Cisco Launches Service Contract Center Enabling the Channel to Expand Service Offerings.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 1999--

Channel Partners Can Manage their Service Contract Business

From End-to-End with New Web-Based Service Contract

Sales and Management Tool

Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the Service Contract Center, a Web-based tool that enables the channel to manage all service contract business processes, including renewing, adding and changing contract renewals, quotes and other contract-related services.

It addresses the growing interest by the channel to augment their current networking business and increase their success by actively engaging in the profitable services business.

"Alltech has aggressively pursued the renewal business since our inception. Now, with the development of the Service Contract Center, we can gain immediate access to comprehensive information in a timely manner to more effectively manage our SMARTnet services business. It is only one of several Cisco tools that enable us to successfully utilize a services-led selling model to increase our profitability," said Marilee Gillarde, director of services administration, AllTech Data Systems, Inc.

The Service Contract Center provides a complete solution for channel partners to manage and administer the service contract sales cycle. This tool is designed to increase channel revenue and customer satisfaction, while reducing the administrative costs of managing the service renewal process.

"As the networking marketplace becomes more competitive, many resellers are expanding into the profitable services arena as an avenue to enhance their business," said Rich Brewer, program manager of IDC's Network Support, Integration and Outsourcing Services Research Program. "Cisco's new Service Contract Center is a 'turnkey-style' tool to help Cisco channel partners become more self-sufficient in the services business, in turn increasing their customer satisfaction and revenue, while also managing administrative costs."

"The Service Contract Center can lead to increased customer satisfaction by providing timely renewals to prevent lapses in service coverage and the ability to quickly quote new services," said Clayton Reed, vice president of customer advocacy's service sales and marketing, Cisco Systems. "Additionally, as the channel's hardware margins are being squeezed, the service contract business enables our channel partners to respond to customers' demands to deliver more value-add in the sale, while enhancing their ability to tap into the multimillion dollar services market."

Service Contract Center

The Service Contract Center is a Web-based, turnkey solution that enables Cisco channel partners to pro-actively manage contract-related services. Capabilities include:

-- Managing the complete life-cycle of a service contracts sale,

paperless

-- Preparing service quotes for customers and route by e-mail

-- Verifying regional service availability

-- Verifying accurate and continued service coverage for customer

network

-- Ordering renewal service online and managing the follow up

on-line

-- Requesting updates and changes to service contracts

The Service Contract Center is available worldwide with varying functionality based on specific service programs. For more information, visit www.cisco.com/scc.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.

Note to Editors: Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any of its resellers.