Comprehensive Billing Project Gives Verizon Business Customers World-Class Experience

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. -- To enable customers to manage their telecommunications expenses more easily and efficiently, Verizon Business is streamlining its billing processes, reducing the number of billing systems and enhancing self-service customer billing.

In the first 18 months of the project, Verizon Business has delivered more than 60 analytic reporting tools to customers, reduced the number of billing applications, moved 23 domestic and international billing systems onto one centralized billing-data repository, and archived almost two years of data.

"The system consolidation and enhancements dramatically strengthen the billing landscape for our customers," said Dave Landry, executive director of billing systems for Verizon Business. "They'll have quicker access to billing information along with reduced processes while keeping track of invoices more efficiently -- all without losing the sophistication and capabilities needed by our large-business and government customers."

The most significant feature customers will see is a single platform for billing across virtually all accounts on the Verizon Business Customer Center billing portal. That platform allows customers to not only perform advanced bill analysis but to easily import data from other sources - all from the convenience of their own desktop or LAN.

With the consolidation of systems, customers will enjoy easy management of complex accounting information as well as benefit from increased efficiencies and the possibility of reduced costs.

The five areas of focus for the billing transformation plan, which began in January 2006, are: system consolidation, electronic billing, a single bill, process improvements and contract billing. Fundamental to all these focus areas is a centralized, standard data storage platform that results in consistent billing data as well as easy-to-use tools that provide varying levels of analytics and reports. A standard record format also allows the customer to have billing reports generated in a variety of media -- CDs, paper and electronic formats such as electronic data interface (EDI).

While the customer benefits are significant, Verizon Business is equally focused on the internal cost savings it gains from the billing project. "We're keeping one eye on the customer experience, but the other eye is firmly on the bottom line," Landry said. "No project is worth doing unless it's done economically – especially in today's competitive global market."

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide.  Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced communications, security and other professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com.

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