Connections Magazine Table of Contents, Jan/Feb 2010

January/February 2010

By Kevin Beale

Predicting the future of the call center industry is simply paying attention to trends and making educated predictions on how those trends will play out in the future. Here is what the future may hold.

From the Publisher:

The Future of the Call Center Industry – and the Magazine that Supports It

Bringing Call Centers Home: The Business Case for Onshoring By Joe Jacoboni

Call center offshoring often lowers costs, but it can also decrease customer satisfaction and loyalty. To combat this, the right solution may be to bring that work back onshore.

Call Center Quality Becomes a Key Differentiator

By Dana Allender

Selecting a call center outsourcer used to be a cost consideration. However, organizations are realizing that this approach was shortsighted. They are now seeing their outsourcers as a strategic means to engage and retain customers.

Contact Center Modeling: Holistic Workforce Management

By Bill Durr

Workforce management (WFM) ensures that the right agents with the right skills are available at the right times. Holistic WFM addes strategic planning, schedule execution, and staff management.

The New Frontier: Your Call Center as a Social Media Outpost By Keith Fiveson

Functioning as a “social media outpost,” your call center can address concerns, bad press, or consumer affairs issues; communicating through social media with a live agent is part of the future.

How HIPAA and HITECH Will Affect the Call Center

By Charlene Glorieux

If your call center deals with medical calls, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) will likely affect how you do things.