Best Western Selects Interactions Corp. to Deliver New Customer Care Technology

PHOENIX and BOSTON, Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Western International, the World's Biggest Hotel Family(SM), has selected Interactions Corp. to provide a highly advanced, conversational voice portal for members of its Best Western Rewards® loyalty program. The voice portal, which leverages Interactions' HumanTouch™ platform, will help Best Western Rewards members experience a seamless customer care process, enabling them to quickly obtain account information, redeem awards and get details about program benefits. Best Western is the first hospitality company to announce a relationship with Interactions for this advanced customer care solution.  

"We are delighted to be working with Interactions to provide what we believe will be the hospitality industry's finest self-service voice experience," said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western. "The HumanTouch solution bypasses the frustration normally associated with interactive voice response systems by providing a self-service option that is just as easy as talking directly with an agent."

In an industry where customer service is inextricably linked with loyalty and continued patronage, Interactions' patented technology is expected to bolster Best Western Rewards' already strong customer service track record.

"We are proud to partner with Best Western and look forward to delivering tremendous value and a great experience for their Best Western Rewards members," said Mike Iacobucci, CEO of Interactions.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY(SM), providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. Each Best Western-branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Now celebrating 65 years of hospitality, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western recently embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world's biggest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Our partnerships with AAA/CAA, Michael Waltrip Racing™ and Harley-Davidson® help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night globally, join Best Western Rewards®. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.bestwestern.com.    

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

About Best Western Rewards

Best Western Rewards is one of the industry's most generous rewards programs and one of few that is truly international. With more than 4,000 locations in 80 countries, Best Western makes it easy for members to earn points that can be redeemed for global free room nights with no blackout dates, dining, shopping and entertainment gift cards, gas cards, airline miles and more. Best Western's Status Match...No Catch ® program will match members' elite status in any other hotel loyalty program free of charge. Rewards program members can book their award nights and purchase travel at www.bestwestern.com.

About Interactions

Interactions enables companies to more effectively interact with their customers. Our patented HumanTouch™ platform for automated voice and other interactive systems delivers an unprecedented level of understanding that engages customers in a productive, natural conversation. Serving a growing customer roster of industry leading brands, the Company's corporate headquarters is based in Boston (Franklin), Mass., with its technology center located in Indianapolis (Carmel, IN), along with additional offices in Austin, TX. Interactions: Understanding Enabled™. For more information visit www.interactions.net and our Understanding Enabled blog.

SOURCE Interactions