TMCnet Contact Center Solutions Week in Review

Contact center solutions (pardon the repetition) are increasingly the centers of attention in enterprises around the world. In fact, before getting into this week’s news, it is worth noting the extraordinary attention that has been given Interactive Intelligence’s (News - Alert) purchase of its South African Reseller ATIO by new sources around the world which is why it is currently the Editor’s Choice.

With the U.S. Congress back in session, I would also be remiss in not point you back to an article I also happened to write back in December, “U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act Introduced with Bi-Partisan Support,“ which has amassed an impressive number of page views week after week as people look to be educated on this critical subject.  Now the news from a busy week.

Enhancing existing contact center capabilities to provide better customer experiences dominated the news this week. Activities included:

• TMCnet Contributing Writer, Jordan Eggers coverage of Tri-City Medical Center announcing the launch of their new 24/7 informational call center.
• Allied Offices, a provider of virtual business solutions, announced it has set up a new location in Beverly Hills, CA (News - Alert).
• Payday Express, a UK based company that offers emergency payday loans to employed people across the country, has announced  a new contact center support department to take on administrative duties previously performed by the customer services team. With the formation of the new department, advisors have more time on hand to answer customer calls with increased efficiency.
• Chicago-based Accretive Health Inc has chosen Birmingham, Ala., where the Birmingham City Council approved an incentive agreement to locate a new call center that will result in at least 250 jobs, according to a story by Nevin Batiwalla at The Nashville Business Journal.
• G2M International, a division of Dialogue Marketing, has expanded the company's international presence by opening its newest contact center in Costa Rica.
• Interstate Batteries, a company that delivers portable power solutions, selected Voice Print International (News - Alert) (VPI), for its VPI EMPOWER performance optimization suite to maximize the quality and performance of its customer service center.
• Ancestry.com, the popular online genealogical research website, has 1.7 million members and is growing.  As TMCnet Contributor Tracey Schelmetic wrote in a feature, the company required a new solution to supplement its own internal customer support efforts in order to keep customer service standards high.
• KWI has inked an agreement with VeriFone to deliver KWI Cloud 9 Mobile Point-of-Sale (Mobile POS) to Brighton Collectibles. The store associates will be able to carry out CRM, inventory, and receiving functions all from the cloud and not standing behind the counters.
• A provider of business analytics software and services, SAS (News - Alert) announced enhancements to its SAS Merchandise Intelligence suite designed to take the hassle out of retail processes like adjusting local pricing. This info can be valuable for contact center agents when on calls.

In industry related news there was an announcement from Voxeo (News - Alert) that it has entered a partnership with Infracast, a company that develops customer-driven systems for implementing effective and multichannel communication strategies. And, CCEOC Inc., revealed it has recognized Albridge with Gold Contact Center Employer of Choice certification. 

Finally, I would be remiss in not drawing attention to items of interest. The first is a suggestion that you you check out the right hand side of the community under Featured Resources and have a listen to all of the podcasts, but especially the one featuring the Interactive Intelligence “Ditch the Frustration Campaign.” With so much media attention, including television stories in the US, focusing on bad customers experiences, this one is a must hear which is right above several great white paper reads.

In addition, if you are not going to be joining us at ITEXPO in Miami (see below), and we sincerely hope you do and stop by for a chat, there is an impressive webinar, “2012: Key Contact Center Trends and Priorities for the Upcoming Year – How you can be ready,” Interactive Intelligence is sponsoring Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11:30 AM EST.  

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration, click here.

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