Genesys GETS Communications Platform gets Gates Corporation from Instant Messaging to Instant Collaboration and Productivity

Wokingham, October 9, 2006 - Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., an Alcatel company (NYSE: ALA, Paris: CGEP.PA), has announced that Gates Corporation, a division of Tomkins PLC (a $4 billion UK-based company) and the largest non-tyre rubber manufacturer of automotive and industrial products, systems and components in North America, has implemented the Genesys Enterprise Telephony Software (GETS) platform to maximise communication efficiencies among its worldwide offices.

Gates relies on instantaneous communications among employees to serve its international customers, as the only non-tyre producing rubber company with sales and manufacturing operations in all of the world's major markets. Until implementing GETS, Gates employees depended on basic instant messaging for real-time communication, but found that many issues were much too complex to handle via instant message.

Gates initially approached Microsoft to find out how to integrate Microsoft Office Live Communications Server with the company’s IP telephony system. Microsoft’s answer: contact Genesys for advanced collaborative communications.

Dave Kirkland, director of network services at Gates, discovered that GETS could provide Gates employees with desktop telephony control capabilities and improved collaboration by integrating with their existing Microsoft Office Communicator and Office Live Communications Server technologies.

Using GETS completes collaboration by enabling employees to call any other colleague or contact directly from their Microsoft Office applications. The platform gives employees access to availability and presence information, and provides seamless control of their desktop phones via the computer. Dave Kirkland and his team evaluated GETS in a six month pilot programme at the Denver Gates office. Satisfied with employees’ ability to communicate even complex issues via the platform, he decided to fully roll out GETS to Gates World Headquarters location.

“We didn't really consider any other products,” said Dave Kirkland. “During the GETS demonstration we could see that the integration would be straightforward and we wouldn’t have to make a lot of changes to make it work. And even better, it's so fast and intuitive that it naturally becomes the preferred method of communication.”

With minimal implementation and training, GETS got Gates employees collaborating in no time at all. According to Dave Kirkland, “In about 10 minutes anybody that can use a mouse can run this product. It's that simple.”

In addition to allowing Gates employees around the globe to communicate instantly and easily from their offices, GETS extends instantaneous access to any place an employee might work. As long as an employee is connected to the Gates network through a VPN, he or she can instantly collaborate with anyone, as well as deflect incoming calls coming from their office phone and forward them to a mobile or any other device,and that means better productivity for everyone at Gates, no matter where they are.

“The GETS platform is a great example of how companies can make their employees’ jobs easier without a significant capital expenditure or technology overhaul,” said Elliot Danziger, Genesys chief technology officer. “GETS is a real fit for companies like Gates that need the freedom to deploy on an existing PBX or IP network, providing an even greater productivity impact and return on investment.”

Gates trusts Genesys to help it deliver on its internal goals for streamlined communications in a company culture that enforces speed. Genesys Enterprise Solutions links Gates employees across the globe to resolve issues instantaneously. GETS provides telephony presence and call control capability for real-time communications across the enterprise. Key functions including caller notification, deflect, smart transfer, e-mail notification of missed calls, click-to-dial, ad hoc conferencing and telephony presence help employees connect on even complex issues that are too detailed for basic instant messaging technologies.

“The productivity gain we have seen at Gates, as a result of implementing GETS, is significant,” said Dave Kirkland. “Our return on investment is easily several times the resources we invested in this project.”

Genesys is blurring the lines between contact centre and the enterprise to enable companies to improve performance and build competitive advantage. Gates implementation of GETS further substantiates Genesys’ proven track record for increased productivity within the enterprise. Gates is one of the dozen Fortune 2,000 companies that chose GETS, including Microsoft at 50,000 plus seats. 

About Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.
Genesys, an Alcatel company, is 100 per cent focused on software for contact centres. Leading companies in the Global 2000 and Fortune 1000 use Genesys to deliver interactions that drive better business. With 3,300 customers in 80 countries, Genesys directs more than 100 million customer interactions every day. Genesys allows enterprises to achieve key business objectives by tying together customer interactions, people, and customer information in both traditional telephony and IP environments. Sophisticated routing and reporting across voice, e-mail, documents and Web interactions, coupled with integrated self service, ensure that customers are quickly connected to the right resource - the first time. Genesys solutions stop customer frustration and allow enterprises to deliver superior customer satisfaction and improved business results. For more information, visit us at www.genesyslab.com.

About Alcatel
Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services, to help its partners and customers build a user-centric broadband world. With sales of EURO 13.1 billion and 58,000 employees in 2005, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com

Media Contact:
Lucille Jackson, Genesys, 0118 974 7144, ljackson@genesyslab.co.uk
Duncan Burford, PR for Genesys, 01780 721 433, dburford@iba-europe.com

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