Choosing Knowledge Base Management Technology (Sidebar)
By Josh Patrick, Stream International
Whether you do it yourself or decide to outsource, the value of your knowledge base management solution will be based on three fundamental elements: the quality of the knowledge, the systems you use to manage that knowledge and the processes used to deliver knowledge to customers.

Better Customer Service Via Knowledge Management
By Chris Derossi, ePeople, Inc.
Amidst the sizeable investments companies are making in CRM systems and other technologies in the quest to deliver superior customer service and support, theres some irony that shouting over the wall of the cubicle, calling around the organization or e-mailing others for assistance is a key component of the customer support process.

OUTSOURCING OF CALL CENTER AND CRM FUNCTIONS
The European Outsourcing Market Heats Up
By Kevin Wilzbach, Convergys Corporation
Since 2000, Datamonitor research indicates the market for outsourced customer care services has grown by one-fourth as cultural resistance to the practice eases and economic competition intensifies.

Outsourcing Offshore Without Getting Burned (Sidebar)
By Peter Gurney, Kinesis; and Bill Price, Driva Solutions
An increasing number of North American companies are choosing foreign suppliers to handle at least a portion of their customer support. These companies are motivated by a variety of factors, including coverage, cost, quality and capacity.

CALL CENTER/CRM MANAGEMENT SCOPE
Measuring The Reality Of The Customer Experience
By Marlene Rosati, Eyretel Inc.
Missing from standard contact center reports is the effectiveness side of the equation, which highlights both the customer-centric view of the overall customer experience as well as integration of contact center efficiency with overall corporate objectives.

Quality Monitoring The Web Experience (Sidebar)
By Oscar A. Alban, Witness Systems
While Web initiatives have historically been a function of the IT and marketing departments, increasingly, contact centers are taking the lead in managing the self-service revenue channel to ensure the Web serves as a profitable, consistent service media.

E-SALES -- E-SERVICE.COM
Seeking The Complete Customer Experience: The Web As A Marketing Tool
By Tom Detmer, Experian
Years ago, as the Internet bandwagon progressed full-steam ahead, companies scrambled to develop a presence online. Back then, many marketers made a costly mistake, employing inconsistent messaging between their online and offline communications.

DEPARTMENTS
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   Technology Highlights

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   RE:Locations

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TMC LABS
This month, Interactive Intelligences e-FAQ 2.2 and FrontRange Solutions HEAT 6.4 are thoroughly reviewed by the engineers of TMC Labs.

COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS
LAN Telephony: A Billion-Dollar Market
By Brian Strachman, Cahners In-Stat
It finally happened. In 2001, the U.S. market for LAN (local area network) telephony reached the billion-dollar range. Well, almost. The actual number was $976 million, but given the typical margin of error analysts work under, its close enough. Considering the current state of the U.S. economy, and the fact that the LAN telephony market almost didnt exist as little as three years ago, this is a remarkable feat.