Call Center Software Featured Article

TMCnet Call Center Software Week in Review

By Linda Dobel
TMCnet Contributor

As the month of June wrapped up this week, TMCnet writers reported that a number of call center software providers unleashed a bevy of new offerings to the market. Among them, Raju Shanbhag reported that iPerceptions has launched a federally compliant version of its terms-of-service for 4Q Free, as part of the 4Q Suite survey solution for websites. The company is a Web-focused Voice of Customer analytics provider, Shanbhag said. Offering 4Q Free, 4Q Basic, 4Q Plus and 4Q Premium, the 4Q suite, he explained, is a simple-to-deploy Software-as-a-Service (SaaS (News - Alert)) family of products.

Shamila Janakiraman,  a contributing editor for TMCnet, told us that Houston entrepreneur Fred van der Neut, the founder of iDriveonline, launched uNotifi, a national provider of customer-centric inbound marketing programs for automotive dealers, service centers and aftermarket retail operations. uNotifi, the article reported, creates “a messaging platform that supports the one-on-one relationships between consumers and automotive dealers and service centers that are so critical to customer loyalty and retention today.” Janakiraman also reported that CRM Inc., a creator of customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for life sciences, announced the launch of COSMIC, a new software module that extends the update.seven and update.revolution CRM platforms to the social Web.

Citing the fact  that it used to “a time-consuming and difficult task to identify and analyze financial insights and business intelligence in law firms, Jayashree Adkoli, a contributing editor for TMCnet, learned that  LexisNexis (News - Alert) rolled out its latest financial analysis software, Redwood Analytics Business Intelligence 5, which can deliver tailored financial intelligence to key stakeholders. His report stated that Redwood Analytics Business Intelligence 5 can provide customizable reports, visual dashboards and key performance indicators, such as actual vs. goals. It can also provide role-based views so users see and focus on the information that is specific to their role in the firm the report said.

While the market was being infused with new call center software solutions, existing solutions were being put to use. This week TMCnet reporters uncovered where call center software is being implemented. Carolyn J. Dawson learned that  work on the new destination marketing website of the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau has been started by simpleview. Chicago will also implement simpleview CRM, she reported, so that meeting sales, membership management, leisure marketing and performance reporting information can now be stored in simpleview CRM.

Contributing TMCnet editor Nathesh discovered that Vertafore, a provider of software and information to the insurance industry, has a new client: People’s United Insurance Agency.  The Agency, Vertafore revealed, has deployed the Sagitta agency management system, WorkSmart intelligent workflow solution and BenefitPoint enterprise benefits management solution from Vertafore. The company said its software is designed to enables independent insurance agents to enhance customer service, grow agency sales and improve office workflow and efficiency, while providing insurance software tools to handle accounting details and manage benefits.

Another company enjoying the benefits of call center software is Jenson USA, the multi-channel bicycle retailer, TMCnet contributor Deepika Mala reported.  It has selected JunctionEOD, a SaaS eCommerce solution from Junction Solutions, a provider of vertical, market-specific on-premise and on-demand software applications and services for the multi-channel retail, food and beverage and distribution industries, to deliver an enhanced customer experience in a full-service hosted environment, tightly integrated with their existing back office system.

Despite all of these new product introductions and deployments, the job of selling call center software solutions can be challenging. In a report titled “Most Channel Sales Executives Lack Information to do their Jobs Properly,” TMCnet Contributor Tracey E. Schelmetic reported that sales channel solutions management provider Channelinsight is releasing the results of new research that underscores how a lack of information available to channel sales executives can result in lost revenue and opportunity. In her report, Schelmetic quoted CEO of Channelinsight Mark Greene as saying, “In any industry, information and insight are keys to success, but when it comes to channel sales, information is at a premium. Without quick, accurate sales data, companies experience lost revenues, overpayments and ineffective incentive programs.”  He continued, “Today's survey results validate the need for greater visibility into channel sales and demonstrate that companies need new tools to help them attain this information.”

With that thought in mind, TMCnet will continue to deliver all of the breaking news on the call center software front throughout the next business week to enable companies to know about the latest tools available to meet their information needs. 

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