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Witness Systems to Support Indian Customers Through Partnership with FutureSoft IndiaNEW DELHI, India & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2002-- Witness Systems (NASDAQ: WITS - News), a leading global provider of performance optimisation software and services, today announced its first major partnership in India, further establishing the company's entry into the Indian contact centre market. At a local press conference, Witness Systems announced the strategic alliance with New Delhi-based FutureSoft India, a leading provider of IT services and solutions. FutureSoft will provide key services, including installation, training and ongoing support to all Witness Systems customers in the country. Current customers in India include Hinduja TMT, Motif, Phoenix Group and Spectramind, among others. India is attracting worldwide attention as one of the most popular contact centre locations due to its low operating costs, well-educated talent pool and potential high return on investment. Witness Systems' eQuality® software suite - which is comprised of integrated multimedia customer interaction recording, performance analysis and e- learning management solutions - has experienced a growing demand from contact centres in India as they strive to improve service quality, heighten sales/service standards, build customer satisfaction and loyalty, and maximise revenue opportunities. Indian outsourcing agencies, in particular, are looking to quality monitoring solutions as a means of establishing a clear service differentiator, increasing their competitiveness as they vie for U.S. business and other international contracts. "As we continue to build our presence in India's rapidly growing contact centre market, we are reinforcing our commitment to the region and increasing our ability to meet the diverse service needs of local customers through our partnership with FutureSoft," said Mr. Robert Horwood, regional director of Asia for Witness Systems. Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Mandeep Singh Puri, director of FutureSoft, said, "The contact centre market is experiencing exponential growth in this country. Through our partnership, we can address an important need as more companies invest in technology designed to improve performance. We are pleased to be working with Witness Systems to deliver installation, training and support services locally in the market." With an impressive international client list, FutureSoft has built a global reputation for its planning, project management and system integration expertise. "We have the required critical mass to support Witness Systems' growth in this country and look forward to playing a major role in upgrading the standards of contact centres operating out of India," he added. Regional Call Centre Growth on the Rise The call centre market is one of the fastest growing sectors within the IT software and services industry. In 2000-2001, the call centre and back office services industry contributed Rs. 900 crore in terms of revenue and employed 15,000 personnel. The Nasscom-McKinsey Report estimates this market will grow to Rs. 20,000 crore by 2008. A recently conducted survey on information technology enabled services (ITES) indicated there are currently more than 150 call centres operating in the country. According to various international analyst reports, including those from IDC, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the Indian contact centre industry is expected to be between 42 and 45 percent over the next five years. "Together with the support of our new partner, FutureSoft, we are even better positioned to address the growing needs of customer-focused companies in India," said Mr. Horwood. "The ability to record, evaluate and analyse the voice and data interactions of agents and customers using the eQuality software suite enables organisations to effectively measure quality and levels of service, while also capturing customer intelligence to optimize workforce performance," he added. "Additionally, eQuality enables companies to benefit from the ability to analyse performance and deliver personalised e-learning directly to agents' desktops based on their performance evaluations. This, in turn, improves agent training and satisfaction, resulting in higher productivity and lower staff turnover, improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately increased profits for Indian-based contact centres." About the eQuality Software With Witness Systems' eQuality software suite, companies can record the voice interactions between customer service/sales representatives (agents) and customers, as well as the corresponding computer screen activities taking place at agents' desktops - including data entry, screen navigation and use of customer information systems. The software, which synchronises these two components for replay at a later time, enables contact centre supervisors to observe and evaluate staff performance for a complete quality assessment. These recordings can then be shared throughout the enterprise to fine-tune product/service offerings, refine business processes and serve as a coaching tool to help staff perfect their skills and develop their careers. In addition, eQuality enables companies to capture, evaluate and analyse collaborative chat, e-mail and Web-based interactions. The suite also encompasses integrated performance analysis and e-learning management solutions. With eQuality, customers can experience rapid deployments and return on their investments through enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced operational costs, increased revenue and improved customer/agent retention. About FutureSoft Set-up in 1988, FutureSoft is a software solutions company, experienced and proven in developing, deploying and supporting enterprise software solutions. Strong technology background, cross-functional skills and multi-platform expertise are the differentiators that help FutureSoft forge new relationships and retain existing clients. In the contact centre space, FutureSoft partners with leading solution providers such as Concerto Software (formerly Davox), IEX Corporation for TotalView - Workforce Management, and Invensys (formerly Baan) for Transport Routing Optimisation. Besides installation, training and technical support, FutureSoft's professional services help clients seamlessly integrate across platforms and achieve a better return for their investments. Further information about FutureSoft and its solutions and services can be found at www.futuresoftindia.com or by e-mail at info@futuresoftindia.com. About Witness Systems Witness Systems (NASDAQ: WITS - News) provides the contact centre industry's first integrated performance optimisation software suite to help global enterprises capture customer intelligence and optimise workforce performance. Comprised of business-driven multimedia recording, performance analysis and e-learning management applications, the browser-based eQuality® solution is designed to enhance the quality of customer interactions across multiple communications media, including the telephone, e-mail and Web. The closed-loop suite enables companies to record, evaluate and analyse customer contacts, and then launch e-learning to develop staff, generate additional revenue, and achieve greater customer retention and loyalty. An integrated business consulting, implementation and training methodology provides services to support an effective, rapid deployment of eQuality that enables organisations to maximise their return on investment. For additional information about Witness Systems and its eQuality software suite, visit www.witness.com, dial +65 6832 8091 in Asia (Singapore office), or call 1.888.3.WITNESS in the US. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Information in this release that involves Witness Systems' expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements about Witness Systems' strategies in the marketplace, its market position and its relationship with customers. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Witness Systems as of the date of the release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in customer demand and the timing of orders; the company's ability to manage its growth; the risk of new product introductions and customer acceptance of new products; the rapid technological change which characterizes the company's markets; the risks associated with competition; the risks associated with international sales as the company expands its markets; and the ability of the company to compete successfully in the future, as well as other risks identified under the caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 and any other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Witness, eQuality and the Witness logo are United States registered trademarks of Witness Systems, Inc., protected by laws of the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. Editorial Contact: Shana Peterson Porter Novelli 404.995.4505 shana.peterson@pnicg.com top of page |
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