SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 30, 1999 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced that Precision Response Corporation (Nasdaq: PRRC), a leader in outsourced customer care for both large corporations and high-growth Internet-focused companies, is using Cisco's Web collaboration software to provide real-time, live customer support for customer's of its prcnetcare.com(SM) subsidiary. Using Cisco Collaboration Server and Cisco Media Blender, PRC's prcnetcare.com(SM) 's sales and service professionals answer Web, voice and chat inquiries and assist in the online sales and support process for its customers.
"After an extensive evaluation process, we chose Cisco software as the back-bone of our real-time, Web collaboration service offering because of its ability to deliver today what e-commerce customers want - rich collaboration functionality that's easy to use and accessible from any desktop," said David Epstein, chief executive officer, PRC. "We have more than 6,000 customer service representatives interacting simultaneously over the phone and via the Web. Cisco software lets us integrate our traditional call center and e-commerce customer care technologies and services."
Early in the e-commerce customer care evolution, PRC believed the rapid expansion of e-commerce presented a unique opportunity for growth by adapting their traditional services to the Internet. This foresight created prcnetcare.com(SM), a division of PRC dedicated to interactive customer communications, e-commerce and live Internet customer care support. One of prcnetcare.com(SM) 's flagship products, InfiniteAccess, integrates Internet-based customer and commerce activities with existing customer relationship management initiatives. Using Cisco's click-to-talk and click-to-chat technology, InfiniteAccess enables customers to share information with PRC call center agents over the Web - including Web pages, forms or applications - while conducting a voice conversation. Cisco Media Blender software integrates these advanced Web collaboration capabilities with PRC's existing Lucent telephony infrastructure, allowing PRC customer service representatives to respond to Web requests and telephone calls from within a common queue on their desktops and provide a consistent, unified face to customers.
Customers that subscribe to prcnetcare.com for improved management of their pre- and post-sales customer relationships include:
- Priceline.com's WebHouse Club will make it possible for consumers to use the Internet to save money by naming their own private prices for retail products before they go shopping, and then get those prices at their favorite stores. Live help will be offered to make the product selection process even easier.
- The NFL QuarterBack Club offers a "Click to Huddle" button through prcnetcare.com(SM) to let consumers discuss statistics on the game's greatest quarterbacks or to let businesses inquire about sponsorship opportunities.
- Global Reservation Systems specializes in Internet-based travel product and service systems and, with the click of a Web button, allows travel agents using its service to obtain live assistance if required.
"Research shows that consumers want the option of live, human assistance in the online world and that 67% of online shopping carts are abandoned before purchase due largely to a lack of service by e-commerce vendors," said Dan Keshian, vice president and general manager for the Customer Contact Business Unit in Cisco Systems, Inc.'s Applications Technology Group. "As one of the first call center outsourcers to offer 24 x 7 live customer care, PRC is a leader in e-service and as such, has selected Cisco to integrate the Web with its valuable human capital."
As users of Cisco's Web collaboration software, PRC is further strengthening its relationship with Cisco. PRC's multimedia interaction centers are currently powered by Cisco products for all wide area networking and exclusively for its priceline.com and EDS clients.
About PRC
Precision Response Corporation (NASDAQ: PRRC) is a leader in outsourced customer care, providing a fully-integrated mix of traditional call center and e-commerce customer care technologies and services. The prcnetcare.com(SM) subsidiary integrates interactive communications capabilities, such as telephone, e-mail and online chat/IP telephony, to better support e-commerce and customer relationship management. It was the first service to provide real-time live customer support over the Internet via the "click-to-talk," "click-to-email," and "click-to-chat" functions. PRC partners with large corporations and high-growth Internet-focused companies, including American Express, AT&T, British Airways, and DIRECTV, to help them better develop pre- and post-sales customer relationships. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
