Nortel Networks announced this week the appointment of PQ Networks as its first convergence solutions partner in Africa and Europe. The partnership, branded as Unified Networks, will provide customers with true voice and data convergence applications from a single company.
Nortel Networks has traditionally appointed separate data and voice partners to deliver its products. As the first appointment of its kind, where a single partner delivers a converged set of solutions, PQ Networks is preparing for the rapid increase in the use of call centre environments, one of the fastest growing sectors in South Africa.
"Until now people have been mainly talking about the convergence of voice and data, without the applications available to make it a reality," says Tim Knowles, managing director of PQ Networks. Unified Networks will deliver true convergence solutions to customers. The first example of this is likely to be an application that allows end-users to receive voice messages from the switchboard via e-mail. Based on Nortel`s PABX product, Call Pilot, the solution would integrate voice mail with Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Outlook, effectively merging voice and data capabilities.
According to Knowles, essentially the integration of voice, video and data is fundamental to real customer relationship management (CRM), providing a more personalised service. "Traditionally Internet communication has been one-way based and has excluded the `human element` of interaction. Customers will be able to click on a icon on the web page and initiate a telephonic conversation or live videoconference with a call centre agent to provide real-time assistance," he concludes. This type of interactive solution will have a profound impact on current statistics, which show that approximately 70% of prospective e-commerce buyers don`t conclude the final transaction and this is believed to be largely due to the lack of a personalised shopping experience.
"Current e-mail technologies only provide data capabilities," says Doug Batchelor, regional director of Sub-Saharan Africa at Nortel Networks. "With Call Pilot and the Nortel PABX infrastructure which is based on the Meridian messaging system, voice and data converge, resulting in an efficient, more user-friendly product."
PQ Networks chose to partner with Nortel Networks due to its broad spectrum of technology products. Knowles adds: "We have geared up our skills base by complementing our traditional data skills with new additional Nortel certified voice skills to ensure that we are equipped to implement and support true converged technology solutions. Combined with Nortel`s unique product offering, we are confident of a longstanding business relationship."
Batchelor says PQ Networks has been appointed because it has the largest installed base of Nortel Networks customers, making the partnership viable. "PQ Networks has the consulting capabilities available to develop total convergence solutions for customers in the corporate market, many of whom have already expressed interest in implementing these technologies."
Knowles concludes: "PQ Networks has always been at the forefront of technology developments and recommends that companies adopt solutions that will enhance their business performance. We see our partnership with Nortel Networks as an endorsement of our own business strategy, providing customers with unified networking solutions."
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PQ Networks
PQ Networks, through the merger to Persetel Networks and Q Data Networks, has become the foremost network systems integrator and solutions provider in South Africa. PQN has established an enviable track record in providing world leading networking solutions encompassing both the wide and local area environs. This incorporates all aspects in the communication technology arena, from Telecommunications infrastructure and Virtual Private Networks to Internet technology and all the related services.
Through direct representation of the world`s top network product manufacturers, including Bay Networks, Cisco, Newbridge Networks, Nortel and other leading manufacturers, PQN provides through effective sales and pre-sales qualification processes, the most appropriate technology and design to meet the customer`s business requirements. PQN is actively supplying competitive and innovative solutions to diverse industries such as finance, retail, insurance, telecommunications, manufacture, travel, utilities and government services.
With a support organisation employing spanning some 33 locations throughout Southern Africa, PQN have the capability to service and maintain the computer networks of companies in all market segments supporting differing geographical and service level requirements. This extensive support organisation and the sophisticated Customer Care Centre enable the outsourcing of network services, such as network management, network operations and maintenance, and bandwidth management. For further information, visit PQ Networks at http://www.pqnetworks.co.za
Nortel Networks is a global leader in telephony, data, wireless and wireline solutions for the Internet. The company had 1998 revenues of US$17.6 billion and serves carrier, service provider and enterprise customers globally. Today, Nortel Networks is creating a high-performance Internet that is more reliable and faster than ever before. It is redefining the economics and quality of networking and the Internet through Unified Networks that promise a new era of collaboration, communications and commerce. For further information, visit Nortel at www.nortelnetworks.com