SoundBite Helps Student Loan Industry Improve Response Rates From Borrowers

SoundBite Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDBT) today announced that its integrated, multi-channel Intelligent Communications Platform has been effective in helping student loan originators, servicers, guarantors and collection agencies contact and communicate with student loan borrowers. These organizations need to use a combination of voice, email and text messaging communications in order to increase penetration and response rates, especially given the mobility of today’s borrowers.

Student loan organizations that implement a multi-channel communications strategy can choose the most appropriate method for communicating with student borrowers based on the message content, as well as the borrower’s preference. The addition of text messaging in particular — which traditionally has been under-utilized for business communications — can increase response rates, as the student demographic uses it frequently for personal communications.

According to the 2008 CTIA Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey, 75 billion text messages were sent in June 2008, up 160 percent over the same period one year ago. This demonstrates the viability and power of this communications channel, particularly among the student population, many of which only have a mobile phone.

"SoundBite offers a robust text messaging solution that includes a Free-to-End-User option, making it possible to deliver text messages without consumers incurring any cost," said Mark Friedman, chief marketing and business development officer at SoundBite. "When used as part of an integrated, multi-channel communications strategy that includes voice and email, we have been able to help our clients achieve higher response rates — whether the goal was to collect more debt or follow up on loan applications."

SoundBite Communications will be hosting a webinar on October 9, 2000 at 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT to illustrate the various strategies that can be deployed to communicate with today’s student borrowers. Todd Tallman, co-chair of the Student Loan Service Alliance Private Loan Collections Subcommittee and collections operations manager at Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corp. will be a guest speaker. To learn more about the webinar and to register, please visit: www.SoundBite.com/student.

SoundBite will also be exhibiting at the Consumer Bankers Association 2008 Student Lending Conference, December 3-5, 2008 at the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City in Arlington, Va.

About SoundBite Communications
SoundBite Communications provides on-demand, integrated multi-channel communications solutions that enable clients to achieve superior business results. Building on its foundation as a leading provider of automated voice messaging services, SoundBite offers integrated voice, text and email messaging solutions that help clients deliver the right message to the right customer using the right channel at the right time. Organizations in industries such as collections, financial services, retail, telecom and media, and utilities rely on the SoundBite Intelligent Communications Platform to send over a billion messages annually for collections, customer care, and sales and marketing applications. For more information, visit http://www.SoundBite.com.