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eGain: Argos' Relationship With eGain Knowledge Management Leads to Improved Customer Experience

^{Published on 2009-01-26 10:52:10, Last Modified on 2009-01-26 10:53:17 - Market Wire}
 

SLOUGH, UK--(Marketwire - January 26, 2009) - eGain Communications Corporation (OTCBB: [ EGAN ]), the leading provider of multi-channel customer service and knowledge management software, on-premise or on-demand, today announced that Argos, the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer, is implementing the on-demand version of eGain KnowledgeAgent™ following a successful trial period.

The hosted version of eGain KnowledgeAgent™ will help Argos to efficiently resolve customer queries of varying complexity across the full range of product and services on offer at Argos, including specialist assistance on high-end electronic goods.

Following a competitive tender, Argos opted to pilot eGain KnowledgeAgent™ for a select number of its agents in their brown goods after sales department. Graham Dear, service improvement & development programme manager at Argos' parent company, Home Retail Group, explains:

"Without the assistance of a knowledge base, our agents naturally found it difficult to resolve complex customer queries without having previous experience of that particular issue. Given the increased complexity of brown goods queries, the decision was taken to introduce a robust knowledge management system to improve customer experience, contact centre agent productivity and first-contact resolution.

"Based on the pilot alone, we have seen a notable improvement in our service operations, with repeat calls down by 10% and avoidable returns and engineer service visits reduced dramatically."

During the pilot, eGain KnowledgeAgent™ enabled agents of varying expertise to find the answers they needed easily and efficiently through a broad range of knowledge access methods; including FAQs, search and browse, as well as guided help, powered by eGain's patented Case-Based Reasoning Technology (CBR).

Andrew Mennie, Vice President and General Manager, EMEA at eGain, concludes, "Argos is a dynamic and innovative retail organisation that places importance on delivering high levels of customer service. With eGain's knowledge management solution, we are proud to provide Argos with a tool that helps deliver an improved customer and call centre agent service for the business and to its customers."

About eGain

eGain (OTCBB: [ EGAN ]) is the leading provider of multichannel customer service and knowledge management software for in-house or on-demand deployment. For over a decade, hundreds of world's largest companies have relied on eGain to transform their traditional call centers, help desks, and web customer service operations into multichannel Customer Interaction Hubs (CIH). Based on the Power of One™ -- the concept of one unified platform for customer interaction and knowledge management -- eGain solutions help improve customer experience, optimize end-to-end service process, increase sales, and enhance contact center performance.

Headquartered in Mountain View, California, eGain has operating presence in North America, EMEA and APAC. To learn more about us, visit [ www.eGain.com ] or call our offices: +1-800-821-4358 (US), +44-(0)-1753-464646 (EMEA), or +91-(0)-20-6608-9200 (APAC).

eGain, the eGain logo, and all other eGain product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of eGain Communications Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names and products mentioned in this release may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.

About Argos

Argos is a unique retailer recognised for choice, value and convenience. It sells general merchandise and products for the home from over 700 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, online and over the telephone. In the last financial year, Argos sales grew nearly 4% to £4.3 billion and it employed some 33,000 people across the business.

Argos serves over 130 million customers a year through its stores. On average, 17 million UK households, or around two thirds of the population, have an Argos catalogue at home at any time.

Argos expects to add around 25 stores this year. Its Internet site, [ www.argos.co.uk ], was the most visited high street retailer online in the UK in 2007.

Argos is part of Home Retail Group, the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer.

Note to News Editors: For more information contact Media Relations, tel: 0845 120 4365, mobile: 0771 3064079, email: [ media.relations@argos.co.uk ]