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SIEMENS AND QUINTUS ENTER INTO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH JOINT eCRM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND RESELLER AGREEMENTSPartnership in the enterprise business segment combines Internet and Voice Communication Solutions with Mobile Business Applications For Next-Generation Electronic Customer Relationship ManagementBOCA RATON, FL and FREMONT, CA, October 25, 2000 -- Siemens AG’s Information and Communication Networks group, a leading provider of next-generation solutions for enterprise-wide communications, and Quintus Corporation (NASDAQ: QNTS), a provider of industry-leading contact center solutions for electronic customer relationship management (eCRM), today announced a strategic partnership between Quintus and Siemens Enterprise Networks LLC, a subsidiary of Siemens, to jointly develop and market next-generation customer relationship management solutions by combining the worlds of Internet, mobile business and voice communications. Siemens has agreed to invest US$72 million in Quintus and, in return, obtain approximately 8 million shares or 19.9 % of the outstanding stock in the Company, subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities. With the investment, Siemens will obtain a seat on the Board of Directors of Quintus.Under the terms of the agreement: Siemens and Quintus will jointly develop powerful eCRM solutions to address all market segments including small to mid-sized contact centers looking for packaged products; larger, more advanced contact centers in need of more customized solutions; and networked offerings for applications requiring advanced multi-site capabilities. The jointly developed solutions will support both Siemens and non-Siemens platforms, and will leverage Siemens’ leadership in Mobile Business and IP technologies. Siemens will offer Quintus’ eContact(TM) Suite through its sales channels, which include over 22,000 sales and service staff, and to an installed base of more than one million customers in 160 countries worldwide. Furthermore, Siemens will become a preferred professional services partner of Quintus. Quintus will sell the jointly developed packaged contact center solutions both for the Siemens’ HiPath™ 5000 IP communications platform and as an open solution across platforms. This strategic partnership is one of the first major portfolio measures implemented by Siemens Information and Communication Networks in connection with its “4P” strategy program. The 4P strategy is focused on enhancing Siemens ICN’s portfolio, people, processes and profitability, specifically in internet-based convergence technologies and broadband access technologies. The strategy is designed to ensure expanded world leadership in these core markets. The partnership unites Quintus’ leading-edge multimedia and eCRM expertise with Siemens’ real-time voice routing and mobile communications expertise, as well as its far- reaching global distribution and support channels. According to Datamonitor*, the global call center software market is expected to nearly triple in size, to US$8.5 billion by 2003. Growth will be driven primarily by demand for Web-enabling software and media-neutral contact management solutions. (* Datamonitor, November 99) “Customers are increasingly expanding the ways in which they do business, from telephone to e-mail to Web-based mobile communications. The growth of the wireless Internet attests to the growing trend toward mobile business which Siemens defines as being able to do your business anywhere, anytime, using any device. With this trend comes a need for enhanced eCRM,” said Andy W. Mattes, President Enterprise Networks at Siemens Information and Communication Networks Group. “The demand for eCRM centers that support the mobile business world will soon explode and drive global markets. Our strategic partnership with Quintus generates solutions for these demands. It also fits our previously announced HiPath strategy and provides customers with innovative eCRM capabilities for HiPath ProCenter® offerings, Siemens’ comprehensive portfolio for contact center solutions.” “Our partnership with Siemens will allow us to expand on the eContact Suite’s blended voice, voice over IP, fax, e-mail and Web collaboration technologies. Working together, Quintus and Siemens enable companies to bring mobile sales, service and marketing into their e-business strategy,” said Alan Anderson, CEO of Quintus Corporation. “Both the existing Quintus eContact Suite, Siemens HiPath ProCenter portfolio and the new combined eCRM solutions will be fully portable from circuit- switched to packet-switched platforms, so customers can buy today with confidence, knowing their investment will be retained in the future when they migrate to an IP infrastructure. The Siemens/Quintus partnership allows both companies to offer this unique investment protection to their customers." The joint development will begin immediately and will be based on Quintus’ eContact Suite eCRM solution and Siemens' HiPath multimedia IP communications offerings, including the recently announced, award-winning HiPath ProCenter portfolio. The next-generation eCRM solution will deliver one of the most complete multi-site, multimedia contact center offerings, with some of the most advanced eCRM capabilities available. New products and capabilities will be delivered in phases beginning as early as first quarter 2001. About Siemens HiPath enterprise convergence architecture HiPath enterprise convergence architecture from Siemens allows companies to implement new convergence technologies in voice and data infrastructures in line with their specific requirements, while protecting existing capital investment. A comprehensive portfolio of new IP communication solutions is already available. Siemens can deliver industry-leading, advanced applications, including those within the HiPath ProCenter customer interaction and HiPath MobileOffice messaging and mobility portfolio of solutions, across both circuit-switched and IP platforms. Further information on HiPath can be found at http://www.hipath.com About Quintus’ eContact Suite The Quintus eContact Suite is a portfolio of integrated software products that provides a company with greater knowledge of its customers, resulting in increased sales opportunities and lower overall support costs. Quintus eContact provides powerful personalization, routing, management, and reporting for every customer interaction across all communication channels, including the Internet, email, and telephone. Quintus eContact includes market-leading CRM applications, email management, web-based eService, and computer telephony integration (CTI), all integrated within a scalable and flexible customer management environment. With Quintus eContact, companies can deliver consistently high levels of service at all points of contact -- whenever and however the customer demands. About Siemens Information and Communication Networks Siemens Information and Communication Networks Group is a leading provider of integrated voice and data networks with a comprehensive portfolio of IP-based products and solutions for enterprises, carriers and service providers. The Group has many years of experience in consulting, planning, installing and operating converged networks. It is an integral part of the Information and Communications (I and C) business segment of Siemens AG, one of the world’s largest electrical engineering and electronics companies with sales totaling more than $ 74 billion. I and C comprises the three Groups Information and Communication Networks (51,500 employees, $ 10.6 billion in sales), Information and Communication Mobile (20,000 employees, $ 5.3 billion in sales), and Siemens Business Services (34,000 employees, $ 5.3 billion in sales). Based in Boca Raton, Fl., Siemens Information and Communication Networks, Inc., with its subsidiaries is a leading provider of integrated voice and data networks with a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions for enterprises, carriers and service providers. Last year, the company's 7,000 U.S. employees generated sales of nearly $2 billion. Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc. is comprised of Siemens Carrier Networks LLC, Siemens Enterprise Networks LLC and Optisphere Inc. Siemens Enterprise Networks, LLC., is a leading provider of converged enterprise-class networks. Siemens' enterprise convergence architecture, called HiPath, is strengthening business to business and business to consumer communications by allowing companies’ existing voice and data applications to globally operate over one network. Further information about ICN is available at http://www.ic.siemens.com/networks/index.htm About Quintus Corporation Quintus Corporation (NASDAQ: QNTS) provides a comprehensive electronic customer relationship management (eCRM) solution that enables companies to increase revenue potential by improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. A technology innovator, Quintus offers products that manage all customer interactions, such as customer orders, inquiries and service requests, and allow delivery of consistent customer service across multiple communication channels, including the Internet, e-mail and telephone. Quintus is based in Fremont, Calif. with additional offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, call 800/337-8941, e-mail sales@quintus.com or access via the Internet at http://www.quintus.com This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the securities and Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding Quintus Corporation's anticipated product development strategy, new product introductions, features and functionality, and sales and distribution strategy. Quintus Corporation's actual results and the timing of certain events may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, among others, risks and uncertainties related to product development and introducton plans, our reliance on indirect sales channels and competition in our markets. For a discussion of these and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, we refer you to the periodic reports and other documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. eContact is a trademark and Quintus is a registered trademark of Quintus Corporation. ProCenter is a registered trademark, and HiPath is a trademark of Siemens AG. All other product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Editorial Contact: Brian Seitz 415-677-0271 bseitz@fitzgerald.com top of page |
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