As part of the arrangement, NAR is also collaborating with Ifbyphone to develop solutions that enhance voice interactions for its more than 1.1 million Realtor® members. "NAR established Second Century Ventures to bring Realtor®-focused solutions to the real estate marketplace," said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. "In Ifbyphone we've identified a partner who can help our members grow their businesses. We look forward to working with Ifbyphone to create customer interaction solutions for our industry. Ifbyphone will help NAR members lower their cost of doing business while also offering them new ways to leverage their marketing and advertising dollars and generate increased sales in the process."

NAR's investment was part of Ifbyphone's "B" round of funding and brought the round to $8 million total. Initial "B" round funding included the previous investors Ifbyphone Founder/CEO Irv Shapiro, Apex Venture Partners, Origin Ventures, Spring Mill Ventures and the i2A Fund. Overall, Ifbyphone has raised $16 million in venture funding.

"The investment by Second Century Ventures validates how Ifbyphone's innovative solutions are helping small- to mid-sized businesses attract and retain more customers by managing, measuring and automating voice communications. These new funds enhance our continued efforts as the leading company automating the often forgotten voice component of customer interactions," said Ifbyphone's Founder and CEO Irv Shapiro. "Voice has been, is today and will continue to be a critical component of the customer engagement process."

Ifbyphone's industry-leading product suite enables any business to improve the interactions with their customers on any phone, at any time. The Ifbyphone suite includes solutions for call tracking, customer notifications, interactive voice response (IVR), and virtual call center. For more information about Ifbyphone, visit www.ifbyphone.com.