Nortel Networks Innovates B2B Applications and Services, Enabling Virtual Internet Marketplaces with Launch of Clarify eBusiness Applications Unit
Forms alliance with Andersen Consulting to offer professional services
NEW YORK, March 28 /PRNewswire/ - Nortel Networks (NYSE/TSE: NT) today launched the Clarify eBusiness Applications Unit, which will provide enterprises and service providers with business-to-business (B2B) applications and services for managing customer relationships and building virtual Internet marketplaces. In support of this new organization, Nortel Networks' Clarify eBusiness Applications unit has formed an alliance with Andersen Consulting to deliver professional services to help companies worldwide implement advanced eBusiness strategies, processes, and technologies.
Nortel Networks is ushering in the second wave of eBusiness, which combines customer relationship management, contact centers, web centers, and the high performance Internet,' said F. William Conner, president, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel Networks. ``To make the virtual Internet marketplace a reality, seamless eBusiness solutions must be delivered to both enterprises and service providers. These solutions must be more reliable, secure, and faster with better economics and quality for the B2B market.'
The Clarify eBusiness Applications unit combines the recent acquisitions of Clarify and Periphonics with Nortel Networks' own capabilities in contact centers. As a new eBusiness powerhouse, Nortel Networks will integrate the company's high-performance Internet and contact center capabilities with Clarify's customer relationship management (CRM) solutions and Periphonics' advanced voice recognition. Based in San Jose, Calif., the Clarify eBusiness Applications unit will have 2,600 employees worldwide and includes such Fortune 500 customers as Best Buy, Charles Schwab, General Electric, H&R Block, Level3 Communications and Qwest Communications.
Nortel Networks brings relationships front and center in today's Internet-charged economy,' said Tony Zingale, president, Clarify eBusiness Applications, Nortel Networks. ``Providing a seamless total customer experience and maximizing return on relationship is a fundamental for the second wave of eBusiness.'
Enabling Virtual Internet Marketplaces & Customer Relationships
Nortel Networks' high performance Optical Internet and eBusiness solutions will leverage alliances, such as that from Andersen Consulting, and technologies, enabling companies to create dynamic, secure communities of interest via the Internet. Through capabilities such as wireless Internet access, web push, voice over IP, personalization, authentication and quality of service, businesses will be able to collaborate to jointly market, service and support customers and create mutual loyalty. These virtual Internet marketplaces require that applications be network-aware and intricately tied to the high performance network to ensure services such as policy management, security and connection management. Nortel Networks plans to rollout a series of alliances, new products and customers supporting this strategy throughout the remainder of 2000.
According to Cahners In-Stat Group, today's announcement puts Nortel Networks in front of the burgeoning second wave of eBusiness, which enables businesses to migrate from managing clicks to managing customer relationships over the Internet, pursuing long-term customer loyalty.
With its comprehensive strategy, Nortel Networks has established first mover advantage with this announcement,' said Kirsten Cloninger, industry analyst, E-Commerce Strategies, Cahners In-Stat Group. ``The implementation of this strategy will enable virtual Internet marketplaces by providing seamless unified networks, applications and customer interactions.'
Delivering Second Wave of eBusiness - Seamless Customer Experiences
Nortel Networks is delivering a variety of solution offerings that integrate existing core competencies across the new business unit, resulting in reduced deployment times by as much as six months. The Clarify eBusiness Applications unit's first product offerings, creating the initial virtual marketplace building blocks, will include:
- Nortel Networks Wireless eBusiness Solution - enables remote,
real-time access to customer and inventory information via handheld
wireless Internet devices
- Speech-enhanced Clarify eFrontOffice Integrated Solutions - brings
advanced speech processing to Nortel Networks' eBusiness applications
- Clarify eFrontOffice Integrated Marketing, Sales and Service --
enables the industry's most complete solution to deliver
personalized, consistent customer experiences by integrating Clarify
eFrontOffice customer relationship management, Nortel Networks'
contact center and web response servers, and Periphonics customer
interaction technology
- eCustomer Care Solutions -- consolidates customer communications via
mixed media skills-based routing and performance routing.
- Integrated ROR Marketing Analytics -- quantifies the benefits of
eBusiness solutions by helping calculate return on relationship (ROR)
using patent pending algorithms.
Nortel Networks' eBusiness solutions will be distributed to enterprises and service providers, while hosted versions of these solutions will be marketed to ASPs as a part of the Nortel Networks' Managed Application Services Initiative announced in December. |
