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9/7/06 - Drilling Down with References
Accepting the first answer from a reference might not always tell you the whole story. Many of you wrote that the key to researching a good reference is asking the secondary questions.
One reader suggested, "The key to using references is to drill down when you ask questions. Questions like 'How do you like the system' are good icebreakers, but tell you very little. Get into more detail and more objective questions to find out how the system is really functioning. Find out what happens when things don't go well."
For instance, you might ask how often the system goes down. What type of help do you get when the system is unavailable? How often do you have to call for technical support? Things often go wrong. An understanding of what to expect during crisis can tell you plenty.
Gary Lemke, Publisher
(Share your thoughts)
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TODAY'S NEWS (more)
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Sage Software announced over 40 ACT! Add-on solutions compatible with the new ACT! by Sage 2007 (9.0) contact and customer management product family. Add-on products give ACT! users the freedom to choose from a diverse choice of value-added communications, sales, marketing, mapping, help desk, synchronization, administrative and productivity applications.
SpeechCycle announced a partnership with Convergys in which SpeechCycle's speech applications are hosted on Convergys' patented SpeechPort VoiceXML platform.
Witness announced that LogicaCMG is successfully using its workforce optimization (WFO) technology to help develop a next generation approach for its outsourced customer helpdesk service. Witness Systems' software enables LogicaCMG to predict the type and volume of calls, calculate the availability of resources, and ensure there is an accurate skills match across the skill sets identified for successful sales and service. As a result, LogicaCMG helpdesk analysts are now able to answer 90 percent of inbound calls within 10 seconds.
Works Out Software announced the availability of a public beta program for the latest version of its flagship program, CallButler. The new edition of CallButler offers small businesses an automated telephone answering system.
eGain announced that KMWorld has named eGain OnDemand as a recipient of the KMWorld "Trend-Setting Products of the Year" award for 2006.
Nortel is introducing new product offerings and simplifications to its Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) program that will allow the Company to better support its current SMB resellers, broaden its channel base and evolve SMB customers to converged networks and IP-based communications as business needs change.
HDI has named Cablevision Systems Corporation as winner of the 2006 HDI Team Excellence Award for External Support.
Maximizer announced that the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission has selected Maximizer Enterprise to support its national and international business development efforts.
Altitude Software announced Altitude Software is hosting Workout'06, a CRM Outsourcing community-building event, in Brussels, Belgium, from September 6th to 8th.
Interactive Intelligence has opened a new regional office in Irvine, California to provide West Coast customers and resellers better access to service and sales support for its contact center automation and enterprise IP telephony software solutions.
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| CRMAdvocate Stock Index |
| CRMSI | 50.29 |  | -2.00% |
| Dow Jones | 11,357.37 | | -0.67% |
| Nasdaq | 2,151.62 | | -1.74% |
| S&P 500 | 1,294.97 | | -0.93% |
| Top Gainers |
| eLoyalty | 16.69 |  | 0.30 |
| Unica | 10.0999 | | 0.15 |
| Sento | 2.8799 | | 0.10 |
| Top Losers |
| salesforce.com | 33.01 | | -1.47 |
| Sykes | 19.2 | | -0.96 |
| SAP | 46.39 | | -0.87 |
| Complete Stock Index |
| As of close 09/06/06 | |
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October 17 - 19, 2006: Services Industry Summit - Successful Strategies for Service Innovation - Las Vegas, October 17 - 19, Paris Hotel. Learn how world-class organizations are improving their service operations. Presenting organizations include EMC, FileNet, Rockwell Automation, Sage Software, Sony Electronics, and others. Optional pre-conference workshops will also be held. Visit www.servicestrategies.com or call 858.674.4864. Register by 8/31 and receive a 10% discount!
|  | | 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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