Bell Atlantic Creates Customer Service Centers For Korean- and Russian-Speaking Customers

Bell Atlantic Creates Customer Service Centers

For Korean- and Russian-Speaking Customers

September 17, 1997

NEW YORK--To better serve New York's growing ethnic community,

Bell Atlantic has established customer service centers for New

Yorkers who speak Korean and Russian.

The company has hired 19 new customer service representatives -- nine

who speak Korean and 10 who speak Russian -- to staff the organizations.

Their offices are located in Jamaica, Queens.

(Note to reporters and editors: An open house to launch the new centers

will be held today, Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m.-noon at 88-08

164th St., Jamaica, N.Y.)

"We established these centers because of our commitment to meet the

communications needs of all New Yorkers," said Carlos Santiago, Bell

Atlantic vice president for Ethnic and Premium Consumer Markets. "Over

the last year, we have seen a dramatic increase in customers who speak

only Korean or only Russian. So, we're expanding our multi-lingual services

for the ethnic communities of New York."

Bell Atlantic employees at the centers will assist residential customers

who call to order, disconnect or change their phone service. They also will

recommend service plans, describe Bell Atlantic products and services, and

answer billing questions.

The Korean- and Russian-speaking employees have passed a comprehensive

written exam, sales assessment and interview in both their primary language

and English.

The Korean center can be reached on 890-1766; the Russian center is on

890-1755. Both numbers are toll-free in New York State, and no area code

is needed for customers calling within New York State. The centers are open

Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new Korean and Russian offices expand the company's already extensive

foreign-language sales and service operation. In New York, Bell Atlantic

operates La Telefonica (890-2005), a Spanish-language service center with

250 employees. The center, located in the Bronx, was established about 25

years ago. Members of the Chinese community may visit Bell Atlantic's public

office in Manhattan's Chinatown, or call the company's "Chinatone" business

office (890-1590), which is based in Queens. About 40 Chinese-speaking

employees staff these two centers.

The new Bell Atlantic -- formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and

NYNEX -- is at the forefront of the new communications, information and

entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone access lines and 5.5

million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier

providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in

wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory

information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest

investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations

and investments in 21 countries.