Convergys, Microsoft Team Up

Convergys Smart Communications Suite powered by Microsoft, a pre-integrated and pre-configured billing and customer care platform

February 12, 2010

2 Min Read

CINCINNATI and BARCELONA -- Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG), a global leader in relationship management, announced today that it is entering into a global strategic relationship with Microsoft Corp., the world’s leading software company, to “change the game” for communications providers and utility companies.

Combining the power of two market leaders, Convergys in customer care and billing and Microsoft in technology innovation, the companies will be delivering the Convergys Smart Communications Suite powered by Microsoft. Currently under development, the solution will provide a comprehensive next-generation business support system (BSS) that dramatically improves the customer experience. By combining Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 with the modular business support system capabilities of Convergys, the solution supports a shared vision of enabling service providers to rapidly deliver a wide range of new and differentiated services.

The Convergys Smart Communications Suite is inherently flexible to meet the demands of companies and the growing demands of their customers. Scalable and interoperable with existing systems and third party applications, as well as with varying deployment models, the solution will offer a compelling alternative to rival billing and CRM platforms. Its open and well-defined architecture means it can help companies achieve faster-time-to-market for new services with reduced implementation time and automated workflows for most common business processes. Additionally, the low cost licensing options and maintenance costs associated with the solution can rapidly reduce cost-to-market for new services.

The integration of the highly scalable* Microsoft Dynamics CRM into the Convergys Smart BSS Solutions portfolio will bring the well-known and easy-to-use customer care tools based on Microsoft Office, Outlook, and SharePoint across all service providers’ customer care channels. Call center agents will benefit from a customer-centric, simplified user interface, helping ensure that they can move customers quickly and intuitively between sales channels and promotions, to deliver the best possible customer service and reduce call-handling times. A single catalogue that enables easy bundling of new products will help agents with more targeted cross/up-selling opportunities that have a positive impact on the service provider’s revenue, profitability, and churn.

With the inclusion of SQL Server 2008 R2 in the solution, Convergys can offer customers and prospects the best commercial database from a performance and pricing perspective. Delivering excellence in data compression, partitioning, availability, and encryption at no extra cost, SQL Server will enable communications providers to centralize and manage critical customer information.

"Microsoft's value added services and strong internet delivery platform combined with Convergys' communications-focused billing and customer care provides a unique solution for new entrant and established communications service providers to introduce new services and rapidly gain new revenue," said Larry Goldman, Head of Subscription Research at Analysys Mason.

Convergys Corp. (NYSE: CVG)

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT)

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