Vertical Networks Delivers First Fully Integrated, Comprehensive Call Center Solutions for Branch Offices and Small Businesses.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2000

Call Center Offering Extends the Value of the InstantOffice

Integrated Communications Platform

Vertical Networks today announced the first complete portfolio of integrated call center solutions for its InstantOffice(TM) Integrated Communications Platform (ICP). As a part of this offering, Vertical Networks will deliver two solutions: entry-level Call Routing and Queuing (CRQ) and the feature-rich InstantOffice Contact Center (IOCC) by Interactive Intelligence(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:ININ). With these offerings, Vertical Networks gives branch offices and small businesses real choices for improving customer relationships through sophisticated call center technology.

With this announcement, Vertical Networks fulfills one more component of its convergence roadmap strategy and continues to build on its commitment to provide application functionality for the recently introduced InstantOffice 3500 and 5500 product families. The new call center solutions ensure that the InstantOffice can provide the functionality of a large system, without incurring the cost and complexity of today's call centers, which are typically designed for larger enterprises.

"Smaller businesses are a fast-growing segment of the call center market, but until now there have not been comprehensive and affordable solutions available for these smaller sites," said Jay Henderson, senior product manager, applications, at Vertical Networks. "These new call center offerings allow us to better serve the needs of small businesses that want to improve their relationships with customers through sophisticated call center technology."

Vertical Networks has tailored Interactive Intelligence's award-winning interaction management software to meet the needs of small businesses and branch offices and to optimize the solution for the ICP platform. (Editor's Note: See related announcement today, "Vertical Networks and Interactive Intelligence Partner to Deliver Call Center Solutions for Branch Offices and Small Businesses.)

Feature-Rich InstantOffice Contact Center

Vertical Networks' IOCC is designed for companies that consider call centers a strategic component of their businesses. The IOCC offers important functionality such as advanced Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), skills-based routing, multimedia queuing, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), a supervisory console, a flexible agent soft phone and console, powerful reporting, Web capabilities, and digital phone support. The feature-rich IOCC package offers the equivalent functionality of high-end call center solutions.

The IOCC offering includes a multimedia solution for automating strategic call center operations, which leverages the robust voice, data, and application capabilities of the InstantOffice ICP. Included in the offering is a sophisticated application that makes assembling call flows easy. IOCC also integrates with back-office applications using standard Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) such as Open Database Connectivity (ODBC).

"Vertical Networks continues to enhance the integrated communications platform capabilities of its InstantOffice system with the addition of both basic and advanced call center features, covering a wide span of customer requirements," said Allan Sulkin, analyst at TEQConsult Group (Hackensack, N.J.). "The basic CRQ option provides necessary call coverage and reporting features for customers with basic call center applications; the IOCC option supports highly sophisticated call center requirements. Regarding IOCC, Vertical Networks made a very smart strategic move partnering with Interactive Intelligence to offer a proven and successful ACD software solution."

Laser Eye Center Benefits from IOCC

One of the first companies to benefit from the IOCC is Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley. Today, the Laser Eye Center takes advantage of the full call center functionality of the InstantOffice.

"For the first time, we can track the details of specific activities on each agent and find out whether calls are inbound or outbound, how long calls last, the average wait-time, and where they are routed. The system is also able to tell us how many calls are abandoned and when," said Bob Jones, CFO of Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley. "Vertical Networks' integrated solution allows us to better manage our customer relationships."

InstantOffice Call Routing and Queuing: A Simple Solution for the Smaller Business Market

The InstantOffice CRQ application is specially designed for smaller offices that want to improve their business communications through the intelligent internal routing of calls but do not need the sophisticated set of offerings available with the IOCC solution. Designed for rapid deployment on the InstantOffice ICP, this robust software offering is ideally suited to handle the rising call loads of formal or informal inbound call centers. Callers are quickly and efficiently connected to the best available company resource, boosting both customer satisfaction and competitive advantage. Even with limited IT expertise, smaller businesses can cost effectively customize, monitor, and manage this professional call center solution for optimal service levels and staff productivity.

Ex Officio Selects InstantOffice CRQ

After a recent direct sales launch, Ex Officio(R), the category leader in the travel clothing market, needed a call center solution for managing high volumes of inbound and abandoned calls. Ex Officio selected the InstantOffice CRQ as an efficient and affordable solution to manage its large volume of calls, customer requests, and to increase the effectiveness of its call center agents.

"We're a small company, so when we started the search for call center solutions, we looked to Vertical Networks as a solutions provider based on the company's focus on serving the small business market," said Roy Roche, vice president of IT at Ex Officio. "InstantOffice provides the stability and true functionality that our company requires, as well as a flexible platform that will expand to fulfill our call center needs as our company grows."

Pricing and Availability

The cost of an InstantOffice CRQ for five to 84 agents is (US)$5,000. The cost of the InstantOffice Contact Center for 10 to 84 agents starts at (US)$12,000. InstantOffice CRQ and IOCC are available immediately. Customers wanting more information should contact their local InstantOffice reseller.

About Vertical Networks, Inc.

Vertical Networks is the leading provider of Integrated Communications Platforms (ICPs), the first systems that combine voice, data, and applications support into one remotely manageable platform. With a unique focus on the needs of branch offices and small and medium-sized businesses worldwide, Vertical Networks delivers business solutions to a wide range of industries, including banking, retail, and publishing. To ensure total customer satisfaction, Vertical Networks' strategic network service provider, reseller, and systems integration partners offer comprehensive support services, including 7x24 on-site support.

For more information about Vertical Networks' products, visit the company's World Wide Web site at www.vertical.com or call 800/826-6769.