Avaya Inc., (NYSE: AV) a leading global provider of voice and data networks and applications to businesses, today announced that its technology had been selected by leading automotive group Inchcape Motors Australia (IMA), as one of a number of initiatives to enhance it's ability to provide a higher level of customer service.

IMA is launching a new concept in automotive retailing in Melbourne where customers can "experience" the brand in an interactive environment supported by the latest communications devices. The Melbourne complex, Subaru Interactive @ Docklands is the first of its kind in the world. Avaya, through its Platinum partner Touchbase, will provide IMA with a range of communications solutions that allow staff at the new complexes to be fully mobile while they deal with customers and for all inquiries to be handled "with a maximum of two hops".

In addition, the Avaya technology will interface via wireless technology with a number of the multi-media and on-site entertainment concepts that will be used to enhance the customer experience.

IMA expects the Avaya Enterprise Class IP Solutions (ECLIPS) package to pay for itself within five years by allowing the company to introduce a range of efficiencies in communications. They include savings in phone costs by running voice calls over the internal data network, linking the company's customer service centre to the Web, providing wireless phones for staff and installing intelligent messaging systems.

The centerpiece of IMA's Avaya ECLIPS solution is a DEFINITY® G3si Communications Server installed at Inchcape's office at Wetherill Park in Sydney which will be linked to the company's other offices, dealerships and service centres throughout Australia by VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). The Avaya DEFINITY® Wireless Business System (DWBS) will provide the wireless communications. Avaya BCMSVu Call Centre Software and Agents Deluxe Software will be used to make the Inchcape customer service centre as responsive as possible to customer inquiries.

Employees will be issued with a unique extension number and have access to a bank of pocket-size Avaya DWBS phones. Wherever they go at each site, they will be able to pick up one of the Avaya DWBS phones, enter their details and then receive calls as well as data, fax and email messages.

"One of the criteria set by our management was that if the customer rings, emails or faxes, the message must get to the person that can answer the question with a maximum of two hops," said David Starr, IS Manager for Inchcape Australia. "So if the appropriate person is not at their desk, the call or message will follow them to wherever they are.

"We are also deploying Avaya Unified Messenger® (UM) for Microsoft® Exchange. This will allow us to access all of our data, email, phone and fax messages from our Outlook mailbox. Even if we are in a car, we will be able to ring in from a DWBS phone and Avaya Unified Messenger® will read our emails or play back our voice mails or give a synopsis of our faxes. We can send them, redirect them or do what we want with them, even while we're not in the office."

Starr said this functionality would take another leap when Inchcape introduced A5-size tablet PCs which would work with the Avaya DWBS phones to give mobile staff even more options.

"Our sales staff will be able to walk around with customers and pull up information onto these tablets or show them a whole range of things on the screen," he said. "For example, our sales people will be able to say 'We have this car in yellow, but this is what it looks like in pink with roof racks'."

Inchcape will also use Avaya ECLIPS to enhance a number of the events and multi-media activities planned as part of the "customer experience" at the Melbourne complex.

"The site in Melbourne is not only a showroom and interactive area, but is also an AWD (all-wheel drive) track and a driver training track where you can actually experience the vehicles," explained Starr. "We will have open days where a qualified driver will be able to drive on our skid pan and talk on his Avaya phone. His commentary will be amplified through a speaker system so he can explain to our visitors what he's doing."

Inchcape plans to bring in live video coverage of car rallies and other events, which will be projected onto large screens around the complex. Computer games and interactive entertainment will also be incorporated into the multimedia environment.

Another novel aspect of the Inchcape concept that is being facilitated by the Avaya technology is the absence of traditional receptionists at all of its sites.

"When you walk in the door, someone will greet you and point you in the right direction but there will be nobody sitting at a reception desk or answering a switchboard," said Starr.

"Outside calls will be handled by a customer service centre based on Avaya ECLIPS in the Sydney office with another ECLIPS system in Melbourne as a back-up. The people in the customer service centre will put you through to whoever is appropriate to handle your inquiry. For instance, they will be able to oversee the service engineers and then pass you through to one that's currently in the office and unengaged."

Carlton Taya, managing director, Avaya South Pacific, said his company was proud to have been selected to contribute to Inchcape's highly imaginative use of information technology.

"What Inchcape is creating in Australia is an exciting showcase of voice and data convergence," Mr Taya said. "It attests to Avaya's convergence leadership that Inchcape chose our technology to help make this innovative concept a reality."

Inchcape is also planning to use Avaya to link its customer service centre to the Web so that prospective customers can merely hit a "press to talk" button to have a conversation with a company representative when they want more information about cars on a website.

Initially the Avaya network will include Inchcape's major locations in Sydney and Melbourne but will progressively be extended to other sites and dealerships throughout Australia over the next few months.

About Avaya
Avaya Inc., headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., is a leading global provider of voice and data networks as well as communications solutions and services that help businesses, government agencies and other institutions — including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500® — excel in the customer economy. Avaya offers Customer Relationship Management Solutions, Unified Communication Solutions, Service Provider Solutions, MultiService Networking Infrastructure, and Converged Voice and Data Networks — including the company's no-compromise Avaya™ Enterprise-Class IP Solutions (ECLIPS) — all supported by Avaya Services and Avaya Labs. Avaya is the worldwide leader in unified messaging, messaging systems, call centers and structured cabling systems. It is the U.S. leader in voice communications systems and services. Avaya is an official sponsor for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ games, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ tournament. For more information about Avaya, visit its Web site at http://www.avaya.com.

About Inchcape
Inchcape, as an international automotive services group, provides quality representation for its manufacturer partners, a choice of channels to market and products for its retail customers and a range of business services for its corporate customers. Operating primarily in the UK, Greece, Belgium, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, its key partners are Toyota, Subaru, Ferrari, Jaguar and Land Rover. Inchcape's activities include exclusive Import, Distribution and Retail, Business Services, automotive E-commerce and Financial Services. For further information, visit us at www.inchcape.com.