Netcall Regulatory News (NET)

8 Sep 2006 07:02

Netcall PLC08 September 2006 8 September 2006 Netcall plc ("Netcall" or "the Company") npower deploys Netcall's QueueBuster at Team Valley call centre Netcall has announced today that energy retailer npower has installed theCompany's QueueBuster system so that customers can avoid waiting in call centrequeues during busy periods. QueueBuster offers callers the option to request anautomated call-back as soon as a Customer Service Representative becomesavailable, thus avoiding the need to wait in queue themselves. The call-back isnormally delivered within an hour of the customer's initial call. npower operates a multi-site contact centre at four locations in the North Eastto serve a customer base of around six million residential gas and electricitycustomers. The energy retailer first introduced a QueueBuster system at itsBradford call centre in June 2001 and installed a second at Peterlee in December2003. Earlier this year npower decided to invest in a third QueueBuster system to helpits Team Valley site maintain service levels when the energy retailertransferred one million customers to a new billing system, which led to anincrease in call volumes. The system has helped to significantly reduceabandoned calls at peak periods and has achieved a customer satisfaction ratingof 93 per cent. npower's Head of Customer Management, Ray McGloin, explains: "QueueBuster wasinstrumental in helping us to manage the customer's experience during adifficult period. Netcall also helped us maximise our investment, by developinga capacity signalling application allowing us to offer QueueBuster to customersat a second call centre across our VPN. "During busy 15 minute intervals QueueBuster can handle 5 -10 per cent of ourcall volume, with approx. 11,000 customers requesting a call back over a typicalweek. By minimising the time spent waiting on hold, we have avoided any negativeimpact on the experience of those customer choosing to take advantage of theservice" concluded Ray. All Netcall applications run on the Netcall Intelligent Communications Platform(ICP), which has been built on industry standards to ensure full cross-platformsupport. Netcall has integrated its solutions with all leading ACD platforms,Carrier switches, Network Routing and CTI Systems and is a member of the Avaya,Cisco and Nortel developer programmes. -ends-For further enquiries, please contact: ICIS Limited Tel. 020 7651 8688 Tom MoriartyLaura Cocker About Netcall Netcall is a UK company listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of theLondon Stock Exchange. Based near Cambridge, Netcall develops and suppliesinnovative communication solutions to organisations of all sizes, including manyblue-chip companies with global contact centre operations. As the leadingspecialist in callback, auto-messaging and contact solutions, Netcall helpsorganisations globally to increase profits and productivity while improvingcustomer satisfaction and employee morale. Solutions are deployed either on-site or as hosted managed services usingNetcall's Intelligent Communications Platform (ICP), which has been built onindustry standards to ensure full cross-platform support. Netcall has integratedits solutions with all leading ACD platforms, Carrier switches, Network Routingand CTI Systems and is a member of the Avaya, Cisco and Nortel developerprogrammes. Customers include: BUPA, egg, First Direct, Halifax, London Boroughof Lewisham, Thames Water, Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water, Dwr Cymru WelshWater and United Utilities. The company has more than a decade's experience of owning and running ahigh-availability service platform co-located with international carriers. Visitwww.netcall.com for more information. About npower npower is part of a leading integrated UK energy business. It generateselectricity and supplies gas, electricity and related services to more than sixmillion customers. The company operates and manages a flexible portfolio ofpower stations, and is a market leader in renewable energy development throughits wind and hydro business - npower renewables. npower renewables is the UK's leading wind farm developer and operator,committed to developing and operating wind farms and hydro plant that producesustainable and environmentally-friendly electricity. The company operates 15wind farms in the UK, including the UK's first major offshore wind farm, some 13hydroelectric power stations and is supporting the development of marine energytechnologies. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange