The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

Dallas, United States - April 12, 2010 - Vertex, an international Customer Management Outsourcing business with clients in the private and public sectors, has signed a multi-year contract to consolidate, upgrade, and host NorthWestern Energy’s existing Customer Information Systems (CIS).

NorthWestern Energy provides electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving approximately 661,000 customers in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska. NorthWestern Energy already uses Vertex E-CIS customer information platforms which are Vertex hosted or supported. Within the new contract Vertex will be upgrading and consolidating the existing E-CIS databases into one hosted eCIS+ platform, the next generation enterprise CIS from Vertex.
With eCIS+, NorthWestern Energy expects to streamline and gain efficiencies within contact center and billing operations while reducing costs. In addition, the company will be providing enhanced customer care through better online customer self-service functionality.

"We are continually seeking better ways to serve our customers, and with eCIS+ we will be able to deliver valued enhancements that make a difference to the experience of our customers. Our new, single website will provide enhanced self-service features, including streamlined logon and customer navigation, simplified payment options, and an easy way for customers to self enroll in programs such as eBill and EZ Pay," said Bobbi Schroeppel, Vice President of Customer Care, Communications and Human Resources for NorthWestern Energy. "In addition, eCIS+ will provide improved functionality allowing us to better serve owners of multiple properties."

"We first started working with NorthWestern Energy in 1996. This extension of our relationship is a testament to the strong partnership we’ve established and the value we are delivering through our CIS offerings," commented Dan Sullivan, Managing Director, Utilities, Vertex North America. "With our eCIS+ solution, utility businesses can expect higher accuracy of customer records, faster call handling time in the contact center and increased customer satisfaction, translating into operational savings and lower costs."

This new contract follows on the heels of several recent client wins for Vertex, including with Texas-based Oncor.

About Vertex Customer Management:
Vertex is an international Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) and Customer Management Outsourcing business (CMO) with clients in the private and public sectors. Vertex employs 10,000 people who spans 4 continents and 70 locations, delivering solutions to a wide range of international clients 24/7. It provides a range of transformational service solutions to deliver outcomes for our clients in the areas of BPO & CMO, IT Applications, Services and Products, Consulting and Transformation, and Decision Sciences.