Industry News

March 2007

Telescan Adds E-mail Feature

Telescan released a new feature for its Spectrum System that allows a user's client to send e-mail directly to the Spectrum agent desktop.  Telescan's Spectrum communications server retrieves and filters all such inbound mail according to parameters established in its configuration table, accepting only valid client mail for processing.

The text of the inbound e-mail is transformed into a message ticket and is presented to an available agent for handling based on routing criteria established by the system administrator.  The agent can take follow-up action on the inbound message based either on the message content or on account-specific parameters.

To find out more about Telescan, call 800-770-7662 or visit www.telescan.net.

Startel Announces Intellispeller Module for CMC Platform

Startel Corporation announced the release of Startel's IntelliSpeller module for use in its CMC platform.  IntelliSpeller, a comprehensive spell-check solution, allows for automatic spell checking on individual lines of messages to be delivered to clients, enabling fast and customizable quality assurance for agent entries.  

IntelliSpeller provides suggestions for correctly spelled replacement words, automatically highlighting the closest match.  Agents can add words and terms to a central dictionary that other agents can access automatically, with the capability for administrators to approve additions before they are committed to the dictionary.  Several dictionaries are included with the module, with the ability to add additional dictionaries.  The IntelliSpeller is also enabled throughout the administrative areas to allow spell checking during account setup, thus fixing errors before they appear in a client account.

Geri Cerkovnik, VP Marketing stated, "During our focus group meeting, the IntelliSpeller feature was voted the number one development item by our users.  We are happy to provide this requested feature for our customers."

Visit Startel's Web site at www.startelcorp.com.

Amtelco's E-mail Confirmation Ensures E-mail Delivery

Amtelco introduced an innovative way to ensure that e-mail messages reach their intended recipient: e-mail confirmation.  Amtelco Infinity users have long been able to confirm that clients have received pages using Infinity's page confirmation feature, which allows a client to confirm receipt of a page without speaking to an agent.  This same capability is now possible with e-mail messages.  Clients can confirm the receipt of an e-mail message by replying to the e-mail with a configurable keyword such as "confirmed" or "declined."  Infinity receives the reply and updates the message that generated the e-mail with the replied status of confirmed or declined.

If a message is confirmed, subsequent automated dispatch steps are cancelled, the message is marked delivered, and the message history is updated with the confirmation.  If a message is declined or there is no reply, the message history is updated, and the message is either returned to an agent for further action or subsequent automated dispatch steps continue in an attempt to reach the client using other means.

For more information on Infinity and e-mail confirmation, contact Amtelco (www.amtelco.com) at 800-356-9148 or 608-838-4194.

PInnacle Adds One-Step Copy Capability

Professional Teledata announced the PInnacle capability to copy an entire customer account, including script and associated data, to a new account with a single command. "This is part of our ongoing project to simplify account setup and accelerate conversions from other systems," says Allen Kalik, president of Professional Teledata. "Having the ability to quickly and flawlessly copy an account facilitates the use of PInnacle's starter accounts to add new clients. It also assists agents and reduces training when handling scripted calls of a similar nature."

Professional Teledata attributes the ease of account replication to the inherent design of its database. Jim Graham, vice president for software development stated, "From the very early days of our PI-2000 product, it was decided to always give our customers direct access to their databases; i.e., an "open" system. Our databases are simple, unlinked, yet comprehensive, thereby making features such as copying simple and straightforward."

The copying capabilities are part of the standard PInnacle program and are available to all licensed PInnacle users.

Professional Teledata (www.professionalteledata.com) provides systems and software products for the telemessaging and call center industries. Contact Karen Black 800-344-9944 x112 for more information.

Amtelco's Intelligent Series Provides "Return Caller Message Fill In"

Amtelco's Infinity Intelligent Messaging uses Amtelco's patent-pending dynamic linking method to provide Return Caller Message Fill In capabilities for busy agents.  The feature reduces labor costs and call-handling time by automatically providing agents with information about callers who have called in the past.

A component of the Infinity Intelligent Series, Intelligent Messaging uses call scripts to lead agents through calls and to ensure that the correct information is solicited during every call.  Call and caller information is stored in a Microsoft^® SQL database and is immediately accessible for future use.

The Return Caller Message Fill In capability can use the call ANI (Automatic Number Identification) to perform a keyword search to retrieve information from previous calls and present it to agents as soon as they answer calls.  Alternately, searches can be conducted using other keys, such as names and postal codes that agents insert into message forms after answering calls.

Amtelco's dynamic linking eliminates the need for agents to manually search directory listings, on-call schedules, and other sources of client information during call handling.

For more information on the Infinity Intelligent Series, contact Amtelco (www.amtelco.com) at 800-356-9148 or 608-838-4194.

Professional Teledata Announces Training Offerings

Professional Teledata announced the training schedule for its users of the PInnacle Telemessaging System and PI-2000 Inbound Call Processing System. An advanced class in PInnacle setup and operation will be offered on March 21-23. Topics will include advanced scripting techniques and implementation of new PInnacle features.

In addition, a two-day course in the programming and operation of the company's Millennium digital switch will be offered on March 19-20. This course will convene immediately prior to the advanced PInnacle class for those looking to economize on travel expenses and attend both classes in one trip.

The complete current schedule is:

• PI-2000 Basic Administration March 12-14

• Millennium Digital Switch March 19-20

• PInnacle Setup and Operation March 21-23

• PI-2000 Advanced Administration May 7-9

All courses are conducted at the company's headquarters in Manchester, NH.

For registration information, contact Karen Black at 800-344-9944 or visit www.professionalteledata.com.

Telescan Integrates Voice and Text Messages

Telescan announced an enhancement to its Spectrum information server that integrates voice and text retrieval of messages.  When used in tandem with Telescan's Spectrum VMail, Spectrum information server allows Web access to both the text and live recording of messages.  Retrieval of either form of the message over the Web will automatically mark the message as accepted and delivered to the client, thereby minimizing agent involvement in the delivery and dispatch process.

In addition to the ability to retrieve messages from the Web, clients can also use the Spectrum information server's Web interface to create an inbound message for the call center.  The Web-generated message is converted into a message ticket and presented to an available agent for handling based on routing criteria established by the system administrator. 

Access to the Spectrum information server is browser-based and supports a custom interface for use on mobile devices.

To find out more about Telescan, call 800-770-7662 or visit www.telescan.net.

ATSI Awards Gold 24/7 Call Center Certification

The Association of Teleservices International (ATSI) announced that Combined Communications has received the Gold 24/7 Call Center Certification Award.  The certification indicates that Combined Communications has met or exceeded high standards in the following areas: business practices; life safety; operations, including normal and emergency procedures; personnel hiring; training; and ongoing evaluations through a peer review program focusing on 99.9% annual run time.

Combined Communications was purchased in 1982 by Larry Kinder, a pioneer in technology and author of the StarLink reporting software. 

ATSI (www.atsi.org) is an international trade association established by and for entrepreneurs in the teleservices industry.

Purdue Partners with ATA

Purdue University's Center for Customer Driven Quality will team with ATA (American Teleservices Association) to collect research and provide education on the more than 57,000 contact centers in the United States.

"The call center is at the forefront of delivering customer satisfaction, and our Center for Customer Driven Quality has been at the forefront of producing research and education since 1989," said Richard Feinberg, director of Purdue's center.  "Through our partnership with one of the largest trade associations of contact centers in the nation, we can continue to provide broad educational, research, and professional leadership to companies everywhere."  An estimated 25 billion calls are made to companies to ask questions, solve problems, or conduct business, according to Feinberg.

"Education is a core belief of the ATA," said Tim Searcy, ATA's chief executive officer.  "Purdue's research, especially their benchmarking studies, is both innovative and beneficial to the growth of business.  Everyone has been interested in accurate, timely, and relevant benchmarking information to improve operations in contact centers, and our partnership with Purdue delivers on that need."

Contact Purdue's Center for Customer Driven Quality at www.ccdq.com; Richard Feinberg can be reached at 765-494-8301 or xdj1@purdue.edu.  ATA's (www.ataconnect.org) Tim Searcy can be reached at 317-816-9336 or tim@ataconnect.org.

CAM-X's Breast Cancer Research Fundraising Totals $82,000

In 2004, CAM-X raised $20,000 in support of breast cancer research followed by $34,000 in 2005.  This year, with the support of both CAM-X members and CAM-X vendors, the Association raised close to $28,000, bringing the three-year total to $82,000.

"CAM-X members and vendors continue to amaze us.  By including the silent auction at the last three conferences, we have raised over $82,000 in support of this worthy cause.  Our members are generous and big-hearted," said CAM-X executive director Linda Osip.

For more information about CAM-X, visit www.camx.ca; the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's website is www.cbcf.org.

WSTA & STA to Hold Joint Sessions

Southern Telemessaging Association (STA) and Western States Telemessaging Association (WSTA) are in cooperation to host two Advanced Performance Workshops.  The workshops which are Level-Two Supervisory Training presented by industry leaders Judy Vincent, Dee Hawkins, and Mari Osmon, will be held in Las Vegas, NV in May 2007 and Tampa, Florida in August 2007.

For more information about STA (www.sta-assoc.org) or WSTA (www.wstaonline.org), contact Dan L'Heureux at 763-473-0210 or dan@CallConsult.net.

ASTAA Announces Fall Meeting Schedule

ASTAA (Atlantic States Telephone Answering Association) is pleased to announce two fall events for 2007: A Supervisor Training Workshop hosted by Donna West of Focus Telecommunications will be in Baltimore, MD in September 2007, and a new Owners Opportunity will take place in Williamsburg, VA in October 2007, hosted by Jannemieke Keener of Keener Communications.  

ASTAA focuses on education to create the opportunity to award, enrich, and motivate telemessaging management staff.  They produce a conference specifically geared towards supervisory staff; they also to create the opportunity for members to have an "owners only" meeting where they can freely discuss topics or issues with their peers that are specific to business ownership.

ASTAA (www.astaa.org) is a not-for-profit professional association serving the membership of the eastern seaboard.  Focus Telecommunications (www.FocusTele.com) is an award-winning call center; Keener Communications (www.Keenercom.net) is the recipient of ATSI's Award of Excellence top score for 2006.

TeamSNUG Holds 20th Anniversary Meeting

The Startel National Users Group (TeamSNUG) will be meeting in Dana Point, CA for its 20^th Annual Meeting March 18-21, 2007.  "Based on a member survey," said Aaron Boatin, conference co chair, "this year's conference will feature several breakout sessions to offer something for everyone regardless of the version of Startel they have in their call center.  The sessions will provide not only excellent ideas, but step-by-step instructions on how to implement them." 

"This year marks a significant milestone in our association's history," stated TeamSNUG president Susan Mealer, "and we are pleased that most of the past presidents that helped shape our organization will be in attendance to help us celebrate."

TeamSNUG (www.TeamSNUG.com) is a professional association for call centers utilizing Startel call center equipment.  For more information, contact Dan L'Heureux at 800-317-8529.

Study Confirms Vanity Number Out-Performs Numeric Toll-Free Number

According to a recent study, "Toll-free Numbers in Radio Advertising," listeners are more likely to respond to a radio ad that lists a vanity 800 phone number (800-TRADE-NOW) than to an ad with a numeric toll-free number.

The radio study analyzed the use of a vanity 800 number versus a numeric 800 number as a direct-response method.  The resulting response rates showed 58% more calls going to the ad featuring the vanity 800 number than the ad listing the numeric toll-free number.

This shows that businesses are missing potential sales when they advertise with a straight numeric phone number.  Incorporating vanity 800 numbers in ads can substantially raise advertising response rates.

"Given the predicted growth of direct marketing and the proven benefits of using vanity 800 phone numbers in radio advertising, we expect to see the use of these memorable response mechanisms to increase in radio, as well as other advertising media," said Laura Noonan, vice president of marketing for 800response, co-sponsor of the study.

For a complete report of the study's findings, please visit www.800response.com; the report is also available at www.connectionsmagazine.com/papers/7/10.pdf.

Port Telephone Answer Service Acquired by Larry Bear

Larry Bear, an experienced entrepreneur, has completed the acquisition of Port Telephone Answer Service, Inc. from Simmie and Alan Dunst.  Mr. Bear acquired the stock of the company from the Dunsts in an all-cash transaction for an undisclosed amount.

Port Telephone Answer Service has been in business for forty-five years.  Simmie Dunst grew the business into a regional powerhouse that successfully provides leading edge telemessaging services in Long Island.  The firm specializes in representing the medical community.

Mr. Bear has over thirty years experience acquiring, growing, operating, and divesting middle market companies.  He has an operational background, yet had primary responsibility for managing over fifty transactions.  He said, "I am building a business through acquisition and internal growth in the telephone response industry – companies that bridge the gap between answering services and call centers.  Port is the first platform acquisition in this endeavor."

For more information, contact Bear at 845-351-1030 or LBear@HVanswer.com.

AnswerNet Expands Florida and Illinois Contact Centers

The AnswerNet Network has expanded its Miami, FL and Morton Grove, IL facilities and has hired more contact center agents.  AnswerNet boosted the capacity of its Miami contact center, managed by its Signius division, by forty percent and increased its staff by over thirty percent.  The Miami expansion enables AnswerNet to better serve the Spanish-speaking market because the center has bilingual employees.  Lastly, AnswerNet tripled the number of workstations at the Morton Grove center and doubled the number of staff.

AnswerNet's expansion is a result of growing demand for its catalog, order entry, product recalls, and ID theft hotlines services.  The company has also seen an upswing in bilingual programs from clients.  "We have been making key investments to ensure that we meet the needs of our current and future clients," said Gary A. Pudles, president and chief executive officer, the AnswerNet Network.

Visit AnswerNet Network at www.answernet.com.