Astute Solutions Partners with Unveil Technologies to Deliver Agent-Integrated Conversational Self-Service Solutions to Contact Centers.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2004 Astute as·tute adj. Having or showing shrewdness and discernment, especially with respect to one's own concerns. See Synonyms at shrewd. [Latin ast Solutions(R), a leading provider of customer interaction solutions, and Unveil Technologies, a provider of conversational speech self-service applications A software application that allows a user to obtain information or complete a business transaction on the computer that has traditionally required the help of a human representative. Voice response systems and Web sites are widely used for self-service applications. See kiosk. for contact centers, today announced a strategic partnership that will accelerate the implementation of voice-based, self-service strategies that use "virtual agents" to improve a customer's self-service experience and optimize optimize - optimisation live agent productivity. "Self-service can be an effective strategy for enhancing customer satisfaction and contact center efficiency when it empowers, rather than frustrates, customers," said Joseph M. Sanda, president and chief executive officer of Astute Solutions. "This partnership extends our self-service offerings beyond our current Web-based and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) An automated telephone information system that speaks to the caller with a combination of fixed voice menus and data extracted from databases in real time. solutions to include conversational self service, which is one of the most exciting technologies to come to the contact center in recent years." Through the partnership, Astute will offer Unveil's Conversation Manager(TM) as a stand-alone solution and in conjunction with its own PowerCenter(TM) suite of customer interaction solutions, to provide a complete customer service solution to organizations seeking to use their contact centers to improve customer satisfaction and increase retention. Unveil's Conversation Manager enables enterprise contact centers to reduce costs while maintaining high quality customer service. It does this by blending technology and agents in a collaborative relationship to increase agent efficiency and improve system performance. Conversation Manager enables contact centers to deploy "virtual" or software-based customer service agents. Combining the knowledge of virtual agents with the expertise of live agents enhances the customer's experience. This technology complements Astute's suite of solutions, which integrate communications across multiple channels (phone, e-mail, fax, chat and mail), enhance customer data collection and reporting, and speed issue resolution through database integration and knowledge management. The two companies will host a webcast at 2 p.m. on May 6 to highlight the benefits of the partnership and provide a live demonstration of Unveil's Conversation Manager. For webcast registration and details, go to www.astutesolutions.com/astutenews/events/unveilregister.htm. "This partnership brings together two powerful technologies for enhanced contact center operations -- Astute's PowerCenter and our Conversation Manager," said Peter Durlach, president of Unveil Technologies. "Together, they combine the convenience, efficiency and capacity of virtual self-service agents with the knowledge and support of live agents to provide a comprehensive solution that optimizes the value of customer interactions." "We're excited about this partnership because Conversation Manager enhances the productivity of inbound in·bound 1 adj. Bound inward; incoming: inbound commuter traffic. Adj. 1. inbound call center agents by providing intelligent "secret service" to produce an attractive return on investment," said Geoffrey Bibo, vice president of business development for Astute Solutions. "The ability to make fast, smooth transitions between the virtual agent and a live agent increases first call resolution, eliminates customer frustration with complicated IVR menus and enhances the value of live agents." About Unveil Technologies Unveil Technologies is rethinking voice self service(TM). The company offers a new approach to self service that blends technology and agents in a collaborative relationship that reduces costs while improving customer satisfaction. Unveil's Conversation Manager is an award-winning conversational voice self service application for call centers. Unveil was founded by proven entrepreneurs with a history of success in bringing to market enterprise automation systems based on advanced speech and language software. Unveil is backed by leading venture capital firms Name Location Founding date Managing Partners/Directors Specialty Capital managed 5AM Ventures Menlo Park, CA; Waltham, MA 2002 John Diekman, PhD (managing partner), Scott Rocklage, PhD (managing partner), Andrew Schwab (managing partner) life sciences $200M [1] including Sevin Rosen Funds Sevin Rosen Funds (SRF) is a venture capital firm that was established in 1981 by L.J. Sevin and Ben Rosen. SRF was involved in the financing of ArQule, CIENA, Citrix, Cypress Semiconductor, Electronic Arts, Lotus Development Corporation, Silicon Graphics, and Vitesse. (www.srfunds.com), TD Capital Technology (www.tdcapital.com) Ventures and Solstice solstice (sŏl`stĭs) [Lat.,=sun stands still], in astronomy, either of the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes (separated from them by an angular distance of 90°). Capital (www.solcap.com). For more information on Unveil and its products, please visit www.unveil.com. About Astute Solutions Astute Solutions, a leading provider of customer interaction solutions, helps companies leverage Internet and telephony Meaning "sound over distance," it refers to electronically transmitting the human voice. In the beginning, telephony dealt only with analog signals in the circuit-switched networks of the telephone companies. solutions for a completely integrated customer relationship and information management solution. Astute works with key industries including retail, food, financial, automotive, transportation, medical, pharmaceutical, travel, and durable and non-durable goods manufacturers. Clients include Global 1000 companies such as McDonald's Corporation, Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss, born Löb Strauß & Co., Georgia Pacific Corp., GlaxoSmithKline, Michelin, Clopay Corporation, The Toro Toro may refer to:
The Philip Morris Company (now known as Altria Group), a company that produces tobacco products, acquired Kraft for , and L'Oreal USA Products, Inc. The company has been awarded the Customer Inter@ction Solutions Magazine's 2001 Product of the Year Award and has received the Real Market's Users Choice Award for three consecutive years beginning in 2001. Astute Solutions is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital and the largest city of the American state of Ohio. Named for explorer Christopher Columbus, the city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816. , and may be reached at 1-877-POWER50, sales@astutesolutions.com or on the Web at www.astutesolutions.com. |
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