Avaya Introduces New Applications Addressing Urgent Business and Customer Service Needs

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - November 2, 2009) - VoiceCon -- Avaya today unveiled two new applications that use advanced unified communications and customer service technologies to address urgent business and customer needs. Enabled by Avaya Aura™ -- the company's platform supporting enterprise communications -- the applications drive customized solutions that help improve workplace productivity and customer assistance in a more efficient way.

The Avaya Notification Solution (ANS) is a new Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based application that helps streamline communications for an urgent business or emergency situation. When a critical event occurs, the solution can reach out to, inform, and get responses from the right people. For further collaboration, ANS can bring the notified parties into a conference call. By enabling processes with communications, the solution accelerates responsiveness and reduces communications breakdowns.

Avaya Proactive Outreach for Financial Services adds new enhancements to help companies better manage a key segment of the loss and collections process -- mortgage modifications. By combining outbound contact and self service, the solution calls customers and uses voice automation to determine one's eligibility for a mortgage modification. It can also pre-qualify customers, and inform customers where they are in the application process.

The applications were developed by Avaya Global Services' professional services practice, and can use Avaya Aura to extend advanced communications across a multi-vendor, multi-location organization, while significantly reducing operating costs.

"Avaya's notification and proactive outreach applications are ready-to-use solutions that demonstrate innovation and bring real value to industries," said Joe Outlaw, Frost & Sullivan principal analyst. "The Avaya Notification Solution delivers on the promise of communications enabled business processes (CEBP) to reduce latency in enterprise decision-making with that magic combination of reduced operational costs and enhanced customer experiences."

Solving Real-Time Business Issues with the Avaya Notification Solution

When a critical event occurs, the Avaya Notification Solution facilitates the flow of urgent information by notifying a pre-determined group of people, and accelerating collaboration. It can be triggered by an administrator or by a third party application, and alert first-line response members using any communications mode (i.e. voice, e-mail). If ANS can't reach one's first contact preference, it tries the next preferred mode or party.

ANS can be used for many purposes, including business issues, healthcare communications, and environmental threats such as hurricane alerts. In a business setting, for example, a retailer can integrate the solution with an inventory management system to assist during the holiday season. ANS can automatically detect if a popular product is on backorder, alert the right department representatives, and bring them onto a conference call to determine a plan of action.

"These applications bring the power of Avaya Aura to the forefront of business communications needs," said Greg Billings, vice president, Avaya Global Professional Services. "ANS puts real-time communications to work, driving the collaborative processes essential for competing in today's business environment."

A customer that has seen the Avaya Notification Solution in action is CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX), a Pittsburgh, PA-based energy company producing both coal and natural gas. The Avaya partner that works on CONSOL Energy engagements is Technology Solutions Group.

CONSOL Energy will use ANS to integrate unified communications into emergency notification scenarios. The company -- the largest producer of high-Btu bituminous coal in the U.S. -- must have instant communications if issues arise with a coal mine. Any injury or violation must be communicated instantly so it can be addressed quickly and the coal mine can operate uninterrupted. According to CONSOL Energy, if a mine is shut down for any reason, the company could lose around $1 million a day. The Avaya Notification Solution will significantly reduce this risk.

"From what we've seen, ANS provides an ideal method for collaborating in urgent situations, and in a way that ultimately saves money," said George Rosato, vice president, IS&T, CONSOL Energy. "As a company requiring 'always on' service, we need to apply the latest technologies that help ensure reliable and instant communications. Avaya and TSG have previously gone beyond the call of duty, and we expect the Avaya Notification Solution to build on this reputation."

Mortgage Servicers and their Customers Get Help from Proactive Outreach

Avaya Proactive Outreach for Financial Services -- previously introduced with capabilities to manage collections -- today adds automated mortgage modification capabilities to help ease the process of making customers aware of their eligibility for mortgage modifications, and the status of their applications.

The solution can identify candidates for mortgage modifications, and call and notify them of their eligibility under the federal government's 2009 Home Affordability Modification Program. Using self-service, Proactive Outreach walks them through the pre-qualification process, and can also inform customers about their application status -- along with instructions for missing documents -- to keep the process moving.

Avaya Notification Services and Proactive Outreach are available for purchase through Avaya and its partners.

About Avaya

Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems. The company provides unified communications, contact centers, and related services directly and through its channel partners to leading businesses and organizations around the world. Enterprises of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

Contact Information: Media Relations: Jonathan Varman 908-953-6432 jvarman@avaya.com