Witness Systems Extends Business Consulting Services With New Business Optimization Assessment  (email this article)

(Company Profile, Past Stories, Case Studies) ATLANTA (December 22, 2003) - Witness Systems (NASDAQ: WITS), a leading global provider of performance optimization software and services, today announced a new offering that further extends the company's newly branded Witness Consulting Network - the consulting division of the Witness Services Network, which encompasses all of the company's service delivery, support and consulting. The new business optimization assessment is designed to help companies maximize their eQuality® software investment by aligning employee performance measurement with overall business objectives.
 
The business optimization assessment measures the efficiency and effectiveness of companies' quality programs, focusing on staff, as well as the processes and technologies that support them. By providing detailed quality program analyses, the business optimization assessment offers recommendations for best practices that can be implemented immediately to improve performance as measured against overall business goals, including increased profitability and enhanced productivity.
 
Business optimization assessments are conducted by trained Witness Systems business consultants with a minimum of 10 years of contact center professional experience in the areas of operations, training and quality assurance management, as well as implementation of multi-site quality initiatives. Drawing from their expertise, each assessment is customized for users by industry, business goals and contact center performance objectives. Business optimization assessments are conducted at the customer site to allow for comprehensive interviews and observations, enabling those in the Witness Consulting Network to develop and deliver a customized plan of action.
 
Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC), the automotive financial services arm of Nissan North America, recently worked with the Witness Consulting Network to create a customized agent evaluation form linked to its corporate goals. "That was a powerful experience because for the first time we were able to link quality to our business plan, which created a consistent approach to performance evaluation," explained Sean Hicks, senior manager of consumer communications for NMAC. As a result, using eQuality for new-hire training and ongoing feedback/coaching has contributed to a more positive work environment and helped lower the company's agent attrition rate to below 10 percent.
 
Another customer that has benefited from working with the Witness Consulting Network is Continental Airlines. Through its workshop, the airline carrier produced a comprehensive evaluation form with measurable agent skills and behaviors that could be tracked and stored through eQuality's performance reporting tool. Most important, the evaluation form linked Continental's customer service objectives - delivering accurate information with efficiency and courtesy - with the tenets of its "Go Forward Plan." According to Andre Harris, director of reservations training and quality assurance for Continental, "The workshop was dynamite from the standpoint that it helped us develop an evaluation form and scoring methodology based on what our customers want and our desire to provide it to them."
 
"Today, companies remain under intense pressure to show a return on investment for their technology purchases," explained Jeff Ford, senior vice president of services for Witness Systems. "Through our global Witness Services Network, we are working in tandem with our customers to establish not only the right technology to help them achieve increased performance from their workforce, but also the right processes to maximize those contact center investments."
 
The overall Witness Services Network helps companies maximize their investment in the eQuality performance optimization software suite - which is comprised of customer interaction recording, performance analysis and e-learning software - through the right combination of support, implementation and consulting services, as well as education. The Witness Services Network addresses a wide variety of issues through these three offerings:
 
The Witness Learning Network encompasses Witness Systems' education services, which are designed to teach customers how to use the products within the eQuality software suite. Witness University and on-site training, as well as certification programs, comprise the Witness Learning Network, which also is accessible online. Customers have 24 x 7 online access to education and training program information, as well as class registration.
 
The Witness Consulting Network is comprised of professional services, systems integration and business consulting services. These services enable customers to fully optimize the eQuality suite. They also perform evaluations on current technology and provide recommendations on the processes that will enable staff to achieve their organizational goals. When implementing technology and introducing new processes, the business consulting team leads a unique series of workshops that focus on specific contact center business processes, performance optimization, calibration techniques, business utilization, business rule development and high-impact coaching, for example. Also a part of the consulting network is Witness Systems' Implementation Performance Management Online (IPMO), a proven interactive, Web-based project management system for deploying eQuality. Through the IPMO portal, customers have online access to information and updates, including project status, timelines, meeting logs, training and related documentation - all to help foster open communications and further streamline project management and implementation.
 
The Witness Support Network provides the support services that are vital to maintaining optimal software use. Customer service plans assure the receipt of regular software upgrades, access to a knowledgebase of product-related information, and telephone, e-mail and online support from product experts. The Witness Systems Customer Interaction Center is open around the clock to respond to customer inquiries about the eQuality suite and the Witness Services Network.
 
For more information about the new business optimization assessment or the entire Witness Services Network, call 1-888-3-WITNESS, or e-mail witnessconsulting@witness.com.
 
About Witness Systems
Witness Systems (NASDAQ: WITS) 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 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2003, 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.