CHELMSFORD, MA--(Marketwire - June 30, 2009) - Aspect, a unified communications (UC) solutions provider, today announced that new enhancements to its UC applications for the contact center are generally available today, 30 June 2009, and include new instant messaging capabilities, expanded presence functionality within the contact center, and increased integration with the Tellme® on-demand voice portal. The new features, available through the Aspect® Unified IP® 6.6.1 platform product, augment the unified communications capabilities available through the UC applications' core queuing, routing, and reporting functionality.

"The newly added capabilities within the UC applications are a testament to the company's continuing commitment to delivering robust UC functionality to the contact center and the enterprise," said Sheila McGee-Smith, McGee-Smith Analytics. "The increased instant messaging functionality will be a key differentiator for contact centers that want to leverage flexible and reliable channels to interact with customers and knowledge workers across the enterprise."

The new functionality in this latest release adds significant value to the company's UC applications for the contact center, specifically Seamless Customer Service™, Streamlined Collections™, and Blended Interaction™. UC applications use software to target operational objectives with specific capabilities from the Aspect Unified IP and PerformanceEdge® platform products. The new features include:

--  Improved instant messaging (IM) routing for enhanced customer
    interactions. Customers will be able to interact with contact center agents
    through various methods like Microsoft Office Communicator and over the web
    with click-to-IM. Customers can incorporate the IM address for the
    companies that they do business with as part of their "buddy lists" and can
    interact with the contact center via IM.  With the power of Microsoft®
    Office Communications Server and Aspect UC capabilities, customers can view
    the presence of the customer service queues and their estimated wait time
    within the IM client. IM routing also offers an auto attendant capability,
    or interactive messaging response (IMR), enabling the contact center to
    fully automate and script a response to an incoming instant message and/or
    intelligently route the customer to an IM-based agent. These features are
    available for Seamless Customer Service and Blended Interaction.
    
--  Extended presence and IM communications within the contact center.
    Agents can instant message with other agents and supervisors for
    escalations, coaching tips, and to receive assistance with customer
    inquiries. These features are available for Seamless Customer Service,
    Streamlined Collections, and Blended Interaction.
    
--  Unique hybrid integration with Tellme's on-demand voice portal
    platform. The Aspect On-Demand Voice Portal, powered by Tellme, helps
    companies leverage a number of network-based services, such as proactive
    customer contact, post-call surveys, automated appointment reminders,
    notifications, and business continuity with on-demand self service. These
    features are available for Seamless Customer Service, Streamlined
    Collections, and Blended Interaction.
    
--  Improvements in email handling. This includes agent productivity
    improvements and auto responses. These improvements are available in
    Blended Interaction.
    

"More companies are asking for robust IM and voice portal features to streamline communications and deliver a quality customer experience," said Serge Hyppolite, director of interaction product management, Aspect. "Thanks to our global strategic alliance with Microsoft and our partnership with Tellme, Aspect is best equipped to bring these capabilities to the market and demonstrate the value of unified communications in the contact center and the enterprise."

About Aspect Unified IP

Aspect Unified IP is an IT-ready Microsoft .Net Web services platform product that unites customer contact capabilities to help organizations execute on their unified communications strategies.

About Unified Communications Applications for the Contact Center

Unified communications (UC) applications for the contact center use software to target operational objectives with specific capabilities from the Aspect Unified IP and PerformanceEdge platform products. The applications deliver inbound routing, outbound dialing, voice portal and Internet contact, workforce management, performance management, campaign optimization, recording and eLearning capabilities to help organizations enhance customer service, collections and sales and telemarketing business processes. Unified communications applications include Blended Interaction™, Seamless Customer Service™, Productive Workforce™, Streamlined Collections™, and Optimized Collections™.

About Aspect

Aspect provides software and consulting services that turn the potential of unified communications into real business results across the enterprise and in the contact center. Applying 35 years of insight and experience, Aspect helps more than two-thirds of the FORTUNE Global 100, as well as small and medium enterprises, power their business processes with communications. For more information, visit www.aspect.com.

Aspect, Unified IP, PerformanceEdge, Blended Interaction, Seamless Customer Service, Productive Workforce, Streamlined Collections, Optimized Collections and Aspect Software are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Aspect Software, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. The names of other companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Tellme is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.