Leading International Brands Including CARQUEST, Hobie Cat, and Husqvarna Select Angel.com for Store Locator Application
Customers Cite â??Power and Ease of Use of Angel.comâ??s Voice Sitesâ? as Differentiator for IVR Application that Generates Increased Sales and Awareness
McLean, Va (March 17, 2005) –
ngel.com, a leading provider of web-based, advanced telephony solutions and a division of MicroStrategy® Incorporated (NASDAQ: MSTR), announced today that several leading international brands, including CARQUEST, Hobie Cat Co., and Husqvarna have turned to Angel.com to deploy new Voice Sites that provide callers with automated store location and product information based on zip code and/or product preference.
The Voice Sites – toll-free numbers that replicate website functionality – allow CARQUEST, Husqvarna, and Hobie Cat to leverage the latest in speech recognition technology to offer customers a convenient and useful outlet to access information. Angel.com’s powerful Site Builder toolkit allowed each company to build and manage its new Voice Site quickly and easily based on the same databases that already power their web applications.
Hobie Cat
Hobie Cat, the world-renowned manufacturer of sailboats, kayaks, and fishing boats, struggled for years with speech technology vendors who were unwilling or unable to fulfill relatively basic requirements until the company found Angel.com.
“Angel.com’s cutting-edge features and flexibility prompted the decision to move our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system,” said Bill Van Vooren, IT Manager for Hobie Cat. “The power and ease of use of Angel.com’s Voice Sites allowed us to build a more complex IVR application in less than a week. In addition, the capabilities of Angel.com’s Site Builder platform eliminated the administrative hassles associated with maintaining disparate databases and enabled quick follow-up on sales leads. From start to finish, Angel.com greatly exceeded our expectations.”
The Hobie Cat store locator can be reached at 1-800-HOBIE-49.
Husqvarna
Husqvarna, one of the world leaders in outdoor power products for parks, forests, and gardens, recently updated its store locator interface on the web and began shopping for a new vendor to provide a comparable service for the phone. The company had been working with a vendor for an existing phone application but the vendor required a separate database and 15-20 days to make any changes.
“With Angel.com, changes made to the web database are updated to our Voice Site in real time,” said Keith Lutz, E-Business Project Leader of Husqvarna. “With our expanding and ever-changing retailer mix, we simply require a solution that can keep up with us. Angel.com provides us with the best solution at the best price.”
The Husqvarna retailer and service locator can be reached at 1-800-HUSKY-62.
CARQUEST
CARQUEST operates more than 3,600 stores throughout North America, supplying the professional automotive service repair industry with import, foreign and domestic auto parts, tools, and equipment. The new Voice Site from Angel.com allows customers to dial a toll-free number and enter or say their zip code to find the nearest CARQUEST location. The application also prompts callers to transfer to the desired store if they choose. CARQUEST now has two new phone numbers, 1-800-492-PART for its store locator; and 1-888-470-0239, for its nationwide network of skilled automotive technicians.
“Angel.com is extremely proud that CARQUEST, Hobie Cat, and Husqvarna have selected our Voice Site technology to power their new store locator applications,” said Mike Zirngibl, president and CEO of Angel.com. “These are extremely successful and well-known brands that have recognized that Angel.com offers a flexible and comprehensive solution.”
In addition to CARQUEST, Hobie Cat, and Husqvarna, other national retailers have turned to Angel.com for their store locator application, including KB Toys, Buca di Beppo Restaurants, and Reebok Outlet Stores.
About Hobie Cat Company
Since 1950, Hobie has been in the business of shaping a unique lifestyle based around fun, water, and quality products. From their headquarters in Oceanside, California, they manufacture, distribute, and market an impressive collection of watercraft worldwide. These include an ever-expanding line of recreational and racing sailboats, pedal-driven and paddle sit-on-top kayaks, fishing boats, and authorized parts and accessories.
About Husqvarna
Husqvarna, a member of the Electrolux Group, offers forest, lawn and garden power equipment for all applications. The company markets a complete line of chain saws, clearing saws, cut-off saws, and lawn and garden products, including riding and walk-behind mowers, yard and garden tractors, tillers, edgers, brushcutters, grass trimmers, backpack and handheld blowers, snow throwers and commercial turf care equipment.
About CARQUEST Auto Parts
CARQUEST Auto Parts supplies the professional automotive service repair industry with import, foreign and domestic auto parts, tools and equipment. CARQUEST began in 1974 with 100 auto parts stores. Today there are more than 3,600 CARQUEST Auto Parts Stores serving North America. Any CARQUEST Auto Parts Store will be happy to recommend qualified repair centers. CARQUEST is committed to providing auto parts and services of the highest quality and greatest value to its customers.
About Angel.com
Angel.com is a leading provider of on-demand Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solutions, which enable organizations of all sizes to quickly deploy powerful telephony applications. More than 1,400 customers turn to Angel.com’s patented Voice Site technology to power customer service and marketing phone numbers using intelligent speech recognition that can automate most phone-based interactions. With an innovative Internet-based solution that requires no investment in hardware, software, or human resources, Angel.com balances the need for high quality communications with affordable pay-as-you-go pricing.
About MicroStrategy
Founded in 1989, MicroStrategy is a global leader in business intelligence (BI) technology. MicroStrategy provides integrated reporting, analysis, and monitoring software that helps the world’s leading organizations make better business decisions every day. Companies use MicroStrategy to transform vast amounts of data into actionable information that enhances their performance, productivity and competitive edge. MicroStrategy’s customers include the top twelve FORTUNE 500 global telecommunications companies, the top eight global pharmaceutical companies, and nearly two-thirds of the top 50 global retailers. MicroStrategy has relationships with systems integrators and technology partners, including IBM, HP, PeopleSoft, Sun, and Teradata. More information about MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) is available at www.microstrategy.com
MicroStrategy, Angel.com, Site Builder 2005, Voice Sites are either trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroStrategy Incorporated in the United States and certain other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Source: MicroStrategy