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

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

Feature Content:

Top 5 Competencies for Outsource Call Center Agents by JoAnna Montgomery
If you can’t find experienced agents, use this list of competencies to look for as you hire staff. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Create Sticky Customer Service in Your Call Center, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Customer service isn’t a once-and-done effort. It takes ongoing focus to truly meet customer expectations. The new book Sticky Customer Service provides key insights. . . . read more >>

Vendor Profile on Startel 
Last year Startel realized unprecedented opportunity for innovation and growth. Discover the strides they made during a challenging time to better serve their customers. . . . read more >>

Happy Employees Mean Happier Customers by Patrick Gilbert
Focus on making employees happy, and in turn, they will make your customers happy. . . . read more >>

Current Status of Speech (and Text) Analytics by Donna Fluss
Applying Interaction analytics (IA) solutions to improve the performance of contact centers is valuable and will result in a payback within 2–3 years, when used properly.. . . . read more >>

Transform Voice of Customer Insights with Artificial Intelligence Powered Speech Analytics by Matt Rocco and Jim Iyoob
Make artificial intelligence and speech analytics, the two most revolutionizing technologies of this time, integral parts of your contact center quality monitoring. . . . read more >>

How Call Center Service Providers Impact Customer Experience by Megan Fallis
Call center service providers need an uncompromised focus on customer experience to see change, because behind every phone call, email, chat, or text there is a customer. . . . read more >>

Top 5 Call Center Software Must-Have Features in 2021 by April Forer
Call center software plays a critical role in operating a successful business. Choosing the right features will streamline operations and help meet the challenges you face. . . . read more >>

The Costly Impact of Unanswered Outbound Calls on Call Centers by Krishna Korlepara
Learn how to make it possible for the enterprise and call center to reach its customers for the conversations that are too important to miss. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Filling Your Call Center with Proactive, Self-Reliant Agents by Luis Echevarria
When you provide agents with the best tools to do their job, the outcome is the best product for your call center and your clients.. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Are You Mining the Gold from Your Clients? by David Saxby
Customers want someone to listen to them, to treat them with respect, and to show them some appreciation. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• AnswerNet Acquires TPV.Com
• Amtelco Call Processing Application Rated “Avaya Compliant”
• Customer Service Book Published

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, email Peter DeHaan

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

Feature Content:

Paying Attention to Agent Well-Being Will Improve Your Brand by Donna Fluss
Contact centers should be employers of choice, but not all are. Make sure yours is. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: The Benefits of Home-Based Call Center Agents, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Consider the advantages of having agents work from home. This will help you better staff today and prepare for tomorrow. . . . read more >>

Vendor Profile on Amtelco
Discover the latest developments from Amtelco and Telescan to empower your call center and prepare for the future. . . . read more >>

5 Techniques to Optimize Agent Productivity and Reduce Attrition in a Remote Workforce by Greg Hanover and Tricia Yankovich
The post-COVID call center will look incredibly different from what it once did, but the keys to agent engagement remain the same. . . . read more >>

How to Keep Remote Agents Engaged by Jennifer Lee
A contact center agent’s job is stressful, and the shift to remote work has made it more difficult. Discover how to keep agents engaged. . . . read more >>

Components of Successful Outbound and Inbound Telemarketing Training by Claire Coffman
Agents who know they’ll be heard when they ask for help tend to stay in their position more often than agents who don’t feel supported. . . . read more >>

The Modern Contact Center by Aakash Kumar
To modernize your contact centers, consider how to combine the best people with the best technology to optimize customer service results. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: The Bilingual Call Center by Sandip Sen
Interacting with agents in their preferred language creates a sense of comfort and eases their mind while making the customer experience better. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago:  Personalize Your Business with a Monthly Newsletter by Doug Lindsey
A regular newsletter is a valuable tool that helps retain clients. Learn these time-honored tips to make your newsletter shine. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Wisconsin State Journal Names Amtelco “Top Workplace”

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, email Peter DeHaan

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

Feature Content:

The Future is Human: Tapping Video Technology as a Call Center Solution by Craig Radford
The future of call centers is multi-dimensional. Cloud-based computing and video calling can be a momentous change agent. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: A Vast Repository of Call Center Industry Articles, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Read over 1,600 call center industry articles, spanning three decades, available from Connections Magazine. . . . read more >>

Guest Column: 6 Tips to Improve Your Call Center’s Brand on Social Media by Vince Vitale
Every call center needs a social media plan, but if you don’t have one in place, don’t despair. This article will get you started. . . . read more >>

5 Reasons to Implement Call Center Scripting by Amtelco
When it’s time to choose a call center scripting program, look for software that’s easy to edit and integrates with other systems for further efficiency and accuracy. . . . read more >>

How Outsource Telemarketing Can Help Franchises Grow by Steve Korn
A well-planned outsourced telemarketing effort, for both inbound and outbound, can benefit any B2B franchise organization. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Top Ten Call Center Best Practices to Improve FCR by Mike Desmarais
Implement these top ten best practices, and you’ll soon begin improving your call center’s FCR. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago:  Streamlining Your Business by Nina Fernandes
Streamline your outsource call center to make it more profitable while increasing your service level and decreasing staff turnover. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Chris Grothe Joins Quality Contact Solutions as VP of Operations
• Amtelco Celebrates miSecureMessages App 10th Anniversary
• Amtelco Receives U.S. Patent for Speech-Enabled Scripting
• 2021 NAEO Convention to Go Virtual
• Telemarketing Services Firm QCS Hires Soc 2 Auditor
• Amtelco Receives Auditing Communication Sessions Patent

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, email Peter DeHaan

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

Feature Content:

Telesales Best Practices: Three Tips to Improve Telesales Training by Angela Garfinkel
Do you want better telesales results? Put these three training tips into practice to produce better outcomes. . . . read more >>

From the Publisher: Welcome to Connections Magazine 3.0, by Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
The call center industry will help our world successfully embrace what lies before us. And Connections Magazine will be there every step. . . . read more >>

Improve Hiring Results with Blind Auditions by Donna West
If you desire employee longevity for your call center, seek nontraditional applicants who appreciate the opportunity to work from home. . . . read more >>

2020 Contact Center Retrospective by Donna Fluss
To move thoughtfully into the digital future, embrace these six positive megatrends that emerged during the past year. . . . read more >>

How AI-Powered Technologies Can Help Reduce Contact Center Agent Burnout by Seb Reeve
Discover how AI-powered technologies and tools can reduce agent burnout, which will contribute to a healthier bottom line. . . . read more >>

Ten Years Ago: Using Incentives in the Contact Center: Five Tips for Success by Peggy Carlaw
Here are five tips to keep in mind when you’re creating a new incentive program or overhauling an existing one. . . . read more >>

Twenty Years Ago: Due Diligence Check List: Don’t Get Nipped in the Bud, by Lisa Olson
Don’t overlook these insider tips when purchasing a company. . . . read more >>

Industry News

• Amtelco’s Soft Agent Transforms Agent 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, email Peter DeHaan