By Tara Seals

Verizon Business added a new option this week to its eBonding portfolio for high-volume partners and customers wanting to automate the ordering, monitoring and troubleshooting of services.

Verizon has struck new relationships with six providers of telecommunications expense-management (TEM) software: Cerylion Inc., MBG Expense Management LLC, PAETEC Communications Inc., Rivermine Inc., Tangoe and Telesoft Corp. Users of this software can access Verizons systems via the TEM interface, rather than having to maintain a separate portal. The company said it may expand this strategy to business-process outsourcing companies and other electronic transaction-oriented software companies, where it makes sense.

We want to eliminate the swivel-chair effect, said Mark Chodoronek, executive director of customer enablement at Verizon Business. Now users can provision service or generate a repair order through these service bureaus, which in turn are electronically connected to our infrastructure, rather than have to enter data in two places. Many Verizon Business customers are already using software programs from these providers, Chodoronek said.

With the new eBonding enhancement, customers can use their existing software to link directly to Verizon Business’ networks and systems via one end-to-end interface. This eliminates the need for customers to shift from one program to another to monitor communications and associated expenses, as well as the need to purchase additional costly equipment.

Customers can also link to Verizon Business via their own systems or a Web services gateway.

The eBonding platform enables Verizon Business customers to automate day-to-day functions involving their Verizon Business communications and IT services that previously would have required manual intervention. For example, by eBonding with Verizon Business, customers can monitor their networks and be automatically notified in the event of a problem. Customers can also use eBonding to do things like make changes to their service, monitor trends and pay bills.

Verizon Business delivers a comprehensive suite of real-time application integration and data-exchange tools including trouble management, circuit testing, order status and inventory reporting. Collectively, these services help enterprise customers streamline communications, improve ease of use, reduce costs through automation of manual processes, and lead to more accurate resolution of network-management issues.

Cerylion Inc. www.cerylion.com/TEM.htm  

MBG Expense Management, LLC. www.mbg-inc.com  

PAETEC Communications Inc. www.pinnacle.paetec.com  

Rivermine Inc. www.rivermine.com  

Tangoe www.tangoe.com  

Telesoft Corp www.telesoft.com  

Verizon Business www.verizonbusiness.com