Call Center Industry News

May 2007

Telescan Unveils Royalty-Free Music-On-Hold

Telescan recently announced a new royalty-free collection of Music-On-Hold (MOH) files which can be used exclusively with Spectrum Prism.  This gives users more options to offer their clients, including music and/or recorded messages on a customized schedule.  The Spectrum Prism allows up to eight different music files to be stored--five of which contain Telescan's royalty-free MOH files, leaving the other three for customization so users can offer their clients a variety of music styles and/or artists.  Spectrum Prism also allows users to record their client's personal on-hold message.  It will alternate the music and message(s) in a variety of patterns selected by the client.  Announcements can be scheduled for each account to be activated at different times of the day or on a calendar schedule.

Telescan has licensed this royalty-free collection of MOH to be used in conjunction with Spectrum Prism; it is not meant to be used for any other purpose.  There are no royalties required as long as the music files are used for their intended purpose. 

To find out more about Telescan, call 800-770-7662.

Professional Teledata Announces Remote Traffic Monitoring Capabilities

Professional Teledata announced the availability of its remote traffic monitor.  This capability permits any Web-enabled computer or handheld device to display the current call traffic activity being handled by a Millennium-based PInnacle telemessaging system.  This feature improves the flexibility and management controls for PInnacle users.

The remote traffic monitor reports include a call queue detail display, an agent detail display, and a summary display.  Information displayed for each call group includes:

• Number of calls in each queue

• Time of longest call in each queue

• Agent availability for each queue

Additional call traffic information includes account name, ANI, and DID, as well as agent ID, activity, and duration of activity.  "The remote traffic monitor is yet another key feature of the PInnacle system providing a convenient management tool for our users," said Allen Kalik, president of Professional Teledata.  "The appropriate people are now instantaneously informed of current system traffic conditions regardless if they are in the next office, at home, or across the country."

Contact Karen Black at 800-344-9944 x112 for more information.

Startel Announces General Release of CMC 6.300

Startel Corporation, a provider of call center solutions, announced the release of the latest version of their Windows-based CMC platform, version 6.300.  The CMC 6.300 release improves on Startel's flagship solution by adding state-of-the-art features, such as IntelliSpeller (a spell-check application); IntelliGrid (a graphical representation of scripting to aid administrators); locates, ifs, and message forms with new time parameters available; added reporting capabilities; the ability to give audible notifications to remote agents; and other enhancements. 

CMC 6.300 also marks the arrival of Startel's new IntelliSite application - a customer portal for clients who wish to have access to their own messages, IntelliForms, and reports.  "We are excited to be releasing such a feature and enhancement rich update to our customers," stated Geri Cerkovnik, "especially when the new features and so many of the enhancements came directly from the SNUG and Startel users' wish list requests!" 

Amtelco Introduces Contact-Based Dispatching

Amtelco announced a new concept to simplify message handling - contact-based dispatching.  Contact method information, included in Intelligent Directory listings, now drives the dispatch process.  This allows the listings to provide contacts for Infinity Intelligent Series applications.  This includes the new Intelligent Directory On-Call Scheduling as well as Intelligent Dispatching and Intelligent Messaging.

Intelligent Directory Contacts: The process of dispatching messages is greatly enhanced using Intelligent Directory Contacts, which allows users to enter information related to dispatching as part of a directory listing.  Intelligent Messaging and Dispatching can then utilize the contact information to script and control the dispatch process. 

Dispatch Rules: Each directory listing can have dispatch rules that define the steps that should be presented to agents for dispatching.  These rules allow agents to script the dispatch process for a given contact.  They can be used to determine which contact methods to present to agents in the form of dispatch steps, the order the steps should be presented, any retries that should be scheduled, escalation options, detailed instructions for the agents, and disposition choices that should be presented to agents.

For more information on Amtelco's Intelligent Series, contact Amtelco at 800-356-9148 or info@amtelco.com

Planning, Communications Key to Disaster Response

Transportation disasters are often unavoidable and can have devastating effects.  The way in which companies and public agencies manage these crises determines how successfully they will survive these events.  That's the message from Richard Levick, president and CEO of Levick Strategic Communications, a provider of high-stakes communications and from Gary A. Pudles, president and CEO of The AnswerNet Network, a provider of hotline services. 

Levick and Pudles encouraged attendees at the Disaster Recovery Journal Spring World 2007 Conference that they should begin planning crisis and customer response now, before the next disaster occurs.  The two men gave a presentation on "Keeping Transportation Moving When Disaster Strikes."

 "The moment a disaster occurs is not the time to assess how to handle the ensuing customer relationship, PR, media, and legal storm," pointed out Levick.  "The crisis response strategy must be planned and tested beforehand for it to be effective."

"How customers, their loved ones, and the public are treated when they learn about and call in regarding a disaster is going to make a big difference in how they react to that event, and how they view the transportation providers," stressed Pudles, whose company has been contracted by several leading transportation firms.  "The key is having quick, courteous, accurate, and helpful service delivered by personnel who convey concern, empathy, and reassurance while keeping cool under pressure."

TASbiller Supports Szeto and IVM Systems

TASbiller billing and analysis software announced their first interfaces for Szeto Technologies' Call Linx TAS system and IVM voicemail system.  "TASbiller's ongoing popularity and continued sales are driving expansion into new markets.  Customers should know that TASbiller will support any answering service related hardware on the market," said Randy Ripkey, owner and developer of TASbiller.

For more information call 706-860-0868 or email Randy at ripkey@aol.com.

RPT Announces 30th Anniversary

Record/Play Tek, Inc. (RPT) announced their 30-year anniversary--that's thirty years of building voice-logging recorders from their Bristol, Indiana plant, which gives RPT tremendous experience in the telemessaging market.  Starting with thousands of eight-channel reel-to-reel machines and progressing to hundreds of two-channel cassette recorders and VHS recorders, the founders of Record/Play Tek, Inc., Ed Krepps, Mike Stoll, and John Haines, have seen many technological changes over the past three decades.

For more information about RPT, contact Michael Stoll at 574-848-5233, or stoll@recordplaytek.com.

CenturiSoft Celebrates Six Years

CenturiSoft announced their sixth year in business, with several milestones accomplished.  In January, CenturiSoft installed their 100th system, finalized their acquisition with ReparoVox Communications, installed several new Centuri Digital Voice Loggers, and are in final negotiations with one of the incumbent carrier customers for voice messaging.  They also announced their first user's group meeting to be held at the ATSI Conference Expo in June 2007.

CenturiSoft also announced the capability to scale the Centuri Messenger to 368 ports running with VoIP technologies.  "Our close partnership with Intel and Microsoft allow us to further advance our technologies seamlessly to a broader market," remarked John Pope, president of CenturiSoft.  "We would also like to thank all of our customers, resellers, and partners for making this a reality; we have renewed our commitment to the industry in pursuing continuous product development and innovation, and we are appreciative to all those who have supported and fostered our growth."

CenturiSoft can be reached at 800-866-1929 or sales@centurisoft.com.

Telescan's Patty Anderson Takes on Marketing

Telescan announced that Patty Anderson, director of sales, has become director of sales and marketing.  Patty is no stranger to marketing.  During the 90s she helped Mail Boxes Etc. with their marketing and started her own chain of mail and packaging stores in 1980, which she franchised around the country.  Patty was instrumental in developing Telescan's new marketing campaign for 2007, "Building Your Future Together."

"The right marketing campaign and the right image are critical for business success," said Anderson.  "I am excited about this new responsibility.  This gives me the opportunity to make sure sales and marketing are well coordinated."

Patty is a member of eWomenNetwork and a past member of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).  She is a mentor in St. Louis City schools and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House.

To find out more about Telescan, call 800-770-7662.

Amtelco Unveils Intelligent Dispatching

Amtelco launched the next generation of messaging: Intelligent Dispatching.  Infinity 5.5 provides the platform for significant enhancements to the dispatch process.  These enhancements were introduced at the NAEO (National Amtelco Equipment Owners) 2007 conference. 

The focus of the enhancements is the dispatch list and dispatch jobs, which allows dispatchers to select jobs to work on rather than pushing jobs to them via "call park."  This is accomplished by presenting the dispatch list to agents who are enabled as dispatchers whenever they are not on a call.

The dispatch list provides dispatchers with a placeholder for pending dispatch jobs.  As agents take messages using intelligent messaging, dispatch jobs automatically appear to dispatchers in the dispatch list.  The dispatch jobs have properties defining when they are due, descriptive names, special instructions, priority levels, custom colors, and dispatch group assignments.  The dispatcher is given the highest priority dispatch job at the top of their list and simply follows the script. 

The dispatch steps presented to the dispatcher are actually an active part of the message script, allowing the dispatch steps to be scripted.

For more information on Amtelco's Intelligent Series, contact Amtelco at 800-356-9148 or info@amtelco.com.

ATA Releases Teleservices Glossary of Terms

The American Teleservices Association (ATA) recently released their first version of a glossary of teleservices terminology.  The glossary (available in both electronic and printed form) contains over 500 terms utilized by inbound and outbound contact centers.  The tool was designed to serve as a quick reference guide for experienced teleservices professionals or as a training tool for new professionals.

ATA also plans to develop an online tool where users can provide feedback about the definitions.  ATA chief executive officer, Tim Searcy, believes this initiative will bring a higher level of uniformity to the industry.  "In my thirty-plus years of experience in the teleservices industry, I have seen countless discrepancies in the terminology surrounding call centers.  A clear glossary with a dynamic means of change would be have been invaluable to me, as well as literally thousands of people I have worked with in this business."

Founded in 1983, the American Teleservices Association represents more than 4,000 contact centers employing more than 1.8 million professionals in the United States and numerous foreign countries. 

For more information, call 317-816-9336.

SNUG Elects Aaron Boatin as President

The Startel National Users Group (TeamSNUG) met at Dana Point, CA for its 20^th Annual Meeting March 18-21, 2007, where they elected Aaron Boatin of Ambs Call Center to serve as president of TeamSNUG for its 21^st year.  Mr. Boatin serves as vice president of sales and marketing at Ambs.

Ryan Chinoski of Rochester Telemessaging Center is president-elect; Matt Bogan of King's Telemessaging Service will serve as secretary; Tanisha Threats of Danbury Hospital, treasurer; and Susan Mealer of Answering Advantage, past president.  Terri Paffile of Answer 1 Communications and Larry Kinder of Combined Communications will join the board.

TeamSNUG is a professional association of outsourcing call center service providers and health systems utilizing Startel call center equipment. 

For more information, contact Dan L'Heureux, executive director, at 800-317-8529.

GLTSA Fall Meeting to Be Held in Chicago

The Great Lakes Telemessaging Services Association (GLTSA) will hold their fall meeting in Oakbrook, IL at the Wyndham Drake Hotel, the same site as the 2006 record setting location.  GLTSA will host a welcome reception Monday evening, Oct. 22, 2007, and meet on Tuesday, Oct. 23 and Wed, Oct. 24.  Both members and nonmembers are welcome.

For more information, contact Dan L'Heureux 888-712-9396.

Brubaker Named Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award Recipient

Steve Brubaker, senior vice president - corporate affairs, InfoCision Management Corporation, was honored with the Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award by the Sales & Marketing Executives International of Akron.  The Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award recipients are leaders that have made major contributions to the sales and marketing profession, to their industry, to their place of work, and to all with whom they are connected. 

As senior vice president - corporate affairs, Steve builds relationships with business leaders, government officials, and the public to promote InfoCision and the call center industry.  Under his direction, InfoCision's department of regulatory compliance leads the assessment of internal controls to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.  He is also responsible for implementing InfoCison's continued expansion and overseeing the development of new call centers, and he also serves as InfoCision's media spokesperson.             

Founded in 1982, InfoCision Management Corporation is the world's third largest privately held teleservice company and is a leading provider of inbound and outbound marketing for nonprofit, religious, and political organizations.

Mitsubishi Chooses Ventus to Outsource Support Services

ePLDT Ventus, a provider of offshore call center outsourcing, has been awarded a contract to handle the call center support services of Mitsubishi's Television Division.  In an effort to improve quality of service and reduce operating costs, Mitsubishi decided to switch outsourcing providers, knowing that its requirements would be best met in the Philippines.  "Mitsubishi selected Ventus because of our history of supporting technical and operational support programs for other U.S.-based electronics manufacturers," said Ken Gary, vice president of sales and client services, North America.

Ventus agents based in one of the six Metro Manila sites are assigned to the Mitsubishi account.  Ventus' agents provide inbound support for both presales and post sales inquiries from customers, including technical support, operational assistance, presales support, warranty information, product specifications, repair status, and dealer/service center support.

In other news, ePLDT Ventus announced the relaunch of its website to better "to emulate our business, culture, and our people," said Rosalie Montenegro, president of Ventus.

For more information, contact Bobby Ferrante at 201-512-8772.

SoliCall Releases Noise Reduction Software for PC Calls

SoliCall has developed technology that will help VoIP users to reduce unwanted noises during real time calls.  This free beta version is aimed at improving the sound quality when making any type of VoIP call (e.g., PC-to-PC, PC-to-Phone).  SoliCall is designated to reduce ambient sound that the speaker may have.  Its noise reduction performance can be enhanced by tuning it to a specific speaker.  SoliCall supports major VoIP telephony services like Skype, Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and others.

The software gives the best results when it is needed the most: 1) when there are multiple parties (conference calls); 2) when communication tends to be bad (e.g., PC-to-Phone calls); 3) when the speaker is in a noisy environment (e.g., radio/TV is on or kids are around).

After installation, the user can improve the noise reduction ability by recording a sample of his or her voice, allowing SoliCall to recognize the parameters of the speaker's voice.  SoliCall can also screen the incoming audio, as well as enable users to record their calls.