Startel News

Startel has had over a quarter century of call-center innovations.  As a leading provider of integrated voice, data and networking solutions for Call Center facilities, Startel's offers a full spectrum of products and solutions for call centers worldwide. With Startel's steady stream of pioneering innovations--like IntelliScheduler, IntelliSite, and IntelliSpeller-- call centers finally have the flexibility, performance, management control, and scalability to deliver high-value services to any market.

Their goal has always been to offer the shortest path to higher revenues and lower operational costs. To deliver products, comprehensive training and responsive service you can count on.

Since its founding in 1980, Startel has built a loyal customer base in key markets such as Telephone Answering Services (TAS), Healthcare, Higher Education and more. Startel has leveraged its unique industry knowledge to empower call centers to achieve high levels of profitability. It has achieved these goals in industry after industry, deploying reliable, cost-effective and customized telemessaging solutions to its customers. And to help you answer every call with a smile.

For more information about Startel, call 800-782-7835.  Also, look at the Startel newsfeed for the latest updates and check out Startel podcasts.

Startel Launches SMS Services (December 2009)

Startel Corporation, a provider of call center software, announced that they have been conducting successful beta tests of a new SMS aggregator service; it was launched on October 16.  Two versions of the service will be available; one fully integrated into the award-winning Startel CMC platform, and the other for customers utilizing other call center solutions.

SMS is synonymous with “texting” or “text messaging.”  The popularity of SMS has grown dramatically over the last several years, and it is estimated that 75 percent of cell phone users send text messages daily.  Utilized initially as a consumer application, the proliferation of SMS as an alternative business communication has increased dramatically over the last year and is becoming an essential part of the fully integrated business communications platform utilized by call centers worldwide.

“We are pleased to offer our customers a more robust, reliable, lower cost, more easily implemented and maintained, and more fully integrated service,” stated Bill Lane, CEO and president of Startel Corporation.  “Because Startel’s SMS service is a pure software solution, the reliability is phenomenally high, and the total cost of ownership is greatly reduced.” 

Startel Launches SMS Services (November 2009)

Startel Corporation, a provider of call center software, announced that they have been conducting successful beta tests of a new SMS aggregator service; it was launched on October 16.  Two versions of the service will be available: one fully integrated into the award-winning Startel CMC platform, and the other for customers utilizing other call center solutions.

SMS is synonymous with "texting" or "text messaging."  The popularity of SMS has grown dramatically over the last several years, and it is estimated that 75 percent of cell phone users send text messages daily.  Utilized initially as a consumer application, the proliferation of SMS as an alternative business communication has increased dramatically over the last year and is becoming an essential part of the fully integrated business communications platform utilized by call centers worldwide.

"We are pleased to offer our customers a more robust, reliable, lower cost, more easily implemented and maintained, and more fully integrated service," stated Bill Lane, CEO and president of Startel Corporation.  "Because Startel's SMS Service is a pure software solution, the reliability is phenomenally high and the total cost of ownership is greatly reduced." 

Startel Receives ATSI Switch Certification (July 2009)

Startel was awarded the ATSI Industry Standards Switch Certification.  Dennis O'Hara, outgoing ATSI president, presented the award to Dan Feis and Steve Newell of Startel during the ATSI awards dinner. 

"We are extremely excited to receive this certification," stated Dan Feis, Startel director of sales and marketing.  "The ATSI Industry Standards Switch Certification validates the accuracy of the statistics and reports provided by our technology.  It also provides credibility and a differentiator for our clients when they are selling their services."

ATSI's goal in developing this certification is to define and establish a core set of metrics that are universally accepted and adhered to by the vendors who support ATSI members.  By developing this set of metrics, ATSI hopes that their members will be able to better compete for contracts and utilize a consistent set of terminology when communicating across platforms and vendors.  Nine metrics make up ATSI's Standards Performance Measurements.  In order to facilitate these standards, Startel integrated these measurements into their system.

Startel is one of two vendors to have earned the certification, with Telescan being the other.

Startel Sponsors Industry Experts Discussing Winning Technologies (June 2009)

Startel will offer a free seminar on Wednesday, June 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the ATSI convention.  Independent industry experts will be discussing technologies that will increase your business's revenue and provide unlimited growth potential.  These technologies include:

Soft Switch Technology: Hardware-dependent solutions can stagnate your call center and prevent you from stepping into the future.  Soft switch technology is already in use today and can provide you with:

• Decreased total cost of ownership

• Scalability: the opportunity for unlimited, unobstructed growth

• Open-source switch technology, such as Asterisk, Freeswitch, or Yates

Hosted Services: Learn how to take advantage of the latest technologies that provide cost reduction and increased revenue for your business.

Messaging Solutions: See how call centers can use messaging solutions to enhance communication efficiency and increase profitability.

The seminar will take place in the Cambria East & West Room at the Westin Hotel, preceding the ATSI Conference, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  A continental breakfast will be provided, and all attendees will receive a free copy of renowned author Clayton M. Christensen's book, The Innovator's Dilemma.

Startel Unveils Its Next Generation Switch (May 2009)

Startel unveiled the capabilities of its next generation switch at the annual TeamSNUG convention in March.  Attendees viewed a demonstration of the Linux-based switch running Asterisk software and using SIP technology.  The switch is the result of the Project Orion development team's efforts to provide Startel users with a switch that gives them leading edge technology.  "The development of the switch has progressed to the point where all of Startel's telephony needs are being transacted on the switch," stated Bill Lane, president.

"Asterisk has many advantages over traditional switch solutions," stated Dan Feis, director of sales and marketing.  "Because most of the telephony processing is taking place on the transaction processor, the hardware required to run the system is greatly reduced.  Because there is less hardware, there are less failure points.  This improves reliability and makes redundancy less expensive and easier to manage in the event of a failure.  From a development standpoint, since there is less firmware, we are able to accelerate our development and deployment times."  Startel will be demonstrating their new switch at the ATSI Convention in Pittsburgh.

Startel Announces B2B SMS Solution (May 2009)

Startel recently announced its B2B SMS solution at the recent TeamSNUG convention.  Startel's SMS solution will provide true business-to-business functionality.  Users will be able to send and receive SMS messages with 99.999 percent reliability for over 98 percent of the cellular carriers in the United States. 

The application provides automated receipt verification and the ability to transmit messages without cell phone modems and other less reliable methods.  "Our users wanted a reliable method to transmit SMS messages that was in compliance with cellular carrier license agreements," stated Dan Xu, director of research and development.

Startel will be demonstrating this at the ATSI Convention in Pittsburgh.

Startel Announces Initiatives  (March 09)

Startel has several initiatives focused on deploying technology solutions to enable clients to weather this economy, putting them in a position to realize an accelerated return on investment when the economy turns around.  Towards this end, Startel has added staff to the research and development staff, updated product training and curriculum, and implemented continuous improvement methodologies. 

An internal technology refresh is currently underway at Startel that includes deploying a new Microsoft Exchange Server utilizing blade servers and a new firewall.

CMC Release 9.0 includes:

• an updated switch communications link

• the release of IntelliScheduler and Web IntelliScheduler

• Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging

• Startel Information Systems (SIS), which provides immediate access to information that is relative to the user's current situation

• ATSI-compliant enhancements to the system reports

The research and development team continues working on Startel's next generation products.  The major advantages will include a smaller footprint, less hardware to purchase and support, fewer failure points, increased scalability, and a more robust application set.  This system design and architecture will enable Startel to greatly reduce development time.

Startel Training at TeamSNUG Conference (Jan 09)

Planning is underway for the 22nd Annual TeamSNUG Conference.  This year's event will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown Chicago.  The dates of the conference are March 15-18, 2009. 

Startel will provide free product training on Sunday, March 15, from 9 am to 4 pm.  The Not Done Yet band will be performing at the opening reception.  In addition to the opening event, the conference will include educational sessions, product demonstrations, and other valuable offerings.  Attendees are encouraged to pack their green for the St. Patrick's Day celebration party sponsored by Startel on March 17.  Early registration numbers project a record attendance.

In related news, Startel finished 2008 with a near record month.  "The volume of business validates our offerings and speaks to the strength of our company in the challenging economic environment that we are all facing," stated Dan Feis, director of sales.  "Next year is also going to be a very exciting year for us.  Look for Startel to announce our next generation of products in early 2009."

New Startel Messenger Powered by CenturiSoft (Dec 08)

Startel announced that they have formalized an agreement with CenturiSoft to provide the new Startel Messenger.  "The partnership with CenturiSoft provides us with the capability to deploy another best-of-breed application to our clients," stated Bill Lane, president.  "Startel will continue to provide robust solutions which will enable our customers to better compete in the marketplace."

Available in twelve, twenty-three, and forty-six port configurations, the Startel Messenger provides additional scalability and VoIP solutions to their customers' voice services products.  One advantage of the Messenger is that it supports a distributed configuration with a single point of administration and maintenance.

The new Startel Messenger is an ISO 9001 certified appliance that will be supported by Startel's customer support team.  Startel will provide 24/7 levels I and II support after the sale.  "The addition of the CenturiSoft application assimilates very well into our existing voice services support," stated Sheryl Denny, vice president.

"The alliance between Startel and CenturiSoft further cements our relationship.  We are pleased that Startel will be selling, distributing, and supporting CenturiSoft," stated John Pope, president, CenturiSoft.

Startel Announces Ron Lee as Information Developer (Dec 08)

Startel Corporation announced that Ron Lee has joined Startel in the position of information developer.  Ron brings to Startel strong expertise in producing and delivering information in all formats, including online help, online documentation, Web-based documentation, and hard copy.  His work has garnered several awards from the Society of Technical Communication (STC).  Ron has worked in the highly technical industries of electronics, manufacturing, IT, and software programming.  His educational background is in electronics, computer science, and technical writing.

As Startel's information developer, Ron will be keeping the current PDF documentation updated for each release.  Additionally, he will be developing other alternative information sources, such as online help, context-sensitive help, and Web-based documentation.  Ron will be responsible for building and managing the Startel Information System (SIS) for all Startel products and applications.

Ron says, "I love what I do, and I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work for Startel.  I sincerely look forward to providing our clients, as well as our technical support and field service personnel, with advanced information systems that display relevant-to-the-situation information that is useful and easy to access."

Startel Announces New President (Oct 08)

Bill Robertshaw, president of Bilrob, LLC, and owner of Startel Corporation, announced that William (Bill) Lane has been appointed as president of Startel Corporation.  Bill Lane, who has now relocated to Irvine, CA as of July 15th, replaced Bill Robertshaw who has been acting president of Startel since the acquisition February 1, 2008. 

"After conducting a national search that identified several superbly qualified candidates, I have decided that Bill Lane is the best choice to lead Startel Corporation into the future.  I am extremely excited that Bill Lane has joined Startel.  Bill brings a wealth of experience in customer service, software development, hi-tech sales, and marketing," said Robertshaw.  "Bill's leadership experience and business acumen have been put to the test on many occasions throughout his lengthy and broad-based career, and I am confident that he will be a great new asset to an already wonderful team at Startel." 

Startel Announces Organizational Changes (Jun 08)

Dave Amorde has accepted the position of director of strategic product planning.  A twenty-six-year Startel veteran, Dave's experience and expertise position him well to lead planning efforts for their next-generation platform.  Dave reports to Elaine McMaster, vice president of research and development.

Shamess Twardy has been promoted to director of field service.  Shamess has been with Startel for two years as a systems engineer and has ten years of industry experience.  Shamess will be responsible for managing the field engineers and training team.  In addition, Shamess will be working with Sharon Takaha on implementing customer installations and system upgrades.  Shamess reports directly to Sheryl Denny, vice president.

Alex Wong has been promoted to quality assurance manager.  Alex joined Startel in 1999 as a CSR and quickly moved into technical support.  Alex's Startel systems experience and technical expertise will serve him well in his new capacity.  Steve Abadie, quality assurance analyst, will assist Alex to ensure that products meet specifications.  Alex also reports to Elaine McMaster.

Startel Conference Highlights (Jun 08)

Startel offered a full day's worth of free training classes to all attendees at its recent user's conference.  Bill Robertshaw, Startel's president, spoke to attendees, sharing his vision for the future of Startel.  He expressed how he felt that Startel had a strong commitment to innovation, validated by the latest release of 8.0.  He plans to continue Startel's mission to be customer-focused with quality products and service.  He concluded with an open question forum. 

Dan Feis, director of sales, gave the "State of the Union" address.  He focused on the milestones and commitments that Startel delivered over the last year and provided insight into how Startel is positioned for the upcoming year.  Elaine McMaster, vice president of research and development, headed up the "Startel Innovation" session where she introduced the attendees to the new CMC 8.0 release and announced the new process for the wish list, along with the twelve-step program that Startel will be following. 

During the awards luncheon, Ryan Chinoski was announced as TeamSNUG's incoming president; Beth Cooper received the Don Berry Award.

Startel Announces v8.0 (May 08)

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.

Startel Corporation Announces Their Recent Acquisition by Bilrob LLC (Apr 08)

Startel Corporation, a provider of integrated voice, data, and networking solutions for call centers, announced their recent acquisition by Bilrob LLC, an investment company controlled by Bill Robertshaw and his family. 

The Robertshaw family has a diverse portfolio of businesses including construction companies, commercial and residential real estate ventures, and interests in over seventy-five telemessaging call centers.  Bill has been a longtime advocate and supporter of Startel; many of his call centers utilize Startel products.  "I have always believed in the Startel products and the talented and committed employees who develop and support them.  I am very happy to be able to contribute to Startel's future success," said Mr. Robertshaw.

Startel Corporation Teams with XLScheduler to Offer WFM (Apr 08)

Startel Corporation announced that it has teamed up with XLScheduler AB to become a value-added reseller (VAR) of XLScheduler software.  XLScheduler AB is a Swedish-based company that develops workforce management (WFM) systems based on Microsoft Excel.  Their XLScheduler product is a powerful call center scheduling system that uses graphical presentation and diagrams to make complex planning situations easy to understand.

"Startel is delighted to partner with XLScheduler AB.  Combining the statistics generated by the Startel systems with the power of the XL Scheduler program to manage staffing costs allows business owners to positively impact their bottom line," stated Alice Reuter, president of Startel.

"We are thrilled that Startel has decided to include XLScheduler as part of their solution.  We look forward to working with Startel in offering their clients a wider range of products for added business value," said Annika Heaver, president of XLScheduler AB.

Startel to Sponsor Hole-In-One Contest at TeamSNUG Golf Outing (Mar 08)

Make a hole in one on the designated par 3 hole, and win a CMC system!  Startel announced that registered attendees at the upcoming TeamSNUG Conference in Myrtle Beach will have a chance to win a new CMC system by making a hole in one at the golf outing just prior to the conference. 

On Saturday, March 8, 2008, TeamSNUG will host a golf outing at the Legends Heathland Golf Course, where the first golfer who gets a hole in one on the designated par 3 hole will win a brand-new six-position CMC system, courtesy of Startel (certain rules and restrictions apply). 

The format of the golf outing will be a Best Ball Scramble with awards to be given for the best score, closest to the pin, longest drive, and longest putt.

Startel to Offer Free Training at SNUG Conference (Mar 08)

Startel is offering one full day of training Sunday March 9, prior to the 2008 SNUG conference.  This will be a valuable day of learning about CMC Release 8.0.  Training sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will cover the new features and enhancements of 8.0, IntelliScheduler, and other related topics.  In addition, they will wrap up the day with a focus group and wish list discussion.  Registered conference attendees can attend at no cost.

Elaine McMaster Joins Startel as VP of R&D (Jan 08)

Startel Corporation is pleased to announce that Elaine McMaster has joined the company as the vice president of research and development. Elaine brings with her a wide range of experience and almost twenty years in telecommunications and other high-tech industries.  During her career, she has managed information technology departments of all sizes and has extensive knowledge of software development, project management, call center design and implementation, strategic development, and database administration.

Alice Reuter, acting president of Startel, comments, "We are delighted to have found an individual of Elaine's caliber to lead our R&D department's efforts into the future.  Elaine's background in both technology and business will allow her to make tremendous contributions to Startel."

Elaine adds, "I am very excited to have joined Startel and look forward to the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead.  I am a strong believer in soliciting customer input and incorporating it into our design and development efforts.  Startel has a long history of providing great products and call center solutions, and I am pleased to be part of carrying this tradition forward."  

Startel Announces New Eastern Area Sales Manager (Jan 08)

Startel Corporation is proud to announce Steve Newell as their new eastern area sales manager; Steve will report to Dan Feis, director of sales.  Steve will be based in Atlanta, and in his new role he will focus on formulating solutions for our existing and potential new customers in the eastern United States.

"Steve has extensive industry experience working for a variety of value-added resellers, and his background aligns very well with Startel's portfolio and strategic direction," said Dan.  "His proven record of success selling PBX, ACD, IVR, VoIP, and voicemail products based on a variety of vendor platforms positions him well to bring significant value to our customers."

"I am extremely excited to be representing Startel, the leader in call center technology.  I look forward to strategizing with our clients to optimize their business platforms by utilizing Startel's robust CMC suite of products."

Startel Announces Launch of New Website (Nov 07)

Startel Corporation, a provider of call center solutions, recently unveiled a full-feature upgrade of its Website.  Providing a comprehensive, up-to-date look at Startel's products and services, this new and improved site places particular focus on the power and benefits of its premier system, the CMC.

"This new site reflects Startel's renewed energy and sense of excitement as we look forward to the future," said Startel's acting president, Alice Reuter.  "I encourage everyone to visit the site and take a look around.  And if you're a Startel customer, be sure to notice the "Customer Login" link in the upper right corner of the site.  This can be used to access a special customer section containing company announcements, downloadable user guides, newsletters, and support information."

Startel Hires Business Development Manager Kevin Harbour (Oct 07)

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.

Startel Adds Product Marketing Manager Alan Paet (Oct 07)

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."

Startel Announces General Release of CMC 6.300 (May 07)

Startel Corporation, a provider of call center solutions, announced the release of the latest version of their Windows-based CMC platform, version 6.300.  The CMC 6.300 release improves on Startel's flagship solution by adding state-of-the-art features, such as IntelliSpeller (a spell-check application); IntelliGrid (a graphical representation of scripting to aid administrators); locates, ifs, and message forms with new time parameters available; added reporting capabilities; the ability to give audible notifications to remote agents; and other enhancements. 

CMC 6.300 also marks the arrival of Startel's new IntelliSite application - a customer portal for clients who wish to have access to their own messages, IntelliForms, and reports.  "We are excited to be releasing such a feature and enhancement rich update to our customers," stated Geri Cerkovnik, "especially when the new features and so many of the enhancements came directly from the SNUG and Startel users' wish list requests!" 

Startel Announces Management Changes (Apr 07)

Startel Corporation announced several management changes, including the retirement of Barbara Willis, vice president of sales.  Dan Feis has been named director of sales.  He will coordinate the activities of the sales team, including regional sales managers Tim Allen, Nancy Raftis, and Ed Burns, and sales coordinator Angel Wilkerson. 

Alice Reuter, acting president of Startel, stated, "I want to thank Barb for her twenty-five years of dedication and tireless effort.  She has been instrumental in Startel's success in so many ways over the years."  Barbara Willis joined Startel in 1982 just after the company was founded.  Barb will ensure that the sales organization's transition goes smoothly.

Additionally, Geri Cerkovnik has been promoted to vice president of strategic development.  In her new role, she will continue to report to Alice Reuter and will retain responsibility for both the marketing and R&D departments.  In addition, Geri will play a key role in exploring new technology and strategic opportunities for Startel's future.

"I have enormous confidence in our future" said Alice Reuter.  "Both Geri and Dan bring tremendous talent, experience, and strong track records of success to their new assignments."

Startel Announces Intellispeller Module for CMC Platform (Mar 07)

Startel Corporation announced the release of Startel's IntelliSpeller module for use in its CMC platform.  IntelliSpeller, a comprehensive spell-check solution, allows for automatic spell checking on individual lines of messages to be delivered to clients, enabling fast and customizable quality assurance for agent entries.  

IntelliSpeller provides suggestions for correctly spelled replacement words, automatically highlighting the closest match.  Agents can add words and terms to a central dictionary that other agents can access automatically, with the capability for administrators to approve additions before they are committed to the dictionary.  Several dictionaries are included with the module, with the ability to add additional dictionaries.  The IntelliSpeller is also enabled throughout the administrative areas to allow spell checking during account setup, thus fixing errors before they appear in a client account.

Geri Cerkovnik, VP Marketing stated, "During our focus group meeting, the IntelliSpeller feature was voted the number one development item by our users.  We are happy to provide this requested feature for our customers."

Startel Hires Dan Feis as New Account Executive (Jan 07)

Startel Corporation, a provider of Call Center Solutions welcomed Dan Feis to their sales team as their new account executive.  Dan will provide account management support for Startel's existing customer base from their corporate headquarters in Irvine, California.  Customers can contact Dan Feis at 949-863-8714. 

Dan reports to Barbara Willis, vice president of sales.  "We are truly delighted to have Dan as a member of our Startel team," Willis stated.  "Dan brings an outstanding sales and support background through his many years of experience, as well as a fresh perspective to our sales team."

"I am extremely excited to be on board and look forward to being an integral part of the Startel organization," Dan stated.

Startel Announces Executive Management Change (Dec 06)

On October 16, 2006, Startel Corporation accepted David Chuchinsky's resignation as chief executive officer, president, and as a director of Startel Corporation; he is leaving to pursue other interests.  Alice E. Reuter was named acting president and interim chief financial officer of Startel.  Ms. Reuter provides interim management consulting services to small businesses including, most recently, her assignment as Startel's interim chief financial officer and chief administrative officer that began in July of this year.  Ms. Reuter's background includes senior management positions with PacifiCare Health Systems and ConAgra Foods as well as managing her own businesses.

The new acting president stated, "I am delighted to be leading an organization of Startel's caliber.  We will continue providing the most innovative solutions in our industry.  I will be reaching out to our various constituencies in the near future and look forward to working with our customers as well as our employees."

Startel Introduces Its New Central Processing System (Jul 06)

Startel Corporation's new central processing system made its debut at the ATSI 2006 conference in Portland, ME.call centers seeking more advanced features.  It offers the ability to easily handle complex accounts while easing the agent stress in meeting clients' advanced requirements. 

This new central processing platform offers many of the features found in the CMC platform and is fully upgradeable to this larger scaling system.  The new central processing system utilizes Startel's digital switch.  It  supports paging, faxing, and emailing dispatch methods and is a fully contained system requiring no additional external hardware when connecting to a LAN. 

"I am excited to be announcing this new system that affords the smaller call centers these more advanced features that will allow them to start small and continue to grow their business while easily growing their equipment to accommodate their needs," stated Startel's David Chuchinsky.  "This new platform allows even smaller centers to have the capabilities that before were only affordable to the larger call centers."

Startel Introduces CMC Training Course (Jul 06)

Startel Corporation's first CMC training course was conducted at Startel's headquarters in Irvine, CA on May 8-10, 2006.  Attendees varied from new customers to experienced users; the course provided valuable information to all that attended.

The new CMC training course is intended for management and administration personnel.  It is divided into various sessions that cover basic and advanced CMC functionality, covering Startel's latest platform version (CMC 6.200).  In addition to addressing the basics on each of the CMC modules, specific emphasis was placed on client maintenance, IntelliForm form building, and intelligent dispatching.

The next CMC training class is scheduled for August 7-9, 2006 .  It will be held at Startel's headquarters in Irvine, CA; seating is limited.

Startel Announces Developments For CMC (Jun 06)

Startel Corporation announced CMC release 6.200, which includes a revamp of the reports module, providing a new look and feel for reports and two new reports, members report and detailed agent call report.  

CMC 6.200 enhances the intelligent dispatching capabilities, including the addition of the Short Messaging Service (SMS) transport.  This enables call centers to connect directly to an SMS terminal; full SMS and numeric only SMS are available.  Intelligent dispatching offers the ability for an agent to stop a dispatch script in progress and dispatch based on a submenu.

The IntelliForms have been enhanced to incorporate all of the functionality found in message forms, including special functions and alpha paging, to handle more complex accounts.  Another change is that the day-of-week enhancement has been added to message forms and IntelliForms.  "This capability enables these forms to be defined not only on a time-of-day basis, but also on a specific day-of-the-week basis," said Geri Cerkovnik, Vice President of Marketing.

Gregg Snyder of Inland Answering Service added, "The enhancements to dispatch script have improved the efficiency in delivering the messages to the customer while decreasing agent involvement."

Matt Batarse Joins Startel's Customer Service Department (May 06)

Startel Corporation announced the addition of Matt Batarse to their Customer Service team.  Matt is one of the newest additions to the Customer Service team and will report directly to Sheryl Denny, Vice President of Service.  Matt's primary responsibilities will include planning, training, and implementing new equipment for Startel customers as well as continued education and support for existing Startel users.

"I am blessed to be working with the talented staff at Startel," stated Matt.  "The work environment is great!  It promotes an optimistic outlook for its employees and strives to achieve complete customer satisfaction for our clientele.  Startel provides an innovative product line and I look forward to providing our customers with an experience so outstanding, they can't wait to tell a friend."

"Matt is a great addition to the Customer Support/Training team here at Startel Corporation.  His prior technical and customer service experience will help us continue to provide superior support to all Startel customers," said Sheryl Denny.

Shamess Twardy Joins Startel (Apr 06)

Startel Corporation announced the addition of Shamess Twardy to their technical support team.  "I am excited to call Startel my new home and even more so the Startel Family my new family," stated Shames Twardy.  "I have been pleasantly welcomed by both the Startel Family and the SNUG Family members that I have had the pleasure of sharing this opportunity with."

"It is wonderful having Shamess Twardy on Startel's technical support team," said Sheryl Denny, Vice President of Services.  "Shamess has a true understanding of our customers needs.  His technical expertise, as well as his understanding of the applications, allowed him to jump in with both feet.  CMC users already know that Shamess is responsible for the QA on the new Dispatch Server and has been instrumental in working with R&D to quickly find outstanding issues."

Startel Reorganizes Customer Care Department (Mar 06)

Startel Corporation announced the reorganization of their Customer Care Department.  Margaret Lally has been promoted to Director of Support and will be overseeing the technical support organization.  Margaret will be reporting directly to Sheryl Denny, Vice President of Service.  To further enhance Customer Care, Startel welcomes the addition of Bernadette Yaghi as the new Customer Care Manager.

Startel has also added a technical support email address for non-emergency customer care questions or requests.  Customers can now email the technical support department at techsupport@startelcorp.com.  "We believe that this will allow our customers to more efficiently submit Non-Emergency requests with detailed information and screen captures to help better describe the scenario in question," said Sheryl Denny.

"Startel's mission is to be a customer-focused company that delivers innovative solutions with the highest quality products and service," states David Chuchinsky, President of Startel Corporation.  "This is one more step to help us to achieve our mission."

Startel is headquartered in Irvine, California.  Startel provides integrated voice, data, and networking solutions for call center facilities.

Startel Appoints Denny as Vice President of Service (Sep 05)

Startel Corporation announced the appointment of Sheryl Denny as Vice President of Service.  As Vice President of Service, Sheryl Denny and her organization will focus on offering Startel customers a high-level quality of service.  She continues to report directly to David Chuchinsky, President of Startel.  Chuchinsky stated, "We are truly fortunate to have had Sheryl on the team for the past 21 years.  She has brought with her a combination of experience, understanding and knowledge that has proven invaluable to our customer client base."

"I love the challenge that working with the Startel customers affords me and the steady growth that Startel, as well as myself, have experienced over the past few years.  I have enjoyed being a part of the relationships that have been built with our clients and the sense of trust that they have in Startel," said Denny.

Before joining Startel, she worked for Canyon Communications Center, in Palm Springs, CA.  The experiences she had there in the general management of their three call centers helped her to better understand and focus on our customers' needs and find a successful solution

Startel Introduces CMC Update (Jun 05)

Startel has unveiled a feature update package for the CMC platform.  The enhancements include multiple directory capability, email response features, reverse save permits information to be saved back to a directory, and intellilocate, which allows a directory to be filtered based upon distance via a zip code or a latitude/longitude entry.

Additionally, there are new features in the report generator for customized system reports, billing interface to export data into third party accounting packages and generate generic invoices, switch configuration from the CMC administrative controls, work force management interface to Blue Pumpkin and GMT, and intellischeduler for "on-the-fly" assignments.

Startel Celebrates 25 Years (Apr 05)

Over the past 25 years since the introduction of the ACD switching platform, Startel has added a call management application, faxing, paging, order-entry, information exchange/ tree databases, patient information/HL7, actions dispatching, database importing, system activity monitor, directories, on-call, time activated alerts, macros, email, Internet features, members capability, intelliforms, and intelligent dispatching.

By automating the message taking process, Startel enabled call centers worldwide to effectively and efficiently capture and manage messages for clients.  Today, call centers are comprised of much more than message taking and clients expect much more than initial data capturing. 

Their product line also includes voice logging and voicemail.  We have expanded their switch functionality.  Startel has deployed systems through-out the United States and in England, Bangkok, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Panama.

Throughout the years, Startel call center automation has followed a simple vision: To more efficiently process calls, take messages and effectively deliver them.

Startel Announces Features, Enhancements For Workstation Module 4.6 (Mar 05)

Although Startel's workstation module has been reworked, it has not changed in the basic design and functionality.  Therefore, retraining on the new screens won't be an issue.  Startel has taken the current screens and added data where needed to allow greater utilization.

In WM 4.6, the screen layout is more efficient and intuitive; it includes a tip to help the agent know out what to do next.   WM 4.6 screens now pop automatically.  The on-call and TAA screens have been combined into a single dialog, allowing the agent to switch between the two lists with a mere mouse click.

Other features include a Directory Wizard and expanded on-call Calendar.

Startel Releases CMC v6.001 (Mar 05)

Startel announced that nine new features are being introduced in this release.  These include:

• Copy client, which allows agents to copy client information to the various system templates

• Intelliform archiving, both manually and automatically

• Import and export client information

• Signature feature attaches a graphical signature to an Intelliform

• Switch configuration from the CMC to the switch

• Credit card authorization a PC charge server for instant credit card authorization

• Intelligent dispatch phone support uses an auto dispatch script

• Internet form retrieval enables clients to read and deliver intelliforms and messages remotely

• Web support allows people to remotely access and manage specified directories, on-call and TAA schedules.

Startel Announces 5700 ACD Switch Release 15.46 (Mar 05)

Startel's ACD enhancements include two new capabilities.  The first is the auto mic enhancement which adds a second beep tone that is configurable in tenth second intervals.  This provides the agents with an initial warning indicator that a call is getting ready to be presented and then a second indicator letting the agent know that the microphone is now live. 

The second enhancement is agent wrap time which allows an agent to use the disconnect key to cancel any remaining wrap time if they finish processing a call early.  This release also includes enhancements for telset restriction for long distance dialing, agent monitoring, call status indicator, and standalone voicemail busy signal.