Voxify Answers the Call for Retail Customer Service

Automated Agents Trained in Superior Service Deliver for Upscale Retailer Hammacher Schlemmer

Alameda, CA - May 23, 2005 - In the upscale retail market, nothing is more important than service. That`s why for years retailers have resisted automation, fearing that machines would ultimately prove incapable of providing the same degree of attention as a human agent. No longer. Voxify, the first company to create Automated Agents™ for call centers with the conversational skills to handle advanced customer service calls, today announced ten Automated Agents designed to help retailers give their customers the red carpet treatment on a throw rug budget. Some of them have already been put to use by Voxify customers, including Hammacher Schlemmer.

Voxify Automated Agents differ from other speech automation systems in that they are imbued with the intelligence needed to follow a customer`s conversation, gather data, and complete a transaction -- even when only incomplete information is available. This is a radical departure from other approaches that hard-code expected responses and stall when they don`t get an exact response. Additionally, Automated Agents come pre-trained in industry and customer service functions. It only takes 6-8 weeks to start taking live calls and a few more weeks to get to round-the-clock availability. Voxify`s new Automated Agents include:
* Shopping Agent -- This Agent helps customers find products among retail inventories, check availability and pricing, and learn about key money-saving promotions on additional items.
* Order Taking Agent -- This Agent completes orders, including processing credit card payments. It also has the wherewithal to find shipping and payment information on file for returning customers.
* Order Status Agent -- This Agent can locate and confirm orders, provide status on shipping, or provide details on past purchases made.
* Catalog Request Agent -- This Agent lets customers choose from available literature and make changes in their preferences or mailing address.
* Inventory Check Agent - This Agent lets store employees call into distribution centers to check on inventory and prices.
* Account/Loyalty Programs Agent -- This Agent captures customer information and collects changes and provides status on current points or awards available. It is also capable of redeeming awards.
* Lead Capture Agent -- This Agent captures information from new browsers as well as respondents to direct promotions.
* Welcome Agent -- This Agent greets callers, routes requests, and ensures a consistent experience for customers.
* Store Locator Agent -- This Agent helps customers find the nearest store at which to shop.
* Gift Card Agent -- This Agent helps customers buy and/or increase the balance of gift cards using secure credit card payments. It also helps customers check the balance of an existing gift card.

"Retailers have wanted to implement speech but were concerned about the quality of customer service. Our Automated Agents have changed that," said Adeeb Shanaa, CEO of Voxify. "Our unique approach models the conversational intelligence that sets apart human agents, and the difference shows in our results. While our competitors have been restricted to simpler tasks such as a password reset, Voxify Agents are taking orders, capturing leads, and fulfilling other complex service requests. That`s why we`re working with upscale retailers such as Hammacher Schlemmer today."

"Datamonitor`s current estimates show that spending on speech solutions in North America will almost double in the next five years, growing from roughly $600 million in 2005 to over $1 billion by 2009," said Daniel Hong, Voice Business Analyst at Datamonitor. "Retail is rapidly becoming a significant market for speech, as retailers look to improve customer service, drive cost savings, and increase top-line revenue through implementing speech solutions. Datamonitor expects Voxify`s retail-focused solution will help drive greater adoption of speech technology in the retail market through the next five years."

Breakthrough Conversation Engine™ Technology
All of Voxify`s Automated Agents are built for advanced customer service calls, such as fare finder, reservations or order status, and can accommodate customers with varying amounts of information.

High conversational usability requires complex call path maps to handle the many variant call paths that a customer service call can take. Voxify has solved this challenge with its patented Conversation Engine technology, a breakthrough for automating the development and maintenance of highly usable speech applications. The Conversation Engine imbues the Automated Agents with advanced conversational skills, enabling them to engage callers in sophisticated dialogue, and understanding multiple pieces of information in a single response or adjusting to unexpected information provided by the caller. As a result, callers experience an Automated Agent who understands how to give them what they need quickly and easily, closely approximating the effectiveness of a human being.

Voxify`s Momentum in the Travel and Retail Industries
Voxify has deep experience in the travel industry, serving millions of calls for some of the industry`s largest and most successful airlines and hotel chains. Among its clients are Continental Airlines, Wyndham International, Aer Lingus, World Choice Travel, a part of Travelocity, and Pegasus Solutions. Voxify is also transferring the characteristics that have made it successful in travel and hospitality to the retail industry with clients such as high-end retailer Hammacher Schlemmer. Voxify Automated Agents have the ability to scale up to meet spikes in call volume instantly and the conversational flexibility to handle everything from package tracking to orders to service calls with minimal tuning. These attributes, provided through Voxify`s patent-pending Conversation Engine technology, are ideal for retailers struggling to deal with the sudden spikes in call volume that come from sales, holidays, and major new product rollouts.