The March 2023 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Making Contact Centers More Secure, by Donna Fluss
Contact center agents must balance their primary job of delivering a great customer experience with real world security threats. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Artificial Intelligence in the Call Center by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
There are three responses when it comes to implementing artificial intelligence in your call center operation. . . . read more >>

Contact Center Software Boosts Agent Productivity
Selecting the right technology helps simplify agents’ workflow while increasing their productivity and job satisfaction. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Why Traditional Methods For Motivating Salesforce Don’t Work by Joe Laipple
Tips to find new and successful ways to motivate your salesforce to deliver exceptional performance. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Don’t Put the Technology Cart Before the Horse, by Eric Miller
Thoughts on the effective implementation of technology in the call center. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• nCall v4 Released
• AnswerNet Expands Traditional Answering Service to Include Text Support

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About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The January 2023 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Contact Center Pain Points: Tips for Improving Processes or Adopting New Technology, submitted by SingleComm
Process-improving technology is a must for contact centers to stay competitive putting new technologies to use can mean growing pains. . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Developing Your Callback Strategy by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Calling customers back when you’re busy is a feature consumers increasingly expect call centers to offer. . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Breaking Bad Habits: How to Create Change That Sticks, by Joe Laipple
To breaking bad habits, start now in taking these keys steps to move you down the path to the long-term changes you desire. . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Errors and Omissions Insurance Case Study: Alarm Monitoring, by Laura McCormick
A claim scenario involving teleservices companies, based on combining facts from actual claims. . . read more >>

Industry News

• Amtelco Adds Staff to Support Increasing Customer Base
• New Sales and Marketing Book: Sticky Sales and Marketing, by Peter Lyle DeHaan

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The November 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Knowledge Management: What You Need to Know, by Donna Fluss
The current generation of KM solutions are excellent and have proven benefits. The next generation of KM solutions will be even better. . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Going Beyond the Call by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Turn negative interactions into positive outcomes: Three ways your call center can go beyond the call to better serve your callers and customers. . . read more >>

Guest Column: The Power of the Bot, by the SingleComm team
By using AI systems and solutions, you are not taking anything away from your human team members. Instead, you are empowering them. . . read more >>

Using Knowledge Management to Simplify Complex Customer Queries, by Trey Norman
Quick and efficient support is key to retain business and maintain happy customers. With the right tools in place save money and reduce stressful phone calls. . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: How to Develop a Customer-Focused Culture, by Matt Rocco
Discover tips to form a call center culture that has a customer-first focus. . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Managing A Small Call Center, by Tim Montgomery
Understanding a few key concepts of small call centers can significantly minimize the obstacles by helping you improve operating efficiencies. . . read more >>

Industry News

• Rochester Telemessaging Center Receives Gold Call Center Certification For 5th Time

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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Marketplace Directory of leading Contact Center Vendors.

About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The September 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Six Ways Attended Automation Can Transform Your Call Center, by Jeff Fettes
Attended automation in the contact center has the potential to deliver happier agents, happier customers, and a happier bottom line. . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Chat Availability by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Offering customer service is key for business success, and chat is a popular choice. Just make sure that chat availability isn’t a problem. . . read more >>

What’s the Future of Virtual Reality Simulation in Call Center Training? by Jim Iyoob
Virtual reality (VR) simulation technologies may seem expensive, but VR can positively influence business results and make call center training more proficient. . . read more

How the Modern Contact Center Can Drive Better Results, by Rod Brownridge 
With advances in technology, we’re able to deliver more consistent results while focusing on managing relationships instead of managing problems. . . read more >>

AI and the Contact Center: An Interview with Talkdesk’s Ben Rigby
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology will continue to evolve and adapt to new business needs, and no-code solutions will ease the challenges of adoption. . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Disaster-Proofing Your Call Center, by Nicolas D’Alleva
Effective disaster response means ensuring the highest priority activities continue uninterrupted and reverting to normal operations as fast as possible. . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Being a Better Manager, by Lisa Olson
Practical tips to become a better manager. This will result in increased company performance and enhanced employee improvement. . . read more >>

Industry News

• Research Shows that Consumers Judge Brands Based on their Customer Service Experience

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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Marketplace Directory of leading Contact Center Vendors.

About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The July 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

The Agent Attrition Problem Can be Fixed, by Donna Fluss
Reversing agent attrition won’t happen by talking about agent engagement, but it can be solved by fixing the policies that created the problem. . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Is Your Management Style Hurting Your Call Center? by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
If your call center is short-staffed and you can’t find enough qualified employees, shift your focus to the retention side and evaluate your management style. . . read more >>

Vendor Profile on Startel
Learn about Startel and how they seek to balance allocating customer resources today with the development of the solutions they’ll need tomorrow. . . read more >>

Guest Column: Hiring, Training, and Retaining Remote Contact Center Agents, by April Forer, Amtelco
Check out these tips to hire, train, and keep remote agents in your call center or contact center. . . read more >>

It’s Time for a More Agile Contact Center, by Einat Weiss
The agile contact center addresses scheduling flexibility to keep agents happy and engaged amid evolving customer expectations for speed and service. . . read more >>

Increase Personalization in Call Centers by Accessing Relevant Data, by Daniel Fallmann
Innovative companies are well underway in transforming their approaches to customer service and customer experience. . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Ten Key Elements of Your Next Contact Center CRM Solution, by Cesar Vallejo
Ask these questions when considering vendors, solutions, and options for the right call center platform. . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Maximizing the Margin: Operational Cost Modeling, by Eric Miller
Convincing the client to outsource is half of the challenge, but selling them on your operation is the second mountain to climb. . . read more >>

Industry News

• Tom Curtin Receives 2022 ATSI Hall of Fame Award
• Peter Lyle DeHaan Publishes Healthcare Call Center Book
• Telescan Announces Spectrum Updates and New Features
• Quality Contact Solutions Named Top 10 Healthcare BPO For 2022

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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Marketplace Directory of leading Contact Center Vendors.

About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The May 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

AI is Transforming Contact Centers, by Donna Fluss
AI technology has already demonstrated its ability to improve productivity and reduce costs in contact centers while delivering benefits to customers and employees alike . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Embrace SaaS Flexibility, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Tap SaaS to maximize outcomes. Using internet provided services for your call center provides many advantages. It is affordable, scalable, and portable. It’s always up to date . . . read more >>

Vendor Profile on Amtelco
As Amtelco grows they remain committed to developing innovative technology solutions to streamline communications and increase efficiency for their clients . . . read more >>

Veterans: An Untapped Pool with Rich Skill Set, 
Countering the great resignation with niche recruiting—of Veterans. The reward for a concerted effort to target niche veteran candidates is a dedicated, loyal workforce . . . read more >>

Talent, Tech, and TAS
Leverage cloud-based automation tools to help your team deliver exceptional results and pursue actionable customer insight that allows them to work smarter, more coherently, without waiting for another hire to arrive . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Learn How to Handle Irate Customers, by John Tschohl
When you successfully handle irate customers and their complaints, you will be rewarded with a satisfied customer who will be loyal to you and your organization . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Call Center Burnout: A Personal Story of Truth and Admission, by A Call Center Veteran
Discover a wise approach to effectively deal with burnout in this firsthand account from an call center industry veteran . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Amtelco Receives Madison, WI Top Workplaces 2022 Award

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The March 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Why Customers Want an Omnichannel Experience, by Megan Hottman
An omnichannel experience can be the secret sauce to earning your customer’s loyalty, whether a start-up or a market leader. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Call Center Work-at-Home Opportunities, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Make sure to make the most of work-at-home opportunities to best staff your call center, maintain a qualified workforce, and serve your callers. . . . read more >>

12 Metrics You Need to Know to Hit Your Sales Goals, by A.J. Windle
It’s time to set new sales goals using these metrics to measure your path or your teams’ path to hit your sales objectives. . . . read more >>

Appointment Setting Versus Lead Generation, by Shaun Thompson
Executing appointment setting lead generation campaigns is vital in achieving your sales target. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Quality Redesign to Drive Business Success, by Linda DubaEmploy these principles to avoid a bumpy ride and guide your contact center to gain the utmost value. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Managers Need to Be Coaches, by David Saxby
A manager with strong coaching abilities can be invaluable in retaining and motivating your employees and helping them develop their skills. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• New miSecureMessages Server Version Release
• AnswerNet Acquires Quality Contact Solutions

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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Marketplace Directory of leading Contact Center Vendors.

About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The January 2022 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

The Next Act for Contact Center Transformation, by Donna Fluss Companies must make enhancements and investments, as a starting point, or find themselves with unhappy (and fewer) customers and challenged to find good candidates to staff their contact centers. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Look Forward to Embrace the New Year, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Embrace this year with an enlightened, optimistic perspective, believing that you have the potential to make it an amazing year. . . . read more >>

Telemarketing Laws: An Auditors Perspective, by Rich Hamilton
It’s risky when companies don’t take telemarketing laws seriously. The litigation or millions in fines could put you out of business. . . read more >>

Complying With the Latest Telemarketing Rules, by Angela Garfinkel
Know the key telemarketing rules and regulation changes that occurred in 2021. Conduct a thorough review to make sure you comply. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: The Future of the Call Center Industry by Clinton Fitch
Check out the prognostications from ten years ago to see what the industry has achieved and then build upon it. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: What Makes Your Company Different and Better, by David Saxby
With increased competition and greater choices available to customers, follow these strategies to retain existing clients and attract new ones. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Amtelco Announces Intelligent Series 5.5
• Quality Contact Solutions Receives Soc 2 Type 2 Certification

Send us your call center news for consideration in the next issue of Connections Magazine.

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Marketplace Directory of leading Contact Center Vendors.

About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, contact us.

The November 2021 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

Five Simple and Proven Ways to Retain Customers, by Kelly Doyle
Customers have a choice of where to do business, and in today’s increasingly competitive environment, it’s more important than ever to make customer retention a top priority. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Dealing with Staff Shortages, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Staffing challenges are part of the call center industry, but don’t let that define your future. Consider these agent hiring ideas to achieve a full schedule. . . . read more >>

Driving Enterprise CX with Contact Center Applications, by Donna Fluss
It’s time for enterprises to transform their perspective of customer service. They must demonstrate their commitment in every department in their company. . . . read more >>

How To Overcome Your Biases Toward Chatbots by Bob Grohs
The cost of implementing chatbots are worth it. They can boost customer service and reduce unresolved tickets and customer turnover. The ROI will speak for itself.. . . . read more >>

How Will Fraudsters Adapt to Robocall Legislation? by Robert McKay
The STIR/SHAKEN framework will go a long way toward improving consumer trust in the phone calls they receive. Invest in the right tools and processes to better prepare for the future. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Making Telework Work, by Rob Duncan and Simon Angove
Telework, when done properly can increase employee engagement, enhance productivity, and improve profitability. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Disaster Recovery for the Call Center, by Jim Becker
Having a well thought out emergency plan can be the best insurance your call center can have. You may never need it, but if you do, it could save your business. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Telescan Introduces Spectrum Health Monitor

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About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, email Peter DeHaan

The September 2021 Issue of Connections Magazine, covering call centers and the teleservice industry

Feature Content:

A.I. Will Not Replace Customer Service Agents by Jennifer Lee
AI isn’t a job killer; it’s a customer service enhancer. Contact centers should embrace AI’s ability to make the agents’ work more engaging and the customers’ experience more satisfying. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Call Center Innovation Provides Fresh Opportunities, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Call center innovation need not happen in huge, revolutionary jumps. We can better apply innovation as manageable tweaks on a consistent basis over time. . . . read more >>

Vendor Profile on TAS Marketing 
TAS Marketing, a TAS broker, has the goal to bring buyers and sellers together in a very fruitful way and make every transaction a win-win experience. . . .  read more >>

Guest Column: The Truths of System Hardening, by Shawn Griswold, Startel
While we cannot guarantee a failsafe security system, we can make it harder for the hackers to hack. Don’t allow your call center to be an easy target. . . . read more >>

Happy Customer Service Reps Equals Happy Customers, by Daniel Fallmann
Discover how to support your workforce sustainably in their day-to-day work. High quality and superior performance, backed by targeted big-picture data will drive success. . . . read more >>

Why Appointment Setting for Insurance Agents Makes Perfect Sense, by Steve Korn
Appointment setters for insurance agents can have a quick conversation with a client or prospect to help keep the agency pipeline full. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Higher Quality or Lower Costs: 7 Ways Companies Can Deliver Both, by P.J. Weyforth
A virtual workforce can help call centers save money and solve customer management challenges. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Not Measuring Your Customer Service? Then You Are Not Even Close to Managing It, by David Saxby
If you can’t measure customer service at your business, then you can’t manage it. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Amtelco’s Expansion Supports Future Growth
• Quality Contact Solutions Now Soc 2 Type 1 Certified
• SA Hosted Unveils New Auto Dispatch Service

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About Connections Magazine 

Connections Magazine is the premier publication for the call center industry, providing news and information for call centers, sent at no cost to qualified readers at call centers, contact centers, teleservice agencies, phone answering services, and telemessaging companies.

For more information, email Peter DeHaan