noHold Launches "Instant Support," an intelligent Web-based self-service support solution that solves user problems instantly.

Businesses are projected to save millions of dollars annually as Instant Support solves the shortcomings of traditional "tier zero" solutions.

Milpitas, Calif., USA - July 16, 2001 - noHold, the leading provider of Web-based self-service solutions that diagnose and solve problems instantly, has introduced noHold Instant Support™, its flagship solution. Built on noHold's proprietary artificial intelligence technology, Instant Support empowers users to solve technical problems online quickly and effortlessly through a chat-like interface built into a company's Web site, allowing support agents to concentrate on more complex problems.

"Instant Support is the new-generation solution," said Diego Ventura, founder and CEO of noHold. "Our virtual support agent, used by AT&T, Logitech and others, goes beyond current methods like FAQs and chat-bots because it diagnoses and solves problems rather than simply answering questions. Now companies can look forward to more efficient customer support and stronger customer loyalty."

Instant Support can also save millions of dollars in support costs. According to some analysts, it costs a company about $33 for each telephone support session and $10 for each email session, compared with just over a dollar for each Web-based self-service session.

Jasmine Noel, director of systems and applications management for the Hurwitz Group, said, "With customer relationship management being a key competitive differentiator in e-business, leading companies will be those that understand how real people want to interact with Web-based self-service technology. noHold's Instant Support delivers a virtual support agent in a familiar chat-like portal where problems are solved in three or four clicks."

Most large companies spend three to five percent of revenues on technical support each year - offering a $7 billion worldwide opportunity, according to noHold calculations. Moreover, many customer inquiries are repetitive, so agents answer the same questions day after day. Hence, the market needed a truly effective Web-based self-service solution that can resolve customer problems and questions and avert high-cost phone and email sessions.

Performance metrics already are positive. Michael Doyle, Logitech's director of customer support for the Americas, said, "Since deploying noHold Instant Support, we've seen big reductions in the number of phone calls and emails we receive asking for help with our digital cameras. They're down by at least 25 percent."

Customers who visit Logitech's online technical support center for Web cams, for example, can interact with Logitech's Internet Support Assistant (LISA), and describe their problems or ask questions through a chat-like Web interface. noHold's DynamicDialogTM, a powerful artificial intelligence engine, lets users describe their problems in their own words and receive response instantly, thereby diverting calls away from Logitech's telephone support center. Live agents are free to deal only with the most complicated problems.

Instant Support is composed of noHold's Knowledge PlatformTM, the database that contains a company's information on products and services; noHold's Knowledge PortalTM, the user interface with a chat-like setting; DynamicDialog, the powerful artificial intelligence engine that allows users to describe problems in their own words; and noHold Portal ManagerTM, an "always on" virtual focus group that provides valuable metrics about each support session. An optional Dynamic LinkTM can access data on a company's existing legacy databases and incorporate it into the solutions.

About noHold, Inc. noHold is the leader in Web-based self-service knowledge management solutions that diagnose and solve complex technical problems and provide information to users, 24x7. noHold Instant Support, the company's flagship product, is a virtual support agent designed for customer service, technical support, marketing and sales support, human resources, financial services, and other information-rich organizations to build profitable and labor-efficient relationships with their employees, customers, prospects and suppliers. With noHold Instant Support, users can resolve problems and obtain actionable information quickly, without waiting on hold.

noHold is a privately-held company established in 1999 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., USA (Silicon Valley). It has sales offices in San Diego, Calif., and Washington, DC. Its leading customers include AT&T Broadband, Cisco Systems, Logitech, and Aspect Communications. Additional information is available at www.nohold.com. Send e-mail to info@nohold.com, or phone 408-946-9200.