Aspect Communications Meets Needs of Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises with Iphinity
Announcement posted by Aspect Communications 15 Nov 2003
New Iphinity Call Centre and Iphinity Workforce Management provide affordable, turnkey solutions for small and medium-sized contact centres
Aspect Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: ASPT), the leading provider of enterprise customer contact solutions, today unveiled Iphinity, a new suite of bundled solutions built specifically to meet the needs of small and medium-sized contact centres. Aspect introduces the first new products of the Iphinity suite, Aspect Iphinity Call Centre and Aspect Iphinity Workforce Management (WFM).
With these two new solutions, Aspect is for the first time bringing the company's 18 years of contact centre expertise directly to the small and mid-sized enterprise (SME) market. Designed with the reliability and high-end functionality typically associated with larger contact centres, Aspect Iphinity is a suite of feature-rich, affordable, turnkey solutions built to meet both the business requirements and financial resources of this unique set of customers.
As business growth demands, the Iphinity suite will also provide SMEs with the ability to scale up by offering direct upgrade paths to the Aspect Call Centre, an industry-leading customer call-handling system for the enterprise, and to Aspect eWorkforce Management, also an award-winning solution. Aspect is providing this seamless and cost-effective evolution to ensure that every customer's initial investment in Aspect Iphinity will be fully protected. In addition, the products are built entirely on open systems, which make them easy to integrate with pre-existing software and systems, providing additional cost savings up front and for the long term.
"A critical factor in current contact centre infrastructure decisions is the selection of the optimal approach among several architectural alternatives," says Drew Kraus, principal analyst at Gartner. "Best-of-breed solutions vie with all-in-one bundled suites and network-based offerings. VoIP and circuit switch are also competing options. Leading vendors need to offer compelling plans in all areas, including all-in-one bundles, which are critical to the mid-sized market."
Designed to enable SMEs to get up and running quickly, Iphinity Call Centre and Iphinity WFM can be purchased as standalone products or integrated together for a complete, bundled solution. Aspect's flexible approach allows SMEs to integrate the Iphinity product line easily into their existing infrastructure. Iphinity WFM works with more than 50 different media switches, providing customers with valuable options when building their contact centre. Aspect Iphinity also includes open APIs for easy integration with third-party applications that are essential to enhancing contact centre functionality, including voice recording and monitoring applications, as well as database and legacy systems for a more complete view of customer information.
"Today, SMEs are looking for extremely sophisticated and reliable solutions but with a pricing model and service plan that matches their budgets," said Kazuo Imai, Aspect's Vice President for International Sales, Japan and Asia Pacific. "With the launch of Iphinity we are better equipped to cater to the growing demands of the this market segment. Iphinity's open systems-based architecture coupled with a sensible upgrade path will provide the SMEs the required flexibility to expand their contact centres to meet their growing demands."
Aspect Iphinity Call Centre: A Feature-Rich, Proven, All-in-One Solution
Aspect Iphinity Call Centre enables businesses with between 48 and 150 agents to quickly and efficiently tap into the feature-rich functionality, proven technology and flexibility of Aspect's solutions at an attractive price. Based on Microsoft's Windows platform, Iphinity also allows for a combination of PSTN and IP connectivity, enabling customers to take advantage of the cost benefits associated with routing voice over IP to agents anywhere while still leveraging their investments in traditional voice infrastructure.
The Aspect Iphinity Call Centre solution includes software, hardware, phone sets, administration, real-time and historical tools, implementation, training services and one year of technical support. Aspect Iphinity Call Centre also includes a host of sophisticated features that have been refined and enhanced based on feedback from customers around the globe. Aspect Iphinity Call Centre features include the following:
* State-of-the-art call processing of both inbound and outbound calls;
* Precise call routing based on customer data, number dialed, caller choice options, agent skill sets and estimated wait time;
* An easy-to-use graphical interface for developing call flows, quickly configuring and modifying agent resources and real-time and historical reporting; and
* Optional add-ons such as redundancy, ability to network multiple contact centres together as a single virtual contact centre, load balancing, predictive and progressive outbound dialing software and campaign management.
Aspect Iphinity Workforce Management: Dramatically Improves Performance and Efficiency
Aspect is renowned for its leadership in workforce management and is now bringing that proficiency to small and mid-sized businesses with the launch of Iphinity WFM. Aspect Iphinity WFM allows SMEs to manage workforce resources more effectively and to easily project future contact volumes more accurately - resulting in lower staff turnover, reduced costs and higher customer satisfaction overall.
Aspect Iphinity WFM forecasting and scheduling capabilities reduce the complexity of multiskill staffing and dramatically improve contact centre performance and efficiency. In addition, the software enables companies to track contact statistics throughout the day, compare them with projections and make quick adjustments as necessary. Aspect Iphinity WFM features include the following:
* A complete packaged solution with a pre-configured database;
* Easy installation, configuration and administration;
* Accurate forecasting of incoming contacts;
* Optimised agent scheduling based on employee preferences;
* Complete tracking capabilities including intra-day performance management and meeting planning; and
* Real-time and historical reporting.
With Iphinity, Aspect plans to announce additional bundled solutions tailored for the SME market. Future Aspect Iphinity solutions are planned to include additional IVR and self service, reporting and analysis, as well as multichannel options supporting PSTN voice, VoIP, e-mail and Web interactions.
Availability
The Aspect Iphinity Call Centre is available now worldwide and sold through direct and indirect channels in a 48 or 96-agent package. The Aspect Iphinity WFM solution will be available in the fourth quarter of 2003 in 50, 100 and 150-agent options.
About Aspect Communications
Aspect Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: ASPT) is the world's largest company focused exclusively on contact centre solutions, and the only one that unifies workforce, information and communications to deliver exceptional customer service. The Aspect brand is trusted by more than 75 percent of the Fortune 50, and more than 3 million customer sales and service professionals worldwide rely on Aspect's mission-critical business communications solutions. The company's leadership is based on 18 years of expertise gained from more than 8,000 successful implementations worldwide. Aspect is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with 24 offices in 11 countries around the world. For more information, visit Aspect's Web site at www.aspect.com or call the Sydney head office on +61 2 8923 1300.
# # #
Aspect, the Aspect logo and the phrases and marks relating to other Aspect products and services discussed in this press release constitute one or both of the following: (1) registered trademarks and/or service marks of Aspect Communications Corporation in the United States and/or other countries or (2) intellectual property subject to protection under common law principles. All other names and marks mentioned in this document are properties of their respective owners.
With these two new solutions, Aspect is for the first time bringing the company's 18 years of contact centre expertise directly to the small and mid-sized enterprise (SME) market. Designed with the reliability and high-end functionality typically associated with larger contact centres, Aspect Iphinity is a suite of feature-rich, affordable, turnkey solutions built to meet both the business requirements and financial resources of this unique set of customers.
As business growth demands, the Iphinity suite will also provide SMEs with the ability to scale up by offering direct upgrade paths to the Aspect Call Centre, an industry-leading customer call-handling system for the enterprise, and to Aspect eWorkforce Management, also an award-winning solution. Aspect is providing this seamless and cost-effective evolution to ensure that every customer's initial investment in Aspect Iphinity will be fully protected. In addition, the products are built entirely on open systems, which make them easy to integrate with pre-existing software and systems, providing additional cost savings up front and for the long term.
"A critical factor in current contact centre infrastructure decisions is the selection of the optimal approach among several architectural alternatives," says Drew Kraus, principal analyst at Gartner. "Best-of-breed solutions vie with all-in-one bundled suites and network-based offerings. VoIP and circuit switch are also competing options. Leading vendors need to offer compelling plans in all areas, including all-in-one bundles, which are critical to the mid-sized market."
Designed to enable SMEs to get up and running quickly, Iphinity Call Centre and Iphinity WFM can be purchased as standalone products or integrated together for a complete, bundled solution. Aspect's flexible approach allows SMEs to integrate the Iphinity product line easily into their existing infrastructure. Iphinity WFM works with more than 50 different media switches, providing customers with valuable options when building their contact centre. Aspect Iphinity also includes open APIs for easy integration with third-party applications that are essential to enhancing contact centre functionality, including voice recording and monitoring applications, as well as database and legacy systems for a more complete view of customer information.
"Today, SMEs are looking for extremely sophisticated and reliable solutions but with a pricing model and service plan that matches their budgets," said Kazuo Imai, Aspect's Vice President for International Sales, Japan and Asia Pacific. "With the launch of Iphinity we are better equipped to cater to the growing demands of the this market segment. Iphinity's open systems-based architecture coupled with a sensible upgrade path will provide the SMEs the required flexibility to expand their contact centres to meet their growing demands."
Aspect Iphinity Call Centre: A Feature-Rich, Proven, All-in-One Solution
Aspect Iphinity Call Centre enables businesses with between 48 and 150 agents to quickly and efficiently tap into the feature-rich functionality, proven technology and flexibility of Aspect's solutions at an attractive price. Based on Microsoft's Windows platform, Iphinity also allows for a combination of PSTN and IP connectivity, enabling customers to take advantage of the cost benefits associated with routing voice over IP to agents anywhere while still leveraging their investments in traditional voice infrastructure.
The Aspect Iphinity Call Centre solution includes software, hardware, phone sets, administration, real-time and historical tools, implementation, training services and one year of technical support. Aspect Iphinity Call Centre also includes a host of sophisticated features that have been refined and enhanced based on feedback from customers around the globe. Aspect Iphinity Call Centre features include the following:
* State-of-the-art call processing of both inbound and outbound calls;
* Precise call routing based on customer data, number dialed, caller choice options, agent skill sets and estimated wait time;
* An easy-to-use graphical interface for developing call flows, quickly configuring and modifying agent resources and real-time and historical reporting; and
* Optional add-ons such as redundancy, ability to network multiple contact centres together as a single virtual contact centre, load balancing, predictive and progressive outbound dialing software and campaign management.
Aspect Iphinity Workforce Management: Dramatically Improves Performance and Efficiency
Aspect is renowned for its leadership in workforce management and is now bringing that proficiency to small and mid-sized businesses with the launch of Iphinity WFM. Aspect Iphinity WFM allows SMEs to manage workforce resources more effectively and to easily project future contact volumes more accurately - resulting in lower staff turnover, reduced costs and higher customer satisfaction overall.
Aspect Iphinity WFM forecasting and scheduling capabilities reduce the complexity of multiskill staffing and dramatically improve contact centre performance and efficiency. In addition, the software enables companies to track contact statistics throughout the day, compare them with projections and make quick adjustments as necessary. Aspect Iphinity WFM features include the following:
* A complete packaged solution with a pre-configured database;
* Easy installation, configuration and administration;
* Accurate forecasting of incoming contacts;
* Optimised agent scheduling based on employee preferences;
* Complete tracking capabilities including intra-day performance management and meeting planning; and
* Real-time and historical reporting.
With Iphinity, Aspect plans to announce additional bundled solutions tailored for the SME market. Future Aspect Iphinity solutions are planned to include additional IVR and self service, reporting and analysis, as well as multichannel options supporting PSTN voice, VoIP, e-mail and Web interactions.
Availability
The Aspect Iphinity Call Centre is available now worldwide and sold through direct and indirect channels in a 48 or 96-agent package. The Aspect Iphinity WFM solution will be available in the fourth quarter of 2003 in 50, 100 and 150-agent options.
About Aspect Communications
Aspect Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: ASPT) is the world's largest company focused exclusively on contact centre solutions, and the only one that unifies workforce, information and communications to deliver exceptional customer service. The Aspect brand is trusted by more than 75 percent of the Fortune 50, and more than 3 million customer sales and service professionals worldwide rely on Aspect's mission-critical business communications solutions. The company's leadership is based on 18 years of expertise gained from more than 8,000 successful implementations worldwide. Aspect is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with 24 offices in 11 countries around the world. For more information, visit Aspect's Web site at www.aspect.com or call the Sydney head office on +61 2 8923 1300.
# # #
Aspect, the Aspect logo and the phrases and marks relating to other Aspect products and services discussed in this press release constitute one or both of the following: (1) registered trademarks and/or service marks of Aspect Communications Corporation in the United States and/or other countries or (2) intellectual property subject to protection under common law principles. All other names and marks mentioned in this document are properties of their respective owners.