BASKING RIDGE, NJ--(Marketwire - Feb 15, 2012) -

• J.D. Power and Associates certification includes recognition by the CTSS Program(SM), one of the industry's top evaluators of customer satisfaction
  
  
• To merit certification, companies must rank in top 20 percent of industry, based on J.D. Power and Associates' benchmark customer satisfaction research for the technology industry
  
  

Avaya, a global provider of business communications and collaboration systems and services, today announced that it has been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for excellence in customer service and support in North America. Avaya has achieved certification from the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates' Certified Technology Service & Support (CTSS) Program(SM) for four consecutive years.

The CTSS Program -- jointly developed by J.D. Power and Associates and the Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) -- is one of the technology industry's highest recognitions. It evaluates overall customer satisfaction and helps businesses identify vendors that demonstrate excellence in customer service among companies offering technology support services. J.D. Power and Associates regularly conducts independent and unbiased surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior. The Technology Services Industry Association is the largest and most influential industry trade group for technology service professionals.

Certification under the CTSS Program encompasses core services, as well as assisted, non-assisted (Web) and field support. To merit the certification, Avaya had to rank in the top 20 percent of the industry, as determined by J.D. Power and Associates' technology industry benchmark customer satisfaction research. The company successfully passed a detailed audit of its support policies and procedures, and exceeded the benchmark for satisfaction. Certification is valid for one year.

Supporting Quotes:
"By passing continually evolving standards of the certification program for four years in a row, Avaya has confirmed a strong commitment across the organization to delivering the highest value of service and support to its customers. Maintaining the customer at the center of the decision-making process, along with a focused alignment of internal procedures, is what allows organizations to support this kind of distinction over time."
-- According to J.D. Power and Associates

"This is the fourth consecutive year Avaya has demonstrated an outstanding ability to deliver the highest quality service and support to their North America customers. During annual intensive audits against TSIA's Excellence in Service Operations best practices, Avaya continues to demonstrate they exceeded industry practices in several key areas. These continuous results are a strong demonstration of Avaya's commitment to their support customers."
-- Joanne Weigel, senior director, Organizational Development Program / TSIA

"Earning the J.D. Power and Associates certification for four years in a row underscores Avaya's commitment to serving our customers in the communications and collaboration market. The strategies, people, processes and tools that we've implemented to support Avaya solutions are having tangible results in delighting our customers. In the next few months, we will have more exciting news to share that will provide new value for clients and partners."
-- Mike Runda, vice president, Global Support Services, Avaya Client Services

Additional Resources:
For more information visit: www.jdpower.com; www.tsia.com and www.avaya.com

Tags: Unified communications, customer service, technology industry's highest recognitions, world class, commitment, J.D. Power and Associates, Avaya, Technology Services Industry Association, CTSS

About Avaya
Avaya is a global leader in business communications and collaboration, providing unified communications, contact centers, data solutions and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About TSIA
The Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) is the leading association dedicated to advancing the business of technology services. Technology services organizations large and small look to TSIA for world-class benchmarking and research, exceptional peer networking and learning opportunities, and high-profile certification and awards programs. We keep their business leaders informed and connected through a full range of programs and services that tackle real-world service business challenges, providing real-world solutions. TSIA corporate members represent the world's top technology companies as well as scores of innovative small and midsize businesses in four major markets: enterprise IT and telecom, consumer technologies and carriers, healthcare and healthcare IT, and industrial automation. TSIA brings the technology services industry together. www.tsia.com Media Relations Contact: Suzanne Hite; TSIA, San Diego, CA 410-774-5322; suzanne.hite@tsia.com

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or other similar terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Avaya's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. Avaya disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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