Agent,
ScriptWriter or Supervisor modules, which are optional. They will be
available in a new developer-oriented format and include source codes so
that users can modify them to their own requirements. The company said
that this offering gives its customers the flexibility to create their own
front-end applications and real-time interfaces.
Help Desk Institute Rolls Out Star Series Certification
Testing
Help Desk Institute (HDI), a membership association for service
and support professionals, announced the availability of the production
version test for its new Star Series Help Desk Analyst (HDA) level
certification. This full rollout of the HDA test follows a beta test
period that began in February 2000. Two other levels of the HDI Star
Series certification tests also have completed their beta release and the
data is being assembled. These two Star Series certification levels are
HDSE for help desk support engineers and HDM for help desk managers. Last
month, these tests were first made available to the general public through
Prometric, a division of Thompson Learning. The HDI Star Series' HDA level
certification replaces the S2C2 certification previously offered by HDI.
Current S2C2-certified help desk professionals will automatically receive
HDA certification.
Witness Systems' eQuality Software Completes Siebel 99
Validation
Witness Systems, Inc., a provider of recording and analysis software,
announced that its eQuality software suite, version 5.12, has successfully
completed validation through the Siebel Validation Program conducted by
Siebel Systems, Inc., a supplier of e-business application software.
Witness Systems is a Siebel Premier Software Partner and the first
supplier of contact center multimedia customer interaction recording and
performance analysis software to integrate and complete validation with
Siebel Call Center. As part of its alliance with Siebel Systems, Witness
Systems built the integration between its eQuality solutions and Siebel
e-business applications. Siebel's Validation Program was established to
validate integrated, complementary software solutions and drive them into
the marketplace. Siebel Systems evaluates and documents integrated
third-party solutions. Validation testing covers a wide range of technical
and customer satisfaction criteria, including integrated functionality,
ease of installation, documentation, data integrity and security. For
joint users, the integration's benefits translate into competitive
advantage, shortened sales cycles, increased revenue and improved customer
satisfaction.
Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award To Al Gross
The inventor of the walkie-talkie, pager and cordless telephone,
Al Gross, was recently named the winner of the sixth annual Lemelson-MIT
Lifetime Achievement Award for invention and innovation. The award also
recognizes his contributions as a pioneer of miniaturized portable
communications devices and for playing a major role in wireless personal
communications development. In 1938, while still in high school, Gross
invented the walkie-talkie. During World War II, Gross was recruited by
the Communications Group of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS),
where he developed a two-way air-to-ground communications system that was
used by agents in occupied countries to communicate intelligence
information to the Allies. Gross invented the wireless pager in 1949.
Initially intended for use by doctors, it was rejected for fear the
beeping device would upset patients. In the 1950s, Gross tried, again in
vain, to interest US companies in his pager. The Federal Communications
Commission finally approved the use of the pager in 1960. Today, according
to widely published wireless industry statistics, over 300 million pagers
are in use. The Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred
annually by the Lemelson-MIT Program, which recognizes the nation's most
talented inventors and innovators, and promotes living role models in the
fields of science, engineering, medicine and entrepreneurship in the hope
of encouraging future generations to follow their example.
8x8 Changes Name
8x8, Inc. has changed its name to Netergy Networks, Inc. The
change reflects the new corporate focus of the company: supplying digital,
IP telephony communications products, including both central office and
customer premise equipment.
MobilCom Taps Call Sciences For Single Number Service
Call Sciences, Inc., a provider of enhanced telecommunications services,
was selected by MobilCom CityLine GmbH of Germany to provide its single
number solution throughout MobilCom's German network. Specifically, Call
Sciences will provide their Personal Assistant to MobilCom customers with
find-me/follow-me call routing, call screening, voice mail and fax
store/forward capability. The service is available now on a nationwide
basis in Germany to MobilCom customers. Additionally, Call Sciences will
provide MobilCom users with a Web-based, German graphical user interface
designed to allow users to easily personalize the service to view faxes
and listen to voice mail that is delivered to them over the Internet. This
enhanced services platform will enable MobilCom CityLine, a wholly owned
subsidiary of MobilCom AG, to deliver value-added features to small and
medium-sized enterprises that make national and international calls, while
attracting new customers to the marketplace.
Magic And FMIS Form Joint Venture For Internet
Solutions Deployment
Magic Software Enterprises, a provider of application development
technology and business solutions, announced that it has established a
joint venture with FMIS Limited, a U.K. software provider of AS/400 asset
management products with a financial focus, to develop an innovative
technology for deploying Internet solutions. Named eNABLER, the technology
is designed to enable nontechnical business specialists to create Web
applications by describing business logic using a set of rules written in
everyday language. The offering is also intended to permit businesses to
take existing legacy systems and deploy them as intelligent Web-based
solutions without any reprogramming. eNABLER will be developed using
Magic's application development technology, and is expected to complement
Magic's existing e-business applications and suite of customer
relationship management solutions. Magic's long-range plans are to use
eNABLER to develop a series of business cartridges that deliver
Internet-based applications for specific markets. Half of the initial
project costs will be covered by BRITECH, a joint British and Israeli
government-supported fund established to support commercial and technical
collaboration between U.K. and Israeli companies. The remainder is being
funded jointly by Magic and FMIS. Magic will own 40 percent of the joint
venture, which will be called eNABLER Technology Limited.
Blue Pumpkin And TASKE Partner For CRM Solutions
Blue Pumpkin Software, a provider of workforce management
solutions, and TASKE Technology Inc., a provider of call center management
software, announced a reseller/OEM agreement that provides TASKE customers
with Blue Pumpkin's workforce management solution. As a Blue Pumpkin
Global Premier Channel Partner, TASKE will ship Blue Pumpkin's PrimeTime
workforce management solution as an add-on product to TASKE Call Center
Management Tools 7.0. TASKE has developed application-specific enabling
technologies that will integrate Blue Pumpkin's PrimeTime with TASKE's ACD
ToolBox. The offering is intended as a forecasting and agent-scheduling
tool for call centers running TASKE software. Development has begun to
enable tracking of agent activity forecasts against actual agent behavior.
The next phase is the integration of PrimeTime Enterprise, Blue Pumpkin's
solution for multiple call center sites with TASKE Call Center Management
Tools. PrimeTime is a turnkey application for core agent forecasting and
scheduling. It is designed to help call center supervisors effectively
manage staffing requirements by offering forecasting based on the call
center's ACD information, scheduling that provides customer service while
taking into account agent availability and a call center's staffing
policies and reports on center metrics, such as service levels and
staffing. TASKE Call Center Management Tools 7.0 is an integrated solution
for call centers of any size, and is designed to provide call center
supervisors with information needed to manage, plan or expand operations.
The solution features TASKE's ACD Replay utility, real-time monitoring,
historical reporting, forecasting, reader board messaging and call-traffic
analysis.
Nortel And IBM Announce E-Business Alliance
Nortel Networks, a provider of telephony, data, e-business and wireless
solutions for the Internet, and IBM Global Services announced an alliance
to offer customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to organizations
worldwide. As part of this relationship, IBM will establish a global
consulting practice dedicated to deploying Nortel Networks' Clarify
e-business applications, including Clarify eFrontOffice, its integrated
CRM and e-business suite that is designed to enable customers to interact
with companies using the medium of their choice. This new practice is an
expansion of an existing software alliance that includes global financing
and DB2 support. IBM Global Financing is providing financing for hardware
and software services to Nortel Networks customers seeking to deploy
Clarify eFrontOffice. Additionally, Nortel Networks announced that Clarify
eFrontOffice is now generally available on the IBM DB2 Universal Database
platform. IBM service professionals worldwide are being trained and
certified for Nortel Networks' Clarify eFrontOffice implementations. IBM
will install Clarify eFrontOffice in its Business Innovation centers with
the aim of providing companies with a real-world environment that
demonstrates the benefits of integrating all customer touch points and
enabling Web-based sales, configuration, ordering and service within a
single, personalized system. Nortel Networks customers will have access to
leasing and financing for their Clarify eFrontOffice purchase as well as
customization and implementation services, regardless of the type of
hardware purchased or the vendor selected to provide the consulting
services.
Finali And eConvergent Partner For Web-Based Customer
Interaction Service
eConvergent, Inc., a business solutions provider for e-business customer
interaction, announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with
Finali Corporation, an outsourced provider of Internet customer care. By
combining eConvergent's Web-centric customer relationship management
services with Finali's implementation process and customer service
representatives, Finali aims to enable e-businesses to offer their
customers comprehensive Web-based customer service and high-touch live
interaction. With the eConvergent solution, Finali representatives will be
able to manage customer interactions across multiple communication points
(Web, chat, e-mail, voice and fax) providing each agent with an integrated
view of customer interaction history and profile information. Finali's
Human Integrated Automation business model is designed to provide
real-time and self-help environments and provide live customer assistance
when automated answers fail to meet customers' needs. Finali focuses its
outsourced services primarily on e-retail, financial services and
business-to business.
Certicom, Systor Ally For Secure Mobile Computing
Services
Certicom Corporation, a provider of m-commerce security, announced
a partnership with Systor AG, a Swiss contractor for information
technology solutions for the financial market. Systor will employ
Certicom's elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) in its Secure Mobile Solution
(SEMOS). Systor's intent to is provide enhanced data protection for
Windows CE devices such as the Microsoft Pocket PC, palm-sized and
handheld computers in order to provide financial services agents with
secure connectivity to data. Certicom's ECC technology is designed to
deliver strong encryption for sensitive customer data. The data from MS
Office and other applications is transparently encrypted, stored on a
flash card and then decrypted for reading. The encryption technology was
developed for a broad range of computing platforms and is intended to
provide maximum interoperability and security for many pieces of the
computing infrastructure.
Sagent And 24/7 Media Collaborate For Real-Time
Solutions
Sagent Technology Inc., a provider of real-time e-business
intelligence solutions, recently announced a strategic partnership with
24/7 Media, an Internet media and technology company. The alliance is
intended to enable 24/7 Media clients to access current and complete
third-party geographic, business-to-business and demographic information
through a secure Web connection. Using Centrus Real-Time, Sagent's
Web-based information service, 24/7 Media users can organize, consolidate
and analyze their current customer base and integrate a variety of
third-party information to create more inclusive customer profiles. Those
profiles can be used to rapidly develop targeted online marketing
campaigns to offer customized products and services directly to their best
prospects. 24/7 Media said that the alliance will enable them to extend
their suite of interactive marketing solutions and deliver a comprehensive
view of a customer, allowing its users to focus on customer-specific
marketing campaigns.
Lucent's Enterprise Networks Group In Partnership With
Blue Pumpkin
The Lucent Enterprise Networks Group, which is being spun off by Lucent
Technologies, and Blue Pumpkin Software, Inc. announced a strategic
alliance to provide solutions for helping companies manage human resources
in multichannel customer contact centers. The Enterprise Networks Group
will resell Blue Pumpkin's workforce management software, incorporating it
as part of Lucent's suite of CRM solutions. The Enterprise Networks
Group's CRM Solutions include information routing and workflow
capabilities with products such as CentreVu Advocate, CRM Central 2000 and
CentreVu Internet Solutions. The Enterprise Networks Group will begin
reselling Blue Pumpkin Software's workforce management products in the
third quarter of 2000. The companies' combined solutions will be
introduced in the fourth quarter of 2000. By the end of September, Lucent
Technologies intends to spin off its enterprise communications systems,
business cabling and LAN-based data networking businesses, including CRM
Solutions, into a separate $8 billion company focused on delivering
next-generation communications networks for enterprises.
TeleServices Direct Opens Indiana Call Center
TeleServices Direct, a provider of outsourced telemarketing
solutions directed at the college market, opened its newest call center in
Avon, Indiana. The call center, TeleServices' fifth, will initially have
56 stations and employ 150 people. The 6,000 square feet facility will
utilize a state-of-the-art EIS computer calling system with which
TeleServices expects to maximize its telemarketing efficiency. The new
center is under the direction of Aaron Moore.
LSSi Establishes International Division
LSSi Corporation, a furnisher of directory database services,
recently established an international division. The new division will
consolidate and direct the company's activities outside of the United
States, develop strategic relationships with international customers and
vendors and secure new markets for the company's services. The division is
located at LSSi's corporate headquarters in Edison, New Jersey. LSSi said
that the rapid globalization of commerce has created a tremendous
international demand for telephone directory data, and that this
represents a significant opportunity for providing its services globally.
Kabira Opens In St. Louis
Kabira Technologies Inc., maker of ObjectSwitch scalable
infrastructure software for e-business, announced the opening of its new
Midwest office located in St. Louis, Missouri. The company said the
Midwest has proven to be a good market and the St. Louis location will
enable it to better support and service its customer needs for creating
and deploying new business services and help expedite services, sales and
support throughout the region.
Tornado Hits Hong Kong
Tornado Development, a provider of unified messaging (UM)
solutions, announced the opening of its first regional office in Hong
Kong. The facility will serve as the company's UM solutions headquarters
for the entire Asia Pacific region. The headquarters will operate a
hosting facility, and its sales and marketing team will launch UM services
to the region. Stanley Chao, Tornado's managing director of Asian
development, will lead the management of the Hong Kong office.
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