Call Center Industry News

September 2008

Alston Tascom Releases Two-Way SMS

A new feature recently added to Alston Tascom's Evolution System is two-way SMS (Short Message Service) to facilitate more effective text communication with cell phones.  SMS allows short text messages, usually up to 160 characters, to be sent to cell phones and other devices.  This is ideal for a short message or an urgent communiqué.

SMS is a critical communication option because "cell phones can receive a digital signal when the phone cannot be used for voice," explained Wayne Scaggs, Alston Tascom's president.  "Hence, SMS communications can replace pagers in most cases."  An added benefit is that SMS for cell phones is a nationwide service that is included with most cell phone plans. 

However, a frequent concern in using SMS for critical communications is not knowing if the client received the transmission.  Alston Tascom has addressed this limitation with two-way SMS, which confirms the receipt of the message when the recipient replies.  Now call centers using SMS for client communications can be assured that their message was received by the client.

For more information about two-way SMS, call 866-282-7266 Wayne Scaggs at Alston Tascom.

OnviSource Introduces Automated Workforce Management Software

OnviSource, Inc. announced OnviCord Persona, an affordable workforce management tool with sophisticated scheduling features that automates and simplifies resource planning and management.  Persona is the newest addition to the company's OnviCenter 6 suite of integrated customer interaction management products.

Persona is designed to accurately forecast staffing needs and build a schedule to meet them, even when scheduling for multiple sites across multiple time zones.  It produces appropriate shifts that fit agents' preferences and applies them to meet target workloads on every account group.

Persona uses historical call data to predict and define staffing to meet call center service levels.  It incorporates those service level requirements, available resources, and priorities to develop a highly accurate schedule based on projected call traffic, agent tasks, service levels, employee availability, and required skills.  Persona features include forecasting, resource scheduling and management, giving scheduling control to agents, communications, reports, and messaging.

"Few call center managers deny the value of workforce management software, but until now the total cost of ownership for available applications has prevented most companies from implementing the technology," explained Ray Naeini, OnviSource chairman and CEO.

For more information, call OnviSource at 800-311-3025.

Amtelco Releases CMI Diamond

Amtelco released Client Management Intelligence (CMI) Diamond, which allows call centers to generate new revenue by providing client management to their clients.  This represents a new dynamic in messaging and client relationships.  With CMI Diamond, call centers can offer clients a customized CMI database filled with information about the people interested in their business.

Currently, a call center's billing stops once information is passed to the client.  Using CMI Diamond, the revenue stream continues while providing CRM service to clients.  The new services CMI Diamond can offer include:

• automatically building an organized database of prospects and client contact information

• tracking the history of sales calls, emails, and meeting schedules

• providing follow up campaigns by phone or mail

• reporting and billing information

Clients can use the CMI Web interface to access their messages, view caller information, and request the call center to make call backs.  Amtelco's CMI Diamond application is available through the Internet or a company's Web server.  CMI Diamond integrates with Infinity Intelligent Series (IS) Software Version 5.5 to provide the tools needed to automatically build customer resource management databases. 

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

BrandonWayne Group Announces Several Growth Initiatives

The BrandonWayne Group announced several initiatives to support the company's rapid growth.  First, the company opened a second office in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.  This office will provide additional support for executive recruiting and call center on-site programs.  Christy Ospina, regional recruiting director, will lead this operation.

In addition, the corporate office in Nashville has relocated to larger headquarters, allowing the company to further expand its support of current and future clients.  The company also plans to add additional locations in Phoenix, Dallas, Tampa, Philadelphia, and Toronto before the end of 2008 to provide more regional support and to be closer to their current client base in those markets. 

Lastly, the company has rebranded and expanded their trademarked CallCenterResponse People Solutions programs and services under a new logo and with enhanced service offerings.  This will allow the BrandonWayne Group to further separate itself from the competition in the marketplace.

The BrandonWayne Group remains the only company to offer single-source solutions for a company's complete call center recruiting, screening, assessment, and staffing needs. 

The Association Formerly Known as CEO

The CEO user group has changed its name to OEO [OnviSource Equipment Owners Association, Inc.] to more accurately reflect its association with OnviSource since the purchase of CadCom in recent years.  "This small step is the beginning of a great journey that we believe will result in the forging together of a new relationship with a progressive vendor, said association president Judy Vincent, "and we look forward to a most prosperous venture.  We welcome those users of both CadCom and OnviSource platforms to join us."

"OnviSource welcomes this new partnership with our customers," stated John Hird, OnviSource vice president of product marketing, "and we have dedicated much time and resources to that end." 

For more information, contact Dan L'Heureux, executive director of OEO at 763-473-0210 or Dan@CallConsult.net  or John Hird, OnviSource at 469-241-9284 or John.Hird@OnviSource.com 

StarTek Expands Internationally to Philippines

StarTek, Inc. announced a new contact center in the Philippines that is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year.  The new overseas facility complements the company's twenty-one centers currently operational in North America, all of which focus on providing StarTek's clients with customer care, technical support, and back-office support.  This new capability rounds out StarTek Choice, a flexible option composed of three quality delivery channels that includes North American support, offshore support, and the virtual solution known as StarTek-At-Home.   

After careful consideration, StarTek selected the Philippines as the optimal location for its offshore center for the following reasons:

• Large talent pool of highly literate, English-speaking, college-educated workers, with great cultural affinity to the U.S. and customer care skills

• Reliable and redundant communications infrastructure, including dedicated connectivity to the U.S. that ensures high voice quality to U.S.-based customers

• Opportunity for lower cost operations due to attractive labor rates

The 78,000-square-foot center is located on Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue in Makati City, and at full capacity is planned to house approximately 1,100 customer care representatives.  

For more information, call 800-541-1130.

Amtelco Announces Pat Dye as New Sales Representative for the Eastern States

Amtelco announced that Pat Dye will be covering the eastern states territory.  Pat has been with Amtelco since 1999.  Previously, he was an Amtelco installer, became a field engineer, and served as a project manager.  Pat has been a team leader in field engineering since 2004. 

Pat studied mainframe system analysis and programming at the Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin.

Pat has been active in coordinating and hosting the Infinity Technical Seminars around the country.  His technical expertise and experience working with Amtelco customers will be an invaluable asset to the Amtelco sales team.

For more information, contact Amtelco at 800-56-9148, 608-838-4194.

Omega Sets Service Standards with "Customer Bill of Rights"

Organizations striving for excellence in customer satisfaction and loyalty now have a template to follow with Omega Management Group Corp's new Customer Bill of Rights.  Omega is a recognized expert in customer experience management strategies.

The Customer Bill of Rights is the result of research and analysis of global best practices in business-to-business customer service and support operations conducted this year through a Web survey of members participating in Omega's new View from the Top (VFT-500) Research Panel-500^SM program.  The new Customer Bill of Rights is comprised of ten articles that define best practices for organizations to use when interacting with customers and employees:

1.      Deliver quality products and services

2.      Provide a supportive workplace environment

3.      Reward employees for customer service excellence

4.      Appoint a senior customer advocate

5.      Measure levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty

6.      Report on customer satisfaction and loyalty

7.      Take corrective action where needed

8.      Benchmark performance within the industry

9.      Seek independent audit of customer service processes

10.  Conduct annual review of customer service processes

For more information on Omega and the View from the Top-500 program, call 866-610-6700.

Metron Tracks Internet Bandwidth Usage for Call Centers and Agents

eTelemetry, Inc., released Metron, a network appliance that enables call centers to dynamically identify the bandwidth usage of a person, department, office, or campus regardless of changing IP addresses or multiple PCs used by that person over time.  Metron is a plug-and-play solution that follows each person's bandwidth usage in real-time, including when a user changes computers or IP addresses.  Metron provides this capability without complex server software or PC-based software agents to install and maintain.  By identifying top bandwidth users by name, Metron allows call center and IT managers to track an individual user's contiguous Web surfing and chat time.

 "Until Metron, the tools to monitor bandwidth were IP-based," said Ermis Sfakiyanudis, CEO of eTelemetry.  "Metron identifies the anonymous bandwidth hog and contiguous Web surfer."  Additionally, personal identifying information is gathered even about people who are not registered users of the network.

For more information, call 888-266-6513. 

Colin Taylor to Guide Metro One Telecommunications

Metro One Telecommunications has appointed contact services veteran Colin Taylor to the position of vice president, contact services.  He will be responsible for building outsourced customer sales and service for companies and municipalities across North America. 

"With Colin Taylor's expertise, we will be expanding our ‘boutique-style' contact services that harness both Metro One's twenty-one years of experience and its significant expertise in call center operations," said James Hensel, CEO of Metro One Telecommunications.  Hensel said Taylor and his team will initially concentrate in the telecommunications, entertainment, financial services, retail, and high-tech vertical segments.

"There is a growing recognition among companies, nonprofits and agencies that a competitive advantage exists through outsource partners with high-tech infrastructure and high-touch staff and management," said Taylor.  "I believe the newly revitalized Metro One is well positioned to help these organizations with a highly personalized, highly customized approach.  Many organizations have discovered the limitations of offshore partners and are poised to reengage domestic solutions like those Metro One offers."

Metro One is an information services provider, offering inbound and outbound contact services, data and analytics, and related services.