Allconnect, Inc. Enhances Customer Service with eQuality from Witness Systems(email this article)

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2003-- Witness Systems (Company Profile, Past Stories, Case Studies) (NASDAQ: WITS - News), a leading global provider of performance optimization software and services, today announced that Allconnect Inc., a free service to help consumers order and manage their utility, communications and other home services, is increasing sales and improved first-call resolution by capturing and evaluating its customer interactions with eQuality®.

Allconnect's 200-seat contact center in Atlanta receives more than 85,000 calls per month. The center is equipped with the eQuality Balance customer interaction recording solution and the eQuality Evaluation online performance reporting tool. Since their implementation, Allconnect has helped its agents hone their sales and customer service skills through more in-depth training and coaching, resulting in a consistently good customer experience.

"We offer numerous services in markets all across the country and invest in technology that would help us better train our agents and coach them in sales techniques and customer service delivery," explains Craig Preston, Allconnect's chief operating officer. "eQuality is a very strong product for helping ensure quality and customer satisfaction." And because Allconnect receives referrals from the companies with which it partners, Preston notes that eQuality helps the company ensure that those referred customers receive the best of care.

In addition, eQuality enables Allconnect to meet certain legal requirements and verifications. For example, the company records 100 percent of calls involving orders for long- distance telephone service. With the latest version of eQuality Balance, Allconnect can set up these types of advanced business rules with multiple conditions to control which interactions it captures and easily discard those it doesn't need. The company also uses annotations, enabling supervisors to add voice and/or text notes to customer contacts. This feature makes it easier to identify issues and provide agents timely feedback, considering the standard length of Allconnect's calls is 22 minutes.

eQuality's browser-based enterprise collaboration architecture also helps Allconnect enhance its proprietary CRM application. Developers on the IT team meet regularly to review customer interactions, including both voice and data, to note any improvements that might need to be made to help agents navigate the system more effectively.

Allconnect even plays back interactions for customers. "If there's a question about a particular order, we have the ability to access the original interaction and take corrective action," Preston says. "We want customers to have great experiences when they use our service, so we always acknowledge if an error has been made. eQuality helps us be accountable and raise the bar on customer service."

About Allconnect®

Allconnect is the leading single source provider for shopping, comparing, and ordering household services from brand name service companies. Using an integrated web and call center approach, Allconnect delivers a new standard of turnkey choice, convenience and flexibility. Currently, the company is the best option for movers who want to compare and secure multiple household and utility services through a single source.

The activation of utility services is a confusing and time-consuming endeavor. Setting up the basic utility services alone takes, on average, four to five phone calls and several hours of time. By using Allconnect as the single point of activation for all household services, movers are able to take advantage of many efficiencies found in the service including fewer phone calls, less hold time, and faster, easier setup.

Over 70% of consumers make the power company their first household services call. Some of the largest power companies in the country trust Allconnect to enhance their customer's experience in helping them choose the right services, such as local phone, long distance and cable, for their customers. Allconnect built a comprehensive menu of choices in the utility and household services industries, featuring 22% of the country's active electric companies, and relationships with over 85 major household services partners.

Allconnect does not charge consumers for its services. Normal and customary charges related to the services chosen by the consumer are quoted by Allconnect, and then billed directly to them by the providers. The range of services available in a consumer area can be reviewed in advance at www.allconnect.com.

Over 85,000 customers contact Allconnect each month.

Founded in 1998, Allconnect provides a free and simple service to help customers select and order home utility and communications services from brands they know and trust. The company can be reached at 404/260-2200, www.allconnect.com.

Allconnect and the A design mark are federally registered service marks of Allconnect, Inc.

About Witness Systems

Witness Systems (NASDAQ: WITS - News) provides the contact center industry's first integrated performance optimization software suite to help global enterprises capture customer intelligence and optimize workforce performance. Comprised of business-driven and/or full-time customer interaction recording, performance analysis and e- learning management applications, the browser-based eQuality® solution is designed to enhance the quality of customer contacts across multiple communications media, including the telephone, e-mail and Web. The closed-loop suite enables companies to record, evaluate, analyze and learn from customer contacts and the touch points they use to develop staff, generate revenue, reduce costs, and achieve greater customer retention and loyalty - all by sharing captured customer and business intelligence throughout the entire organization. An integrated business consulting, implementation and training methodology provides services to support an effective, rapid deployment of eQuality that enables organizations to maximize their return on investment. For additional information about Witness Systems and its eQuality software suite, visit www.witness.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this release that involves Witness Systems' expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. They are identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are based upon information available to Witness Systems as of the date of this release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Forward- looking statements believed true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations. Some of the factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include 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 international sales as the company expands its markets, including the risks associated with foreign currency fluctuations; the ability of the company to complete and integrate successfully any acquisitions or investments it may make; 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, 2002, 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.