Oh, the wonders of Web-based technology. With today’s hosted contact center solutions, an organization can establish a contact center practically overnight. With advanced contact center software now being delivered via the “Software-as-a-Service” model, all you really need is a high speed broadband connection, some computers, some headsets, some hot agents -- oh, and a signed contract of course -- and man, you are good to go!
Case in point: Petfinder.com, a leading Web site which helps people adopt animals that need permanent homes, has quickly established a call center to help families displaced by the California wildfires to find temporary homes for their pets. This is smart thinking, as many of these families probably have limited access -- or perhaps no access at all -- to the Internet. They do, however, have access to a phone, which enables them to call the call center and make arrangements for their pets.
"It is critical for all pet owners affected by these horrific wildfires to know that their pet is safe and cared for while they take the time they need to pull their lives back together," said Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com and senior vice president with Animal Planet Media, in a press release. "We learned an important lesson from the aftermath of Katrina - many people will not evacuate without every member of the family, including their pets. Now we must provide the supports they need not only at the point of evacuation, but throughout the long rebuilding process."
The 24-hour service will allow the thousands of evacuated families to address their immediate needs and still ensure their pets are cared for. In addition, volunteers interested in fostering a pet affected by the California wildfires can register to help at
www.petfinder.com.
The call center can be reached at 1-866-654-4732, and more information is available at
www.petfinder.com.
Additionally, people from all over the country can make a tax-deductible donation to help California families with pets affected by the wildfires at
www.petfinder.com/foundation/donate.html.
Petfinder.com, which is owned by Discovery Communications, producer of “Animal Planet,” is an online directory of over 10,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations across the USA, Canada and Mexico. The organization's technology helps users search adoptable pets in their area that fit their family's individual needs and preferences. In addition, Petfinder.com offers a wealth of knowledge about how to select the most compatible pet for your home and how to raise and care for an animal.
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Patrick Barnard is Associate Editor for Customer Interaction Solutions magazine and Assignment Editor for ContactCenterSolutions. To see more of his articles, please visit Patrick Barnard’s columnist page.