Customer Interaction Solutions articles from May 2005

Customer Interaction Solutions archives from May 2005

Enhancing the legitimacy of CRM/contact center is job one.(Publisher's Outlook)
May 1, 2005... History This publication was launched in June of 1982 in a pioneering effort to help build what is now the multibillion-dollar CRM/contact center industry. The name of the publication at that time was Telemarketing[R] magazine. Shortly...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2005... In the April issue's article, "IBM Technology Aiding Children's Hospital ICU," we made an error expressing the title of Dr. Anthony Rossi. His correct title is Director of the Cardiovascular Surgery ICU at Miami Children's Hospital. CIS...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Rich: I'm glad to see you taking up the battle to change our woefully inadequate terminology to describe how people should communicate with others or be contacted by automated application services in a converging multimodal communications...

Rich Tehrani writes about Amazon feedback.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... I recently ordered a $15 Firewire cable for a new video recorder. As it turns out, I ordered the wrong cable. Interestingly, this order was placed by an affiliate of Amazon, and when I tried to ask if I could exchange the cable, my e-mails went...

A host of opinions on hosted CRM.(High Priority)(Column)
May 1, 2005... The most difficult part of my job is trying to communicate with all the companies with which I would like to speak on a daily basis. A case in point is Siebel, which recently brought on board George Shaheen as its new CEO. Siebel has had some...

CEO Spotlight.(Interview)
May 1, 2005... This month, CEO Spotlight speaks with Jacada CEO Gideon Hollander. Jacada specializes in software solutions that accelerate business improvement, including its product Fusion, which delivers a simplified interaction experience on agents'...

The TMC Seal of Approval.(2005 Recommended Vendor List)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The following Recommended Vendors have distinguished themselves by winning one or more of TMC's coveted awards, earning them the TMC Seal of Approval. Teleservices Outsourcing West Corporation InfoCision Management Corporation ...

Macromedia's solution is blowin' in the wind.(Technology Highlights)
May 1, 2005... Macromedia's updated system of online communications is not "breezy" in the sense that it's egregious or without weight--it is simply a breath of fresh air. And, rather, it is of ample attributes that can contribute to every aspect of an...

BrowserCRM announces professional version 4.0 for Linux, Windows and Macintosh.(BrowserCRM Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... BrowserCRM, Ltd., a provider of customizable, intuitive and fully integrated CRM, sales and support solutions, has announced the release of BrowserCRM Professional version 4.0 for Linux, Windows and Macintosh. This product marks a range of new...

UniPress links FootPrints service desk to CRM applications.(CRM)
May 1, 2005... UniPress Software, Inc., a midmarket provider of Web-based service desk automation software, has announced a new solution for dynamically linking its FootPrints service desk on a bidirectional basis to CRM tracking applications from Microsoft,...

Saratoga Systems introduces wireless enterprise information solution.(CRM)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Saratoga Systems Inc., a supplier of enterprise software solutions to the mid-to-large enterprise market, has announced the general availability of the Saratoga Wireless data access solution. Saratoga Wireless enables enterprises to offer...

Argent releases new version of CRM based on its v2 billing platform.(Argent Networks Limited)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Argent Networks Limited, a provider of billing and customer care solutions for service providers, has announced the release of ArgentCRM, the company's end-to-end CRM based on Argent's billing platform ArgentEclipse. ArgentCRM provides an...

Concerto offers new releases for performance optimization.(Workforce Optimization)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Concerto Software has announced general availability of Concerto Analyzer 3.3.1 and Concerto Campaign Optimizer 6.6.1, two of the company's updated performance optimization products. These new releases can seamlessly integrate to EnsemblePro,...

Net Intent releases Web-based tutorial for sales.(Workforce Optimization)(Net Intent LLC)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Net Intent, LLC, a developer of e-learning programs and tools for human resources, sales training and technical skills certification, has announced the general release of Convergence Solutions Selling (CSS), a Web-based tutorial for sales...

Recruitmax makes performance management app available.(Workforce Optimization)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Recruitmax, a provider of workforce technology and services, has announced that its performance management application, Impact, is now available. Impact provides a comprehensive solution for developing and retaining exceptional employees by...

TenDigits launches solution to integrate with Microsoft platform, BlackBerry.(Workforce Optimization)(TenDigits Software Inc)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TenDigits Software Inc., a developer of software for extending enterprise applications to wireless, handheld devices, has announced the launch of MobileAccess for Microsoft CRM (MSCRM). MobileAccess is a solution that is deployed in as few as...

Witness Systems launches end-to-end workforce optimization solution.(Workforce Optimization)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Witness Systems has unveiled an end-to-end solution for optimizing workforce performance. The solution helps companies striving to manage their personnel effectively and capitalize on the valuable information captured through customer...

Telstra makes global VoIP offering available for multinational corporations.(IP Contact Center)(Voice over Internet Protocol)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Telstra Incorporated has announced the availability of T-VoIP, the company's global VoIP offering. T-VoIP is aimed at providing multinational corporations with a quality solution to control, manage and reduce global telecommunications costs....

Ardence enhances call center solution, offers High-Availability Option as add-on.(Web-Based Customer Service)(Ardence Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Ardence, Inc. (formerly VenturCom, Inc.), a developer of software designed for enhancing control, dependability and management of Windows operating systems, has announced availability of Ardence 3.3 for call center desktops, servers and Windows...

Liberty Alliance releases interface specifications for identity-based Web services.(Web-Based Customer Service)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Liberty Alliance, a global consortium for open federated identity standards and identity-based Web services, has announced the release of interface specifications that support presence, contact book and geo-location Web services. Deployable on...

Angel.com updates Site Builder toolkit with Data Pages, Logic Pages.(On-Demand Solutions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Angel.com, a provider of on-demand IVR solutions, has announced a significant update to Site Builder 2005, the company's Web-based toolkit designed to allow users to more easily create speech-enabled phone applications. Site Builder 2005 now...

Salesboom.com enhances e-mail for On-Demand CRM/SFA suite of services.(On-Demand Solutions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Salesboom.com, an on-demand and CRM/sales force automation (SFA) service provider, has unveiled new planned enhancements to its integrated Web-based e-mail component of the Salesboom.com CRM/SFA suite of services. The new e-mail enhancements...

Siebel makes available CRM OnDemand Release 7.(On-Demand Solutions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Siebel Systems, Inc., a provider of business applications software, has announced the availability of Siebel CRM OnDemand Release 7. This release extends the capabilities of Siebel CRM OnDemand by providing the hosted contact center solution as...

i2Telecom launches free softphone, announces new national/international calling rates.(Telephone Systems & Software)(i2Telecom International Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... i2Telecom International, Inc., a provider of VoIP products and services, has announced immediate availability of the free softphone version of its VoiceStick service, its new Internet-downloadable phone. Available through its Web site, the...

SPIRIT announces Java version of TeamSpirit, voice engine for multipoint IP conferencing.(Telephone Systems & Software)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... SPIRIT, a supplier of embedded software products for digital voice communication, has announced TeamSpirit Java, a Java version of TeamSpirit, the company's voice engine for multipoint IP conferencing. The primary distinguishing feature of...

Onyx offers new Analytics solution to empower enterprise decision making.(Customer Experience Management)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Onyx Software Corporation, a provider of customer management software, has announced the availability of Onyx Analytics, a comprehensive business intelligence and reporting solution. Onyx Analytics, optimized for Onyx Customer Management and...

ASC introduces SIP-supported VoIP recording solution for Linux, offers smart recording.(Customer Experience Management)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... ASC, a provider of performance improvement solutions for contact centers, financial institutions, and public safety and government organizations, has announced its Linux-based VoIP recording solution, EVOip for Linux. The company has...

VoiceLog announces VoIP for VirtualLogger platform.(Customer Experience Management)(Voice over Internet Protocol)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... VoiceLog LLC, a provider of on-demand call recording and monitoring, has announced the availability of VoIP recording for all variants of VoIP in its VirtualLogger ASP/service bureau platform. The availability of VoIP recording for...

AVST introduces CallXpress Speech Server for call completion, personal assistant apps.(Applied Voice and Speech Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST) has introduced CallXpress Speech Server, which is based on the latest version of its advanced speech module, Seneca 4.5. CallXpress Speech Server delivers speech-enabled call completion and...

Siebel names new CEO.(appointment of George T. Shaheen as Chief Executive Officer)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Siebel Systems, Inc., a provider of business applications software, has announced the appointment of industry technology veteran George T. Shaheen as the company's chief executive officer, effective immediately. Shaheen, a member of the Siebel...

Talisma acquires KnowledgeBase.net.(Talisma Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Talisma, a provider of multichannel CRM solutions, has announced the acquisition of KnowledgeBase.net, a provider of hosted and on-site knowledge management software for customer support and self-service. Talisma will incorporate...

VoIPAction launches VoIP Verified Program.(Voice over Internet Protocol)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... VoIPAction, a provider of an up-to-date and targeted directory of "who's who" in the VoIP space, has announced the launch of its VoIP Verified Program, which features trusted companies in the VoIP space. With the VoIP Verified Program,...

KnowledgeBase Marketing acquires analytics developer Fortelligent.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... KnowledgeBase Marketing, a provider of direct marketing services, has acquired Fortelligent, a developer of next-generation analytical solutions in hosted environments. "The Fortelligent acquisition extends our analytical capabilities by...

Dictaphone to sell Communication Recording Systems to NICE.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Dictaphone Corporation, a provider of dictation, transcription, speech recognition and natural language processing systems, has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with NICE Systems, under which NICE will acquire the assets of...

Envision launches business consulting group.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Envision Telephony, Inc., a provider of business solutions for the contact center and the enterprise, has announced its new business consulting service, designed to help companies achieve a maximum return on their technology investment by...

Knova Software formed by merger of ServiceWare, Kanisa.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Knova Software, a provider of service resolution management applications, has launched its new identity, following the merger of ServiceWare Technologies, a provider of knowledge management for customer support, and Kanisa, a provider of...

Synchronica acquired by DAT.(DAT Group plc)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... DAT Group plc, a provider of provision and management solutions for mobile devices, has acquired Synchronica, a German provider of mobile synchronization and device management solutions. Under the terms of the agreement. DAT Group plc will...

CEGEDIM announces acquisition of Target Software.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... CEGEDIM, a European provider of CRM solutions for the healthcare industry, has announced it has acquired Target Software, Inc., a pharmaceutical CRM provider in the U.S. Target Software licenses its suite of CRM, sales force automation and drug...

Pronexus development & testing suite for MS Speech Server receives certification.(Happenings)
May 1, 2005... Pronexus Inc., a provider of computer telephony and speech software solutions, has announced that VeoDesign, its development and testing suite for Microsoft Speech Server 2004, has been certified for use on Speech Server. The VeoDesign...

Talisma premieres "Professional with Every Purchase" program.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Talisma has announced the availability of the Professional with Every Purchase program for the purpose of providing new customers with world-class consulting services bundled with every license at no additional charge. The program also aims at...

O'Currance Teleservices hires new VP of sales.(appointment of Clint Gearheart as Vice President of sales)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... O'Currance Teleservices, a provider of inbound telemarketing products and services, has announced its hiring of Clint Gearheart as its vice president of sales. Gearheart will direct all of O'Currance's sales and new business development...

Genesys, Viecore broaden partnership for delivery to vertical markets.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. and Viecore, Inc., a systems integration firm specializing in enterprise-level self-service solutions for customer contact, have announced that the two companies have broadened their existing...

Antepo, America Online form alliance.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Antepo, Inc., a provider of scalable enterprise instant messaging (EIM) and presence technology, has announced its formation of an alliance with America Online, Inc., and has been named an AOL Enterprise Federation Program partner (EFP). The...

Six steps to successful CRM-CTI deployment.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
May 1, 2005... The world of enterprise software shook when Oracle acquired PeopleSoft. Most IT professionals remember promises of 360-degree views of the customer throughout the organization, a consistent customer experience integrating all touch points,...

The Taylor Institute of Direct Marketing: a groundbreaking effort in educating the next generation of contact center management.(OUTSOURCING)
May 1, 2005... Imagine this scenario: you need to hire several supervisors for your call center. You've promoted from within all you can, so you need to head to the open job market for new candidates. You have several people with call center experience come...

Reading beyond stereotypes: considering Ontario, Canada, for outsourcing and call centers.(OUTSOURCING)
May 1, 2005... If you're honest, you'll admit when Canada becomes the topic of conversation the initial thoughts that come to mind may include the following: cheap prescription drugs; horse-mounted police; the dog-eat-dog sporting world of curling; SARS;...

Nearshore, offshore and blended-shore: understanding your outsourcing options.(OUTSOURCING)
May 1, 2005... Many firms today are evaluating outsourcing options and measuring the cost-savings potential. The choices can be confusing when companies look at their options: there are nearshore providers, offshore providers and a new category of...

Select the right speech application for your business.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE TELESERVICES EXPERTS)
May 1, 2005... So, you're considering speech technology as part of your customer care solution. But with all of the options out there, what is the best way to implement speech within your enterprise, and how can you ensure that you reap all of the cost...

Speech frustrations.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE TELESERVICES EXPERTS)
May 1, 2005... How frustrating it is when you call a customer service number, verbalize the information requested of you by the speech recognition system, only to be asked those same questions by a live agent? The dull familiarity of verbally repeating...

Compliance technologies and services roundup.(CONTACT CENTER TECHNOLOGY)
May 1, 2005... As the contact center industry resigns itself to settling into compliance with the multitude of state and federal regulations passed in the last few years, a new category of products and services has come into increased prominence. Contact...

IP contact center technology: eliminating the risks (Part IV).(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE NEXT-GEN CONTACT CENTER EXPERTS)
May 1, 2005... One of the questions we hear most often is, "How can I future-proof the IP contact center technology investment I'm about to make and maximize its useful lifecycle?" This month we're going to examine the issue within the context of different...

A new decade of analytics.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE NEXT-GEN CONTACT CENTER EXPERTS)
May 1, 2005... Throughout the past several years, as contact center technologies have seen numerous advances, reporting and analytics have followed only a few steps behind these technologies, in a sort of "unorganized posse." The nature of contact center...

VoiceLog announces automated verification that beats live agent results.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(launch of Free Speech TPV)
May 1, 2005... VoiceLog LLC, a provider of third-party verification, recently announced that its Free Speech TPV offering has outperformed live agent verification in real-world conditions--with higher verification rates and lower costs. Free Speech TPV is the...

From Antigone.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
May 1, 2005... "Whoever thinks that he alone has speech, or possesses speech or mind above others, when unfolded such men are seen to be empty." --Sophocles (497-406 B.C.), Greek Tragedian. From Antigone.

Barge-in.(Definition Du Jour)(terminology of speech recognition software)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A feature, common to some speech technologies, that allows the user to "interrupt" the system, eliminating the need to wait until the system's "voice" finishes explaining information or offering options the caller does not need.

Confidence threshold.(Definition Du Jour)(terminology of speech recognition software)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A pre-determined figure that gauges the likelihood that the system correctly interpreted the language spoken by a user. For example, a system may determine that the likelihood the user uttered her name as "Mary Jones" is 90 percent, an...

Pronexus VeoDesign, development/testing suite for Microsoft Speech Server, receives application certification from Microsoft.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
May 1, 2005... Pronexus Inc., a provider of computer-telephony and speech software solutions, recently announced that VeoDesign, its development and testing suite for Microsoft Speech Server 2004, has been certified for use on Speech Server. The VeoDesign...

Wireless SFA.(TMC[TM] LABS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... Wireless SFA Sendia 3420 Ocean Park Blvd., Ste. 3080 Santa Monica, CA 90405 Ph: 310-752-7000; Fax: 310-752-7001 Web: www.sendia.com Price: The annual list price for the Hosted Edition of Wireless SFA is $400 to $600...

Cleanup in the self-service aisle.(Last Call)(Column)
May 1, 2005... A year or two ago, my local grocery store installed four "self-checkout" stations. I was very excited. Not only did they allow me to indulge in my childhood wish to play "cashier" (though, when I was playing cashier as an eight-year-old, it...