New Hosted Call Center Management Solution Integrates Angel.comâ??s On-Demand Interactive Voice Response Offerings with Automatic Call Distribution Several New Enterprise Customers Adopt Solution that Provides Efficient, Affordable Call Distribution
McLean, Va., (February 16, 2005) –
Angel.com, a leading provider of web-based, advanced telephony solutions and a division of MicroStrategy® Incorporated (Nasdaq: MSTR) today announced the launch and general availability of “Virtual Call Center,” a new hosted and customizable call center management offering that combines the flexibility of Angel.com’s on-demand Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solutions with web-based Automatic Call Distribution (ACD).
Virtual Call Center is a hosted call center management solution that combines the call distribution capabilities of an ACD system with the data collection and automation power of speech recognition. These capabilities are all contained in one easy-to-use interface, Angel.com Site Builder 2005. The solution is managed entirely through a web browser, which allows for rapid deployment, significant management flexibility, real-time monitoring and reporting tools, and zero investment in new hardware or software.
Several enterprise customers have already begun implementation of Virtual Call Center, including Sky High Speed, which designs and installs Wi-Fi networks for the hospitality industry, and Moftware, a global provider of mobile data products, software, and consulting services. Sky High Speed uses Virtual Call Center in its Network Operations Center to provide 24 x 7 hospitality guest technical support. Using a hosted call center allows the Network Operations Center to adapt quickly with Sky High Speed’s rapidly expanding customer base, while enhancing the guest experience. For Moftware, Virtual Call Center has already allowed the company to respond to customer inquiries around the clock while increasing the efficiency of its 16 live call center agents.
“Angel.com’s Virtual Call Center is the most cost-effective call center solution in the market,” said Moftware CEO Pinakin Dinesh. “Our biggest problem was that our call center was not available 24-hours-per-day and we received many calls during off hours related to order tracking. With Virtual Call Center, that problem is solved. In addition, the call queuing feature is the best I have seen; it will dramatically improve our call center efficiency and productivity.”
Said Angel.com president and founder Mike Zirngibl, “Companies with a commitment to outstanding customer service no longer need to invest months of time and hundreds of thousands of dollars in hardware and consulting costs to create and manage an effective call center. Angel.com’s Virtual Call Center is a remarkably innovative solution that can be deployed and maintained at a low cost, is easy to use, integrates seamlessly with speech recognition technology, and features real-time reporting and monitoring tools. We believe that enterprise call center managers will adopt Virtual Call Center as they recognize its unique benefits.”
The Angel.com hosted model, combined with Angel.com’s award-winning Site Builder toolkit and speech technology, makes Virtual Call Center a cost-effective alternative for enterprises considering an ACD system and related hardware and support costs.
Scenarios where the Angel.com Virtual Call Center may be particularly beneficial:
o Companies with home-based call center agents. According to Network World, call centers with home-based agents are gaining in popularity as companies look for alternatives to running a traditional, in-house call center or using an offshore outsourcer. Experts say the use of home-based agents eliminates some concerns about cultural differences when using offshore providers.*
o Organizations with a large pool of volunteer call center agents who require the ability to check-in and check-out seamlessly. This is particularly relevant and effective for organizations with volunteers in the field who provide virtual support.
o Existing call centers or multi-tiered support organizations that require special routing for peak hours and routing based on specific agent skills.
o Small-to-medium-sized businesses that receive many support calls but cannot afford the investment in an ACD solution.
o Small businesses with limited personnel who share customer service duties.
o Sales organizations responding to inbound leads. Virtual Call Center provides call queuing and routing to the appropriate agent based on pre-set criteria such as territory or skill set.
Virtual Call Center Features
Call Routing & Queuing – Simple agent addition/deletion options; customizable on-hold music and wait prompts; call screening options to provide information to agents; route calls to any number; unlimited call queues.
Integrated IVR- Sophisticated speech recognition technology captures caller data for agent use; packaged applications available for pre-agent/post-agent interaction; integrates easily with existing web applications.
Call Reporting & Monitoring – Easy, web-based administration; managers can view real-time call load and agent activity; usage reports allow for current/historical metrics tracking.
Scalability & Reliability – No hardware needed; scalable capacity without capital expense; 24/7 technical support options; carrier-grade facilities; fault-tolerant reliability.
Virtual Call Center Benefits
Rapid Return on Investment – Angel.com pricing is primarily usage-based, meaning customers can expect to see a positive ROI within weeks of deployment.
Reduced Wait Times – Angel.com Virtual Call Center is integrated with IVR, meaning the most common requests can be automated without waiting for a live operator.
Fewer Live Operators – With more calls automated through the IVR component, enterprises require fewer live operators, resulting in lower operating costs.
Higher Customer Satisfaction – Live operators will have access to specific information before speaking with a caller and will be able to more effectively manage requests.
For more information, please visit www.angel.com/enterprise/vcc/index.jsp.
*Users Grow Virtual Call Centers, Network World, Jan. 31, 2005, by Ann Bednarz
About Angel.com
Angel.com is a leading provider of web-based, advanced telephony solutions. More than 1,400 customers turn to Angel.com to quickly deploy powerful applications using Angel.com’s patented Voice Site technology. These applications make IVR remarkably easy, and power customer service and marketing phone numbers using intelligent speech recognition technology. With an innovative web-based solution that requires no investment in hardware, software, or human resources, Angel.com balances the need for superior communications with affordable, pay-as-you-go pricing.
About MicroStrategy
Founded in 1989, MicroStrategy is a worldwide leader in the business intelligence software market. Leading Fortune 2000 companies are integrating MicroStrategy’s business monitoring, reporting, and analysis software into their operations. The MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform(TM) distills vast amounts of data into vital insight to help drive cost-efficiency, revenue-generation, and productivity. Top companies are using MicroStrategy to cost-effectively empower thousands of employees, partners, and suppliers with the business insight they need to make better business decisions everyday.
MicroStrategy’s enterprise-class customers include Aventis, eBay, General Motors, Lowe’s Companies, Pfizer, Sprint, Telecom Italia, U.S. Postal Service, Visa International, Wells Fargo, and Yahoo!. MicroStrategy also has relationships with systems integrators and application development and platform partners, including HP, IBM, PeopleSoft, Sun, and Teradata, a division of NCR. MicroStrategy is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol MSTR. For more information or to purchase or demo MicroStrategy’s software, visit MicroStrategy’s Web site at http://www.microstrategy.com.
This press release may include statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements,” including its estimates of future business prospects or financial results and statements containing the words “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “expect” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of MicroStrategy Incorporated and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could contribute to such differences include: the ability of the Company to implement and achieve widespread customer acceptance of its MicroStrategy 8 software on a timely basis; the Company’s ability to recognize deferred revenue through delivery of products or satisfactory performance of services; continued acceptance of the Company’s products in the marketplace; the timing of significant orders; delays in the Company’s ability to develop or ship new products; market acceptance of new products; competitive factors; general economic conditions; currency fluctuations; and other risks detailed in the Company’s registration statements and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.
MicroStrategy, MicroStrategy 8, MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform, MicroStrategy Report Services, MicroStrategy 7, Angel.com, MicroStrategy 7i, Site Builder 2005, Virtual Call Center, Enterprise 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.
Wende Cover
MicroStrategy, Incorporated
1-703-770-1646
wcover@microstrategy.com
Source: MicroStrategy
Tags: MicroStrategy