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8/9/06 - Support That Works - Continued
While we are rich in new technologies that create fresh and innovative ways to collaborate with customers, research tells us that 9 out of 10 service and support requests are still done via the telephone. Despite predictions otherwise, people are not giving up their use of the phone.
Why? Customers have been jaded by bad self service experiences. Once bitten, twice shy. One reader wrote, "A database of topics and FAQs is not enough for the great majority of customers. If content was given the closed loop treatment and updated as often as most retail sites, then improvements can be made rapidly. I believe this is a result of customer services generally being siloed from the rest of marketing."
In other words, customers might take self service more seriously, if companies took it more seriously. Indeed most organizations have some form of self service but perhaps don't understand the investment needed to maintain and improve the self service experience. Do you agree?
Gary Lemke, Publisher
(Share your thoughts)
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TODAY'S NEWS (more)
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ServicePower announced the introduction of a new version of its flagship intelligent scheduling product, ServicePower Insurance Edition, aimed at the insurance market.
Verint announced that Aquila has deployed its ULTRA solution to enhance customer satisfaction and drive quality across its enterprise. ULTRA will help Aquila understand the underlying causes of performance trends in their service centers and enable them to use this actionable intelligence to enhance the customer satisfaction and improve the effectiveness of their contact centers.
CDC Mobile, a wholly owned subsidiary of China.com, announced it has agreed to acquire 100% of Timeheart, another Mobile Valued Added Service ("MVAS") provider in China. The maximum consideration payable, subject to the achievement of certain financial milestones over the next 16 months, is approximately US$25.4 million. The maximum consideration will be comprised of approximately US$2.0 million in cash and US$3.7 million in China.com shares and the remaining balance of approximately US$19.7 million in shares of CDC Mobile.
Aspect Software announced today that the Aspect Customer Self Service 7.2 voice portal, which will be generally available Aug. 28, has been awarded VoiceXML-Forum certification. The new standards-based VoiceXML 2.1-enabled, software-only SIP or TDM solution provides all the benefits of traditional IVR and state-of-the-art voice portals and integrates easily with contact center products from Aspect and other vendors.
Interactive Intelligence has released an upgraded version of its unified communications software, Communite. Communite is a voice mail replacement system offering standards-based unified messaging, interactive voice response, and real-time communications services for all types of organizations, including large, distributed enterprises and higher education institutions.
Witness Systems announced that its Principal Global Market Consultants, Oscar Alban and Bill Durr, will take the stage, presenting during next week's International Contact Center Management (ICCM) Conference and Expo - August 14-17 at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois.
SalesWays inc. and salesforce.com announced the availability of Sales Cycle Manager for salesforce.com's AppExchange.
When Grupo Multimedios decided to centralize its customer care function and improve service to subscribers, it turned to an IP contact center solution from Avaya, a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.
Soffront announced that New England Controls has improved their service and support processes and capabilities since deploying Soffront's popular CRM software in June of 2005.
Symon Communications announced the release of a new Symon Digital Appliance (SDA) product line. The SDA is a series of advanced network-manageable products that combine Symon's expertise in real-time data collection and visual display technology. The network appliance maximizes the efficiency and flexibility of delivering broadcast and digital signage content to televisions and flat panel displays, while minimizing costs.
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| CRMAdvocate Stock Index |
| CRMSI | 45.53 |  | -0.18% |
| Dow Jones | 11,173.59 | | -0.41% |
| Nasdaq | 2,060.85 | | -0.57% |
| S&P 500 | 1,271.48 | | -0.34% |
| Top Gainers |
| Sykes | 19.55 |  | 2.38 |
| Tekelec | 11.91 | | 1.59 |
| SPSS | 22.7 | | 0.27 |
| Top Losers |
| ICT Group | 24.73 | | -1.27 |
| salesforce.com | 24.66 | | -1.00 |
| Verint | 26.61 | | -0.88 |
| Complete Stock Index |
| As of close 08/08/06 | |
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| (Feature)
August 14-16, 2006: ICCM 2006 - Find the customer contact management solutions and strategies to align your service center and business objectives to drive performance at ICCM 2006! Successful contact center professionals share two common traits: they drive performance excellence and they strive to be the 'best they've ever been'. Top performers constantly look for ways to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers, their staff, and their management. And they constantly look for new professional development opportunities.
|  | | September 11th-13th, 2006: Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit 2006 - Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit 2006 - September 11-13 - Announcing the 7th Annual Gartner CRM Excellence Awards
| | | September 11th-13th, 2006: Annual Call Center Exhibition (ACCE) featuring the ICMI Knowledge Exchange - Annual Call Center Exhibition - The Global Gathering Place - Sept. 11-13, 2006 - Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA - $200 Early Bird savings through July 28, 2006 - For event details, or to register visit: http://www.ACCEicmi.com
| | | September 17-20: AFSM International's 2006 World Conference - AFSM International's World Conference brings together top-level corporate leaders in the technology services management industry. For over 30 years, this event has remained the largest gathering of technology services professionals from around the world. This is the only global event where you will find vast opportunities for learning, sharing and advancing your career as well as progressing your organization's ultimate goals and successes. For more information or to register, please visit www.afsmi.org or call 239 275-7887, ext 35.
| | | September 25th-27th, 2006: The 8th Annual Conference for Help Desk Professionals - Would you like to learn how to transform your Help Desk into a Service Desk, gain skills that will contribute to both your personal and professional development, and hear proven case studies that put theory in practice, AND do all this at a fabulous hotel on the Riverwalk in San Antonio? The 8th Annual Conference for Help Desk Professionals September 25-27 is where you can do all that and more. For more information, please visit our website at www.helpdeskconference.com or call us at 425-398-9292.
| | | October 3rd-5th, 2006: Marketing Mobile Services - Targeting, marketing and delivering consistent customer experience to maximize AR
| | | October 10th-13th, 2006: INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO WEST - Call Center 2.0 co-located with the 14th INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & Expo that will be coming to San Diego on October 10-13, 2006 at the San Diego Convention Center. Call Center 2.0 is expected to attract an estimated 1,900 attendees with an overall conference of 9,000 attendees.
| | October 23-24th, 2006: East Coast - MarketingSherpa Business-to-Business Demand Generation Summit - MarketingSherpa's B-to-B Demand Generation Summits 2006 - Network with 500 B-to-B marketers & discover their best demand generation tactics.
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