Brightware Announces General Availability of Brightware Converse.

Business Editors

NOVATO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2000

Brightware, Inc., the leading supplier of eCustomer Assistance software for the Internet, today announced the immediate general availability of Brightware(R) Converse(TM), a fully integrated live chat product that builds better relationships with eCustomers through real-time Web-based interactions between the eCustomer and a company's customer service representatives (CSRs).

Converse is the first product of its kind that works in concert with Brightware's Web and Email Assistance products to deliver an integrated, personalized experience for the eCustomer. Built on Brightware's proven automation technology foundation, the Converse product line provides:

-- The ability to maximize resources by enabling agents to respond to chat and
email messages using a common, intuitive Agent Desktop;

-- Supervisors with the ability to more smoothly manage operations, using the
Contact Center's integrated Supervisor Desktop to oversee both chat and email
interactions;

-- Added benefits of intelligent automation to classify and automatically
pre-compose suggested responses to chat inquiries that agents can rapidly
review, approve and send to a supervisor to improve their productivity and chat
consistency; and,

-- Collaborative browsing to not only answer chat inquiries but simultaneously
direct customers to the right Web page when appropriate.

"Immediacy coupled with accuracy is fast becoming a requirement for eBusinesses providing online customer service. By offering live assistance, they can provide immediate support that brings eCustomers back, creating loyal, long-term relationships one interaction at a time," said Chris Erickson, President and CEO of Brightware. "By building Brightware Converse, we have extended our product suite to more tightly link eCustomers and eBusinesses by building a bridge between the Web and the contact center for the ultimate online interaction."

Converse is part of the Brightware 2000 suite of products that leverage intelligence gathered from customer profile information, the nature of the inquiry and customizable business rules to deliver cost-effective interactions and a value-based approach to eCustomer Assistance. Brightware's suite also includes Brightware(R) Concierge(TM), an intelligent Web-based eCustomer Assistance hub that automatically guides customers to the right information or right resource on the Web site or escalates their inquiries through the most appropriate and cost-effective interaction channels, and Brightware Email Assistance that automatically responds to incoming email inquiries by understanding the message intent and personalizing the response.

"Building relationships is key in today's market," said Hugh Bishop, Aberdeen Group. "The ability to leverage a customer's interactions to deliver a value-based experience that balances relationship, profitability and cost is exactly what businesses need to succeed. With Brightware's Converse solution, businesses benefit from an integrated package that includes chat, email, and Web self-service, and that scales as an eBusiness grows."

Pricing and Availability

Brightware Converse is available immediately directly from Brightware for $49,000.

About Brightware

Brightware, the leading supplier of eCustomer Assistance software for the Internet, helps companies build better customer relationships, one interaction at a time. Using Brightware's complete and integrated Web, Email and Live Assistance applications, eBusinesses can dramatically increase eService levels and eSales revenues while reducing costs. Brightware's products, which can often be deployed within a week, leverage proven automation technology to deliver unparalleled scalability, performance, ROI, and an exceptional eCustomer experience at every online touchpoint. For more information, please visit Brightware's Web site at http://www.brightware.com or call [phone].