Customer Interaction Solutions articles from October 2004

Customer Interaction Solutions archives from October 2004

Speech technology ... next generation contact center: Part 1; A vital technology necessary for the survival and prosperity of contact centers.(Publisher's Outlook)
October 1, 2004... Innovation Is The Key Since 1982, when this publication laid the foundation in a pioneering act for the current multibillion dollar customer interaction, contact center and CRM sectors, our industry has been blessed with countless...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Dear Nadji: I loved your article, 8 Steps For Taking Customer Loyalty To The Next Level (August, www.tmcnet.com/cis/0804/po.htm). Being in sales, it is a great thing to see in writing how I was taught to sell by my former manager at...

Speech and the future of the contact center.(High Priority!)
October 1, 2004... Without question, speech technologies will change this decade for the better. Speech is the first mode of communication we learn when we are children and it remains the most natural communication interface for humans. I'm not saying that speech...

Nortel Web-Centric Self Service.(Nortel Networks Corp.)(Column)
October 1, 2004... What happens when you combine the resources of a hypertext-based information system that distributes nearly everything you'd ever want (or not want) to know--from a recipe for Swamp Water Punch with the Floating Arm of Death (Floating Arm of...

Pipkins offers WebAccess to view/modify schedules online, forms alliance with Syntoria.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Pipkins Inc., a workforce management software and services supplier, now offers an online, do-it-yourself agent schedule viewing and modification system to dramatically reduce schedule-related overhead for contact centers. The WebAccess system...

InVision offers version 4.3 of SPS workforce management software.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... InVision Software, a workforce management solutions specialist, has presented its Staff Planning System (SPS) version 4.3 to automate shift optimization and to integrate training planning processes into the staff scheduling process. In addition...

Fiorano releases latest version of FioranoMQ.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Fiorano Software Inc., a provider of enterprise integration middleware, has announced the release of FioranoMQ 7.5. The latest version provides enhanced performance for both Pub/Sub and PTP messaging, a new administration tool, flexible flow...

Optivon offers Advanced Call Managements services.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Optivon, a provider of telephony services, has rolled out its suite of Advanced Call Management services for businesses. Advanced Call Management services combine Optivon's "expertise in personally assisted calls using a Voice over Internet...

Mitel launches IP Telephony Accounting Solution for businesses.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Mitel, a provider of IP communications solutions, has announced the launch of its IP Telephony Accounting Solution, an advanced utility used to monitor and report telephony usage within businesses. This solution can provide IT and...

NSC releases ShareIt FTP Pro with SSL/TLS support for Microsoft Pocket PC.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... NSC, a software and IT services firm, has introduced ShareIt FTP Pro 1.7, the next major release of its FTP server software. ShareIt FTP is a file-sharing solution that enables home, academic, government, industrial and corporate users to...

Arista announces new series of Stainless Steel Bezel Panel PCs.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Arista Corporation, an industrial PC solutions provider and system integrator, has introduced the new ARP-1717AX Panel PC with its NEMA 4X Stainless Steel Bezel Panel Mount 17-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to Arista's 17-inch all-in-one...

Melissa Data partners with Trackmymail.com to offer PLANET Codes.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Melissa Data, a provider of data quality software and services, has announced a partnership with Trackmymail.com to offer PLANET Code tracking services to volume mailers. PLANET Codes are bar-coded labels that are scanned by the U.S. Postal...

Contec launches Hornet Accelerator and Hornet version 3.4.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Contec Innovations, a provider of mobile data solutions, has announced the release of Hornet Accelerator developer resources and version 3.4 software for its Hornet mobile service delivery platform. The purpose of Hornet Accelerator is to...

Syntellect announces Vista 5.0.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Syntellect Inc., a provider of self-service and assisted service solutions, has announced that it will release the version 5.0 of its flagship product Vista in the fourth quarter of 2004. Vista, an open standards and software-centric IVR...

Angel.com releases Site Builder 2005 to create speech-enabled phone applications.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Angel.com, a provider of on-demand IVR solutions, has released Site Builder 2005, the next generation of the company's patented product for the creation, deployment and maintenance of IVR applications. Angel.com's Site Builder is a tool for...

Stratex announces extension to nodal transmission system.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Stratex Networks, Inc., a provider of wireless transmission solutions, has announced Eclipse Quattro, a new ultra-high capacity extension to the Eclipse nodal transmission system. Eclipse Quattro extends super-PDH capacities introduced in...

Avaya announces self-service/speech solutions, collaborates with IBM.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Avaya Inc. recently announced new releases of its unified communications and contact center solutions, which deliver self-service functionalities across an organization through speech-enabled applications. Avaya Unified Communication Center 2.0...

Empirix launches OneSight to automatically monitor Cisco ICM.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Empirix Inc., a company that helps organizations strengthen customer loyalty through assured Web and voice application performance, has launched a new solution to help companies manage and improve the performance of Cisco Intelligent Contact...

SandCherry announces speech solutions, forms reselling alliance with Metaphor.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SandCherry, Inc., a communications software company, has announced Voice4 solutions to simplify the selection of speech technology by offering industry and platform targeted solutions. Voice4 platform solutions combine SandCherry's advanced...

SilkRoad introduces audio/video chat solution.(New Products)(SilkRoad technology, Inc)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SilkRoad technology, Inc., a provider of enterprise-class content management and collaboration software, has announced the launch of a full-fledged audio and video conferencing extension to its ChatBlazer enterprise-class chat/instant messaging...

Envision releases four enterprise applications, intelligence portal, Performance Suite 8.2.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Envision Telephony, Inc., a provider of business solutions for the contact center and the enterprise, has announced a new set of business applications to bring unity between the contact center and the enterprise in order to create a superior...

Talisma launches Talisma V6.0, announces multichannel CRM to be used by PhotoWorks.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Talisma, a provider of multichannel CRM solutions, has announced the launch of Talisma V6.0 Plus, featuring two new components: Talisma Knowledgebase and Talisma Portal. Talisma Knowledgebase is a multi-user knowledge management system designed...

Pronexus VBSALT supports Vail systems SIP Telephony Interface Manager.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Pronexus Inc., a provider of computer-telephony and speech software solutions, has announced that VBSALT, a rapid application development tool for Microsoft Speech Server, supports the newly released Vail SIP Telephony Interface Manager (TIM)....

Phonetic releases Voice Search Engine Version 5.8.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Phonetic Systems, a provider of large speech recognition solutions, has announced an upgrade to its patented speech recognition technology, which is the core foundation of its enterprise, call center and carrier speech applications. Version 5.8...

Nortel announces Symposium Call Center Server 5.0.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nortel Networks has announced its version 5.0 of Symposium Call Center Server (SCCS) to enhance network skills-based routing. The purpose of which is to help enterprises increase their effectiveness by transitioning to IP telephony, this new...

NetCracker acquires professional services firm Firma AVD.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... NetCracker Technology, a provider of OSS solutions, has acquired Firma AVD, a European company that specializes in providing system integration, business process engineering and IT consulting to telecommunications service providers. Firma AVD,...

Airo Wireless Media, Inc. provides GPS emergency response solution to CUSA vehicles.(Happenings)(Coach USA, LLC)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Airo Wireless, Inc., a provider of GPS-enabled mobile location solutions, has announced its assistance to Clear Technologies in the integration of an Emergency On-board Communications solution for Coach USA, LLC's (CUSA) ground transportation...

SJS installs contact center optimization in Ireland.(Happenings)(SJS Solutions)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SJS Solutions, an optimization software provider for contact centers, has installed two solutions at PFPC International in Ireland. PFPC was looking for a cost-effective alternative to Symposium and other "complex reporting packages," and SJS...

Open Systems introduces new reseller programs.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Open Systems, Inc., a provider of accounting, CRM, e-business, not-for-profit, manufacturing and distribution software for the midmarket, has announced six new reseller programs for both its OPEN SYSTEMS Accounting Software (OSAS) and TRAVERSE....

IQ Services partners with Quality Call Solutions.(Happenings)(Interactive Quality Services, Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Interactive Quality Services, Inc. (IQ Services) has announced its newest business partnership, with Quality Call Solutions (QCS). IQ Services offers cost-effective load testing and availability monitoring for contact center and Web-based...

VoiceLog challenges all third-party verification companies.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... VoiceLog LLC, a provider of third-party verification for the telecommunications and competitive energy markets, has announced the VoiceLog Challenge, an offer to take on all companies in live agent-, touch-tone- and speech recognition-driven...

TechTeam Global selected by Joy Global for bilingual help-desk support.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... TechTeam Global Inc., a provider of multilingual help-desk support services, has been selected by Joy Global Inc., a mining machinery and services company, to consolidate Joy Global's multinational technical help desks and deliver...

Sheer Networks names former Amdocs VP as CEO.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Sheer Networks, a provider of service management solutions for carrier networks and large enterprises, has announced the appointment of former Amdocs Executive, Klod Ghez, as CEO. Ghez, whose career includes senior level positions at preeminent...

LogicTree to voice automate Citco Mutual Fund Services Help Line.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... LogicTree Corporation, a provider of voice solutions to call centers, has announced its contract with Citco Mutual Fund Services (CMFS) to provide voice automation for CMFS's Shareholder Servicing and Transfer Agency division. CMFS will use...

Loquendo Technology chosen to speech enable Targex Corp., NY MTA to use Loquendo.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Loquendo, a speech technology vendor, was selected by Targex Corp. to speech enable Targex's vehicle-tracking Eagle Eye Embedded AVL Unit. Loquendo's embedded text-to-speech software can enable Targex customers to enjoy natural sounding speech...

EADS N.A. and Rockefeller form alliance, EADS assigns new senior director.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... EADS TELECOM North America, an enterprise telephony and contact center provider, and Rockefeller Group Telecommunications Services, Inc. (a subsidiary of The Rockefeller Group), a corporation concentrated in real estate, real estate services...

Concer to acquires Rockwell FirstPoint Contact.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Concerto Software, a provider of contact center solutions, has announced its acquisition of Rockwell FirstPoint Contact from Rockwell Automation, Inc., a provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions. The terms of...

iVoice enters into LOI to sell intellectual property to a biometric company.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... iVoice, Inc., a provider of speech recognition technology, has announced that it has entered into a letter of intent to sell its speech engine, source code and assorted technology-related patents to NGM TEC, Inc., a provider of identity...

Performix appoints new CEO.(Happenings)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Performix Technologies, a provider of employee performance management solutions for the contact center industry, has appointed former president and CEO of Excerlegy, Bill Mahoney, as its CEO. Prior to joining Excelergy, Mahoney spent five years...

FrontRange over IP: a talk with CEO Michael McCloskey.(IP CONTACT CENTERS)(Interview)
October 1, 2004... This month, Tracey Schelmetic, editorial director of Customer Inter@ction Solutions[R], spoke with the CEO of FrontRange Solutions, Michael McCloskey, about his company's announcement of a new IP contact center product geared toward the small...

Mobilizing CRM: routes to success.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
October 1, 2004... Over the past 15 years, the evolution of CRM has paralleled changing business philosophy--from the early days when what passed for CRM was really only a contact database that assisted the sales process, to the current, customer-centric...

New directions to the successful virtual contact center.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
October 1, 2004... Virtual call centers need help. Widespread adoption of the concept is hamstrung by a number of factors. Without an infusion of fresh technology and reliable training and skills assessment, the concept may be forever consigned to "last resort"...

Who's who in teleservices.(OUTSOURCING)
October 1, 2004... Once again, the editors of Customer Inter@ction Solutions[R] have compiled what is one of our top five most popular and requested resources: the annual Teleservices Agencies Who's Who listing. To make this a highly valuable tool, we've kept it...

Offshore versus domestic: pros and cons.(OUTSOURCING)
October 1, 2004... In his September 2004 "Publisher's Outlook," Nadji Tehrani wrote that "some domestic companies are enjoying record sales and profits" despite the recent controversy over offshore call center outsourcing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As one...

Remote agents: the challenges of virtual and distributed contact centers.
October 1, 2004... With the growing trend of agents working from home and the consolidation of several disparate locations managed as one "virtual" enterprise, the technical challenges of setting up and maintaining such a contact center model can become...

VoiceObjects opens its voice application server architecture to the global voice industry.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(VoiceObjects)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... VoiceObjects, a provider of voice application management systems (VAMS) for voice-driven telephone services, has announced the launch of VoiceObjects XDK. The product was created to be the first open, XML-based dialog interface to a complete...

Metaphor Solutions announces speech application development tools.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Metaphor Solutions, a player in the speech IVR (interactive voice response) arena, recently announced the first release of its Metaphor Conversation Manager (MCM). Metaphor Conversation Manager is an integrated development environment for...

A talk with Nuance's Lynda Kate Smith.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(Interview)
October 1, 2004... The editors of Customer Interaction Solutions[R] recently spoke with Lynda Kate Smith, vice president and chief marketing officer of Nuance Communications (www.nuance.com), to hear her opinions on the present and future of speech technologies....

TMC Labs Innovation Awards, part II.(TMC[TM] Labs)
October 1, 2004... The TMC Labs Innovation Awards are intended to provide special recognition to products that help carve a new market niche or start a new trend. These awards highlight what is special about them and what sets them apart from their competitors...

Introducing.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... Speech applications are revolutionizing today's call centers just like the ACD and predictive dialer once did. Applications of speech are now moving from IVR and contact centers into our cars, PCs, PDAs and even common household items like TV...

Conference info.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... Keynotes Updated at www.speech-world.com Cisco Systems, Speaker TBA [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chris Gravett Director, Aculab [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stuart Berkowitz, Founder, President & CEO, Voice Genie ...

Agenda at-a-glance.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... Conference Schedule * Day 1: Tuesday-November 30, 2004 [TABLE OMITTED] Conference Schedule * Day 2: Wednesday-December 1, 2004 [TABLE OMITTED] Conference Schedule * Day 2: Wednesday-December 1, 2004 [TABLE OMITTED] ...

Conference sessions.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... Technical Development Track How to Save Money on Your Speech-Enabled Solutions by Being a Smart Customer Tuesday, November 30 * 9:45-10:30 am This session is all about being a smart customer. When sourcing a speech enabled...

Exhibit hall.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... Come See, Test & Compare The Latest Speech & IP Contact Center Technologies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Exhibit Hall Hours: Tuesday, November 30.... 5:00 pm-7:00 pm Wednesday, December 1... 11:15 am-5:00 pm Come Find...

Conference info.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
October 1, 2004... On-Site Registration Hours Tuesday--November 30 7:30 am-6:00 pm Wednesday--December 1 7:00 am-5:00 pm Thursday--December 2 7:30 am-12:00 pm Exhibit Hall Hours Tuesday--November 30 5:00 pm-7:00 pm Wednesday--December...

Contingency planning by the numbers.(Managing By The Numbers)
October 1, 2004... The recent hurricanes that hit Florida have many call centers once again pondering their disaster recovery options. It seems to take a few disasters to make us dust off our contingency plans to see if they're up-to-date and capable of seeing us...

IP: taking the center out of call center.(internet protocol)(Editorial)
October 1, 2004... When many people in the contact center market hear the term "IP telephony," the first thing they frequently do is nod and respond, "Ah, yes... we thought about that. Good cost savings." What many do not realize is that IP telephony is...

Telephony convergence--something for everyone.
October 1, 2004... For the best part of a decade, businesses have been faced with an ever increasing range of solutions which offer computer-telephony integration but are often dependent upon the type and age of the telephony system they have installed. In...