Verizon to Provide Contact Center Services for VA

Verizon Business will provide call center routing and support fot the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the terms of a new $21 million contract.

The telco giant will provide toll-free services, Hosted Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and secure database applications for VA call centers nationwide.

The agreement was awarded under the U.S. General Services Administration's Networx Universal contract, which covers 10 years. Networx is among the largest federal telecommunication contracts ever awarded by the GSA, providing federal agencies with a common vehicle for purchasing a comprehensive set of networking and technical services.

"Verizon Business' expertise and technology will be helping the Veterans Affairs Department meet the needs of the women and men who served in our Armed Forces, whether they are checking on health benefits or looking for information on the GI bill," said Susan Zeleniak, group president, Verizon Federal, a sales organization within Verizon Business. "Our experience in providing Contact Center Services will enable the agency to enhance the customer service it provides to our nation's veterans, who deserve to receive nothing less than the best service available."

Verizon Business' Hosted IVR service uses speech technology and touch-tone commands to provide sophisticated call-treatment and transfer capabilities while enabling caller self-service transactions. With this technology, veterans will be able to use the National Automated Response System (NARS) toll-free numbers, and the system will route the calls to the appropriate contact for handling, including compensation and pension, education, and health care services.

As the project is implemented, the VA will have the ability to order additional services from Verizon Business that could increase the value of the agreement.