Is 2012 Really Here?

By Phil Grudzinski

January/February 2012

I cannot believe we have arrived at the end of 2011 already and are ready to start the New Year. All I can say is that at the ATA (American Teleservices Association) there was a whirlwind of activity to close out the year. There were numerous chapter events, all with excellent feedback from those who attended. I want to commend the chapters on launching these events and especially for all of the social responsibility that was attached to them. We raised significant dollars for numerous charities and collected many toys for families in need as we gathered together for our holiday networking.

Throughout all of the transition and positive changes happening at the ATA, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend three chapter events in Chicago, Indianapolis, and New York City (well, at least an event with a clear view of NYC). All were fantastic venues with impressive locations: the Mid-America Club on the eightieth floor of the Aon Center in Chicago, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (where we toured the stadium and saw the ATA’s logo on the JumboTron and around the stadium), and the W Hotel in Hoboken, New Jersey, a short ferry ride across the Hudson with a prime view of New York City.

We have had a full year at the ATA with the creation of Jobs4America and with the ATA’s Self-Regulatory Organization (ATA-SRO) gaining significant momentum with the adoption by twenty member companies and clear praise from the FTC and AGs (attorneys general) for the focused agenda on consumer privacy and consumer protection. We have also broadened our educational and advocacy agenda to deal with the ever-increasing technology developments that are creating a digital transformation in consumer communication. This transformation is leading us to recognize the traditional contact center as the nucleus of consumer communications for a company, creating a multichannel contact center structure that deals with email, chat, Web, and social media applications as well as the traditional call capabilities.

We are continuing to serve our members by adding new talent to our national team as well. Chris Haerich has been named VP of Membership Services. Chris brings nearly twenty years of executive level experience in the contact industry, with leadership roles in companies such as Protocol, Aegis, and DialAmerica. Throughout her career, Chris has been a strong proponent for the ATA and its membership and has a long history of volunteerism for the association. She currently serves as the ATA’s Midwest Chapter president and has been the chair of the chapter president’s committee for three years. Chris’ expertise in the critical areas of contact center compliance and quality, along with years of leadership at the chapter level, make her perfectly suited for this role, and I am truly excited to have her join the national team.

I want to thank all of our members for their involvement with the ATA. We would not be the association we are without member support, contributions, and sponsorships throughout the year. I can assure you that there are even more exciting things to come in 2012! Remember to hold the dates for our 2012 Annual Convention and Expo at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida, from April 29 to May 2.

See you all in 2012!

Phil Grudzinski is CEO of the American Teleservices Association.