Kia Motors America Deploys Call Center Solution from Nortel Networks; Clarify eFrontOffice Expected to Improve Productivity, Boost Customer Satisfaction

    BOSTON--July 25, 2001--Kia Motors America has deployed an eBusiness solution from Nortel Networks to provide a single, integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system that creates seamless customer experiences and fosters customer loyalty.
    Using Nortel Networks Clarify eFrontOffice, the Kia Motors America CRM system connects four regional offices and an outsourced call center with customer service agents and field service representatives at Kia dealerships to leverage customer insight and enhance sales and service capabilities.
    Service agents now have a more complete view of customer and vehicle history, and immediate access to data that empowers agents to resolve real-time customer problems. Kia can also create management reports that help prioritize projects, and field travelers can access customer data via the Web without logging into the Kia network.
    "This system allows us to do a better job of handling customer calls, pure and simple," said Jim Richert, vice president of parts and consumer affairs, Kia Motors America. "Less than one month after implementing this technology, our customer service representatives were closing 73 percent of customer contacts on the same day, a significant improvement over previous results."
    "By connecting previously disparate customer interaction points and providing immediate access to customer information, Clarify eFrontOffice is helping businesses like Kia Motors America to drive increased profitability by delivering excellence in customer service," said Joe Davis, who leads eBusiness solutions for Nortel Networks. "This enhances customer loyalty, encourages repeat business, and builds more profitable customer experiences."
    Kia Motors America selected Nortel Networks eFrontOffice CRM suite, including Clear CallCenter, Clear Sales and ClearSupport, and the Logistics, Contracts and Quality modules.
    Nortel Networks is a global leader in networking and communications solutions and infrastructure for service providers and corporations. The Company is at the forefront of transforming how the world communicates, exchanges information and profits from the high-performance Internet through capabilities spanning the Optical Internet, Wireless Internet, Intelligent Internet and IP (Internet Protocol) technologies and services. Nortel Networks does business in more than 150 countries and can be found on the Web at www.nortelnetworks.com.

    Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price and product competition; the dependence on new product development; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the ability of Nortel Networks to make acquisitions and/or integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; the uncertainties of the Internet; stock market volatility; the ability of Nortel Networks to recruit and retain qualified employees; the ability to obtain timely, adequate and reasonably priced component parts from suppliers and internal manufacturing capacity; the impact of the credit risks of our customers; the entrance by Nortel Networks into an increased number of supply, turnkey, and outsourcing contracts which contain delivery, installation, and performance provisions, which, if not met, could result in Nortel Networks having to pay substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the impact of increased provision of customer financing and commitments by Nortel Networks; potentially higher costs actually incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; and the inherent uncertainties underlying the estimates and assumptions used in calculating asset valuations. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the reports filed by Nortel Networks with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Nortel Networks 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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