Verizon Business Helps Companies Integrate Voice and Web Self-Service Solutions With Added Security Option

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Business has expanded its suite of professional services to include consulting and management services to help customers integrate Identity and Access Management into their voice and Web self-service solutions. This will enable customer-contact center end-users to securely engage in transactions with businesses or agencies, using either voice-phone prompts or the business' Web site.

Verizon Business contact center consultants are available to help enterprises design and deploy complete, tailored self-service systems, leveraging Verizon's Identity and Access Management system, which provides one secure source for user verification. This builds in one consistent layer of security to identify the individual, through a user name and password, for example. Once authenticated, the user can access the self-service application.

"Businesses are always looking for ways to improve customer service, and Verizon Business now can unite voice and Web-based applications to help businesses meet their customers' needs efficiently and securely, wherever they are," said Kerry Bailey, senior vice president of global services for Verizon Business. "We can help transform traditional call centers into modern contact centers with state-of-the-art self-service capabilities. And by integrating essential security features, we're enabling end-users to more simply safeguard their confidential information."

[For more information, listen to a podcast on Verizon Business' contact center professional services.]

Verizon Business is also addressing the challenge for businesses experiencing multiple platform and system redundancy issues that lead to added expense, overstretched management and missed opportunities. Separate platforms for voice and Web self-service are one example of this challenge.

By leveraging the power of VoiceXML - an industry standard that enables telephone-based speech applications to interoperate with Web applications - Verizon Business can assist customers in Web-enabling their voice services so businesses can more efficiently manage their customer self-service functions, control costs by consolidating platforms, and better protect their customers' personal information.

Verizon Business also is working with leading speech-recognition vendors to enable customers to deploy advanced, automated speech services for their end-users. Verizon Business is creating tailored voice self-service solutions to expedite service to enhance end-user experience by reducing their time spent on hold, while freeing up agents to handle revenue-generating opportunities.

Verizon Business professional services consultants are also tailoring customer contact solutions via the Web so that end-users can accomplish a number of tasks online, such as reviewing account balances and making payments, and ordering products.

The professional services for customer self-service solutions allow customers to seek assistance from Verizon Business at any point they are faced with challenges in implementing a voice or Web self-service solution that supports their business and financial goals, projected image and market strategy, call center infrastructure and processes, and end-user needs.

Depending on the customer's needs, contact center professional services consultants can integrate Verizon Hosted Interactive Voice Response (IVR) - Speech Services, Web Center and other Verizon contact center solutions that enable customer self-service applications, develop custom applications, or tailor-make a solution featuring products from other leading manufacturers.

Verizon Business is a leader in delivering contact center solutions to business customers. The company also announced today that Growth Partnership Company Frost & Sullivan has recognized Verizon Business with its North American Market Leadership Award for Hosted Contact Center Services.

Verizon is also a leading provider of security consulting services; in 2008, Verizon delivered over 1,700 consulting engagements to its customers worldwide.

For more information on Verizon Business' contact center professional services, visit http://www.verizonbusiness.com/products/contactcenter/profsvcs/.

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees - enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world's largest businesses and governments - including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions - rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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