Scottish Widows selects Sabio as strategic partner for contact centre technology support

Sabio support for 1,000 contact centre agents and applications based in three major Edinburgh sites

Telephony support for 3,000 users spanning six sites.

Will assist Scottish Widows to optimise customer service operations through strategic adoption of technology

LONDON – 1 February, 2006 – Scottish Widows has selected Sabio, the innovative contact centre services and solutions company, to provide technology support across the organisation’s customer contact centres. Scottish Widows will have a single expert partner for contact centre technology support across its sites ensuring consistency and cost-efficiency in maintenance service. Sabio will also help Scottish Widows in achieving its goal of delivering continuous improvements in customer service through operational and strategic consultancy and the use of technology.

Scottish Widows selected Sabio as its strategic partner following a major tender process on the strength of its consultancy expertise and demonstrable professionalism. As part of the contract, Sabio will work with existing Scottish Widows personnel as expert advisers on the use of technology within the organisation as well as everyday support and maintenance.

Alan Johnstone, who heads up the Scottish Widows Network team said: “It was a key criteria that the partner selected could not only support and maintain our existing contact centre systems and applications, but also strategically guide us on technology adoption to improve our internal processes. This is the extra mile that we found in Sabio and its team of consultants which we believe will help us to drive our business forward and achieve long-term business goals.

“During the tendering process, we spoke to several Sabio customers including beCogent – the outsourced call centre provider - to verify the company’s consultancy expertise. It was clear right from the start that Sabio not only possesses the professional consultancy expertise, but also the credentials and customer references to back-up its professional sales process,” Alan added.

Adam Faulkner Director at Sabio said: “With major offices in Glasgow we are strategically placed to support Scottish Widows locally for the response times and hands-on consultancy a leading organisation like this requires to ensure high customer service levels. With the range of expert consultants we now have in house at Sabio, our support and consultancy expertise is an asset to any contact centre operation.”

About Scottish Widows
Founded in 1815, Scottish Widows has gone from strength to strength over the past 190 years; it is one of the top providers in the UK Life, Pensions and Investment market. Its products range from ordinary long-term insurance (such as life insurance, pensions and annuities) to savings and investment products. Scottish Widows became part of the Lloyds TSB Group in March 2000. Its brand, the Scottish Widow, is one of the most recognised in the life, pensions and investment industry (source: MarketMinder September 2004). Scottish Widows has a well-established multi-channel sales capability, distributing its products through independent financial advisers, direct sales, direct marketing, the internet and via the branch network of Lloyds TSB, with over 16 million personal and business customers. Scottish Widows currently employs around 4,000 people in: customer service, product development, investment, information technology, sales and marketing, actuarial services and support. It is headquartered in Edinburgh.