CosmoCom, INTERSHOP Communications Announce Global Electronic Commerce Alliance

Technology integration opens new dimensions for live customer service and electronic commerce

HAUPPAUGE, NY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1998 -- INTERSHOP Communications, a world-leading provider of electronic commerce software and CosmoCom today announced the formation of a global strategic alliance.

The cooperation includes the integration of INTERSHOP and CosmoCom technologies and joint marketing programs to provide eCommerce solutions with built-in live customer care. CosmoCom, a premier provider of enterprise class, Web-based customer interaction solutions, recently joined INTERSHOP's Independent Software Vendor program.

The integration of CosmoCall(tm) with the award-winning INTERSHOP 3 e-commerce platform enables companies to implement a comprehensive, mission-critical solution for Internet commerce, complete with online self-service and live customer service options.

"INTERSHOP 3 is widely recognized as a leading product for major online commerce initiatives, and CosmoCom is proud to be working with such an Internet visionary and market leader," says Ari Sonesh, President of CosmoCom. "With the combined strength of INTERSHOP 3 and CosmoCall, companies can offer a customer-friendly environment for automated Web-based purchasing in conjunction with an escalation path to multiple live support communication channels."

"CosmoCall heralds a new era in Web-based customer interaction, providing a complete live communication solution that works either as an alternative or a seamless complement to traditional call center technology," says Stephan Schambach, President & Chief Executive Officer of INTERSHOP. "The integrated INTERSHOP and CosmoCall system will enable any Web-based merchant to complete all stages of the sales, order management, logistics and customer service process -- from research, order entry, and live question-and-answer sessions all the way through to final shipment, in the most efficient and cost-effective way."

The alliance has special relevance for Internet Service Providers using the INTERSHOP 3 Hosting Edition, which allows them to host thousands of stores and tap into the exploding profit potential of eCommerce.

For ISPs, CosmoCall is an additional value-added service to offer to their INTERSHOP eCommerce customers, a service that not only generates substantial incremental revenue, but also gives ISPs an overall competitive edge in attracting the most desirable business customers to their networks.

The benefits and features of an INTERSHOP/CosmoCom solution include:

Establishing a secure, scalable and reliable electronic storefront, complete with search capabilities, live human interaction, and advanced merchandising and pricing
Automating sales, order and account management to streamline operations, enhance planning capabilities, and reduce order cycle times, inventory levels and carrying costs
Giving customers immediate answers and completing online transactions in one visit
Increasing eCommerce revenue and profits through live cross-selling and up-selling, while enhancing the efficiency and productivity of customer service representatives
Enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty through efficient self-help and live customer-agent interaction
Providing a complete call center alternative that supports both Internet/PC callers and traditional telephone callers
Reducing the communication-related costs of providing a high level of live customer service and support.

The integrated CosmoCall and INTERSHOP 3 environment allows prospects and customers to visit a company's Web site and search for products in the electronic catalog of the INTERSHOP store. A customer who needs more information to make a purchase decision can send the request for assistance by e-mail or by clicking on a live help mode.

The CosmoCall system routes both e-mail messages and live call requests through the CosmoCall ACD Server to the appropriate agent, based on customizable criteria derived from the customer history and the context of the request.

The agent who receives a CosmoCall will have both the skills and the specific information needed to serve the call effectively, information such as the name of the caller, the current contents of the caller's shopping basket, and the item the caller was viewing at the time of the request.

Usually, e-mail messages receive e-mail responses. For live calls, the agent and customer have multiple options for live interaction, including text-based conferencing, synchronized browser screens, phone call back and/or voice/video conferencing. During a live session, agents can recommend products and assure customers of secure and timely order processing.

Agents can also push URLs to callers or take the lead in joint browsing, to make their selling activity more effective.

The customer can be directed back into self-service mode to complete the order, or the agent can assist the customer through the entire transaction. INTERSHOP's order processing technology ensures transaction security and guarantees that the requested item will be efficiently routed to the customer.

With INTERSHOP and CosmoCall self-service and live help, organizations will improve their ROI through the efficiency of online order processing, and will see an increase in average transaction amount due to personal attention, cross-selling and up-selling.

About INTERSHOP
Founded in Germany in 1992, INTERSHOP Communications, Inc. is one of the world's leading providers of electronic commerce software. INTERSHOP provides e-commerce solutions to many of the world's largest telcos, such as Deutsche Telekom, Swisscom and Telecom New Zealand, and to more than 100 ISPs worldwide.

Major corporations have chosen INTERSHOP as their premiere e-commerce platform including Celestial Seasonings, Electronic Arts, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Silicon Graphics, and Zip2. Upside Magazine has named INTERSHOP one of its Hot 100 Technology Companies of the year. Headquartered in San Francisco, INTERSHOP maintains offices in the United States, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

About CosmoCom, Inc.
CosmoCom was formed in 1995 to address a market opportunity within the Internet and Web revolution -- to provide a cost effective way of restoring the human touch that might be lost as more consumers and businesses replaced traditional sales and service with Internet-based electronic commerce.

As one of the first companies to recognize and respond to the need for a new generation of Internet-friendly call center technology, CosmoCom is both a technology and market leader in its field. Its patent-pending product CosmoCall(TM) is revolutionizing electronic commerce and electronic customer care by integrating live multimedia communication with Web and other network-based applications while also supporting traditional telephone-based access.

CosmoCom was founded by former senior executives from Comverse Technology, a leading telecommunications equipment manufacturer with over $600 million in global sales.