ARIA™ Virtual Agent

Your new multi-lingual employee that increases collections,

promotes your services/products and improves customer satisfaction, 24/7/365.

What If…

You Could Clone Your Best CSR?

they could work 24 hours a day?

7 days a week, 365 days a year?

They never needed a paycheck, health benefits, vacations, or got sick?

Followed company best practices and adhered to all laws?

…And What If…

they would work for less than minimum wage?

Well…Would you do it?

Why wouldn’t you do it?????????

…And What If…

Communication methods are changing rapidly

Your letters are ignored, Your phone calls go unanswered, Today’s customer wants on-line

solutions, Today’s customer communicates

via, text message, email, instant messenger, etc.

Today’s customer doesn’t want to wait on-hold

Today’s customer wants a solution to a problem 24/7/365.

Today’s customer blocks incoming calls to cell phone and land lines

The web enables us to manage our personal and business lives more efficiently

Communication habits are changing

If you continue to do the same things to communicate with your customers, your results will continue to diminish as communication patterns change

05

101520253035404550

1980's 1990's 2000's

LETTERS

PHONE CALLS

IVR'S

PREDICTIVEDIALING

Contact Success Rates

When someone visits your website, it’s a special occasion…

Is your Website informational or functional? Do customers end up searching for the

“contact us” button? Are you trying to accomplish too many

things at one site or not enough 70% of website visits today end in the

customer leaving without a solution to their problem or making a purchase

Your Website could be your primary communication device in the future

Are you ready for the future? Online bill payments

will double by 2010. (21.8 billion transactions)

22% of all consumer payments will be made online by 2010

Check usage will decrease from 50% in 2006 to 37% by 2010

Web payments will increase from 9.7 % in 2007 to 14.5% by 2010

Source: Aite Group

Where are we now?Internet Growth in North America

In North America, Internet usage has grown 115% from 2000 to 2007

Over 70 Million People use the Internet to pay bills online

Over 70% of all homes now use the Internet

50% of all users have broadband

Source: Pew Internet and American Life Study

Your new requirement for customer contact is the WEB

Virtual Agent is the next step in efficient customer communication

Responds promptly – never a wait Takes customer payments quickly and

efficiently, Can perform the same function as your live

agents Use to collect new service orders, avoid

disconnects, address changes, final bill requests , etc

Integrates with online databases such as credit bureaus and DMV’s,

Speaks multiple languages, Solves customer service issues online Agent intelligence can include dispute

handling, payment plans and questionsIt never takes a break, never gets sick and works

24/7/365

YES NO

Would you like to set up a payment plan?

Do you want to pay now?

With Virtual Agent, you design the perfect response to every situation

You create a decision tree for each business application

Virtual Agent from WebAR does the rest

Your customer then goes through a series of “drops” based on their answers and are presented with numerous options to pay, buy or solve an issue

Virtual Agent collects the money

Through WebAR® and integration with Western Union® Speedpay® you can accept ACH and credit card payments immediately

Total Integration Payments processed and settled

daily with your bank, just like today Daily settlement and management

reports Automated uploads to your systems Improves Call statistics in your

center by satisfying your customers needs without live agents

Virtual Agent & Speedpay Helping to maximize payments

BGE’s Speedpay Payment Volume by Payment Channel

January through August 2008

Virtual Agent will help shift consumer payment volume from the CSR – Desktop to the Web payment channel resulting in reduced costs

2008 YTD

Virtual Agent Integration is easy

Separate Website - you simply create a link

Totally safe and secure

Highest Level Encryption

Redundancy Full disaster recovery

Simple download of your data daily for matching purposes

Your Virtual Agent…

Reduces human resource costs

Lowers cost for call center operations, credit

and collection, disconnects

Increases recovery rates

Improves customer satisfaction

Reduces errors/Sends a consistent message

AIG AUTO

DELL COMPUTER

CAREERBUILDER.COM

FORD MOTOR COMPNAY TOYOTA

LEXUS

PEPSI

COCA-COLA

PURINA

AMERICAN EXPRESS

DIAL CORP

MSN

WALT DISNEY COMPANY

WASHINGTON MUTUAL

GILLETTE

SONY

CNBC

JP MORGAN CHASE

A few companies using animated avatars in customer communication

Virtual Agent Designer

BGE Main Website – Subscribers Manage Their Accounts or can select payment options

Virtual Agent Subscriber Screens

…Theses slides are representations only, BGE has not yet implemented this service

Virtual Agent Subscriber Screens

…Theses slides are representations only, BGE has not yet implemented this service

Virtual Agent Subscriber Screens

…Theses slides are representations only, BGE has not yet implemented this service

Virtual Agent Subscriber Screens

Theses slides are representations only, BGE has not yet implemented this service

Live Demonstration of…

http://portal.interprose.com/va/login.do?customerID=DEMO

Virtual Agents

As presented by:

Barry DeBald BGESenior Information Management AnalystTelephone: 410-470-1035 FAX: 410-470-8010  In partnership with:

Western Union Payment ServicesLauren L. Mesch800-252-9638 x141904-612-9543 celllauren.mesch@westernunionspeedpay.com