Industry News

May 2008

Connections Launches Industry-Exclusive News and Information Feed

In order to better serve readers and provide an additional means of communication, Connections Magazine has launched an industry-specific news and information feed.  Configured much like a typical blog, the newsfeed will provide updates and information to Connections Magazine’s audience. 

Information will include notices of when new information or sections have been added to the Connections Magazine Website, exclusive online articles, guest editorials, and selected breaking news.  Of specific importance are notices each time a new issue of Connections Magazine is available online for reading, viewing, or printing.  Typically, each issue is added online a week or more before the mailed version is received.

There are three ways of accessing information from the newsfeed.  First, it can be checked manually.  Alternately, readers may sign up to be notified via email of all new information – the goal is no more than one notification per week.  Lastly, there is an option for Aton and RSS newsfeeds.  All three may be accessed at http://newsfeed.connectionsmagazine.com.  There is also a link to the newsfeed on the Connections Magazine Web site under “Info/Resources.”

For more information, visit www.connectionsmagazine.com.  For details about submitting guest editorials, email Peter@connectionsmagazine.com.

Startel Announces v8.0

Startel Corporation, a provider of integrated voice, data, and networking solutions for call centers, announced its 8.0 release.  The new CMC statistics will provide a more comprehensive detail on every call; each segment will be tracked and measured.  Patched calls and other previously independent events are cross-referenced.  The CMC call statistics will be fully compliant with the ATSI certification requirements, allowing the measure of various metrics according to defined standards from all vendors.  

Startel’s IntelliScheduler feature allows schedules to be created with shifts spanning unique times and enables “on-the-fly” assignments.  In addition, particular schedules can be created to accommodate holidays and special occasions; new enhancements make the product more flexible.  Release 8.0 also includes improvement to the directory entry and client view functionality: 

Directory Entry: allows the CMC administrator to modify the directory associated with the IntelliScheduler.

Client View: shows a daily/weekly/monthly schedule for a client, integrating the client’s regular schedule, special schedule, and on-the-fly changes.

Another deployment is a Web-enabled IntelliScheduler application that allows call center clients to view and modify their schedules via the Internet.

For more information, call Dan Feis, Startel director of sales, at 800-782-7835 x714 or visit www.startelcorp.com.

Telescan’s Spectrum SMS Server Software

Telescan recently released their new Spectrum SMS server software, available to all Telescan customers with the Spectrum Data Manager (SDM) customer support program.  The Spectrum SMS server is also capable of interfacing with any platform via its integral email-to-SMS gateway.  Features include:

• Two-way SMS text messaging to cell phones via wireless modem

• Auto-segmentation of long messages

• Group transmission to multiple recipients

• Expandable support for up to six concurrent modems

• Real-time display showing job and modem status for all channels

• Full logging capabilities, allowing manual review and retransmission of any job

• Email-to-SMS gateway for third-party systems (both POP3 and SMTP)

• Seamless integration with Telescan's Spectrum Data Manager

“Telescan is excited to bring this enhancement to our users,” said Patty Anderson, Telescan’s director of sales and marketing.  “We offer many features and enhancements as part of our customer support program, including the SMS server software that works with any TAS platform.  Telescan will continue to develop software that will benefit the entire industry.”

To learn more, call Patty Anderson, director of sales and marketing, at 314-616-2445 or visit www.telescan.net.

Amtelco Training Opportunities at ATSI Convention

Amtelco will offer several training seminars on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at the 2008 ATSI Convention in St. Louis, Missouri.  Attendees may participate in basic and advanced Infinity Intelligent Series (IS) scripting courses, Client Management Intelligence (CMI) training, and Telephony 101 and 201 courses prior to the convention.

Infinity IS training will have morning and afternoon sessions, coordinated with the National Amtelco Equipment Owners (NAEO) group, open to all ATSI attendees, and held in the NAEO meeting room.  Basic and advanced scripting demonstrations will show laborsaving techniques and explain how call centers can add revenue marketing IS capabilities.

The CMI client management and marketing tool seminar starts at 3:00 p.m. in the Amtelco suite and demo room.  Amtelco’s CMI works with all call center systems, allowing it to manage in-house communications and client relations.  Infinity Intelligent Series users can use CMI Diamond to automatically turn each message into a Web contact.

Telephony 101 and 201 sessions will be held each morning and early afternoon in the Amtelco suite and demo room.  These courses are designed to provide information applicable to all system platforms.

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

Professional Teledata Releases PInnacle v2.1

At the recent PIN conference, Professional Teledata released PInnacle version 2.1, which includes over fifty features and enhancements, many of which were “wish list” items from previous PIN conferences.  Some of the major features and enhancements include: multisite license, DNIS setup, and dispatch procedures to improve the power and ease of use of the PInnacle system. 

“We are excited to introduce the latest developments of the PInnacle product,” said Allen Kalik, president of Professional Teledata, as he addressed conference attendees.  “We’ve put a tremendous amount of energy and effort into improving our products and are proud to have been able to improve the programming aspect of the system so that less technical users will be able to navigate through the system with greater ease.  We strive to constantly incorporate our clients’ requests to improve the performance of our systems, and we’re quite proud of these latest developments.”   

“Our customers expressed overwhelming excitement when we introduced PInnacle 2.1,” added Jim Graham, vice president of development.  “We’re looking forward to servicing all of our new customers with its new features.”

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

Opinion Research Corp Study Finds Top Customer Service Complaints

In the latest Ouch Point study from Opinion Research Corporation, one in five U.S. respondents (20 percent) cited hard to understand representatives as their biggest frustration in dealing with customer service departments.  Running a close second was the length of time it takes to get through to a representative (17 percent).

“Customer service representatives are the ‘face’ of any service organization and therefore need to be understood by their customers,” said Linda G. Shea, senior vice president and global managing director of customer strategies at Opinion Research Corporation.

The top customer service Ouch Points are:

• 20 percent: Reps that are hard to understand because of a thick accent

• 17 percent: Length of time to reach a representative

• 14 percent: Reps that are not knowledgeable about their organization’s products/ services/processes

• 13 percent: Being transferred to the wrong person or the wrong department

• 9 percent: Reps who promise to follow through and don’t

• 8 percent: Reps that are not empowered to handle a situation

• 7 percent: Reps who don’t understand your situation

• 3 percent: Reps who want to debate your situation

For more information about Opinion Research Corporation, call 800-444-4672 or visit www.opinionresearch.com.  Also see their whitepaper: The Art of Engaging the Customer.

Amtelco University Opens New Training Center

Amtelco has completed work on a new training center for use by its trainers, customers, and salespeople.  The new center incorporates high-tech training tools like the Smart^TM board, an interactive, electronic whiteboard that can enhance instruction and learning, making it possible for trainers to create content-rich, dynamic lessons.

Amtelco University encompasses the ongoing educational programs that Amtelco system users have at their disposal to learn about using the latest call center technology to increase their profits and reduce labor expenses.  Amtelco customers enjoy access to an online resource library and Tech Helper, as well as trainers, seminars, and research and support staffs. 

Amtelco University seminars and Webinars are hands-on, interactive sessions geared towards supervisors, client account programmers, managers, and owners.  The next seminar is Telephony 101 and 201 and will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2008, at the Ramada Inn Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. 

The Telephony 101 curriculum provides an in-depth explanation of telephony and interfaces from early analog up to and including T1.  The Telephony 201 curriculum covers from T1 up to and including VoIP and SIP. 

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

Gantry Studies Customer Satisfaction

A national study conducted by the Gantry Group LLC, Best Practices for Customer Satisfaction, revealed that the customer satisfaction data of most value to companies is the understanding of the degree to which customer’s expectations are met (38 percent) and tracking the customer’s perception of value (37 percent).  Additionally, the cost of customer satisfaction tracking programs is rationalized more by high customer satisfaction scores (25 percent) than increased revenue (18 percent), reduction in customer churn (12 percent), or increased repeat sales (9 percent).

The study also revealed:

• Companies with no formal, periodic customer satisfaction surveys in place are limited by too many competing priorities (67 percent).

• Tying customer satisfaction to employee performance-based compensation is a key challenge to 32 percent of respondents.

• Service delivery and solution performance are the most important customer touch points to be monitored (93 percent and 80 percent, respectively) followed by customer service (80 percent), sales/account management (71 percent), and technical support (66 percent).

• 79 percent of respondents are not satisfied with merely tracking performance metrics and desire the ability to diagnose issues down to the business process level to accurately identify problems.

Gantry Group (www.gantrygroup.com) guides technology-based solution providers to build offerings that capitalize on urgent market needs and challenges.

Anexa Opens 1,800 Seat Call Center in Hermosillo

Anexa Teleservices, LLC opened a state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot, 1,800-seat call center in Hermosillo, Mexico. The facility is an inbound and outbound customer service center located in the central business district of Hermosillo. It was built to meet the customer service needs of an increasing Hispanic population in the U.S., expected to grow to over 47 million by 2010 according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau report. According to the latest research from Datamonitor, Mexico is expected to add 50,000 new outsourced customer service agents between now and 2010.

The facility was designed to meet the standards of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S., with a focus on optimizing work force productivity. Anexa configured the facility with the most reliable and secure technology infrastructure available and maintains it with a 24/7 on-site technical staff. The centrally located three-story atrium-style building includes extensive on-site training, a cafeteria, childcare, recreation, and break rooms. “This center enables Anexa to deliver the most comprehensive and highest quality suite of Hispanic call center services available to U.S. companies,” said Mark Renfroe, president of Anexa Teleservices.

For more information, please visit www.anexatel.com.

Survey Probes Affect of Poor Customer Service

A Harris Interactive® study, commissioned by Chordiant Software, surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who regularly interact with high-volume service providers such as credit card companies, mobile providers, insurance carriers, or banks.  Ninety-five percent said a “personalized” customer experience is at least somewhat important; 65 percent said it is important; and 27 percent said it was very important.  

“Personalized” is defined as the service provider “knowing who I am, my buying history, past problems or complaints, preferences, and billing record.”  When asked for their response to a negative experience, 62 percent said they would be likely to cancel their service.  In fact, the survey revealed 60 percent have already switched providers because of negative experiences.  Eighty-two percent defined a positive customer experience as “having their needs anticipated or met.”  In addition:

• Almost all surveyed (96 percent) said they wouldn’t hesitate to cancel and switch services after a negative experience. 

• Seventy-two percent have already switched providers because of negative experiences.

• Ninety-five percent said a “personalized” customer experience is important.

For more information, visit www.harrisinteractive.com and www.chordiant.com.

Professional Teledata Announces Record Sales of Their TBS Product

Professional Teledata announced record sales in the first quarter of 2008 for the Total Billing Solution (TBS) product.  “We have always been known for the strength in our lineup of products.  We are especially proud of the consistent development of our TBS product, and we’re not surprised that the industry has responded favorably to it,” said Alan Hartmann, vice president of Professional Teledata.   

In a Windows environment, TBS integrates billing, contact management, and inventory control for DIDs, pagers, and voice mailboxes.  The system is easy to use and supports multiple users and offices.  Furthermore, TBS imports, manipulates, and archives usage statistics from most call center equipment.  In addition, it interfaces to popular credit card authorization programs and to the ACH network for direct debiting.  It can also integrate client information, account setup, task assignment checklists, and an expanded account manager.

“We’ve seen a strong response this year from both our existing customers seeking to upgrade to TBS and from new prospects.  I attribute our recent success to the true strength of the product,” commented Karen Black, TBS product specialist.

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