The 2008 ATA Convention and Expo

By Peter DeHaan

October 22, 2008

The 2008 ATA Convention and Expo, in San Antonio Texas, began Sunday, October 5th with a golf outing, preliminary meetings, and an opening reception.  On Monday morning we were treated to opening remarks from Phil Grundzinski, chair of the ATA board of directors.  Phil took a different approach to the issue of privacy, with some light-hearted sharing of what he found online about ATA CEO, Tim Searcy -- with Tim's permission, of course.

Phil was followed by the convention's first keynote address, presented by Mickey Alam Khan.  Mickey shared his insights about the impact of mobile marketing on the contact center.  Mobile marketing is not proactively calling or texting mobile phones; rather, mobile marketing is primarily responsive in nature.  Increasingly, Websites that are optimized for mobile access have a "call me" button.  "Call me" is increasingly popular for the mobile Web as it facilitates communication, while decreasing the amount of user scrolling and typing -- both of which are cumbersome and slower on mobile devices.  Contact centers are ideally positioned to handle these communications, as they have the staff, experience, and expertise needed to be successful. 

Will Sowell, vice president of Prepaid Products at GE Money, gave the next keynote address.  His presentation had the feel of a case study, addressing the division's transformation from a one-product focus to a multi-product one, thereby greatly increasing the amount of business and rate of growth in the process.

There were also two breakout sessions (eight presentations total) and time to browse the exhibit hall.  The day concluded with an ATA-PAC fundraiser, which reportedly raised more than $31,000.

On Tuesday morning, ATA CEO, Tim Searcy gave his "State of the ATA" address, entitled "The Future of the Industry."  The ATA started twenty-five years ago with eight members and has grown to 517 corporate members, representing two million agents, working in thousands of call centers.  Tim reviewed the association's quarter century of existence, with the work of past members making the association into what it is today and preparing it for the future.  This includes responding to the DNC regulations, developing the ATA PAC (Political Action Committee), launching the ATA-SRO (Self Regulatory Organization), and introducing Call Centers Care, ATA's new philanthropic initiative.  With these programs gaining momentum and moving forward, Tim is bullish about the future of the association and industry.

The third and final keynote address was presented by David James, VP of Insurance and Wealth Management for GE Money.  In response to increased regulatory pressures worldwide, GE Money has developed global standards for call center operations that fit into four general categories: customer transparency, a competitive offer, quality sales staff, and robust monitoring and control.  The results of incorporating these rules have increased the confidence of agents in making sales and have put into place a compliance framework that has been broadly welcomed by regulators.  The impact of this initiative is enhanced customer experiences, enhanced shareholder value, and enhanced brand reputation.

Throughout Tuesday, there were three breakout sessions (eight more presentations) and additional time to visit with vendors in the exhibit hall.  The day concluded with the much anticipated ATA Awards Gala.  On Wednesday, instead of the usual call center tour, many attendees volunteered to work on a Habitat for Humanity project in San Antonio as part of ATA's Call Centers Care initiative.