Avaya and International Avaya User Group Announce Winners of the 2014 Customer Innovation Awards

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Apr 30, 2014) - IAUG Converge 2014 - Avaya and the International Avaya User Group (IAUG) have announced the winners of the 2014 Customer Innovation Awards highlighting companies that have transformed their businesses and organizations through innovative use of business communications and collaboration technologies.

Award winners were announced during the IAUG Global Conference 2014 in Dallas, Texas and include:

• Technology Innovation Best Practice: Pearland Independent School District (ISD) Texas, USA - Pearland ISD needed a network environment would enable a virtual desktop interface (VDI) for 12,000 desktop computers, safely address bring-your-own-device (BYOD) demands from students and staff, and provide reliable, state-of-the-art IP Multicast capabilities for delivery of IP-based television (IPTV) and other streaming applications. The Avaya Fabric Connect networking portfolio filled the bill with the simplicity needed by an educational institution that needs IT to be a tool for delivery, not the core focus.
• Enterprise Transformation (more than 1,000 employees): Westpac, Australia - Fiercely focused on the customer experience, Westpac is careful to deploy technologies that will not compromise satisfaction and loyalty. The Avaya Aura Experience Portal provides customers with fast and accurate access to highly secure self-service capabilities as well as simple transfer to assisted service if needed. Avaya Fabric Connect, which is deployed across the St George Banking group sector in data centers and multiple bank locations, underpins the networks and significantly reduces network complexity. The reduction in complexity also decreases the risk of unscheduled outages as well as the time to provision new applications across locations, which now takes minutes instead of months for faster time to service. 
• Enterprise Transformation (fewer than 1,000 employees): DST Global (UK) - A global technology solution provider specializing in data-driven industries, DST Global has teams of associates serving clients around the world. Avaya Scopia video conferencing deployed on laptops, iPhones and tablets enables instant, real-time collaboration among teams, greater participation from the entire employee base in Town Hall meetings and efficient interviews with potential new hires. The company has welcomed savings from reduced travel and audio conferencing services, speedier decision making and better understanding of corporate priorities and values across the company.
• Sustained Excellence: Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai - As an internationally acclaimed city, Dubai is known for high-end, personalized service. So it is that the Roads and Transport Authority must reflect the same kind of experience that welcomes the city's residents and visitors. The city expects a dramatic increase in visitors as the host of Expo 2020, and in preparation the Roads and Transport Authority is upgrading its communications and contact centers to uphold its reputation for outstanding customer service. 
• Small Business Excellence: Brainworks Software, New York, USA - As a geographically distributed company with more than half of its employees working remotely, maintaining a cohesive interface to customers could present a challenge. The qualities and features of the Avaya IP Office™ Platform make this a non-issue, however. With the ability to select staff based on skills and expertise -- rather than location -- and backed by technology that allows seamless communication and collaboration, Brainworks has achieved the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

Quotes
"The fast moving pace of business requires technology that enables innovation without putting other aspects at risk. The Customer Innovation award winners have made that a cornerstone of their practice and as a result, they play an integral role in the success of their organization. We are proud to have them as part of IAUG." 
Frank Castro, president, IAUG

"It's more important than ever for companies and organizations to take innovative approaches to solving their business challenges and to meeting the needs of their customers. Avaya's communications and collaboration solutions offer the flexibility and simplicity that supports creative strategies to manifest into business value. The companies and organizations recognized with the 2014 Customer Innovation Awards exemplify what's possible with the right tools in the right hands. Congratulations to all of them."
Pierre-Paul Allard, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and
president, Global Field Operations

Tags: Avaya, IAUG, unified communications, business communications, collaboration, contact center, customer service, networking

About IAUG
The International Avaya User Group (IAUG) is an international, user-driven association serving Avaya customers worldwide. We exist to educate and inform telecommunications and IT professionals while providing a professional network for those with common concerns to address and success stories to share. IAUG is one of the industry's largest and most progressive user groups, with a community of nearly 6,000 members in more than 75 chapters around the globe. For more information on IAUG, visit www.iaug.org.

About Avaya
Avaya is a global provider of business collaboration and communications solutions, providing unified communications, contact centers, networking and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or other similar terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Avaya's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. Avaya disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Follow Avaya on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, and the Avaya Connected Blog.