Customer Interaction Solutions articles from September 2005

Customer Interaction Solutions archives from September 2005

Introducing ... the Boardroom Report[TM]: the CRM, customer interaction and call center industry's view from the top.(Publisher's Outlook)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Customer Inter@ction Solutions introduces the industry's first in-depth and exclusive CEO-to-CEO series to bring you the inside report, the untold stories and best-kept secrets of our industry's greatest visionaries. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Offshored to death.(High Priority)
September 1, 2005... Will offshoring be the death of some American companies? Perhaps not, but what if intelligent competitors playing on the inherent patriotism of the American public were to begin using anti-offshore outsourcing sentiment as a way to take...

Opus Group's mike Callaghan on performance management: "if we don't deliver, you don't pay".(THE BOARDROOM REPORT)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... "The Boardroom Report" features exclusive interviews with leading CRM/contact center executives regarding industry news, analysis, trends and the latest developments at their companies. Technology Marketing Corp. founder/chairman/CEO Nadji...

Joe Natale.(Executive Spotlight)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... Joe Natale President TELUS Business Solutions The Executive Spotlight speaks with TELUS Communications Inc.'s Joe Natale, President of TELUS Business Solutions. CIS: What is TELUS' mission and market position, particularly as...

Lou Boudreau.(interview)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... Lou Boudreau CTO Verint Systems Contact Center Solutions Executive Spotlight recently spoke with Lou Boudreau, CTO of Verint Systems Contact Center Solutions (www.verint.com). Verint provides analytic software-based solutions...

The TMC Seal of Approval.(2005 Recommended Vendor List)(Directory)
September 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. CRM/Contact Center Software/Hardware Amae Software Aspect Communications Corp....

IEX TotalView true to its name.(Technology Highlights)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Have patience with my verbosity and allow me to preface this month's Technology Highlight. IEX's TotalView Workforce Management (WFM) software, which actually gives a total view (so it's not only a clever product name), provides a centralized...

iNation launches CRM solution.(CRM)
September 1, 2005... iNation, which designs and implements workplace applications, has announced the launch of NationBuilder, a new CRM tool that is a Web-based application for automating and optimizing daily business tasks. NationBuilder's menu enables users...

Knova Software, Control-F1 partner.(CRM)
September 1, 2005... Knova Software, a provider of service resolution management applications, has announced a partnership with integrated support automation company Control-F1. The partnership will offer support desk applications to optimize self-service...

Salesnet enhances enterprise product.(CRM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... CRM software provider Salesnet has announced an upgrade to its enterprise product offering by introducing more than 50 product enhancements. The product additions serve as a precursor to Salesnet's upcoming 25th Anniversary Edition, which...

Soffront, Intuit integrate.(CRM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Soffront Software Inc., a provider of enterprise and hosted CRM solutions targeted at the midmarket, has announced the availability of integration between Soffront CRM and Intuit's QuickBooks financial software. The move is intended to improve...

Talisma KnowledgeBase 5.0 receives KCS Verification.(CRM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... CRM solutions provider Talisma has announced that Talisma KnowledgeBase 5.0 has been recognized as "Knowledge-Centered Support Verified" by the Consortium for Service Innovation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Consortium for Service...

SugarCRM's Sugar Suite v3.5 in beta.(CRM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SugarCRM Inc., a provider of open-source CRM applications, has released the beta version of Sugar Suite 3.5 with new features aimed at simplifying the use of third-party add-on modules and strengthening the program's functionality and...

Brooktrout, Esnatech, Iwatsu offer messaging solution for SMBs.(Workforce Optimization)(small to medium-sized businesses )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Brooktrout Technology, Esnatech and Iwatsu together have announced a speech-enabled unified messaging solution for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [GRAPHIC OMITTED] The solution, which utilizes...

InVision launches subsidiary in the Netherlands.(Workforce Optimization)
September 1, 2005... Workforce management software provider InVision Software has launched a fully owned subsidiary, InVision Software B.V., in Utrecht, the Netherlands, as the workforce management specialist augments its market presence in the BeNeLux region. ...

FrontRange introduces IP Contact Center 5.0.(IP Contact Center)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... FrontRange Solutions USA Inc., a provider of service management, CRM and voice applications, has announced the availability of IP Contact Center (IPCC) 5.0. The new version of FrontRange's VoIP software suite features integration with...

Citrix unveils GoToMeeting 2.0.(Web-Based Customer Service)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Recording and playback, application sharing and drawing tools are among the new features available in Citrix GoToMeeting version 2.0. The online meeting and collaboration solution offers flat-fee pricing. Citrix GoToMeeting 2.0 provides tools...

Macromedia provides solution for online events.(Web-Based Customer Service)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Online-communications software provider Macromedia, Inc. has announced the availability of an all-inclusive Web event solution, providing customers with the opportunity to create, host and manage a Web seminar while eliminating travel and...

NetSuite announces v10.6.(Web-Based Customer Service)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Business management software provider NetSuite, Inc. has announced version 10.6 of its flagship product. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new release enables users to perform complex business functions that change data without regenerating...

Aplus.Net offers CRM hosting.(On-Demand Solutions)
September 1, 2005... Web hosting and design firm Aplus.Net has announced the launch and immediate availability of iCRM Pro, a CRM solution for small businesses that require a sales tool as well as hosting. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] iCRM Pro features online...

SoundBite incorporates call flow functionality into platform.(On-Demand Solutions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SoundBite Communications, a provider of interactive voice message (IVM) applications, has announced the incorporation of AutoManage call-flow technology into its hosted, on-demand interactive voice messaging platform. [ILLUSTRATION...

Soffront offers concurrent (floating) user licenses to on-demand CRM customers.(On-Demand Solutions)
September 1, 2005... Soffront Software Inc., a provider of enterprise and hosted CRM software for the midmarket, has announced its offering of concurrent (floating) user licenses to its on-demand (hosted) customers, reducing the monthly cost for most customers. ...

Brix Networks announces customer care solution for residential VoIP service providers.(Telephone Systems & Software)
September 1, 2005... Brix Networks, a provider of real-time performance management and service assurance solutions, has announced the availability of BrixCare Self-Service, a new VoIP quality measurement and reporting application that is designed to help service...

QAS releases QuickAddress Pro Web 5.0.(Customer Experience Management)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... QAS, a provider of address data quality software, has announced the release of QuickAddress Pro Web 5.0, which validates addresses against official U.S. Postal Service and 17 worldwide postal authority records during entry over Internet,...

KANA announces midmarket SRM Express, IQ for External Content Search, Enterico partnership.(Customer Experience Management)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Service resolution management solutions provider KANA Software, Inc. has announced its new solution set for the midmarket as well as a new partnership with Enterico, an IBM value-added solution reseller division of Continental Resources Inc....

Amae Software offering Performance Console.(Customer Experience Management)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Amae Software, a provider of performance and customer experience management software, has announced the deployment of the Amae CI Suite Performance Console. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The component of the Amae CI Suite is configured to...

Verint announces ULTRA IntelliConnect offerings.(Customer Experience Management)
September 1, 2005... Verint Systems Inc., a provider of analytic software-based solutions for communications interception, networked video security and business intelligence, announced the availability of ULTRA IntelliConnect, a new set of open standards-based...

Convergys completes Deloitte deal.(Services)
September 1, 2005... Convergys Corporation, a provider of customer care, human resources and billing services, announced the acquisition completion of the Finance and Accounting Business Process Outsourcing business of Deloitte Consulting Outsourcing LLC, a...

INFONXX, ScanSoft, Soleo partner.(Speech)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... INFONXX, a provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services, has partnered with both speech and imaging solutions provider ScanSoft and systems-integration company Soleo Communications to create and deliver speech...

Loquendo offers VoxNauta 7.0.(Speech)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Speech technology company Loquendo has announced the availability of its new, optimized voice platform solution, VoxNauta 7.0. The product is designed to provide the optimal exploitation of Loquendo TTS, Loquendo ASR and Loquendo Speaker...

Optimizing agents in an e-services environment: as online services gain momentum, agents play a more critical role than ever.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE MULTIMEDIA CONTACT CENTER SOLUTIONS EXPERTS)
September 1, 2005... "E-mail volumes are expected to reach 82.3 billion per day by the end of 2007."--The Radicati Group The analysts at Radicati Group didn't say how many of those e-mail messages are expected to be business related, but there's a good...

Customer service, buffet-style.
September 1, 2005... We all prefer choices. We don't want to be backed in to having to do one thing over the other if we can choose to have it one of several ways; or better yet, more than one way chosen from several. We all have different tastes and preferences....

Convergys: from outsource provider to global full-service outsourced solutions provider; Customer Inter@ction Solutions recently interviewed John C. (Jack) Freker, president of the Customer Management Group at Convergys Corporation.(SPECIAL FOCUS)
September 1, 2005... Jack Freker has a clear message for those in the call center industry who believe offshoring will solve every problem. "We don't think [offshore] is the panacea," he said. "It's part of the balanced solution that we bring to our clients....

Optimizing the inbound phone channel to better reach your customers.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2005... Chances are your company views customer interactions with your inbound phone channel as a matter of reducing pain, rather than increasing gain. Inbound call centers can be expensive to maintain, and automation is often applied as a "Band-Aid"...

Integration: the recipe for success.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2005... Many companies are striving for a 360-degree view of their customers, a critical capability if an organization is going to effectively manage these relationships and achieve its goals. The problem is that this view is not easily achieved,...

Celebrating Customer Service Week.(CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2005... If you lift the spirits of employees, the result should invariably be a rise in productivity and quality, as well as a drop in turnover and absenteeism. If you don't celebrate your quality employees' achievements constantly, at least celebrate...

IP contact center technology: eliminating the risks (Part VIII).(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE NEXT-GEN CONTACT CENTER EXPERTS)
September 1, 2005... In today's competitive environment, customer service has become a key differentiator--and the most reliable barometer of business success. In fact, research across industries validates a direct connection between customer loyalty and business...

Customer loyalty: an unscientific experiment.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE NEXT-GEN CONTACT CENTER EXPERTS)
September 1, 2005... Anyone who reads my regular columns on TMCnet knows I use a personal scale for customer service, with Geico at the top and cable companies at the bottom. The delight I've gotten in being a Geico customer for the last several years culminated in...

Keeping pace with corporate strategies: taking your customer care global.(OUTSOURCING)
September 1, 2005... Customer care. Your organization does it well. It has to. After all, by carefully managing customer interactions, you successfully protect and maximize the brand-building investments your company makes. Your company spends hundreds of millions...

Hosted virtual ACD: get more from your contact center without a large technology investment.(INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM THE TELESERVICES EXPERTS)
September 1, 2005... Now companies that have their own contact centers can have the latest call routing technology, more call capacity and dramatically improved customer contact capabilities, all without paying for upgrades or relinquishing operational control....

Hosted delivery, the "car leasing" of the technology world.
September 1, 2005... There are, when you think about it, many similarities between car leasing and buying technology on a hosted basis. People lease cars for a lot of reasons: they're not sure what their lifestyles will require in three or more years and don't want...

Speaking softly in your ear: the annual headset roundup.
September 1, 2005... Headsets, like other considered "trivialities" in the call center and enterprise business, are so very important but so often overlooked in their importance. Sifting through the available options to find the headsets that best fit your company...

Profile for success: what makes a good call center agent?(MANAGEMENT SCOPE)
September 1, 2005... For everyone in call center management who regularly has the opportunity to walk the floor and scan the rows of faces, you have no doubt pondered the questions at the heart of employee retention: Why do certain call center agents excel in this...

Spanlink awarded natural language information retrieval patent.(Licensing, certification and accreditation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Spanlink Communications, a provider of customer interaction solutions that leverage VoIP technology, recently announced that the U.S. Patent Office has awarded the company a patent in the field of natural language information retrieval. The...

Jean De La Bruyere.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])
September 1, 2005... "What a vast advantage has a speech over a written composition. Men are imposed upon by voice and gesture, and by all that is conducive to enhance the performance. --Jean De La Bruyere (1645-1696), French author and moralist

Avaya debuts speech self-service products.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Business communications applications, systems and services provider Avaya Inc. has announced the next generation of its IP-based speech self-service solutions. The new Avaya Voice Portal software platform integrates within a...

Empirix, Audium partner on VXML IVR applications.(SPEECH-WORLD[TM])(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Empirix, a provider of testing and monitoring solutions for next-generation networks, contact centers and Web-based applications, and packaged VoiceXML application software provider Audium have both announced a partnership designed to help...

AVST (audio visual speech technologies).(Definition Du Jour)
September 1, 2005... A technology that allows computers to "see" a speaker and read his or her lips, allowing the computer further confidence in speech recognition when trying to discern the difference between similar-sounding words (for example, "bear" and...

Predictive and real-time customer analytics ... and Mrs. Johnson's mother-in-law.(Last Call)
September 1, 2005... Customer analytics are all the rage these days. Exceptionally popular are predictive and real-time analytics, which allow companies to make decisions on-the-fly, rather than finding out after the fact what's going on. Why apply knowledge to the...