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February 2001
T@W Enhances Functionality With Multimedia Overlay
Network
At Communications Solutions Expo Fall 2000, Telephony@Work
launched a new Multimedia Overlay Network as part of its CallCenter@nywhere
e-contact center solution. It is a means of unifying geographically
distributed call centers (including those using legacy telephone systems)
into one seamlessly integrated virtual contact center so that ACD
transactions on all media can be routed to the best-skilled agent,
regardless of agent location. The solution is intended to replace
telephone-only switching schemes based on Signaling System 7, which do not
address load balancing of any media other than circuit-switched voice
telephone calls. Users of the Network can deploy CallCenter@nywhere to
unify formerly separate, noncommunicating PBX or ACD systems into a single
system view or virtual call center.
Worldwideassist.com Debuts
Worldwideassist.com recently
began operations. A Web-enabled customer sales and service provider
located in Montreal, Canada, Worldwideassist.com offers live interactive
customer care management solutions through multichannel and multilingual
services. The company provides e-businesses with a range of technologies
and professional services, including certified in-house training and
development for customers' employees, professional consulting services and
a turnkey customer relation management ASP solution.
New Service From Source One
Source One Communications unveiled Talk2Humans.com,
its new offering for live customer service on the Web and on the phone.
Talk2Humans.com is designed to handle real-time customer contacts through
a variety of media rather than merely processing calls or e-mail. The
service seeks to fill a role with clients as a reliable source point for
crisis communications, industry expertise, cost-saving advice, consumer
profile information and leading-edge technology. Talk2Humans.com uses
state-of-the-art telecommunications technology to answer 800 number
consumer inquiry calls, e-mail requests and provide live chat on behalf of
clients. The Web site also offers a live, interactive demonstration of the
service.
Portal Connect Offers Solution To Collections Companies
Portal Connect, Inc. (formerly
EIS International) released Centenium XL 3.1 at Communications Solutions
Expo Fall 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the company's newest contact
center management solution, featuring comprehensive management tools for
the collections market. The client/server-based system is designed to
enhance agent productivity and improve control over delinquencies and
recovery rates, enabling users to achieve their collections goals.
Centenium XL 3.1 includes a suite of features designed for the credit and
recovery market, such as digital messaging, diligence tracking, skip
tracing, aging capabilities and "do not call" capabilities. The
addition of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)/Domain Name Service
(DNS) support allows the integration of the Centenium XL system with
corporate networks that use DNS, a centralized directory service
containing IP addresses and other information for all network nodes.
The Teltone Heart: Enhanced OfficeLink For Remote
Workers
Teltone Corp. announced general
availability of its OfficeLink 2000 version 2.2. This latest version
incorporates new VoIP capabilities to the original product that are
designed to allow access by geographically dispersed call center agents
and knowledge workers to the enterprise phone system using a Windows-based
PC connected to the Internet via a single IP connection. Remote workers
can switch from a VoIP connection to a PSTN connection and vice-versa at
any time, ensuring continuous toll-quality voice connections. Product
enhancements also allow for dual configuration systems that support both
analog and VoIP connections. Operating in the familiar Windows
environment, OfficeLink 2000 renders itself as a "soft phone,"
and users have access to other IP-based resources such as e-mail, the
Internet and CRM applications. Also included is AutoClient, an enhanced
system capability allowing users to continue handling calls and log out of
the ACD in the event of a PC crash or network failure.
Raising CRM To The Eloquent: Interchange From Teloquent
Teloquent Communications Corp.
recently inaugurated Teloquent Interchange, an open, multiple
communications platform that integrates call center and customer
relationship management systems for unified, networked customer
interaction and improved customer service. The company said Interchange
was developed for businesses as a means to meet customers' demand for
personalized, immediate, live support and service. The platform integrates
and supports voice, e-mail, and Web contact channels with all CRM
applications, providing multichannel interaction routing and queuing.
Interchange is VoIP- and wireless-ready. Based on a scalable Java 2
Enterprise Edition (J2EE) platform architecture, it is interoperable with
any CRM or enterprise application.
New PowerCenter Modules For The Astute User
Five new modules for Astute,
Inc.'s PowerCenter product debuted recently. The modules expand the
Internet, telephony and reporting capabilities of PowerCenter, which is
used to manage customer interactions. In recognition of the increased role
of the Internet in CRM, the modules are designed so PowerCenter users can
enhance their ability to process e-mail, use their Web site for
interactive customer management, decrease response times to customer
inquiries and maximize the productivity of customer contact center
personnel. The new offerings include PowerCenter Email (integrates inbound
e-mails and Web forms); PowerCenter FAQ (online self-help); PowerCenter
Chat; PowerCenter Interaction (for managing customer interactions from
multiple sources); and PowerCenter Business Intelligence (supplements and
integrates with third-party reporting tools).
Workforce Management Solution From Journyx
Journyx, Inc. announced the
enterprise-level version of its Work Optimizer is available. Journyx Work
Optimizer is a distributed workforce management solution designed to allow
companies, employees and third-party partners to share information to
better manage projects, tasks, time and expenses over the Internet, while
preserving their existing investments in back-office hardware and
software. Features include payroll and project management support,
customizable project tracking and reporting and the use of user-definable
business rules to manage specific classifications of work for payroll and
billing purposes. Work Optimizer also automates the workflow and approval
processes for timesheet submissions. It enables data entry and access via
Internet browsers, telephones, PDAs, wireless Web cell phone applications,
and badge readers. Real-time entry and access to information enables
managers and knowledge workers to improve productivity and monitor project
progress on demand, and generate invoices based on real-time data (e.g.,
latest employee hours, billing rates and expenses).
Avolent Releases BillCast 3.0
Avolent, Inc., announced the general
availability of BillCast 3.0, the latest version of its electronic bill
presentment and payment (EBPP) and interactive customer care software
suite. This release introduces additional modules to the BillCast suite:
BillCast Personalize and BillCast Industry Applications. BillCast
Personalize provides a point-and-click GUI solution for creation of timely
one-to-one marketing campaigns, targeted messages and tailored customer
self-care to end customers. The BillCast Personalization Center enables
service providers to give billers remote access to content, and BillCast
Industry Applications provide the framework for billers and service
providers to deploy rich, industry-specific EBPP and interactive customer
care applications. Modules for communications, credit card, utility and
loan-based billers minimize the need for customization by including
industry-specific features and functionality.
ViryaNet Upgrades Workforce Management Solution
ViryaNet Ltd. upgraded its core
product offering with the release of Service Hub 4.0. This release expands
the available platforms for Service Hub by integrating Oracle's database
and Internet platform, 8i. Service Hub 4.0 includes new capabilities, such
as: improved Internet-based wireless workforce management capabilities;
preconfigured business templates and enhanced workflow editing tools; and
interface to ClickSchedule, an advanced scheduling product from
ClickSoftware. ViryaNet's workflow tools conform to the workflow model
defined by the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC) and the Object
Management Group (OMG) Workflow Facility.
IEX Integrates TotalNet With Tekelec Softswitch For
Enhanced Support
IEX Corp., a subsidiary of Tekelec,
confirmed that its TotalNet Call Routing solution now supports intelligent
routing of calls in IP and other packet switched telephony environments.
Supporting a variety of ACD and network infrastructures, including IP
telephony, the system provides pretermination routing of incoming calls
based on business rules. Patented call processing algorithms determine the
best answering resource for each incoming call using real-time ACD
information and agent skill requirements. The TotalNet solution is
designed to enable businesses to effectively predict and manage incoming
calls; balancing volume and service level across multiple contact centers,
including those using differing ACD or network providers. Integration with
the Tekelec VXi 2000 MGC media gateway controller (or "soft
switch") extends the TotalNet solution into IP, ATM and other
converged voice/data topologies.
TeleDirect Extends Liberation Capabilities
TeleDirect International, Inc. now
provides thin client capabilities for its Liberation 6000 system, a
Windows-based marketing campaign automation solution designed to help
improve call center capacity and campaign effectiveness by increasing
agent call rates and earnings per call. It combines predictive dialing
technology with a GUI application development environment giving call
center managers real-time campaign and call management control over the
agents' desktops. Thin client support permits a Liberation 6000 system to
utilize agent workstations having MS DOS, MS Windows 95/98/ NT/ 2000 as
the local operating system. The agent software can operate on any PC that
has a processor speed of 486 or greater and at least 8MB of RAM. With this
release, remote agents can log in and utilize the same capabilities as
local agents via modem dial-up or Internet connectivity.
Peregrine Smoothes Feathers Of Ruffled Service Desk
Diagnostics
Peregrine Systems, Inc. introduced
ServiceCenter Automated Resolution, a new product geared to increasing
service desk productivity by quickly pinpointing infrastructure problems
and providing a visual "map" of the affected area. ServiceCenter
Automated Resolution is designed to automatically identify the root cause
of infrastructure malfunctions and allow the frontline agent to see the
devices that connect the end-user to an IT service. The product enables
fast diagnosis and impact analysis, minimizing escalations and downtime.
An enhancement to Peregrine's ServiceCenter service desk solution,
Automated Resolution automatically detects and isolates problems in the
infrastructure, enabling operational staff to address critical issues
before users are aware of them.
XChange Enhanced; Goes International
eshare communications, Inc. released
eshare XChange 4.2, the latest version of its multichannel customer
contact application, for worldwide distribution. Enhancements in XChange
4.2 over earlier versions include international telco network support, fax
support, inbound/outbound VoIP, improved inbound call routing and improved
call blending. Additionally, XChange 4.2 offers several automated tasks,
including telebanking and automated directory assistance, and combines
extensive e-mail, monitoring and reporting capabilities.
Pronexus Strengthens VBVoice Capabilities
Pronexus, Inc., announced the
release of VBVoice 4.3, its IVR software geared for providing a rapid
development environment for creating sophisticated communications
solutions. Among its new capabilities are WAP support, speaker
verification, text-to-speech engines and speech recognition with dynamic
grammars. These features are designed to provide the functionality needed
to create communication solutions in the midst of converging technologies;
i.e., telephones, speech technologies, wireless devices, dynamic data
storage/retrieval and the Internet. Applications can be created quickly
and easily using drag-and-drop components and a graphical user interface
(GUI).
Say The Word And Get Connected
Intraco Systems, Inc. introduced the
X-Site Dialer, a personal dialer service that uses Intraco's speech
recognition technology to place and route calls. Sold as an enhanced
service by telecommunications carriers, the X-Site Dialer is a remotely
hosted dialer service that places calls over both VoIP and standard
telephone networks. Users say the name of the person, department or
company they wish to reach, and X-Site Dialer dials the number
corresponding to the name. According to Intraco, the X-Site Dialer is easy
to set up and administer, with secure access provided to a Web-based
administration page where users can enter, organize and update up to 500
names and 2,500 numbers. Businesses can create custom directories, entire
address books from popular contact management applications can be imported
and complete databases can be synchronized into the system. The X-Site
Dialer may also be purchased as an add-on module to Intraco's X-Site
Operator, a voice-powered call routing auto attendant service. Both
products are hosted at Intraco Data Centers, so no customer on-premise
equipment is necessary.
KnowEx Tailors eCRM Solution For Small Business
KnowEx Solutions Inc. recently
introduced KnowEx Interact Small Business, described as a low-cost
solution tailored for companies with two or less customer service
representatives interacting with Web site visitors. The product is
designed to allow companies to provide instant customer service on their
Web sites through live chat and streaming of images and Web pages, and
assist in closing more sales and providing improved service. The product
includes the KnowEx Interact Web Server and a Windows-based CSR desktop.
The CSR desktop has a number of features, including quick messages, a
built-in Web browser, media folders and drag and drop capabilities
designed for ease of use. The product can be evaluated for 15 days for
free and is available through a download on the KnowEx Solutions Web site.
Telestream Simplifies Streaming Media Flow
Telestream, Inc. launched
FlipFactory, a software application designed to eliminate the complicated
process of encoding and delivery usually associated with streaming media
by automatically "flipping" source files into user-specified
formats and then forwarding the files to appropriate servers. Supporting
both file-based media and live Webcasts, FlipFactory is geared for
corporate communications departments, the television and entertainment
industries and Internet service providers. FlipFactory is an automated
solution that simultaneously transcodes source video into multiple
streaming formats and bit rates and sends it to FTP servers, Web servers,
caching networks and individual mailboxes in the format each destination
requires. High-quality video, created in any source format, is
automatically re-coded by FlipFactory and delivered to servers for
distribution anywhere with an Internet connection. Media delivery takes
place in Internet time, using a "smart network."
The IceMon Cometh
eNetSecure, Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Applied Signal Technology, Inc., announced the commercial
release of IceMon, a telecommunication intrusion detection system for
protecting computer networks against outsider infiltration as well as
insider information leaks executed through an enterprise's PBX telecom
switch. Previously sold exclusively to U.S. government agencies under the
name Model 2600 Modem Sentry, IceMon monitors dial-up modem, fax and voice
sessions passing through the office phone network, the "back
door" considered the most likely source of security violations. The
system identifies the origin and destination of each communication,
generates real-time alarms in the event of suspicious activity, archives
and reconstructs the file, making it possible to ascertain the precise
content transmitted or received. Data is automatically reconstructed,
including the TCP/IP packets that are the basis of many sophisticated
network attacks.
Resource Manager 2001 Unveiled
User Solutions, Inc. announced
availability of Resource Manager version 2001. Designed as an add-on to
the familiar Excel spreadsheet, Resource Manager 2001 is described as a
low-cost planning and scheduling solution that can be immediately
implemented by all operations, and is designed to manage critical
resources (e.g., manpower, materials and work centers) in near real-time.
End-users can use their familiar desktop tools to assist them in
delivering products and services on time, reducing cycle times and
inventory shortages, planning labor and work center requirements, and
tracking schedules. Resource Manager 2001features an advanced planning and
scheduling (APS) module with detailed work center calendars that can be
adjusted at any time and a Flow Manufacturing option (allowing for
variable transfer sizes for work center processing). There are new reports
and a data integration wizard to assist clients with reading in
bills-of-materials, routings, orders, inventory levels, etc., from a
variety of ERP systems.
Wireless Client From Talisma
Talisma Corp. rolled out its latest
eCRM solution, Talisma Wireless Client. The Wireless Client was developed
to give mobile users of any device equipped with a Wireless Access
Protocol (WAP) browser (such as cellular phones and personal digital
assistants) remote access to Talisma Enterprise's suite of sales, service
and marketing tools. Talisma Wireless Client's advanced technology is
designed to optimize the small screens and low bandwidth of mobile
devices. With a minimum of keystrokes, the user can employ many
"desktop" features, such as routing of urgent customer
interactions based on a rules-based routing engine; wireless access to
customer data stored on the corporate server; ability to send personalized
responses to customers; automatic notification of the correct salesperson
or mobile customer service agent when the nature or details of an
interaction change; one touch dialing to customers from the user's
information screen; and access to scripted responses for customer requests
from a knowledge base.
Digital Tap Card From ASC For Multivendor Switch
Support
ASC, a manufacturer of
communications recording and call center solutions, announced a new,
multivendor, digital tap card. The card connects ASC's Marathon voice
recorder directly to many popular digital PBX and ACD telecommunications
systems, including Alcatel, Aspect, Bosch, Comdial, Ericsson, Intercom,
InterTel Axxess, Lucent, NEC, Nitsuko, Norstar, Nortel, Siemens and Telrad.
The direct connection provided by the card is intended to eliminate
third-party, digital-to-analog converters and the cumbersome wiring of
handset audio. In addition, the card should provide flexibility for
companies desiring to replace their PBX/ACD systems with another supported
manufacturer. ASC indicated it will be expanding the supported switches in
the near future.
DSC's PACER Series Of Predictive Dialers
database systems corp.
offers the PACER series of predictive dialers in combination with its
Telemation call center control system software. The PACER series is based
on industry standard components: Intel Pentium processors, the Microsoft
Windows NT server and Dialogic telephony cards. The series is targeted at
small and medium-sized call centers as an affordable, yet feature-rich,
alternative to other systems available on the market. DSC characterizes
the PACER series as a call center-oriented phone switch with functionality
usually found only in large scale switches, such as the ability to check
phone status, call recording, monitor another call, initiate outbound
calls, accept inbound calls, call transfer and conferencing, etc. DSC's
Telemation product supports operation of the PACER series, including call
list and campaign management, site control and operator parameters,
campaign and operator statistics.
Mobius Rolls Out Enhancements
Mobius Management Systems, Inc.
announced the availability of e-Search & View 1.3 and DocumentDirect
for the Internet 1.3, new product versions designed to enhance Web content
management, searching and presentation. Both products are parts of Mobius'
ViewDirect software suite for managing diverse content for use with CRM,
electronic bill presentment and payment and other e-business applications.
e-Search & View is a Web-based search engine for content that is
inaccessible with other Web search techniques. The new version has an
enhanced user interface that includes embedded on-screen help to assist
the user in creating personalized searches and viewing results. A
date-selection drop-down box allows users to specify date ranges.
DocumentDirect for the Internet 1.3 features enhancements to facilitate
Internet document access and can export documents as Extensible Markup
Language (XML), including documents in formats such as AFP, DJDE/Metacode,
PDF and text. Additional enhancements include flexible content
presentment, a Web template designer and a forms overlay feature.
NEC Gains Advanced Networks
NEC Business Network Solutions, Inc. announced the acquisition of Advanced
Networks Corp., a network integration company headquartered in Waltham,
Massachusetts. This acquisition enables NEC BNS to expand its market share
in the Boston area and participate in the growth of what has become a
major technological center. Advanced Networks' primary market focus has
been in the financial services, software and Internet/dot com arenas. The
company's service offerings include network baselining (including topology
review and assessment of network architecture), configuration,
installation, troubleshooting, security and remote network monitoring
services.
Microsoft Fences In Great Plains
Microsoft Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire Great Plains Software
Inc., a supplier of mid-market business applications. The acquisition is
structured as a stock purchase and is valued at approximately $1.1
billion. The major goal of the acquisition is leadership in providing
interconnected business management solutions to small and mid-sized
customers. Once the deal is completed, Great Plains will become
Microsoft's Great Plains Division. The new division is expected to provide
new capabilities that complement Microsoft's online service for small
companies, bCentral. The integration of technologies will create an
interconnected group of business applications built on Microsoft's .NET
platform, accessed by a range of devices (e.g., PCs, terminals, handheld
and wireless devices) and deployed as Web-based services (hosted
applications) or on-premise, locally managed solutions according to the
customer's business needs and customization requirements.
Access Direct To Precision Response
Precision Response Corp., a provider of integrated customer care for large
corporations and high-growth Internet-focused companies, recently acquired
Access Direct, a provider of customer care and sales support services.
Access Direct operates six centers and employs over 1,200 customer care
professionals. The acquisition is expected to enhance PRC's existing
customer relationship management services and strengthen the technology
infrastructure that supports its business-to-business customer care
initiatives. PRC is a division of USA Networks, Inc.'s information and
services unit.
Teleservices Company Launched, Acquires A Pair Of
Centers
Call_Solutions.com, Inc. has formed Call_Solutions, a new company focused
on the acquisition and development of next-generation call centers.
Headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Call_Solutions is led by chairman
and CEO George D. Dalton, founder and former chairman and CEO of Fiserv,
Inc. Call_Solutions also revealed it has acquired two call center
operations, GLS Direct, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Advantage
Line Telemarketing, Inc. of Williston, North Dakota. GLS TeleServices has
call centers in Clearwater, Florida and Omaha, Nebraska, and operating
agreements with three facilities in North Dakota. Advantage Line has call
centers in Williston, North Dakota, and in the Montana cities of Billings,
Glendive and Harve. With these acquisitions, Call_Solutions has annualized
revenues of approximately $20 million, over 900 full and part-time
employees and 550 total workstations in seven call centers. Clients of the
call center and fulfillment operations include: government agencies,
financial and health services providers, insurance companies, credit card
marketers, telecommunications, publishing, catalog retailing, membership
enhancement and market research companies.
Agilera Poised For Applicast Take-Over
Agilera, Inc., a full-service "pure-play" application service
provider (ASP), signed a definitive agreement whereby it will acquire
California-based Applicast, Inc., a vertical industry-focused ASP, in a
stock-for-stock transaction. The new company, which will operate under the
Agilera name, brings together a substantial portfolio of complementary
products, resources and market strategies. Spokespersons noted the synergy
in both companies' business models, process expertise, "product
packaging" and content, and expect these factors to enhance the new
company's ability to offer more diverse solutions to its target vertical
industries and provide greater opportunities for growth.
SR. Teleperformance Gains Majority Of BRI
SR.Teleperformance acquired 80 percent of Business Response Inc. (BRI),
a U.S. provider of teleservices, database marketing, business services and
project management. Donald Kornblet, president of BRI, retains a 20
percent interest in that company. The acquisition of BRI further
strengthens the position of the SR.Teleperformance Group on the U.S.
domestic market. Daniel Julien, co-president of SR. Teleperformance, said
that BRI brings a strong client service culture and outstanding project
management delivery to the company. BRI has four contact centers comprised
of 495 fully computerized workstations, and its operations consist of 40
percent inbound/business services and 60 percent outbound.
TeleTech Adds iCcare
TeleTech Holdings, Inc., a provider of customer management and
business-to-business infrastructure services, has acquired Hong Kong-based
iCcare Ltd, a CRM provider in greater China, in a $4 million purchase
transaction. TeleTech spokesmen said that acquisition positions it as a
global eCRM solution provider in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthens
its international reach, giving it the ability to provide voice and
Internet-enabled customer management solutions to its client base from
Asia. iCcare's client base is comprised of corporations in the financial
services and telecommunications industries, two key areas within
TeleTech's vertical market focus.
!hey's ReallyEasy Internet Acquisition
!hey inc. announced the acquisition of ReallyEasy Internet, Inc.,
a Dallas-based provider of multimedia communication solutions for
Web-centric customer interaction. Through the acquisition, !hey adds
ReallyEasy's collaborative online voice, instant voice messaging, IP voice
and Web conferencing, and shared surfing capabilities to !heycenter, its
customer interaction product suite. The merger also adds ReallyEasy's
patent-pending automatic firewall compensation technology to its customer
engagement product suite.
Aperian Deal Sealed For Infinity
Aperian, Inc., a provider of managed hosting and Internet consulting
services, has acquired Infinity Interactive, a company specializing in
shared Internet Web site hosting. Infinity Interactive currently hosts
more than six thousand Internet Web sites and domain names for businesses.
One result of the acquisition is that Aperian expects to broaden its
product line to include service to all portions of the managed Web hosting
and shared Web hosting market, especially for small and medium sized
businesses. Under terms of the merger, Alan Tone, COO of Infinity
Interactive, will become director of shared hosting services. Infinity
Interactive CEO Dan Arnot will become director of sales and marketing for
that business unit.
InstantService Adds New Features For Its Live
Interaction Technology
InstantService.com released three new features designed to provide its
clients with competitive functionality to deliver to their customers:
Desktop Streaming, Smart Button and Reseller Administration. The Desktop
Streaming capability allows clients to have shared desktop control with
another remote desktop. A Desktop Streaming host can see and control
everything that is on their client's desktop as their clients can view all
of the host's actions, facilitating interactive communications. The
InstantService "chat" button changes its appearance and content
based upon client agents' availability to accept chats. Whether all agents
are busy or not logged in, the Smart Button sends a special message to
your customer who is then immediately aware of agent availability. The
Reseller Administration feature allows InstantService resellers to create,
modify, delete and monitor end-user accounts, which can be administered
individually or aggregated for billing and tracking purposes.
Have You Accepted The Call Center Challenge?
Echopass Corp., an ASP offering integrated Internet and telephone
contact center communication services, is running what it calls the 11%
Call Center Challenge; guaranteeing clients a boost in agent productivity,
customer satisfaction and a cut in operating costs by at least 11 percent.
The program is a 30-day, risk-free offer. Here's how it works: when
customers agree to take the Challenge, they will sign a 12-month
agreement. Echopass will take 20 of a prospective customer's call center
agents, customer care representatives or technical support technicians and
switch them over to the Echopass Web-based communication services. For 30
days, clients can utilize all of Echopass' services, including daily agent
productivity reports, scalability, and unified messaging technology. If,
within 30 days, the Echopass agent group does not improve its productivity
by 11 percent or more, then the prospective client owes Echopass nothing.
mynetsales Changes Name, Goes Wireless
Boston-based ASP, mynetsales.com, changed its name to Salesnet last month.
The moniker modification was made to mark the company's growth and reflect
its position as an enterprise provider of Web-based sales management
solutions. At the same time, Salesnet formally launched Salesnet Wireless,
its customizable wireless solution intended to give customers the ability
to access and update their critical sales information in real-time from
any location and from any device. Salesnet Wireless is designed to
seamlessly format information to a wireless device based on its screen
size and character layout. The solution can be accessed on over 25
handheld wireless devices, including PDAs and WAP phones, and offers the
advanced operability so users can read, edit and delete information. The
company believes its wireless offering will fill an important need by
providing a powerful sales force automation service to mobile sales
personnel.
Tele-Response Secures Accord With Wishing Well
Foundation
Tele-Response Center, Inc. entered into a three-year agreement with
Wishing Well Foundation, USA to conduct a public awareness and fund
raising campaign. Wishing Well Foundation USA is a charity that grants
wishes to terminally and chronically ill children. Wishing Well
Foundation, USA operates out of its national headquarters in New Orleans,
Louisiana.
billserv.com Appellation Alteration
billserv.com, an Internet bill presentment and payment outsourced
solutions provider, changed its name to Billserv, Inc. Spokesmen said that
the new name better reflects the company's evolution to a comprehensive
billing solutions provider and its commitment to complete bill service
delivery. Billserv serves an intermediary role between billers and bill
aggregators by consolidating customer billing information from multiple
billers and then securely delivering it to aggregators.
NSDI Garners ISO-9002 Certification
NSDI Teleperformance, the U.S. subsidiary of SR. Teleperformance Group and
a provider of outsourced CRM solutions and teleservices, announced it has
received ISO-9002 certification. The certification process requires an
ISO-accredited, third-party registrar to assess, audit and register a
company's quality management system (QMS). ISO criteria must be met both
in the development of the QMS and each step of the certification process.
The ISO 9000 series certification requirements are established by the
International Organization for Standardization. The organization's goal is
the development of standardization and quality processes to facilitate the
international exchange of goods and services.
CustomerAsset Launches New eCRM Facility In India
CustomerAsset, an eCRM services company, recently opened a
25,000-square-foot facility in Bangalore, India. The center will increase
the company's capacity to service the eCRM needs of its clients in the
U.S., the U.K. and India. The Bangalore facility is one of the largest
operations in India dedicated to meeting the needs of multinational
companies for outsourcing of eCRM functions, and is part of
CustomerAsset's strategy to provide redundant infrastructure along all
parts of its operations, ensuring 24/7 reliability.
Comverse Goes Dutch
Comverse Infosys, Inc., a provider of multimedia recording and
monitoring systems, announced the opening of a new office in the
Netherlands. The office will handle all business activities for the Dutch
and Belgian markets including sales, marketing, account management,
support activities, installations and upgrades. In the past year, Comverse
Infosys' customer base has grown substantially in the North European
sector. In response, the company has added a local presence to provide
customers with timely assistance in their own language.
Akibia Relocation
Akibia Inc., a service provider of eCRM solutions and IT support services,
has relocated its corporate headquarters to Westborough, Massachusetts.
The 86,000 square-foot facility enables the company to consolidate its
executive management, marketing, sales and customer service functions
(including its customer support center) into a single location. The
company will also maintain a consultancy headquarters in Boston.
Tele-Response Opens Off-Campus
Outbound teleservices agency Tele-Response Center, Inc. opened a new call
center in State College, Pennsylvania. The call center opened with 27
predictive dialer stations and plans to add additional 40 stations within
three months. Also, the company reported that it has doubled the size of
its Parkersburg, West Virginia facility with the addition of 48 predictive
stations.
vCustomer Customer Contact Center Debuts In Bombay
vCustomer Corp., a furnisher of outsourced solutions for customer
service and technical support, dedicated its new contact center in Bombay.
The facility has capacity for 4,000 customer care agents. The company
indicated that, by building out a robust communications network and
creating multiple centers in India, it can offer a flexible, reliable and
highly scalable solution to businesses seeking the advantages of offshore
outsourcing. vCustomer currently operates centers in New Delhi, India, and
Seattle, Washington, and is in the process of surveying sites for
additional centers in India planned for construction this year.
SITEL Announces Canadian Expansion
SITEL Corp. announced the selection of St. Catharines, Ontario and
Montreal, Quebec as the sites for two new contact centers to accommodate
and further its business expansion in North America. These centers will
feature state-of-the-art CRM technology and employ approximately 1200
people combined. Both contact centers were expected to open in January
2001. The new contact centers will handle inbound customer service
engagements, outbound sales applications and fully integrated CRM
programs. Currently operating contact centers in Toronto and Markham,
Ontario, Montreal, Quebec and Calgary, Alberta, SITEL cited the growth of
the outsourced CRM market in Canada as a major factor in its decision to
expand northward and continue growth in this important market.
Afni Has Affinity For Opelika
Afni, Inc., a provider of accounts receivable management and customer care
solutions, selected Opelika, Alabama as the site for its newest call
center. The 25,000 square-foot facility opened in January and is expected
to add 450 jobs to the Opelika area. The center, Afni's sixth, will
operate primarily as an inbound customer service center.
CallTech Cuts Ribbon In Florida
CallTech Communications, LLC opened open its newest call center in Fort
Myers, Florida in January 2001. The center will offer CallTech clients
customer service capabilities via phone, fax, e-mail and click-to-chat.
The 25,000-square-foot facility will house 425 seats. Initially, CallTech
hired some 100 operators to provide customer service and support, with
employment at the center eventually growing to an estimated 500 positions.
The expansion also increases CallTech's geographic diversity and boosts
its redundancy-based security. CallTech also operates call centers in
Columbus, Ohio and Brownsville, Pennsylvania.
VegaStream Opens U.S. Headquarters
VegaStream, supplier of voice over IP gateways, opened its new US
headquarters in San Francisco, California. Mike Hafferty, CEO of
VegaStream worldwide, will be based in the new office. In addition, three
key U.K. staff members will relocate to San Francisco and recruitment of
further staff has commenced.
European MIND Expansion
MIND CTI, a furnisher of next generation billing and customer care
solutions, has opened an additional office, MIND Software SRL, based in
Jassy, Romania. The new subsidiary was established to enhance MIND's
R&D team and to support the company's growing European customer base.
The software development team will focus on add-on modules for MIND's main
product lines. The support team will concentrate on the installation and
support of the company's billing solutions, mainly in Eastern Europe.
Monica Eisinger, MIND's president and CEO, said Romania was chosen as a
European base "to take advantage of the country's highly-skilled
workforce of software engineers." Liviu Serea, previously technical
director, manager and shareholder at Ace Computers in Romania, has been
appointed general manager of MIND Software SRL.
Pegasystems And Acxiom Ally For Intelligent CRM
Pegasystems announced a strategic technology alliance with Acxiom Corp. to
deliver a multichannel CRM solution combining Acxiom's detailed user
information with Pegasystems' rules-based CRM products. The intent is to
provide companies with a single, complex view of their customers to
facilitate greater cross-sell/upsell opportunities and increased quality
of service. Pegasystems has developed an integration connector between its
eCRM Foundation Template for rules-driven customer service and Acxiom's
Solvitur4 framework for customer data integration (CDI). The connector
combines Pegasystems' ability to automate customer service transactions
and drive customer interaction based on flexible, best practice rules and
Acxiom's real-time, multipoint CDI and data enhancement capabilities.
CELLIT Joins Siebel Alliance
CELLIT Technologies, a provider of comprehensive customer
interaction management (CIM) solutions, announced it has joined the Siebel
Alliance Program as a Premier Software Partner. Siebel Systems is a
provider of eBusiness applications software. The alliance enables CELLIT
to seamlessly integrate its ContactPro software with Siebel eBusiness
applications. CELLIT will submit the integration to the Siebel Validation
Program for technical review. The combined solution aims to empower
enterprises to utilize customer context to provide a consistent and
personalized customer experience across multiple communication channels.
CELLIT's CIM solution incorporates inbound skills-based routing, outbound
predictive dialing, e-mail management, Web chat and collaboration, IVR
with voice recognition, monitoring, recording and reporting. Siebel
Systems integrated family of eBusiness applications software enable
multichannel sales, marketing, and customer service systems to be deployed
over the Web, in call centers, field, reseller channels, retail and dealer
networks.
Bridgecom.com, OfficeTool.com Ally
Bridgecom.com, Inc. entered into an alliance with OfficeTool.com for
integrating Bridgecom.com's unified messaging services with
OfficeTool.com's Internet-based collaboration, organization and
productivity tools. The alliance creates what Bridgecom.com terms an
information access portal (IAP), where users can combine business
productivity tools with an enhanced communications suite. The IAP is aimed
at small and medium-size businesses, home offices and affinity groups.
PeopleSoft Partnership For Mobile CRM: JustTalk
PeopleSoft and JustTalk, Inc. formed a strategic partnership through which
they expect to provide field sales personnel the means to capture, access
and share data using speech recognition over any telephone. Plans call for
the integration of JustTalk's speech recognition technology with
PeopleSoft CRM's mobile sales force automation software and the PeopleSoft
8 pure Internet financial, human resources and supply chain products. With
JustTalk's service, PeopleSoft's sales force automation customers can
review contacts, initiate conference calls, organize appointments in their
calendar and manage their to-do lists using simple voice commands using
any phone. The integration is expected to provide a "friendly"
alternative for field sales personnel who are sometimes reluctant to use
sales force automation systems due to their complexity.
Avaya Makes Astute Alliance; Strengthens Multichannel
Interaction
Astute, Inc., a full-service solution provider for the eCRM industry, and
Avaya, Inc. announced an alliance that will integrate Astute's PowerCenter
customer interaction management system with Avaya's customer relationship
management (CRM) solution, CRM Central. Under the alliance, Astute will
add the multichannel communications and workflow management capabilities
of CRM Central to its solutions for eCRM. CRM Central provides the ability
to support multichannel customer interactions, value-based work
distribution and case management and integration of existing enterprise
applications. The combined product solution is expected to offer Astute's
customers the ability to strengthen customer service efficiency,
responsiveness and customer loyalty.
BroadVision And Chordiant Partner
BroadVision Inc., a supplier of personalized e-business
applications, announced a partnership with Chordiant Software to provide
an integrated CRM solution featuring highly personalized sales and service
via the Internet, telephone, e-mail or retail outlets. By combining
BroadVision's One-To-One applications and Chordiant's Unified CRM
Solution, the partnership is expected to result in a more complete
solution for presenting personalized offers through a wide range of
customer communication channels. The companies anticipate providing a
solution that delivers a real-time, single view of each customer;
multichannel integration; a consistent, unified message with every
customer interaction through business process automation; and rapid
deployment of the CRM solution. BroadVision and Chordiant will be working
with Andersen Consulting to deliver this solution.
Net2Phone And CallWave Ally For Call Handling Over IP
Net2Phone, a provider of voice-enhanced Internet communications services,
and CallWave, a provider of Internet call waiting, announced a strategic
alliance to develop and cross-distribute services that integrate inbound
and outbound voice over IP targeted at both individuals and businesses.
Under the agreement, CallWave will integrate a Net2Phone-branded version
of its free Internet Answering Machine into Net2Phone's product line. The
integration will enable users to return a call while online with a single
click. In addition, Net2Phone will provide CallWave-branded versions of
its outbound calling services, including free domestic and paid
international PC-to-phone (for outbound calls) and paid calling cards.
Avolent And Portal Partner For EBPP And EIPP Platform
Delivery
Avolent, Inc., a vendor of electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP),
electronic invoice presentment and payment (EIPP) and interactive customer
care solutions, announced an alliance with Portal Software, Inc. Targeting
wireline, wireless, Internet/IP, broadband and cable industries, the
partnership will enable Avolent to further extend its reach to telecom
companies and other service providers. In turn, the alliance is expected
to enhance Portal's ability to offer its customers a comprehensive
business-to-business or business-to-consumer EBPP solution to complement
its own robust, real-time customer management and billing capability. The
alliance between Avolent and Portal will offer service providers in the
telecom industry a highly flexible, scalable billing and invoicing
solution that offers end-users a personalized experience for Internet bill
and invoice presentment and payment.
NICE And Astound Offer Experience Management Solution
NICE Systems announced a partnership with Astound Inc. to deliver
integrated e-learning solutions for customer contact centers. Astound's
e-learning solution is designed for enabling contact centers to deliver
multimedia training sessions to agents' desktops for access on an
as-needed or on-demand basis. The Astound solution is a new enhancement to
NICE Systems' platform for customer experience management and will be sold
through NICE's global distribution channels. The goal is to deliver
focused training to agents based on their specific requirements to reduce
training time and costs while improving performance levels. The integrated
solution is expected to provide a wide range of enhanced features,
including rules-based e-learning and the ability to use recorded content
for training and real-time reports.
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To The February 2001 Table Of Contents ]
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