Retail Industry Leaders Association and The Men’s Wearhouse to Host Webinar for CIOs on Maximizing the Value in Telecommunications Investments

Competition from excess suppliers and new technologies continue to erode pricing for both wireline and wireless services, as well as directly influence how retailers utilize and procure telecom services. Despite a decade of falling prices and the financial collapse of many carriers, there has never been a better opportunity for retailers to significantly reduce their telecommunications costs.

During this presentation, they will discuss the most common problems retailers face in negotiating and procuring telecom services and tips on how to get these costs under control, including:

•What are the best practices to source and negotiate telecom services?
•What are the key challenges and solutions retailers face in securing best-in-class supplier contracts?
•What common myths and avoidable errors do retailers mistakenly make?
•In a price declining market, results are almost guaranteed but how do buyers ensure they get the best price and fully leveraging their business?

When: Tuesday April 12, 2005
Time: 1:00 Eastern, 12:00 Central, 11:00 Mountain, 10:00 Pacific
Host: Cathy Hotka, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Jeff Marshall, CIO, The Men’s Wearhouse, Charlotte Yates, CEO, Telwares, a Vercuity Company

RSVP: Stephanie Miller, (250) 592-8537, smiller@telwares.com or Register Online at www.telwares.com

After Telwares receives your request to join the Webinar, Telwares will forward instructions for accessing the Webinar.

About Men's Wearhouse
Founded in 1973, Men's Wearhouse is one of North America's largest specialty retailers of men's apparel with 707 stores. The stores carry a full selection of designer, brand name and private label suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories, including tuxedo rentals available in the Men's Wearhouse and Moores stores. www.menswearhouse.com

About Retail Industry Leaders Association
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is an alliance of the world’s most successful and innovative retailer and supplier companies – the leaders of the retail industry. RILA members represent almost $1.3 trillion in sales annually and operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers nationwide. Its member retailers and suppliers have facilities in all 50 states, as well as internationally, and employ millions of workers domestically and worldwide. Through RILA, leaders in the critical disciplines of the retail industry work together to improve their businesses and the industry as a whole. www.retail-leaders.org

About Telwares
Telwares, a Vercuity Company, provides global telecommunications sourcing, negotiation and cost management solutions for Voice, Data, Wireless, Local and VPN applications. With $9 billion in telecommunications costs serviced, Telwares has generated for its clients more than $2 billion in telecommunications savings. Clients who turn to Telwares for industry-leading thought and delivery comprise over 90 of the Fortune 500. For more information, please visit www.telwares.com or call 1.888.TELWARES.

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