Sabio provides a new million pound Virtual Contact Centre solution for Homeserve Group Plc

Sabio will help Homeserve deliver customer service excellence through enhanced customer-based routing of inbound calls

Solution includes IP, speech recognition, call recording and WFM

London – 28 July 2005 – Sabio, the innovative contact centre services and solutions company, has just completed the implementation of a new million pound IP-based virtual contact centre for the Homeserve Group Plc. The network will virtualise three sites of Homeserve, the UK’s leading provider of home emergency solutions, in Walsall, Norwich and Nottingham. The new contact centre infrastructure will enable Homeserve to deliver service excellence by providing enhanced customer-based routing. Ongoing consultancy and expertise from Sabio will ensure Homeserve maximises its investment and achieves rapid ROI.

Homeserve’s contact centre leverages next-generation IP technology from Avaya. Sabio has built additional functionality around the Avaya platform so that Homeserve can now deliver skills-based routing, enabling it to mould call-routing around customer needs and achieve increased service personalisation. An automated introduction through the Scansoft speech recognition engine will help ensure customers are directed to the right agent to handle their call first time. Additional applications also include Open Wave WFM and Witness Call Recording.

“The installation of this high-end technology is helping us to push the boundaries as far as customer service excellence is concerned,” commented Dean Cutler, Head of Operations, Homeserve GB Ltd. “From the first meeting we had with Sabio’s consultants it was clear that they genuinely took time to understand our business and its needs, which enabled them to craft a bespoke solution. That understanding has meant we are now well positioned to translate all that advice into real benefits for both our customers and our business.

“Sabio delivers the best in technology and the best in expertise, which is essential as we are an expanding business with very specific needs,” Dean continued. “The exact and expert understanding of our requirements, and the solutions that resolve them, is something that you don’t find when dealing with most providers. This is the primary reason why we have established this partnership, and why it has been very effective in promoting excellence throughout our organisation.”

Kenneth Hitchen, Founding Director, Sabio added: “Homeserve is a very ambitious company which is continually growing. This makes it essential that Homeserve has the right technology and expert advice offered by a single provider. It is clear that it has made constantly improving its business a high priority, and we have ensured that every piece of advice given and every application we have provided fits in with this business philosophy and helps Homeserve to achieve both short and long-term goals.”

About Homeserve Group Plc
Homeserve plc is the UK market leader in plumbing and drainage, glazing and locks, upholstery repairs and furniture warranties services. It is the UK's second largest provider of central heating and electrical cover services.

Homeserve plc in the UK comprises Homeserve GB Ltd (formerly Home Service), Homeserve Retail Warranties Ltd, Homeserve Emergency Services Ltd, Homeserve Sergon Ltd, Homeserve Servowarm Ltd, Chem-Dry UK Ltd and Homeserve Claims Management Ltd. Homeserve International comprises Homeserve Australia, Home Service USA and Lyon based Domeo.

Homeserve plc is the only listed pure play UK home emergency repairs business in FTSE 250.

Homeserve plc employs around 4,000 people, around 1,000 of which are repair personnel. The Homeserve plc head office and Homeserve GB Ltd teams are based in Cable Drive, Walsall off Junction 10 on the M6. Homeserve Retail Warranties Ltd is based at Weston Super Mare, Homeserve Emergency Services Ltd at Norwich, Homeserve Servowarm Ltd at High Wycombe, Homeserve Sergon Ltd at Edwinstowe, Nottingham, Chem-Dry UK Ltd in Beverley, West Yorkshire and Homeserve Claims Management Ltd in Preston.

For Homeserve plc Press Office, including out-of hours contact 07870 679968, or email press.office@homeserve.com or register on Homeserve Media Centre on www.homeserve.com.