OMAHA, NE, June 1, 2018 – West Corporation (“West” or the “Company”), a global leader in technology-enabled services, announced today it has acquired the assets of AVOKE from Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN). AVOKE provides true end-to-end call experience analytics, enhancing West’s comprehensive portfolio of voice, text and unified communication solutions.
AVOKE enables complete visibility into a customer call from the first ring to call completion – across all interactive voice response (“IVR”) systems and transfers. In a league above other quality monitoring systems, AVOKE combines audio recordings, complete text transcription, IVR navigation and call data in a single web-based environment. Clients are able to clearly see what’s happening on calls, understand why, and confidently make measurable improvements with interactive tools.
“The innovative business intelligence AVOKE has created can transform a company’s caller experience – and improve the bottom-line – overnight,” said John Shlonsky, CEO of West Corporation. “AVOKE’s unique software makes calls easier and faster; it is a natural extension to West’s product line, which already helps companies implement ideal communication infrastructures and optimizes results.”
West engages over 65 million individuals around the world with IVR and SMS/text each month, exceeding more than 7.5 billion multi-channel transactions and 6 billion call minutes annually. Diverse organizations have relied on the Company’s industry-leading products and innovative services to stay ahead of consumer expectations and business demands for over 30 years.
“We take pride in not only providing the best technology, but perpetually enhancing it to work better for clients and their audiences,” Shlonsky continued. “This acquisition is an engine to accelerate our innovation on behalf of businesses and people around the world. We are thrilled to welcome AVOKE’s expert team, loyal clients and outstanding platform to West.”
AVOKE’s Software as a Service is currently used by leading companies in consumer electronics, healthcare, telecom and financial services. Their clients will now benefit from West’s global network, broad digital communication ecosystem, and experience in IVR self-service, proactive notifications, intelligent call routing, unified communications, enterprise safety and more.
About West Corporation:
West Corporation is a leading technology enablement company that connects people around the world, making companies more efficient and improving lives. West helps its client more effectively communicate, collaborate and connect with their audiences through a diverse portfolio of innovative solutions.
For over 30 years, West has provided reliable, high-quality voice and data services. West has sales and/or operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South America. West is controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO). For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be generally identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. These statements reflect only West's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition in West’s highly competitive markets; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; West’s ability to keep pace with its clients’ needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; security and privacy breaches of the systems West uses to protect personal data; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of West’s clients; the non-exclusive nature of West’s client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending against intellectual property infringement claims; the effects of extensive regulation affecting many of West’s businesses; West’s ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to West’s data and operation centers; West’s ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where West operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; West’s ability to complete future acquisitions, integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; and future impairments of its substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets. In addition, West is subject to risks related to its level of indebtedness. Such risks include West’s ability to generate sufficient cash to service its indebtedness and fund its other liquidity needs; West’s ability to comply with covenants contained in its debt instruments; West’s ability to obtain additional financing; the incurrence of significant additional indebtedness by West and its subsidiaries; and the ability of West’s lenders to fulfill their lending commitments. West is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by West with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in its offering memorandum for its unsecured notes.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. West undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.
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At the Company:
Dave Pleiss
Investor Relations
West Corporation
(402) 716-6578
DMPleiss@west.com
Source: West Corporation
