Customer Interaction Solutions articles from August 2008

Customer Interaction Solutions archives from August 2008

32 principles of modern marketing part 2.(Publisher's Outlook)
August 1, 2008... In the June issue, we began a discussion of 32 principles of modern marketing with the first five principles. This month we present numbers six through 11 on the list, and we will continue to revisit this series for the next several issues of...

No summertime slowdown.(High Priority)
August 1, 2008... August is traditionally a slow news month, but as this sampling of items that appeared on TMCnet shows, the contact center/CRM market continue to forge ahead with new solutions and innovations emerging on a daily basis. [ILLUSTRATION...

Benefits of the on-demand format for VIP call center solutions.(ONLINE EXCLUSIVES)
August 1, 2008... The on-demand, "software-as-a-service" format for application delivery is becoming more popular all the time, especially in the VoIP call center market. That's because on-demand, VoIP call center solutions are particularly well-suited to meet...

Study recommends contact center self-assess to ensure optimal hiring practices.(ONLINE EXCLUSIVES)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Call center hiring is one of the most daunting tasks as it is layered with high costs, high probability of attrition, and a specific desired skill set for a job that can be both challenging and stressful. For some individuals, the contact...

Making CRM software work for the whole business.(ONLINE EXCLUSIVES)
August 1, 2008... Because Customer Relationship Management systems play such a critical role in the success of today's business, the incorporation of CRM software solutions throughout the entire business is becoming increasingly important. A CRM system that can...

Los Angeles is setting a terrible precedent.(On The Line)
August 1, 2008... The American Teleservices Association tracks regulatory and legislative activity closely at the statc and federal level. Sometimes, policy makers create policy that makes sense, but more often than not, new ideas seem to come from "Ripley's...

Turnover isn't necessary: why solving impossible problems is possible if you don't settle for business as usual.(Headset)
August 1, 2008... For more than twenty years we have been hearing the same sad story about contact center workers: they are underpaid and underappreciated. They leave at an unbelievably high rate, no matter what managers and supervisors do to prevent turnover....

West launches home agent security environment.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(West Corporation)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2256.1 West Corporation has answered a key concern of teleservices clients about having home-based contact center agents handling their programs, namely how to protect their end-customers' data, by introducing the West at...

DMA08 to offer customer acquisition, loyalty, marketing insights.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2257.1 Contact center executives and those responsible for customer relationship management (CRM) strategies may want to check out the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) DMA08 Conference and Exhibition that will be held...

Mitel lauches advanced IP/UCC solutions for SMBs.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Mitel Networks Corp.)(small-midsized businesses)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2258.1 Mitel has launched several new products that address top requirements for small-midsized businesses (SMBs) including messaging, audio and web conferencing, mobile and remote workers support, and IP desk phones for...

Envision signs pact with Diagenix.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Envision Telephony)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2259.1 Envision Telephony, which provides analytics, e-learning, performance management, and workforce management software solutions, will see them delivered to more contact centers thanks to a new partnership with Diagenix,...

SER and VPI ink pact on UCC, WFO.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Voice Print International)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2260.1 SER, which supplies contact management and speech analytics solutions, will offer Voice Print International (VPI)'s workforce optimization (WFO) solutions in SER's contact management solution suite. The integrated...

Dickinson adds Intervoice IP Contact Center.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2261.1 Dickinson Financial Corporation (DFC) has selected the Intervoice IP Contact Center (IPCC) solution to extend their current IVR transactions to live agents. IPCC's built-in CTI and SIP-based architecture allows...

You don't know what P.Q.T. is?(Cartoon)
August 1, 2008... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT P.Q.T. IS? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T LEARNED ALL OF OUR ACRONYMS? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [C]2004 By CallCenterComics.com

Monster to open S.C. contact center.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2262.1 Online career and recruiting giant Monster will be opening a new 350-agent contact center in Florence, S.C. Monster had picked the location for its developing high quality labor market. The new site is part of...

Digital dialogue presents awards to contact centers.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2263.1 Digital Dialogue, which provides contact center operations and software solutions for credit unions, has honored two credit unions that utilize the Financial Service Centers Cooperative (FSCC) custom contact center...

Convergys to expand home-based agents.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2264.1 Convergys plans to hire an additional 2,000 home agents in key markets, including Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas by the end of 2008; The teleservices firm says that many of its clients need to ramp up...

Outdated working practices lose money for UK contact centers.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2265.1 The UK's contact center industry, which is one of Europe's largest, could be losing $200 million annually due to the use of antiquated working practices, reports CosmoCom. The firm estimated that of the 960,000 agents...

Research supports moue to multichannel contact centers.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2266.1 A customer loyalty survey by Thunderhead revealed 61 percent of US and UK consumers are actively considering switching insurance providers in the next 12 months, with 63 percent saying the same about their banks. The...

Infocision expands manfield, Ohio contact center.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2267.1 InfoCision Management Corporation has doubled the size of its Mansfield, Ohio contact center, allowing the teleservices firm to hire 120 agents and supervisors to join the 190 already working at the site. The facility...

ESS launches CRM systems.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2268.1 Enterprise Software Systems (ESS) has launched a new customizable CRM solution, based on Microsoft's .NET code frameworks and development, which will supply managed content services for integrating unstructured...

Salesforce releases Salesforce Summer '08.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2269.1 Salesforce.com's latest version of its flagship software-as-a-service (SaaS) CRM application, Salesforce Summer '08 has several new features and upgrades. It now offers Salesforce Ideas which enables companies to tap...

LiveOps releases Summer 08.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2270.1 LiveOps has updated its on-demand contact center platform. The new version, Summer 08, has several new features including the ability to create customized, real-time monitoring dashboards that incorporate data sources...

Cellular One implements Info Directions' CRM.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2271.1 Wireless firm Cellular One has implemented Info Directions' CostGuard XG CRM software and Lexys point of sale applications. The solutions will help Cellular One manage rating, billing, customer relationship management...

Tektronix introduces 'Zoey', a new IP testing 'assistant'.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2272.1 With IP telephony becoming the voice mode of choice in contact centers, maintaining a high quality of service is even more critical. To help contact centers and others, Tektronix Communications has introduced 'Zoey",...

Research: customers are annoyed and frustrated.(CUSTOMER INTER@CTION NEWS)
August 1, 2008... www.tmcnet.com/2273.1 A Ventana Research benchmark paper "Customer Experience Management: (CEM) Improving the Consistency and Quality of Customer Interactions," has found that that only 12 percent of organizations provide optimal CEM,...

Talkin' open source CRM with Chris Harrick.(CRM, BPO & Teleservices)(Interview)
August 1, 2008... I recently had the opportunity to speak with Chris Harrick, vice president, corporate and product marketing, SugarCRM about what's going on with open source CRM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DS: Describe the basic open source business model...

The role of agents and their impact on customer service.(CRM, BPO & Teleservices)
August 1, 2008... One of the biggest issues affecting customer service today is the role of the contact center agent. Dimension Data, a $3.8 billion leading IT solutions and services provider, recently researched the role of the agent and the agent's impact on...

Four easy steps to scriptwriting success.(Innovative SOLUTIONS)
August 1, 2008... For even the most seasoned professional, writing a compelling and effective telephone marketing script can be a daunting task. In today's hyper-competitive climate, getting to the point quickly and making a favorable impression on your prospect...

Experts: learn about the benefits and challenges of e-learning.(WORKFORCE Optimization)(Viewpoint essay)
August 1, 2008... E-Learning is an excellent and increasingly sophisticated tool to teach agents valuable new skills and upgrade their proficiencies and to educate them about new product and services, equipment and procedures. The method gives personnel...

BPO Industry: the ride from cost to innovation; What's return on innovation?(Innovative SOLUTIONS)
August 1, 2008... Evolution from cost to quality has been the key characteristic of the BPO industry in the early 2000s. This is the phase when BPO players started to adopt quality standards like COPC 2000 and ISO 9001:2000. A key stipulation of this phase we...

Tips on regulatory compliance.(Compliance Desk)
August 1, 2008... Compliance is a top of mind issue for contact centers, especially those conducting outbound campaigns. Enterprises and nonprofits alike need to stay within what is often a confusing and ever-changing set of laws and regulations. 1. Have...

The 2008 speech technology Excellence Awards.(AWARDS & Recognition)
August 1, 2008... Speech technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent with each passing day. Thanks to advancements in the algorithms used to interpret speech, coupled with today's faster processors, we now have speech recognition systems in our cars and on...

The best course for service; Why e-learning is essential to your investment in agents.(Listen and Learn)
August 1, 2008... In recent months, high fuel costs have forced various types of businesses, most notably airlines, to scale back their operations. As is typical during an economic downturn, companies in various industries seem to have few choices other than to...

UC and IP contact centers show strong growth.(From The Analysts' Desks)
August 1, 2008... Organizations throughout the world have discovered significant communication challenges when integrating disparate systems and supporting other locations and employees not housed in the corporate headquarters. As a result of these...

Fuel costs drive increased contact center interactions.(From The Analysts' Desks)
August 1, 2008... The rise in fuel costs has far-reaching implications, even in the contact center industry. While this phenomenon has been attributed to the rise in home-based agents, it is also causing a rise in contact center interactions as a result of an...

Agent at home: behind the buzz-word.
August 1, 2008... "Agent at Home" is one of the more prevalent buzz words in the contact center industry these days. While it may conjure up images of CSRs wearing bedroom slippers while taking calls, it is actually a useful option for call center managers to...

CRM that makes a difference: Convio helps Komen in fight against breast cancer.(CRM. BPO & Teleservices)
August 1, 2008... Employing the right customer, or for nonprofits constituent relationship management (CRM) solution can make a big difference not only in organizations' bottom lines but also in peoples' lives. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These applications...

Speech Rec: the new leader of automated voice?(CALL CENTER Technology)
August 1, 2008... Speech recognition applications are not such revolutionizing IVR, defined for this article as enabling dual-tone multiplex frequency (DTMF) or TouchTone[TM] interactions, but instead appears to be supplanting it as the key means of automated...

Serving the King.(CRM, BPO & Teleservices)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... The saying 'The Customer is King' is no longer just a cliche. This time customers really are in charge. The Internet has given them vast powers to research and compare products and services and to spread the word on them, good and bad. ...

Customer versus company: with contact centers in the middle.(Logout)
August 1, 2008... While I was at a call center industry conference several years ago I bought a fridge magnet that shows a rotary-dial phone covered in cobwebs surrounded by the words: 'Apathy. If we don't take care of the customer maybe they'll stop bugging...

Outrageous interactions in the contact center.(Ask the EXPERTS)
August 1, 2008... In the 18 years I've been in the contact center industry, I've heard my share of strange stories and even had a few of my own to share. However, the Outrageous Interactions promotion has opened my eyes to a new generation of oddity. It's true...