NICE Receives Highest Ranking and Hot Vendor Award for Agent Performance Management in Research by Advisory Services Firm Ventana Research

RA'ANANA, Israel, June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NICE Systems (Nasdaq: NICE), a leading global provider of intent-based solutions that enable enterprises and security organizations to extract Insight from Interactions, transactions and surveillance to drive business performance, reduce risk and ensure safety, announced today that it has received the highest ranking in the newly published report by leading benchmark, research and business technology advisory services firm Ventana Research, the "2010 Value Index for Agent Performance Management". NICE received the Hot Vendor award based on the weighted average it received as a result of Ventana Research's evaluation of application vendors and their products, which focused on the following seven categories:  usability, manageability, reliability, capability, adaptability, vendor validation, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)/Return on Investment (ROI). The Hot Vendor category reflects best value based on a thorough and independent evaluation and audit that is based on research and verifiable facts.

Richard Snow, global research director and vice president of Ventana Research commented, "Our Value Index research provides clarity and detail about the solutions available in the Agent Performance Management market. It represents what buyers look for in conducting a RFP/RFI, and contains a detailed analysis of company and products. Based on our research, NICE has come out on top with the widest functionality, depth and breadth of capabilities, customer satisfaction feedback, as well as the company's commitment and hard work on Agent Performance Management solutions."

Ventana Research defines agent performance management as the effective management of all the business activities associated with handling customer interactions to ensure an optimal customer experience and alignment to a common set of customer and revenue goals and objectives. This definition extends beyond what is traditionally termed workforce optimization, encompassing a broader set of technologies, including analytics, call recording, call routing, agent compensation, quality monitoring, training and coaching and workforce management. Ventana Research's benchmark research confirms that an investment in agent performance management, wisely done, is a strategic step toward improving an organization's performance.

"We are pleased to be recognized yet again for our number one position in the market," said Benny Einhorn, Chief Marketing Officer NICE Systems Ltd. "NICE continues to lead the market in providing solutions that help organizations optimize Customer Dynamics and achieve outstanding business results. NICE SmartCenter is the optimal choice for capturing customer and business intent from across a variety of interaction channels, including phone, email and chat, analyzing these interactions to gain insights, and leveraging these insights for achieving a meaningful impact on business performance and success."

The Value Index for Agent Performance Management executive summary report can be downloaded at http://www.ventanaresearch.com/apmvalueindex.

About Ventana Research

Ventana Research is the leading benchmark research and business technology advisory services firm. We provide insight and expert guidance on trends and mainstream and disruptive technologies. Our unparalleled insights and best practices guidance are based on our rigorous research-based benchmarking of people, processes, information and technology across business and IT functions worldwide. The combination we offer of benchmark research, market coverage and in-depth knowledge of hundreds of technology providers means we can deliver business and technology education and expertise to our clients where and when needed to reduce the time requirements, cost and risk of technology investments. The Ventana Research Indexes - the Value Index and the Benchmark Index family - have redefined the research industry by providing accessible, easy-to-use research-based business and technology guidance to businesses. Ventana Research provides the most comprehensive analyst and research coverage in the industry; the many business and IT professionals worldwide who are members of our community benefit from Ventana Research's insights, as do highly regarded media and association partners around the globe. Our views and analyses are distributed daily through blogs and social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Business Week's Business Exchange. Ventana Research was ranked the #1 analyst firm you can trust in enterprise software for 2009 for its relevance to the industry. To learn how Ventana Research advances the maturity of organizations use of information and technology through benchmark research, education and advisory services, or for more information about our monthly subscription-based service called Ventana On-Demand, visit www.ventanaresearch.com.

About NICE SmartCenter

NICE SmartCenter is the premier solution suite for helping companies optimize Customer Dynamics, with unique capabilities for capturing customer and business intent, analyzing interactions and transactions for insight, and generating impact on the interaction and the business. NICE SmartCenter includes pre-packaged business solutions that address specific business issues, powered by best-in-class functional components spanning call recording, quality management, workforce management, cross-channel interaction analytics, including speech analytics, real-time guidance, and  performance management. The business solutions capture, analyze and impact customer interactions in real time, across a variety of channels, from audio, email and chat to social media and text messaging.  The solutions include nine packaged offerings: Customer Churn Reduction, Sales Effectiveness, Customer Experience, Marketing Effectiveness, Collections Optimization, Quality Optimization, First Contact Resolution Optimization, Average Handle Time Optimization, and Compliance Management.  These solutions can be deployed on premise, in a hosted model, or via a managed service, and can be implemented stand-alone or fully integrated with customer relationship management and business intelligence solutions.

About NICE Systems

NICE Systems (NASDAQ: NICE) is the leading provider of Insight from Interactions solutions and value-added services, powered by advanced analytics of unstructured multimedia content – from telephony, web, radio and video communications. NICE's solutions address the needs of the enterprise and security markets, enabling organizations to operate in an insightful and proactive manner, and take immediate action to improve business and operational performance and ensure safety and security. NICE has over 24,000 customers in more than 150 countries, including more than 80 of the Fortune 100 companies. More information is available at http://www.nice.com.

Trademark Note: 360 Degree View, Alpha, ACTIMIZE, Actimize logo, Customer Feedback, Dispatcher Assessment, Encorder, eNiceLink, Executive Connect, Executive Insight, FAST, FAST alpha Blue, FAST alpha Silver, FAST Video Security, Freedom, Freedom Connect, IEX, Interaction Capture Unit, Insight from Interactions, Investigator, Last Message Replay, Mirra, My Universe, NICE, NICE logo, NICE Analyzer, NiceCall, NiceCall Focus, NiceCLS, NICE Inform, NICE Learning, NiceLog, NICE Perform, NiceScreen, NICE SmartCenter, NICE Storage Center, NiceTrack, NiceUniverse, NiceUniverse Compact, NiceVision, NiceVision Alto, NiceVision Analytics, NiceVision ControlCenter, NiceVision Digital, NiceVision Harmony, NiceVision Mobile, NiceVision Net, NiceVision NVSAT, NiceVision Pro, Performix, Playback Organizer, Renaissance, Scenario Replay, ScreenSense, Tienna, TotalNet, TotalView, Universe, Wordnet are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NICE Systems Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, including the statements by Messer Einhorn, are based on the current expectations of the management of NICE-Systems Ltd. (the Company) only, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those described herein, including but not limited to the impact of the global economic environment on the Company's customer base (particularly financial services firms) and the resulting uncertainties; changes in technology and market requirements; decline in demand for the Company's products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; difficulties or delays in absorbing and integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel; loss of market share; pressure on pricing resulting from competition; and inability to maintain certain marketing and distribution arrangements. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, refer to the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F.   The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, except as required by law.

SOURCE NICE Systems