TALX Corporation automates Randstad Staffing Services' W2 form reissuing program just in time for tax season.

ST. LOUIS, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 1997--

New system utilizes voice recognition and text-to-speech

technologies to significantly reduce manpower needs

An automated interactive solution provided by TALX Corporation (NASDAQ: TALX) enabled Randstad Staffing Services, the exclusive staffing service to the 1996 Summer Olympics, to reissue 30,000 W2 forms to temporary workers rather than manually process these reissue requests before the April 15 tax-filing deadline.

Atlanta-based Randstad Staffing Services --the U.S. division of Randstad Holding nv and the largest staffing service in the southeast United States -- implemented the TALX solution in January, just in time for tax season. Currently, Randstad places an average of 13,000 employees each day in staffing positions. Thousands of these employees, however, are likely to change their address without contacting Randstad; so when Randstad mails W2 forms for tax-filing purposes, the company receives thousands of requests for another W2 form from previous employees.

"Last fall, Randstad issued nearly 100,000 W2 forms, 20,000 of which were issued to the employees we placed for the Summer Olympics here in Atlanta," said Debbie Cummings, director of Financial Services for Randstad Staffing Services. "Based on past experience, we quickly realized we were going to need to increase our manpower and telephone equipment to handle the impending flood of W2 form reissue requests for tax season. That's when we decided to review our automation options."

"We are pleased that Randstad Staffing Services chose TALX to design and install an interactive communications system for its W2 form reissuing program," said John Tubbesing, executive vice president for TALX Corporation. "With over a decade of experience designing and installing interactive communications solutions, we were able to quickly design a cost-effective system to satisfy the company's business challenge and eliminate the need to hire additional employees."

Utilizing Voice Response, Voice Recognition and Text-to-Speech Technologies

The TALX solution incorporates voice response, voice recognition and text-to-speech technologies to automate the handling of more than 550 calls per day, so that less than 50 calls per day are manually processed by Randstad staff.

All phone calls regarding W2s are routed through a TALX interactive voice response system. Callers enter their social security number and, with text-to-speech technology, the system voices the current mailing address Randstad has on file for the employee. The employee is then able to verify the address. If the address is incorrect, which is often the case, the caller then speaks their new address, which the automated system captures via voice recognition technology. Each night, the system automatically updates Randstad's database with the callers' spoken address information.

For callers who need personal attention, the system has a voice message feature. All requests are handled within a 24-hour period.

"The TALX system has made a tremendous impact on tracking and fulfilling employee W2 form requests," said Apryle Smith, supervisor of Employee Benefits for Randstad. "Not only has the system reduced the number of calls we must handle each day, it prints daily reports that track the number of successful calls and the number of 'lost' calls --people who exited the system without assistance and people who made errors using the system. Now, we have a complete record of all aspects of the reissuing process that allows us to catch those lost calls."

Randstad Background

Randstad Staffing Services has 80 offices across the Southeast United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, Randstad Staffing Services is the U.S. division of Randstad Holding nv, one of the largest providers of staffing services in the world with more than 900 offices throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. Randstad Holding nv's shares are listed among the most active stocks on the AEX-Effectenbeurs (formerly known as the Amsterdam Stock Exchange).

TALX Background

St. Louis-based TALX Corporation designs and implements interactive Web and interactive voice response solutions, primarily for Fortune 500 companies and other large organizations. The company's interactive communications solutions enable an organization's employees, customers, vendors and business partners to access, input and update information without human assistance. The company's solutions enhance service levels, improve productivity and reduce costs by enabling users to perform self-service transactions through interactive communications technologies.

Statements in this press release expressing the beliefs and expectations of management may be forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. More information about performance risk is detailed in the company's documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. -0-

For additional information about TALX Corporation, visit the company's Web site at http://www.talx.com . To set up an interview with TALX, please contact Jill Sherman at DG&A Communications, 8000 Maryland Avenue, Suite 800, St. Louis, MO 63105. [phone] or e-mail at [e-mail] .

CONTACT: TALX Corporation

Jacqueline Engel, 314/434-0046

[e-mail]

or

DG&A Communications

Jill Sherman, 314/725-0122

[e-mail]