Call Center Software Featured Article

TMCnet Call Center Software Week in Review

By Tracey E. Schelmetic
TMCnet Contributor

It's Friday, and that means it's once again time to wrap up the week's events in the world of call center software.

While the call center industry is enjoying some success right now as it's one of the bright spots in the U.S. economic picture, which has been largely gloomy in recent years, there's such a thing as being a victim of one's own success. While companies engaging in call center hiring are seeking to hire the best possible agents including professional, skilled individuals who have experience and genuine rapport with customers they are being flooded with applications from individuals desperate for a job...any job...for a short time to make ends meet until they can find a “better job.”

Call center hiring is hard enough. How do you cut through the “tourists” and find the high-quality candidates with whom you can staff your contact center and meet your customer service goals?

Do you know Zeacom (News - Alert)? TMCnet's Tammy Wolf asked that question this week. If not, you should probably be aware that the contact center software and unified communications leader was rated a “Need to Know” vendor for 2011 by CRN magazine. According to the judges of this superstar list, each of the vendors that fell into this category possess the right tools and opportunities to significantly increase their share, thanks to their bold visions for UC, collaboration, and services, and their abilities to help channel partners profit with those tools in the future.

The health of the economy is often measured in the number of individuals lacking jobs, writes TMCnet's Susan Campbell. In the U.S., the recession that rocked so many portfolios, families and individuals reportedly ended more than two and a half years ago. The problem is that too many individuals are still out of work.

Fortunately, those companies leveraging call center solutions are offering a light at the end of the tunnel. This Colorado 9 News piece took a closer look at the phenomenon as thousands of Americans are finding work in unlikely places, thanks to the adoption of call center solutions. The companies providing the employment are expected to add a significant number of jobs in 2012 to bolster local economies and put Americans back to work.

For most, the beginning of a New Year is the perfect time to reflect on the accomplishments of the last 12 months and set goals that will define the next 12, wrote TMCnet's Chris DiMarco this week. This is as true for a call centers as it is for an individual, and as your agents start to filter back in from the holidays it’s important to take a look at where you’ve been and where you want to go. Chris offers three New Year’s resolutions that you can implement in your call center management strategy to increase your effectiveness in 2012.

With the advent of the Web and self-service capabilities, the use of the traditional telephone for engaging with customers and assisting with client inquiries is no longer found at the top of contact centers’ priority list. What is present during many of these inbound calls into businesses, however, is the use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system in which customers are assisted and directed by automated technology.

The idea of utilizing IVR technology rather than an actual human to interact with customers has been at the crux of many a debate, as the argument for whether customers can truly receive a personalized, efficient caller experience through an automated machine continues to take the limelight.

That's all for this week in the world of call center software. See you again next week!

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 (News - Alert) 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, click here.

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