AT&T Named 2010 Learning Leader by Bersin & Associates

DALLAS, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* has been named a 2010 Learning Leader Winner by Bersin & Associates, the only research and advisory firm focused solely on enterprise learning, talent management and talent acquisition.

The award recognized AT&T in the category of "Operational Training and Development Excellence" for AT&T BusinessDirect®. The category focused on learning programs for the development of workforce skills in a specific area such as sales, customer service, IT or operations. According to Bersin & Associates, winning programs in this category have a well-defined business driver that demonstrated increased compliance, reduced attrition or improved customer satisfaction.

AT&T won the award for its program to increase the number of users who received training on the AT&T BusinessDirect portal. The program, anchored by AT&T BusinessDirect Learning Center, provided training in multiple languages across multiple channels, including live Web seminars, online tutorials, demonstrations, user guides and quick tours, among others, to both AT&T customers and internal employees around the globe. As a result, the program led to an increase in worldwide adoption of AT&T BusinessDirect self-service tools.

AT&T BusinessDirect enables business customers worldwide to perform a multitude of security enhanced network management and administrative tasks quickly. AT&T BusinessDirect helps hundreds of thousands of users in more than 90 countries manage their network services online to help improve productivity, increase the speed and accuracy of their network transactions and optimize network efficiency, all while helping to reduce costs.

Each month, AT&T BusinessDirect handles more than 4 million customer transactions that include ordering services, maintenance requests and billing inquiries. Furthermore, the service offers mobility features enabling remote workers and employees on the go to stay connected with customers and co-workers so they can resolve problems even when they're not at their desk.

"Learning Leader Winners represent the very best of enterprise learning and talent management, and their programs have a high impact on business," said Josh Bersin, president, Bersin & Associates. "AT&T demonstrated just that with AT&T BusinessDirect, which has a unique and innovative approach to learning and development. The program was awarded for its focus on the most critical business needs, ability to adapt to learners across the globe, and solution to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing."

"We are delighted to be recognized by Bersin & Associates as a 2010 Learning Leader," said Dan Walsh, Senior Vice President of Marketing Services for AT&T. "This award further validates our commitment to leveraging the latest technologies and robust suite of tools to ensure AT&T BusinessDirect delivers the best and most effective online experience to our business customers around the globe."  

Based on detailed criteria compiled over years of research, the Learning Leaders Program, now in its fourth year, recognized organizations which have developed and implemented effective and efficient approaches to employee learning and talent management, resulting in significant business improvement.  

For more information on AT&T BusinessDirect, go to http://www.corp.att.com/ebcc/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine. 

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.