Avaya at SpeechTEK 2008 Spotlights Customer Service Solutions Using Converged Speech, Voice and Video Applications

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - August 18, 2008) - SpeechTEK -- At this year's SpeechTEK event, Avaya (Booth #312) spotlights its latest self service solutions that combine speech automation, voice and video communications to help businesses provide faster, more efficient customer service. SpeechTEK 2008, occurring August 18 - 20 in New York City, is a global event on emerging speech technologies.

Speech self service enables customers to speak their commands to an automated system -- using a phone, kiosk or PC -- and get routed to the requested information or agent. At SpeechTEK 2008, contact center market leader(1) Avaya spotlights how speech self service is evolving into a more convenient, cost-effective, and dynamic way to serve customers. This includes demonstrations of Avaya's award-winning self service platform(2) -- Avaya Voice Portal -- along with the platform's expanding 'video self service' capabilities.

These video capabilities power a unique customer service solution -- Avaya Interactive Voice and Video Response -- which combines speech automation with dynamic video content. It lets callers interact with a company using video-based menus and content using a 3G mobile device, video kiosk or softphone/videophone. Instead of just hearing options, customers can see branded menus and options embedded in video, and speak commands to the company's automated system. Visual ads or instructional videos can also be seen while customers wait for an agent.

At SpeechTEK 2008, Avaya is demonstrating how outbound calling can be integrated with video self service to enhance customer experiences. This lets companies proactively send important reminders to customers' devices, accompanied by visual content. For example, a floral shop customer can receive an audio/visual reminder for a personal event, such as a birthday, and then use speech to navigate visually-presented options. Speaking to the automated system, the customer can see what flower arrangements they previously ordered, browse for a new arrangement, ask for a live agent, and finalize credit card information using visual menus. This example can be seen in action at SpeechTEK.

"As speech automation evolves with greater speed and accuracy, businesses are seeking new ways to drive greater flexibility and business value through speech self service," said Bob Lyons, vice president and general manager of Avaya's Contact Center division. "By keeping the focus on enhancing customer experiences through multiple modes of communications, speech self service will continue generating strong demand from customers and business alike, and drive this market to the next level."

In addition to Voice Portal and the Interactive Voice and Video Response solutions, Avaya will showcase Avaya Dialog Designer, a speech development tool for Voice Portal, as well as its DevConnect developer & partner program.

Avaya Speech Application Innovators Present at SpeechTek 2008

Avaya speech technology experts will be at the show to share best practices for using speech across an enterprise. Sessions featuring Avaya experts include:

Video in the Call Center and Network: Experts in this session will discuss if there is a place for video alongside a speech solution. They will make the case for video technology in the call center and next-generation networks. Featuring: Dr. Val Matula, director of Avaya Labs, and Bob Cooper, chief architect of Avaya Voice Portal.

Time: Tuesday, August 19th, 11:45 am - 12:30 pm

DTMF vs. Speech: Balancing Business Needs vs. Caller Needs When Migrating DTMF Applications: DTMF applications are usually easier, faster, and cheaper to develop than speech applications. This presentation will explore a few DTMF-to-DTMF application rewrites and how the same business needs could have been better addressed with speech. Featuring: Matt Whipple, principal consultant, Avaya Self Service Solutions.

Time: Wednesday, August 20th, 11:45 am - 12:30 pm

Happy Together: Speech and Touchtone: Can one user interface encompass both speech and touchtone input in an efficient and satisfying interaction? This session explores this question and offers insight into how speech and touchtone can work together. This session teaches how to leverage both speech and touchtone to meet business objectives. Featuring: Matt Whipple, principal consultant, Avaya Self Service Solutions.

Time: Wednesday, August 20th, 1:45 pm - 2:30 pm

Testing: Integrated Application Design and Tuning: Tuning is a critical step in the success of speech implementations. This session will review an integrated open standards based approach based on Eclipse. Application reporting, performance application logs, tuning components and more will be covered. Featuring: Judi Halperin, Avaya speech engineer, Contact Center Practice, and Dennis Jakobsen, MTS division, Avaya.

Time: Wednesday, August 20th, 1:45 pm - 2:30 pm

(1) Gartner Market Share, Contact Centers, Worldwide 2007. Drew Kraus. June 2008

(2) North American IVR Systems Market. 2007. N185-76. Frost & Sullivan.

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®, use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers and Communications-Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com.

Contact Information: Media Inquiries: Jonathan Varman (908) 953-6432 jvarman@avaya.com