J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Network Solutions Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Customer Service Experience for a Third Consecutive Year

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Network Solutions has been recognized for call center operation customer satisfaction excellence for a third consecutive year under the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program.(SM) This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment from Network Solutions call center operations to provide "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience."

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"By consistently providing customers with a positive experience, Network Solutions has succeeded in achieving certification for a third consecutive year," said Gail Gross, senior director of certification programs at J.D. Power and Associates. "Network Solutions' commitment to its customers is also reflected in high customer satisfaction levels with the courteousness, knowledge and concern of the call center representatives."

To become certified, the call center operation, located in Drums, Pa., successfully passed a detailed audit of its recruiting, training, employee incentives, management roles and responsibilities, and quality assurance capabilities. As part of its evaluation, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a random survey of Network Solutions customers who recently contacted its call center, which annually handles 2.75 million telephone, e-mail and fax inquiries from customers.

For certification status, a call center must also perform within the top 20 percent of customer service scores, which are based on benchmarks established in J.D. Power and Associates' cross-industry customer satisfaction research. The criteria used include evaluation of: courtesy; knowledge; concern for the customer; usefulness of the information provided; convenience of operating hours; ease of reaching a representative; and timely resolution.

"We are honored to be recognized for providing 'An Outstanding Customer Service Experience' for the third year in a row by J.D. Power and Associates," said Joe Pickett, vice president of Network Solutions Customer Service. "Receiving this distinction shows that our efforts to ensure that we have the most technically trained, friendly and knowledgeable consultants in the Web solutions industry have been successful."

The Call Center Certification Program was launched by J.D. Power and Associates in 2004 to evaluate overall customer satisfaction with call centers and to help call centers in various industries increase their efficiency and effectiveness by establishing best practices for handling service calls.

There are more than 75,000 call centers in North America and an estimated 125,000 worldwide that help customers with product and service questions across a multitude of industries, ranging from credit cards, financial services, investment services, utilities, service warranty and insurance to telecommunications, healthcare and office products.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

Media Relations Contacts: John Tews Susan Wade J.D. Power and Associates Network Solutions Troy, Mich. Herndon, Va. (248) 312-4119 (703) 668-5057 john.tews@jdpa.com swade@networksolutions.com

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. http://www.jdpower.com/corporate