CARQUEST, Hobie Cat, and Husqvarna Select Angel.com for Store Locator Application

MCLEAN, Va. - Several international brands, including CARQUEST, Hobie Cat Co., and Husqvarna, deployed Angel.com's Voice Site that provides callers with automated store location and product information based on zip code and/or product preference.

The Voice Site - toll-free numbers that replicate Web site functionality - allows CARQUEST, Husqvarna, and Hobie Cat to leverage speech recognition technology to offer customers a self-serving outlet to access information.  Angel.com's Site Builder toolkit allowed each company to build and manage its new Voice Site based on the same databases that already power their Web applications.

Hobie Cat, a manufacturer of sailboats, kayaks, and fishing boats, selected Angel.com as their speech technology vendor.

"Angel.com's cutting-edge features and flexibility prompted the decision to move our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system," said Bill Van Vooren, IT manager for Hobie Cat. "The power and ease of use of Angel.com's Voice Sites allowed us to build a more complex IVR application in less than a week.  In addition, the capabilities of Angel.com's Site Builder platform eliminated the administrative hassles associated with maintaining disparate databases and enabled quick follow-up on sales leads. From start to finish, Angel.com greatly exceeded our expectations."

The Hobie Cat store locator can be reached at 1-800-HOBIE-49.

Husqvarna, a provider of outdoor power products for parks, forests, and gardens, recently updated its store locator interface on the Web and began shopping for a new vendor to provide a comparable service for the phone.  The company had been working with a vendor for an existing phone application, but the vendor required a separate database and 15-20 days to make any changes.

"With Angel.com, changes made to the web database are updated to our Voice Site in real time," said Keith Lutz, E-Business project leader of Husqvarna.  "With our expanding and ever-changing retailer mix, we simply require a solution that can keep up with us. Angel.com provides us with the best solution at the best price."

The Husqvarna retailer and service locator can be reached at 1-800-HUSKY-62.

CARQUEST operates more than 3,600 stores throughout North America, supplying the professional automotive service repair industry with import, foreign and domestic auto parts, tools, and equipment.  The new Voice Site from Angel.com allows customers to dial a toll-free number and enter or say their zip code to find the nearest CARQUEST location.  The application also prompts callers to transfer to the desired store if they choose.  CARQUEST now has two new phone numbers, 1-800-492-PART for its store locator; and 1-888-470-0239, for its nationwide network of automotive technicians. 

In addition to CARQUEST, Hobie Cat, and Husqvarna, other national retailers have turned to Angel.com for their store locator application, including KB Toys, Buca di Beppo Restaurants, and Reebok Outlet Stores.