Application for the Centers of Excellence “Technology” Award SLA Business & Finance Division

1. Applicationfor the Centers of Excellence“Technology” AwardSLA Business & Finance Division Verizon Information Research NetworkVerizon Communications 2/28/2008 COE Technology Award

2. Verizon Information Research NetworkVerizon Communications Technology Management Service COE Technology Award

3. Leadership • How managers in the applicant special libraries, information centers or knowledge centers guide the organization and how the applicant addresses its responsibilities to its identified user group. COE Technology Award

4. Leadership • VIRN (Verizon Information Research Network) is a virtual research shop with staff located in MA, VA, NJ and TX • The 6-member team provides on-demand research, supports enterprise contract management, and maintains a company-wide research portal. • The VIRN website delivers online access to market research reports from 8 major vendors and other market research suppliers. • The VIRN team is part of Verizon’s Market Research, Modeling & Analysis group in Telecom Marketing • VIRN is a member of the Market ResearchForum (MRF) a centralized Verizon buying group • The MRF’s 10-12 member board consolidates Verizon-wide market research needs to facilitate enterprise purchase agreements. • Since its formation in 2004, the MRF hassuccessfully partnered on funding enterprise-wideagreements to expand Verizon’s content accesswhile driving down contract costs. COE Technology Award

5. Leadership VIRN supports all departments across Verizon’s business lines COE Technology Award

6. Strategic Planning • How the applicant sets strategic directions and how it determines key action plans. COE Technology Award

7. Strategic Planning • Since 2002 VIRN made multiple attempts to upgrade an online catalog of over 10,000 market research reports • The urgency in automating processes for the online catalog was critical • Purchased content had increased by 175% since 2003 • All records required manual uploading • Lagging upload time (4-8 weeks) elevated number of requests for newly-released content • Lack of usage tracking by vendor or client hampered VIRN’s ability to make fact-based enterprise acquisitions • Limited internal server space for storing content requiredadditional server maintenance Incoming Market Research Content 2003-2006 COE Technology Award

8. Strategic Planning • During the May 2006 Market Research Forum meeting, VIRN presented the plan for implementing a centralized market research portal utilizing NorthernLight’s integrated search engine – SinglePoint. • SinglePoint’s implementation offered many benefits to Verizon • Time-savings for employee research • Improved access to newly-released market research content • Reduced maintenance across multiple departmental market research websites • Eliminated manual data uploads by 90% through automated content delivery • Opened visibility into content usage by vendor and clients • The VIRN Team requested funding from MRF for SinglePoint’s development and maintenance fees • The Forum members agreed: • Authorized VIRN to further investigate SinglePoint and other comparable products • Upon final selection VIRN would assume ownership of the centralized portal • MRF members would work with their management on securing funding COE Technology Award

9. Strategic Planning June 2006 July-Aug. 2006 Oct.-Nov. 2006 Nov. 2006 Dec. 2006 March 2007 VIRN team visited the 2006 SLA Expo Hall investigating potential suppliers Site visits to major SinglePoint clients were conducted by VIRN’s staff and MRF members SinglePoint web demos scheduled for departmental leaders SinglePoint was selected based on gathered research SinglePoint funding secured & contract signed SinglePoint Launched!!! COE Technology Award

10. Customer/User Focus • How the applicant special library, information center or knowledge center determines requirements and expectations of customers and markets. COE Technology Award

11. Customer/User Focus • Investigated three federated/integrated search tools prior to the May 2006 MRF meeting • Interviewed existing SinglePoint customers for best practices and lessons learned • Conducted SinglePoint demos from HP and Nokia for MRF Forum members, key employees, and management • Evaluated existing VIRN awareness and satisfaction surveys for applicable client comments • Initiated pre-launch web-conferences for VIRN clients to gather user feedback • Integrated client feedback into system development planning documentation SinglePoint Clients COE Technology Award

12. Information & Analysis • Examines the management, effective use and analysis of data and information to support key organization processes, and the success of the performance management system used in the applicant special library, information center or knowledge center. COE Technology Award

13. Information & Analysis • SinglePoint’s unique integrated search engine maximizes Verizon access to content while minimizing internal support • Content resides on the research vendors’ websites thereby eliminating 90% of manual content uploads • New content is indexed daily allowing immediate client access • Taxonomy and metadata is administered by SinglePoint • Usage reports by client and vendor are generated weekly, monthly, and annually • Single Sign-On (SSO) secures site from unauthorized users Available Content Expanded by 350% COE Technology Award

14. SinglePoint Delivery Model COE Technology Award

15. Human Resource Focus • How the applicant enables its employees to develop their full potential and how the workforce is aligned with the objectives of the applicant and its parent organization. COE Technology Award

16. Human Resource Focus • Decreased VIRN’s overall system maintenance up to 75% by switching to SinglePoint • Weekly staff discussions on SinglePoint’s features and functionality streamlined roll-out and simplified product usability • VIRN’s collective knowledge of market research databases was integrated into SinglePoint to minimize training needs for end-users and staff • Improved overall content access relieved VIRN’s incoming request load by 20% • SinglePoint aligned with Verizon’s employee work challenge COE Technology Award

17. Process Management • Examines aspects of how key management, delivery and support processes are designed, managed and improved in the management and delivery of information for the applicant special library, information center or knowledge center. COE Technology Award

18. Process Management • Leveraging SinglePoint’s system flexibility enabled the following features for VIRN clients • ‘ASK VIRN’ tab allows clients to easily email VIRN from within the portal for additional research assistance • Pop-up window appears after a 10-minute search session suggesting searcher contact VIRN • For locked report access, an email with the embedded URL is sent to VIRN notifying staff to take action • Alerting feature facilitates client email notification of new content based on their saved search • Single Sign-On automates login • Ability for clients to email reports from SinglePoint to colleagues COE Technology Award

19. Process Management ‘Ask VIRN’ tab used torequest locked report 10-minute pop-up window COE Technology Award

20. Service Results • Examines the performance and improvement of the applicant in its key service areas: customer satisfaction, financial management, human resources, supplier and partner performance, and operational performance. The category also examines how the applicant performs relative to other service organizations which might (or could) provide the same services. COE Technology Award

21. Service Results • Distributed a customer satisfaction survey to Verizon‘s SinglePoint users • 96% of survey respondents said they were Satisfied or Extremely Satisfied with SinglePoint • 80% was SinglePoint’s Net Promoter Score within Verizon • Conducted 5 web conference trainingsessions • Hosted on-site group training at Verizon headquarters • Delivered regular SinglePoint email blasts • Product search tips • Content additions • Registration reminders • Maintained high customer satisfaction levels despite two headcount reductions COE Technology Award

22. Service Results • 350% increase in available content by centralizing contracts • Content usage increased up to 40% • 100% of clients surveyed found SinglePoint to be Extremely Valuable or Valuable in helping them do their job • 44% of respondents said searching SinglePoint saved them between 1-2 hours vs. previous search methods • SinglePoint’s reports track usage by user, department, and vendor On average, how muchtime do you think SinglePoint saves you compared to your previous method of searching for research reports and information? COE Technology Award

23. Service Results • Interviewed by Forrester Research for “How To Select A Market Research Portal Approach,” published Feb. 2008 • Based on 2007 usage results, Verizon Business, IT, and Verizon Primary Research are in negotiations with VIRN to upload their synthesis studies to SinglePoint • Influenced vendors to include telebriefing (audio and PPT) files in SinglePoint feed • Hold bi-weekly conference calls with SinglePoint to discuss product improvements and system support • Secured all data transfers to and from the portal by using SSL encryption to comply with Verizon’s security policies COE Technology Award

24. Service Results SinglePoint usage reports provide VIRN staff with vital statistics needed for operational reviews and vendor negotiations. COE Technology Award

25. Appendix • Site Visit Questionnaire • SinglePoint Screen Shots • SinglePoint Link from VIRN Website • Search Page • Search Results COE Technology Award

26. Site Visit Questionnaire COE Technology Award

27. Link from VIRN Website COE Technology Award

28. SinglePoint Search Page COE Technology Award

29. Search Results COE Technology Award

30. VIRN Team • Thank you for reviewing our application. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. • The Verizon Information Research Network: • Daniel Gonzales– Arlington, VAKimberly Morgan– Richmond, VAValerie Platz– Arlington, VAMarcia Schemper-Carlock– Dallas, TXCarol Sendecki–Newark, NJDonna Skrzyniarz–Boston, MA COE Technology Award