Amcat and Excendia Integrate Applications using Intel NetMerge Converged Communications Server Software

Business Wire, Nov 25, 2002

Business Editors

EDMOND, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 25, 2002

Amcat and Excendia provide companies with ability to leverage

technology investments and easily expand current systems

Amcat, a leading provider of intelligent contact center solutions, and Excendia, a provider of integrated business communications, today announced interoperability between Amcat's blended contact center solution, Amcat MediaLynx and Excendia's integrated business communications software, Office Telephony(TM).

This integrated solution provides mid-size companies with a comprehensive corporate contact center solution helping them to achieve greater levels of efficiency and customer service.

The Amcat and Excendia solution uses the Intel(R) NetMerge(TM) Converged Communications Software to enable the Amcat blended call center to be fully integrated into an enterprise through the Excendia system. Intel NetMerge Converged Communications Software enables independent software vendors to develop telephony applications that are hardware independent, interoperable with software from multiple vendors, and aligned with a standard converged communications server architectural model. The use of the Intel NetMerge application program interface (API) enabled Amcat and Excendia to easily program the system. This helped to reduce resources and time needed for the integration.

The Excendia system extends the Amcat call center to all employees and departments in an organization in a structured and unified manner by providing a software interface to the rest of the organization instead of clumsy, expensive hardware solution. The integrated solutions solve caller problems including:

-- Callers who only have the company's call center phone number, but who really need to speak to another department within the organization.

-- Callers who contact the call center for service and then need to speak to a department outside of the call center, such as accounting.

-- Callers who first contact a department within the corporate organization but really need the services and expertise of the call center.

"By using standards-based Intel(R) technologies, Amcat has provided their customers with the freedom to select the precise feature sets they need to solve their specific business communications problems," said Jeff Wilbur, general manager of Intel's Enterprise Communications Systems Division.

"The Amcat-Excendia solution offers greater functionality and the ability to service loyal customers without having to make a large investment in new technology," said Richard Costello, president and co-founder of Amcat. "Our partnership with Excendia illustrates how software companies can provide customers more sophisticated solutions, by taking advantage of and working with companies whose products are based on Intel(R) NetMerge(TM) Converged Communications Software."

Enterprises that use the Amcat-Excendia integrated solution have access to an off-the-shelf solution that enables them to lower their cost of ownership and maintenance costs, while allowing them to run more than one software package on the same Computer Telephony server. The open architecture protects the user's initial technology investment by allowing the system to evolve with the user's changing customer needs.

"In today's business environment, the ability to build on technology is a smart move for both the technology providers and technology users," said Bachi Halimi, president and CEO of Excendia. "That is exactly what Excendia and Amcat have done with the Intel(R) NetMerge(TM) Converged Communications Software. Small and mid-size companies challenge technology providers to develop innovative solutions that don't force users to buy new systems and weather lengthy installations. Together Excendia and Amcat have answered that challenge."

About Amcat

Amcat(TM) is a leading provider of intelligent contact center solutions to power dramatic increases in productivity, agent professionalism, and campaign management flexibility. Amcat solutions enable companies to increase operating efficiencies and to continually enhance the quality, capabilities and services available in their contact center. As a result, contact centers see a dramatic increase in outbound and inbound productivity, a higher level of agent professionalism and the ability to make rapid adjustments to campaigns and operations. Founded in 1990, Amcat has a global customer base of more than 1,000 contact centers. For more information visit www.amcat.com or call 1-800-364-5518.

About Excendia

Excendia is a software company specializing in next generation intelligent business communications solutions that leverage the rapidly emerging convergence of data and voice. As a spin-off of Elix, Excendia enjoys extensive experience in CTI, as it has been involved in this emerging market since its early beginnings. Its multi award-winning product suite is marketed under the Excendia OT brand and is sold worldwide, through a network of distributors and independent Value-Added-Resellers.