All 1998 MVP Quality Award applicants were rigorously judged by a 18-point set of criteria and given a score from 0 to 5 for each point. Entrants described a specific teleservices program and its results, and explained its overall policies and procedures, including human resources, technologies, customer services, ergonomics and public image that are used to establish, sustain and measure the programs’s quality. Applicants were also judged on the critical questions section of their application.

Judging the applicants was an arduous task, and scores were not given lightly. Judges were required to not only assign a numerical value to each evaluation point, but also cite a reason and evidence from the application for the score. Top-scoring companies were then divided into application categories, as determined by the application described in their essays.

As in past years, it is an understatement to say that we were truly impressed by the detail, exacting measures and genuine all-out effort put forth by our award winners to achieve the ideals of quality in their call centers and in the practice of teleservices, human resource development and customer services.

It is also important for you to know that we learned through the winners’ essays that there are countless individuals within these organizations whose combined efforts and teamwork have contributed to elevating their companies’ marketing via phone practices to the forefront of the industry. To all of you, our congratulations.

Advanced Data-Comm, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a third-party verification program for a joint venture between a large reseller of long-distance service and an Internet service provider. (For more information, contact Cynthia Haugen at 800-582-9501.)

Aegis Communications Group, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a billing and customer service program for a large cable company. (For more information, contact Doug Starr at 800-332-0266.)

Consolidated Market Response, Inbound, Business-to-Consumer, for a reservation program for a state Department of Natural Resources. (For more information, contact Paul J. Bunting at 217-348-7050.)

InfoCision Management Corporation, Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a fund-raising program for a large national charity. (For more information, contact Gary Taylor at 330-668-1400.)

King Teleservices, LLC., Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for an inbound response and outbound marketing and fulfillment program for a large utility company. (For more information, contact Arleen Stefan at 800-817-5468.)

The Product Line, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for handling calls from travel agents about a foreign national Ministry of Tourism promotional campaign. (For more information, contact Muriel Legendre at 800-343-4717.)

Protocall Communications, Outbound Business-to-Business, for a lead generation program for a large Internet service provider. (For more information, contact Hilary Whitfield at 301-361-1111.)

SITEL Corporation — Financial Services Group, Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a credit card acquisition program that involved calling more than 50 affinity groups for the client. (For more information, contact James Perkins at 402-963-5707.)

SITEL Teleservices Canada Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a credit card acquisition program for a large national bank. (For more information, contact Jeff Wright at 416-932-2000.)

SPS TeleServices, Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a customer service program for service disconnects and payment arrangements for a large electric utility company. (For more information, contact Ruth O’Brien at 800-473-3390.)

TeleMark, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a membership renewal campaign for a large regional membership organization. (For more information, contact Eve Sather at 800-783-6000.)

Teleperformance International, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for customer service, technical support and outbound marketing for a large Internet service provider. (For more information, contact Brigitte Daubry at +33 1 55 76 40 30.)

Transcom, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Business, for a combined customer retention and acquisition program for a large provider of HVAC systems. (For more information, contact Sandra Herman at 317-571-3600.)

Unitel Corporation, Inbound Business-to-Business, for a program that attained new business, disseminated information, conducted market research and created customer profiles for a Fortune 500 corporation. (For more information, contact Douglas Palley at 800-425-0000.)

UST, Inc., The Technology Marketing Group, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Business, for a program that developed a lead generation and response campaign for a leading provider of enterprise resource planning applications. (For more information, contact Dennis Mario at 770-381-6000.)

Access Direct Telemarketing, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a consumer sales program for a satellite television provider. (For more information, contact Julie Shepler at 904-273-1946.)

C.R. Dynamics & Associates, Inc., Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Business, for a campaign that provided inbound customer support and outbound marketing support for a provider of business process solutions. (For more information, contact Patricia Ramos at 410-480-1550.)

COMPASS TeleServices (formerly Impact Telemarketing Group), Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a voter-contact campaign in response to a proposal to change a law about the size and number of planes taking off and landing at a local airport. (For more information, contact Deborah Brown at 609-384-1111.)

DialAmerica Marketing, Inc., Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a program that combined cold calling for a large wireless provider and taking calls for related programs. (For more information, contact Frank Conway at 201-327-0200.)

Echo Communications, Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a customer service and order-entry program for a national senior citizen association. (For more information, contact Douglas Parent at 805-882-2000.)

FutureCall Telemarketing West, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Business, for an outbound acquisition program for a national provider of corporate credit cards. (For more information, contact Sandra Alexa at 719-591-2200.)

Harte-Hanks Response Management, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a campaign that generated leads and channeled them to trained agents for a foreign national Tourism Commission. (For more information, contact Jeanne Shaunessy at 512-434-1100.)

Intek Information, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a program that created a direct sales channel for a major computer and accessories manufacturer. (For more information, contact Allison Fries at 303-357-3000.)

The Martin Agency, Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a lead-generation campaign that generated awareness for purchase/lease options for a new model automobile. (For more information, contact Sam Kades at 804-698-8954.)

MicroAge Teleservices, Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a billing, payment and collections program for a large utilities company. (For more information, contact Traci Scott at 702-319-2958.)

Reese Brothers, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a donor acquisition and retention program for a national blood services association. (For more information, contact Barry Reese at 412-365-3500.)

Strategic Telecommunications, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a political fund-raising campaign for a Congressional candidate. (For more information, contact Curt Herwers at 651-649-0404.)

Tele Business USA, Outbound Business-to-Business, for a campaign to increase attendance at business functions held at a national theme park. (For more information, contact Larry Kaplan at 847-480-1560.)

Telemarketing Concepts, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Business, for a program that sold travel guides to the travel agency marketplace. (For more information, contact Jeffrey Milberg at 914-245-0701.)

TeleQuest Teleservices, Inbound Business-to-Business, for a third-party verification program for a large long-distance provider. (For more information, contact Carol Clark at 817-258-6500.)

TeleSpectrum Worldwide, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a telesales campaign for various insurance packages for a major insurance company. (For more information, contact Jennifer McChesney at 610-878-7400.)

AfterMarket Company, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for an infomercial response campaign for a national sports product company. (For more information, contact John Wolf at 602-707-1110.)

Communication Service Centers, Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a campaign that set appointments, answered questions and sold space for a national storage space chain. (For more information, contact Rebecca Leuchter at 800-537-8000.)

Contact America, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Business, for a program for a national private organization that qualified potential voters in a special election and contacted them about the upcoming election. (For more information, contact Robert Schuman at 619-459-8438.)

Dialog Marketing, Outbound Business-to-Business, for a customer retention program for a national supplier of cleaning supplies and equipment. (For more information, contact Roberta Black at 248-827-4700.)

Gannett TeleMarketing, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Business, for a subscription renewal and qualification program for a major business periodical publisher. (For more information, contact Neida Joseph-Abel at 703-750-8730.)

InfoPlex Corporation, Integrated Inbound/Outbound Business-to-Business, for a program that developed a sales lead generation process and converted prospects into sales. (For more information, contact Rachel Browne at 510-732-5000.)

National Electronics Warranty, Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a program that administered the current portfolio and converted them to a new program for a major utility company. (For more information, contact Michelle Jancuska at 703-318-7700.)

Protocol Communications, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a quality enhancement program. (For more information, contact Kevin Blayne at 800-435-2003.)

Regency Communications, Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a fund-raising campaign for an evangelical ministry. (For more information, contact James McKinney at 817-268-4044.)

RMH TELESERVICES, INC., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for an outbound campaign to acquire credit card numbers for billing for a major life insurance company. (For more information, contact Terry Blackley at 610-520-5300.)

TeleRep, A Division of ATS Call Centers, Inc., Inbound Business-to-Consumer, for a campaign that fielded calls for a state prepaid college trust fund. (For more information, contact Evette Harris at 410-761-2424.)

TeleSTAR Marketing, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a sales campaign for a video-on-demand provider. (For more information, contact Arthur Saxon at 610-891-7100.)

Wyer Creative Communications, Inc., Outbound Business-to-Consumer, for a lead generation campaign for a national mortgage company. (For more information, contact Jim Gardner at 615-242-9800.)