vineyard vines(R) Enhances Delivery of Personalized Customer Service with Avaya Solution for Small, Medium Businesses

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At vineyard vines(R) (http://www.vineyardvines.com/), providing top notch personal service to an expanding customer base is an important factor in the sale of the company's high-quality apparel inspired by life on Martha's Vineyard -- including patterned silk neck ties, colorful patchwork shorts, and women's beachwear and dresses. When the company needed a new communications system that could keep pace with its growth and provide options for personalized client care, they chose an intelligent communications solution for small and medium businesses from Avaya , a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.

vineyard vines(R) sells clothing on its website, at four free-standing stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and through over 600 wholesale accounts nationwide. Buoyed by the combination of a well-received product line and an industry-acclaimed customer service philosophy, revenues grew six- fold over the last three years, and the firm is still expanding.

"Even as we've expanded, we remain absolutely dedicated to customer service, which is the key to our company's success," said Quinn Veysey, Telecommunications Manager and Customer Service Supervisor. "We knew we needed an easy-to-use communications system that could keep pace with our growth, enable us to better manage calls, and give us options so we could keep delivering the personal care that has built our brand."

The answer came with Avaya IP Office, an award-winning, cost-effective, easy-to-use, secure converged voice and data communications system specially designed for small and mid-sized companies. vineyard vines(R) IP Office system at its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut supports a 20-agent call center, as well as all of the firm's administrative functions. The company's IP Office system was configured by All Business Communications, a certified member of Avaya's BusinessPartner program. All Business Communications also has "SMB Expert" designation from Avaya, indicating the reseller's proficiency in IP telephony, including customer support, technical knowledge and expertise, sales revenue and marketing support.

vineyard vines(R) was able to reuse many of its existing Avaya digital phones from its previous system, adding a handful of new ones to accommodate a growing base of 138 users. "Being able to migrate easily and quickly without losing all of our initial investment was one of the key deciding factors in choosing Avaya IP Office," Veysey said.

Staying true to its dedication to personal service, every incoming call is answered by a live agent. "With IP Office, we can ensure each call is answered by a vineyard vines(R) employee," Veysey said. "If our agents in the call center are all busy, an incoming call can spill over to the sales, design or production teams. We all go through customer service training, and we all know how to enter orders."

Incoming calls -- from top suppliers or customers, for example -- are routed directly to the appropriate department so they're handled more efficiently. IP Office's built-in conference bridge enables staff to quickly and economically set up calls without using an outside service. Veysey sets up direct-dial numbers with a click of the mouse, updating them easily if an employee changes departments.

Employees who are often on the road now have new options for remote access to voicemail. They not only can dial in for messages, but can pick them up in their email inbox or access them via the internet to avoid calling costs. And the VoiceMail Pro application built into IP Office enables incoming calls to be forwarded, giving the company coverage during evenings, holidays or company-wide meetings that take employees away from the office for an extended time.

All Business Communications provides ongoing online training for Veysey on the many business benefits of IP Office, such as the ability to provide remote workers with the same communications capabilities as headquarters staff, or deploying IP telephony more widely, which Veysey is considering for the future.

"I really love that the system is easy to use and will grow along with us," he said. "In minutes, I can update someone's voicemail so it's forwarded to their email or decide to turn a phone line into a fax line. And because I don't need to be a technology expert, I can focus on the area where I am an expert -- serving as an ambassador for vineyard vines(R)."

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R), use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers and Communications-Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com/.

About vineyard vines(R)

vineyard vines(R), a company best known for its elegant neckties, was founded in 1998 on Martha's Vineyard by brothers Shep and Ian Murray. The company now offers a variety of accessories and apparel for men, women, and children. vineyard vines(R) products are sold in over 600 specialty and department stores worldwide.

About All Business Communications

All Business Communications, Inc. is a certified member of the Avaya BusinessPartner program. All Business Communications specializes in the design, implementation, and support of integrated communication solutions nationwide. All Business Communications, has achieved "SMB Expert" status which is Avaya's highest level of certification in the small and medium business (SMB) sector. This was accomplished through unparalleled customer service, product knowledge, and technical expertise in the market. For more information visit http://www.abcna.com/.