MALDEN, Mass. -- August 4, 1999 -- Castel, a leading provider of computer telephony integration (CTI) application solutions, has provided LTD Financial Services with an automated, enterprise-wide calling solution. Based on the Castel Intelligent Call Management system and the Cisco VCO./4K programmable switch, Castel will completely automate LTD's call center for both outbound predictive dialing and inbound call handling. With its call center seats projected to grow by more than 60 percent, LTD will be able to dramatically increase the number of calls handled per hour and per agent.
According to the Commercial Law League of America, 1998 was the seventh consecutive year that the volume and dollar amount of collection accounts placed with its member agencies set record numbers. The Castel/Cisco solution enables LTD to scale its call handling capabilities to manage growing numbers of collection accounts and support a virtually unlimited number of agent positions. "Full automation of our call center operations will help us meet demand while increasing our productivity and maximizing agents' performance," said Leonard Pruzansky, Chairman of LTD.
New World Flexibility Across the Enterprise
Castel's software integrates directly with LTD's existing collection support systems running on an IBM AS/400 system; it also provides integration with voice response units, customer contact application programs, ISDN protocols, Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) methods.The Cisco VCO/4K switch integrates seamlessly with the PSTN, the company's PBX, and the AS/400 system, providing real-time predictive dialing and allowing LTD to precisely focus collection resources. As a result, agents can update customer accounts in real time without having to upload or download account records.
"We will receive many benefits from the Castel system," said Terry Dean, Executive Vice President of LTD, "including eliminating uploads and downloads, gaining real-time monitoring, and having total reporting control."
"Castel's CTI solutions demonstrate the kind of new innovation and high customer-value that is being created on Cisco's Open Telephony infrastructure," says Paul Sanchirico, director of marketing, enhanced services and migration business unit at Cisco Systems. "Our partnership with Castel and the power of the resulting customer solution is an example of the value of Cisco's New World Ecosystem."
About Castel
Castel develops, markets and supports knowledge-based, CTI software application solutions that integrate with existing AS/400 applications to manage outbound, inbound, and blended call handling. A total solution approach includes consulting, support, and training services.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
