Industry News

October 2007

Amtelco’s Op See Feature Adds Supervisor Control

Amtelco’s Infinity Op See feature allows supervisors to monitor an operator’s screen and audio while the agent is processing calls.  Amtelco has added a new capability to the Infinity Op See feature.  Supervisors can now take over the keyboard from the agent they are monitoring.  This allows a supervisor who sees a problem with a call to take over completion of the call and then return control to the agent afterward.  Call centers can use this new capability to help train new staff, reduce agent errors, and increase client satisfaction.

For more information, contact Amtelco at 800-356-9148 or email info@amtelco.com.

Professional Teledata Enhances PInnacle Message Ticket Options

Professional Teledata announced the availability of expanded formatting capabilities for the delivery of emails, faxes, alpha pages, and printed message tickets to clients from the PInnacle Telemessaging System.  The new options permit multiple formats to be sent to the same device depending upon any variable in a scripted response (“Is this urgent?”) or any system variable (time-of-day, day-of-week, on-call individual, and so forth).

“Account setup personnel can design multiple message tickets, and PInnacle automatically selects the most appropriate format when forwarding messages,” said Alan Kalik, president of Professional Teledata.  “This is another way the PInnacle System delivers customized solutions to our customer’s clients.  Telemessaging services are being required to handle ever-increasing complex applications that far exceed the simple ‘name-number-message’ data collection requirements of the past.  Today’s collected data must be delivered in a logical, coherent format optimized for interpretation by the client, and PInnacle now satisfies that requirement.”

The message ticket formatting enhancements are being made available currently to all PInnacle users at no charge as part of their standard support package.

For more information, visit www.professionalteledata.com or contact Karen Black at 800-344-9944 x112 or kblack@proteledata.com.

Telescan’s Remote Agent Station Continues to Shine

Telescan’s remote agent station facilitates call center growth through the expansion of underutilized labor resources, while at the same time optimizing that work force to its fullest potentiality.  Telescan’s remote agent solution is readily accessible, with little cost and setup required.

“Telescan’s remote agent capabilities have been invaluable to our business,” said president Marcy Hewlett of A Better Connection/Arizona Physicians’ Exchange in Phoenix, AZ.  “This technology has given us the ability to expand into nationally based markets while continuing to maintain a local presence in those markets, tap into a national labor pool that has unusual longevity and is seldom tardy or absent, and enabled client-based growth with no increase in the size of our physical location.”

“Bottom line, the Telescan Spectrum and remote agents have had a direct effect on our growth, increased profitability, and continued success.”  A Better Connection is the winner of ATSI’s Gold 24/7 Call Center Certification Award and Arizona Small Business Associations’ “Top Arizona Companies to Watch.”

To find out more about Telescan, call Patty Anderson, director of sales and marketing, at 314-616-2445 or visit their Web site at: www.telescan.net.

Startel Hires Business Development Manager Kevin Harbour

Startel announced the addition of Kevin Harbour to the strategic development department as business development manager.  Kevin has over twenty-five years in data, voice, network management, and wireless technology, as well as enterprise-wide computer automation products and services.  Kevin was most recently a business development manager with Black Box Corporation and CrossCom National in the network and server technology arena. 

 “Kevin has a dynamic, outgoing personality.  He has a ‘customer-centric’ focus and is committed to contributing to the evolution of Startel products,” stated Alice Reuter, acting president of Startel.  “As you can see, Kevin is no stranger to business development.  We are looking forward to him using his talents to generate momentum in the marketplace.”  With Kevin’s entrepreneurial background experience, he will have no difficulties in relating to the business decisions faced daily by many of our customers.

For more information, visit Startel at www.startelcorp.com.

Amtelco to Offer Free Telephony 101 Course at GLTSA Meeting

Amtelco University is offering a no-cost, platform neutral Telephony 101 course in conjunction with the Great Lakes TeleServices Association (GLTSA) Fall Annual Meeting.  “This class is a great addition to the seminar” said Gary Kerner, Amtelco sales manager. “It will contain a review of some widely used telephone and CTI terms and abbreviations, with an overview of past, present, and future telephony interfaces.  The class will be held Monday, October 22, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

The GLTSA meeting will be held with a two-track program: sales & marketing and supervisor training.  It will be October 22-24 in Oak Brook, IL.  In addition to the Amtelco training preceding the meeting, ATSI and NAEO will present additional sessions afterwards.

The ATSI (Association of TeleServices International; www.atsi.org) will be hosting a Grassroots Lobbying Boot Camp on Monday, October 22, from 1:00 to 6:00 pm.  NAEO (www.naeo.org) will conduct an equipment specific supervisors training October 24-25, following the conclusion of the conference.

For more information, go to www.amtelco.com or email info@amtelco.com; GLTSA’s Website is www.gltsa.org.

Startel Adds Product Marketing Manager Alan Paet

Startel announced the addition of Alan Paet to their marketing department, as product marketing manager.  He has had a multitiered career in telecommunications, working for the global companies Ericsson and Alcatel.  Alan has been involved in application product development and has worked on the improvement and rollout of many products, including call center products.  He has prepared marketing strategies and programs, developed sales material, performed product analysis, developed functional specifications, and participated in countless trade shows. 

“In addition to product marketing, and as the company is venturing out towards new business, my initial responsibilities will be to manage the product line in terms of future enhancements based on what the market needs are, by investigating product requirements, and performing competitive analysis,” stated Alan.  “Armed with the results, these investigations will equip us with the right information to enhance our product line and offer a best-of-breed contact center software suite as we seek out new applications for the vertical segments that we are already established in.  I am really excited to be part of a team that will shape the future of the company.”

For more information, visit Startel at www.startelcorp.com. 

ATSI to Hold Lobbying Boot Camp at ASTAA Meeting

ATSI, the Association of TeleServices International, will host a grassroots lobbying boot camp Tuesday, November 13th, from 1:00 to 6:00 pm, focusing on lobbying techniques, tactics, and strategies.  This will be in conjunction with the ASTAA (Atlantic States Telephone Answering Association) fall annual meeting November 11-13, 2007 at the Lodge in Williamsburg, VA.

Also scheduled for the ASTAA meeting are Roger Schnorbus, visiting professor of management systems at the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business, where he teaches courses in Strategic Management and Mergers and Acquisitions at MBA levels and John Hill, finance professor at the University of Virginia, who will be presenting “What Every CEO Needs from His or Her CFO, Plus ‘Tools’ to Help You Become Your Own CFO.” 

For more information, visit www.atsi.org or email DCampbell@infocg.com.  ASTAA’s Web site is www.astaa.org.

ATA Supports Reauthorization of Do-Not-Call Registry Fees

The American Teleservices Association (ATA) announced its support of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s bill reauthorizing the Federal Trade Commission to charge telemarketing companies fees to purchase the Do-Not-Call Registry, which allows them to check their call lists against those individuals who have opted out of receiving certain telephone solicitations.  In particular, they expressed excitement over the provision of the bill that calls for a reduction from the current maximum access fee from $17,050 to a national maximum of $14,850.

“After a steady increase in DNC access fees, this fee reduction and eventual stabilization brings much needed predictability to the industry,” commented Tim Searcy, chief executive officer of the American Teleservices Association.

ATA did note that the issue of access fees should not be the only aspect of DNC legislation that should be under serious consideration.  With Searcy’s direction, one goal of ATA is to encourage the government and regulators to look more closely at strengthening regulations concerning “established business relationships” as well as consumer protection enforcement provisions.

For more information about ATA, go to www.ATAconnect.org.

CAM-X Convention Theme: “Lost and Found”

CAM-X Convention chair, Casey Smit announced that this year’s convention theme is “Lost and Found,” tying in with Newfoundland’s tourism promotions, which invites tourists to “lose yourself in the magic of this mysterious land.”  “This has also been declared ‘the year of the supervisor’ by our president Michael Leibowitz,” Smit stated.  “There will be a session on how to get your agents and supervisors certified.”

The speaker lineup includes leaders from outside the industry as well as from within CAM-X’s membership.  One hot topic will be Internet marketing, including selling IT services, email response, and message texting.  There will also be a future focused session peering five years into the future, with industry leaders talking about 2012.  The convention will be held October 17-19 in St John’s, Newfoundland.

For more information, go to www.camx.ca or call 800-896-1054.

Center Partners Awarded SAS 70 Type II Certification

Center Partners has successfully completed the rigorous audit demands set forth by the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70 (SAS 70).  The audit was conducted by DuPont & Morgan, LLP, a nationally recognized CPA firm specializing in SAS 70 audits, which utilize process based testing methodologies.

“SAS 70 Type II certification has given a high degree of confidence, not only to our customers in the products and services we provide them, but also to our organization internally. Our control environment activities and adherence to industry best of breed practices were given the stamp of approval by our SAS 70 auditors,” noted Michael Alden, director of information technology for Center Partners.

Center Partners, Inc., a subsidiary of WPP Group plc, is a provider of customer lifecycle management and business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions for the call center industry.

For more information, please call 800-519-3532 or visit www.centerpartners.com.

DialAmerica Hires Two New Business Development Directors

DialAmerica, Inc., one of the leading teleservices companies in the U.S., hired Jay Hammans and Cathy Blanchard as its directors of new business development to enhance the company’s leadership team.

Hammans has twenty years of expertise in the teleservices channel.  He was previously the vice president of sales for Synergy Solutions, Inc.  He has extensive experience in the teleservices arena, telemanagement, and client services. 

Blanchard has seventeen years of teleservices-related sales experience in the areas of financial services, healthcare and insurance, telecommunications, direct response advertising, and packaged goods industries. 

In their new positions, Hammans and Blanchard will reaffirm DialAmerica’s commitment to customer care and customer acquisition, enabling customers to more easily meet their business objectives.

Hammans can be reached at 402-333-0855 or jhammans@dialamerica.com; Blanchard can be contacted at 573-365-2202 or cblanchard@dialamerica.com.

Focus Telecommunications Promotes Reandeau to VP of Operations

Donna West, president of Focus Telecommunications, Inc., announced the promotion of Tom Reandeau to vice president of operations.  “Tom is imminently qualified for this position; he gives tirelessly to our organization and has shown true leadership in the way he handles his everyday responsibilities,” West stated.

Reandeau, a resident of Sykesville, has been an employee of Focus since 1994.  Before his promotion, he previously worked as general manager, operations manager, and technical supervisor.  He is currently on the board of directors of the Startel National Users Group and is the chairperson of the Education Committee for that organization. 

Focus (www.focustele.com) offers professional telephone service, order taking and fulfillment, medical message service, appointment taking, receptionist service, and Web site answering.  Contact Focus at 800-886-6696 for more information.

Total Quality Communications Changes Name to Answer Center America

Total Quality Communications, provider of call center services, as changed its name to Answer Center America, Inc. to reflect its added service catalog and focus on quality.  The company is a twenty-four-hour virtual receptionist, offering live telemessaging services, bilingual services, and routing services.

“Answer Center America is the solution many businesses have been looking for,” said Michael C. McMillan, president of Answer Center America, Inc.  “Companies face problems with inconsistent answering services and often lose customers when they call after hours.

“Our sole focus is the growth of our clients’ businesses,” McMillan added.  “Whether it is outsourcing internal aspects of a current business model or having us help support different departments, we can provide the perfect fit for helping businesses flourish.”

For more information, visit www.goacanow.com.

IP Controlled Power Strips Protect and Maintain Uptime of Devices

Dataprobe, a manufacturer of technology solutions for networking systems management, released a new remote power distribution and management solution, the iBootBar.  The iBootBar enables Web browser control of eight A/C power outlets for reboot and remote power control of multiple devices.  With the iBootBar, users can protect and maintain devices in areas that cannot easily be accessed and streamline power control of servers, routers, and other devices through a single Web interface.  A serial port or optional internal modem is also provided for out-of-band access when the network is unavailable.  The iBootBar also supports Telnet, SNMP, SMTP, and SSL security. 

The iBootBar can be configured to monitor networked equipment and will automatically reboot the equipment in the case of a system freeze.  Dataprobe’s AutoPing feature continuously monitors multiple IP addresses and takes programmed action when it detects nonresponsive systems.

For more information, visit www.dataprobe.com.

Customer Service Expert Shares Secrets for Customer Service Success

Hot off the press, How to Kick Your Customer Service Up a Notch: 101 Insider Tips, customer service expert Rosanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D. reveals the insider tips you need to know to propel your customer service up a notch and give your organization the edge over the competition.

“If you're looking for someone with powerful information and strategies to help you, then Rosanne is the one you absolutely must listen to!” said Matt Bacak, Frontier Marketing Intl.  “Never in my life have I met someone so candid and full of such integrity.”  If you want to improve your productivity, performance, efficiency, and effectiveness, these tips will “kick it up for you.”  

Rosanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D., an industrial psychologist, master trainer, consultant, and president of Human Technologies Global, Inc., is known as the “practical champion of the human” and an expert in customer service. 

For further information and a list of tips, go here right now to learn more www.championforthehuman.com/101.htm.