Avaya Global Services Offer to Help Enterprises Optimize Existing Communications Investments

BASKING RIDGE, NJ--(Marketwire - December 4, 2008) - Avaya today introduced Business Communications Transformation Services, which is designed to help financial firms increase customer satisfaction, manage operating costs and maintain regulatory compliance standards, as they integrate new organizations and to manage their competitive positions.

"Avaya knows that many of our financial services clients are working to integrate multiple organizations as a result of mergers and other business combinations," said Greg Billings, vice president, Global Professional Services, Avaya. "We can help these firms speed the integration, improve customer retention and satisfaction, and reduce operating expenses. By combining our deep understanding of how communications supports business operations with the expertise of our new consulting and financial industry experts, Avaya can help companies address their most pressing business requirements."

As part of the service, an Avaya team will review business operations and contact center and enterprise communications investments to provide a set of prioritized recommendations for integration, resource optimization, enhanced communications and cost containment. The team will then assess and analyze the complete corporate environment to create a long-term strategy and roadmap to integrate the communications environments across the business.

An Avaya Engagement Principal will coordinate Avaya and partner personnel and services to achieve the client's strategic roadmap. The team will develop a plan that uses new and existing communications assets strategically to support the client's business objectives. The solution design and architecture and ongoing project metrics will be based on employee and line-of-business communications requirements.

Suncorp of Australia and Astoria Federal Savings of New York are among the companies Avaya has already helped use communications to achieve marketplace advantage, increase employee productivity and enhance customer service.

Suncorp, the leading Australian diversified financial services provider, wanted to improve workforce management and reporting capabilities, increase visibility across the business and demonstrate a return on its investment. Working with Avaya it created a converged voice and data network that has vastly improved workforce management and reporting capabilities. Among the new capabilities, inbound insurance claims can be handled on any desk, in any location across a virtual environment to create the most agile, responsive customer service team available.

Astoria Federal Savings' management wanted to add secure, effective mobility options so that its technical support and contact center supervisory teams could have maximum flexibility in providing fast, effective responses to employees' and customers' needs. Working with Avaya, Astoria Federal Savings has achieved an estimated 25 percent increase in IT team availability for quicker troubleshooting and enhanced reliability of all banking services. IT teams can also troubleshoot problems while maintaining live phone contact with the affected personnel.

"Avaya's experienced services team is ready to help other financial services firms integrate communications into their business processes and address today's increased market demands, while enabling differentiated customer satisfaction and addressing resource requirements," Billings added.

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: Lynn Newman 908-953-8692 (office) 908-672-1321 (mobile) lynnnewman@avaya.com