Virtual Hold to Reduce Hold Time at CalPERS

AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ - Virtual Hold Technology(R), LLC(VHT), the leading developer of virtual queuing solutions, today announcedthat California Public Employee Retirement Services (CalPERS) is addingVirtual Hold to its contact center in Sacramento, CA. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070619/CLTU033LOGO ) Providing retirement and health benefits to approximately 1.5 millionpublic employees, retirees, and their families, CalPERS receives a largenumber of calls relating to these benefits. Like most contact centers,CalPERS experiences unforeseen peaks in call volume where the number ofincoming calls exceeds the number of contact center staff. In order toimprove the customer experience during these peaks, CalPERS is implementingVirtual Hold, a virtual queuing solution from VHT. If the Virtual Hold software estimates that the wait time will be morethan a couple of minutes, Virtual Hold gives callers the option to hang up,while it maintains their places in line. When it is nearly their turn tospeak to an agent, Virtual Hold calls the customers back and gets themready for the next available agent. According to Mark Williams, President of Virtual Hold Technology,"Customers love the Virtual Hold option because they are free to do thingswhile they wait other than being tied to a phone. Contact center agentsappreciate Virtual Hold because they don't have to deal with customers whoare frustrated from being placed on hold. Contact center managers arepleased about this technology because Virtual Hold reduces the number ofabandoned calls, increases agent efficiency, reduces agent talk time, andimproves customer service levels." About Virtual Hold Technology Virtual Hold Technology (VHT) is the leading developer of virtualqueuing solutions for Fortune 1000 clients. Since its inception in 1995,VHT's patented award-winning virtual queuing technology has provided returncall solutions focused on enhancing the customer experience for financialservices, energy utility, insurance, telecommunications, cable, wirelessand retail corporations such as Wells Fargo, Dominion, T-Mobile,Amerigroup, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Ticketmaster and Avon. To learn howthe Virtual Hold virtual queuing solutions can help increase customersatisfaction and reduce contact center costs, visit http://www.virtualhold.com orcall 877-886-8187. To experience a demonstration of a Virtual Hold call, dial1-888-412-2214 (or 330-670-2214)