LAS VEGAS, NV, Apr 20, 2009 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- NAB (Booth #SU902) -- Avid(R) (NASDAQ: AVID) today introduced a family of flexible support programs designed to address the needs of the company's full spectrum of audio and video customers -- ranging from home enthusiasts, to large media enterprises. Support packages offer services that cover a vast range of Avid products -- each tailored to address the specific business and technology needs of customers. Presenting one menu of support services is the latest in a series of steps that reflects Avid's ongoing transformation to integrate its five industry-leading businesses and better serve customers with a best-in-class support model.

Avid Standard Support

Avid Standard Support provides an economical option for casual and project-based customers working in environments where there is little complexity, and system availability is not mission-critical. With this package, customers will receive assisted phone support during standard business hours, 24x7 access to Avid's on-line self-help center and community forums (including the knowledge base), and regular software updates designed to help customers protect and extend their investments.

Avid Priority Support

Avid Priority Support is ideal for customers who require software investment protection and access to exchange hardware replacement materials, but do not work in mission critical, round-the-clock environments. In addition to receiving all the benefits of the Standard Support package, customers will also have access to expedited replacement materials and accelerated support response during standard business hours.

Avid Uptime Support

Avid Uptime Support is designed for small to mid-sized broadcasters and post production and audio facilities that require system availability beyond standard business hours. This package provides customers with all the benefits of the Priority Support package as well as priority queuing, around-the-clock access to assisted support and rapid response to critical issues.

Avid Enterprise Support

Avid Enterprise Support provides the highest level of coverage and is designed for the most complex media production environments such as large networked broadcast organizations and post production facilities, where even a few minutes of downtime can impact operations and revenue. In addition to receiving all the benefits of the Uptime Support package, these customers will have an Avid support team dedicated to their organization and be able to take advantage of benefits such as a periodic review of the support program, custom support alerts, virtual annual health checks, and workflow and third-party integration support.

"Avid's customer support staff delivers the most 'knock-your-socks-off' service I've ever experienced from any technology company. It's clear that they truly understand their customers' business and provide support offerings that fit the mission-critical needs of every customer, whether big or small," said Scott Putnam, President, Apex Technology Management, Inc., a mid-sized technology consulting organization that works with broadcasters and post facilities to design, implement and maintain production workflows. "When I was in a bind with one of my customers, Avid was there to take us step by step through the process of getting that customer back in business as soon as possible. You just don't get that level of service from most companies and it's a testament to how customer-focused Avid truly is."

In addition to its four new support packages, Avid will continue to offer economical "per incident" support access to customers of several of Avid's consumer products. These customers will be able to take advantage of rapid access to support as they need it.

"Avid realizes that our customers' success requires support services that mirror the standards of performance and value, to which we hold our products," said Beth Martinko, vice president of customer success at Avid. "We're confident that our new family of support offerings will provide our diverse customer community with a range of services that align with their specific needs and give them a level of reliability they can count on."

For more information, please visit Avid's support packages online. For pricing inquiries, contact your local Avid representative or reseller.

About Avid

Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched, and most loved media in the world -- from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours, and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid's most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer(R), Pro Tools(R), Avid Unity(TM), Interplay(R), Oxygen 8, Sibelius(R) and Pinnacle Studio(TM). For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, del.icio.us, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube; connect with Avid on Facebook or subscribe to Avid Industry Buzz.

Copyright 2009 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, systems requirement and availability are subject to change without notice. Avid, Pinnacle Studio, Media Composer, Pro Tools, Avid Unity, Interplay and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. The Interplay name is used with the permission of Interplay Entertainment Corp., which bears no responsibility for Avid products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:
Amy Peterson
Avid
978-640-3448
Email Contact

SOURCE: Avid

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