Microsoft Customer Care Framework Helps Companies Redefine Customer Experience

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 14, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Microsoft Customer Care Framework 2008 (CCF 2008), a software solution that helps customers improve the quality of their customer interactions by aggregating information from existing business applications into a unified desktop. The latest version provides significant updates to simplifying tasks and workflow processes, integrating customer interaction channels and accelerating the time to market. By implementing CCF 2008, companies can increase operational efficiency and enhance productivity within their customer care environment.

“Customers want prompt, accurate and rich interactions with the companies with which they do business,” said David Sliter, general manager of the Industry Solutions Group at Microsoft. “Customer Care Framework 2008 makes it easier for companies to support their customers by automating workflow and integrating it with business processes. With a truly unified view of the customer coupled with application automation, employees are empowered to deliver world-class sales, marketing and service experiences to their customers.”

Customer Care Framework 2008 Features

CCF 2008 links a customer service agent’s desktop to diverse systems such as customer relationship management, billing, payment, ordering, trouble ticketing and knowledge management. The following new features are included in the latest version:

  • Customer self-service portal, now built on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Allows customers to manage their accounts, check order status, order goods or services, or address other concerns on their own when it is most convenient for them

  • Windows Workflow Foundation. Helps guide agents to interact with different applications and summon the appropriate follow-up actions

  • Enterprise single sign-on. Allows agents to access the necessary business systems at startup with a single login

  • Interaction server. Integrates a wide range of communication channels, including the customer self-service portal, telephone, e-mail, fax, instant messaging, chat and interactive voice response, to help improve the consistency of customer service interactions

  • Hosted application toolkit. Reduces the effort required to integrate applications in CCF via automation between hosted applications

  • Installer tools. Automated installation tools hook the right pieces together and help build the customer care system to fit a company’s needs

  • Security extensions. Provides three authentication scenarios that help provide security protocols across domains

“Organizations today need to respond quickly and efficiently to the diverse needs of their customers,” said Mary Wardley, vice president of Enterprise Applications and CRM Software at IDC. “At the same time, companies need quick access to all relevant customer information to assist with sales, marketing and servicing their customers. Customer Care Framework helps address these needs by providing a unified view of the customer.”

Microsoft Customer Care Framework 2008 is available worldwide. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/ccf.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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