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2/14/07 - A Matter of Accountability
Today, we continue the discussion of "what questions do you wish you had asked your vendors before you bought their solution." The outpouring of response tells us this is a hot, hot topic. Here's another response:
"The problem with business today is nobody wants to accept responsibility. Sellers need to be honest and forthright with their proposals. Buyers need to be wary of doing business with a vendor that isn't willing to be a partner and absorb some cost of install and implementation if they misrepresented something. Yes, sellers can walk away, but should they? No. Ethics in business is hard to find. It is sad you have to ask the question as to who is accountable. Good business partnerships share accountability."
I realize there are some instances when people "get burned" by their vendor. However, the vast majority of the time the blame can be equally shared between vendor and customer. As mama used to say, "It takes two to fight." When things go wrong, I find vendors doing quite noble things to remedy a bad situation. As stated in the column earlier this week, the problem is often the elusive nature of defining work flows and business processes. Hang on. We've got some great stuff coming up in the ext few days about this topic.
Gary Lemke, Publisher
(Share your thoughts)
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TODAY'S NEWS (more)
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HDI announced the HDI 2007 Conference & Expo - "Be a Driving Force". Nearly 3,000 IT service and support professionals and industry leaders will gather at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev. April 30 - May 3, 2007 for the conference addressing the latest trends in the help desk and IT support industry.
Heartbeat Software announced the development and release date of Heartbeat Data Driver, a web services API and enhanced feature set built to connect content in presentations and proposals to external data sources.
NICE announced the City of Dallas has selected NICE's interaction analytics and its IEX workforce management solutions to improve emergency response and customer service in the city's uniquely combined 9-1-1/3-1-1 communications center.
24-7 INtouch announced the partnership with Aspect Software in selecting their Aspect eWorkforce Management tool. The addition of the workforce management (WFM) software to 24-7 INtouch's suite of contact center technologies, promises 24-7 INtouch increased efficiencies in staffing, forecasting, scheduling, and greater productivity of their agents.
Amdocs and IBM announced a global alliance to address the next-generation networks (NGN) transformation needs of service providers in the telecommunications industry. Amdocs and IBM are combining resources and portfolios to offer solutions that address the most challenging business issues of telecoms as they transform their business in response to intensifying convergence, consolidation and competition in the marketplace.
Convergys and Tribold announced the enhancement of Convergys' Infinys Business Support System with additional product management capabilities. Through the integration of Tribold's Product Portfolio Manager application software, Convergys will enable Communication Service Providers (CSP) to centralize vital product data into a single enterprise catalog, improving data integration, product lifecycle management, business intelligence, and channel management.
eStara announced that Spanair is using Click to Call on its Web site and is enjoying benefits. Using Click to Call, Spanair has been able to identify key points of abandonment during its booking process, and has reduced customer attrition.
Stellar Call Centres announced the establishment of a new business process outsourcing facility in the Philippines, to service domestic and international clients seeking a low-cost offshore outsourcing solution.
SPSS announced its predictive analytics platform, SPSS Clementine, has achieved "Powered by SAP NetWeaver" status.
RightNow announced that publisher John Wiley & Sons is using the company's next-generation customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to build long-term customer relationships, while supporting diversified and continually expanding product and service lines.
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 FEATURE WEBCAST (more) |
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"Optimizing the Customer Experience for Web Self-Service "
Allen Bonde, Senior VP, Strategy & Marketing, eVergance
Customers want - and have come to expect - great service. But, when it comes to self-service, many sites are still offering only static search and simple FAQs... with poor customer satisfaction and high escalation rates as a result. Get expert advice from self-service guru Allen Bonde and KNOVA Software CTO Mark Angel as they explore new ways to create an online self-service experience that cuts costs and delights customers with personalization and efficient resolution. You'll learn how to align business and user needs, drive adoption and measure the impact of your solution via targeted self-service metrics.
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| CRMAdvocate Stock Index |
| CRMSI | 65.30 |  | 1.79% |
| Dow Jones | 12,654.85 | | 0.81% |
| Nasdaq | 2,459.88 | | 0.39% |
| S&P 500 | 1,444.26 | | 0.75% |
| Top Gainers |
| Nortel Networks | 30.29 | | 1.22 |
| salesforce.com | 48.49 | | 1.10 |
| SPSS | 31.88 | | 1.01 |
| Top Losers |
| Interact Intell | 16.58 |  | -3.76 |
| Rainmaker | 9.34 | | -0.36 |
| SupportSoft | 5.97 | | -0.15 |
| Complete Stock Index |
| As of close 02/13/07 | |
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February 26-28, 2007: Linkage Strategies 2007 - Finally, the one event highlighting the entire customer feedback continuum - from collection to analysis to action - and how to WOW your customers every step of the way. Hear action-oriented perspectives to help you do your job better, faster and smarter from executives in leading organizations including: Wachovia, Hewlett-Packard, Oakland A's, Roche Diagnostic¸ Motorola, Inc., JetBlue Airways¸ American Girl, Bank of America, Kraft Foods¸ CA, Inc.¸ Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Allstate Insurance, UBS Financial Services, FedEx, PGA Tour, GlaxoSmithKline, 3M, HSN, and many more
|  | | February 21-21, 2007: Call Center Demo & Conference Miami - Whether February finds you in the middle of a Boston blizzard or cooler temps in Tennessee, Call Center Demo & Conference's exciting, new location - MIAMI - is sure to be an inviting change of scenery come late February.
| | | March 27-27, 2007: Support Centre Showcase - Featuring: Mergers and Change: Management: Lessons for Technical Support - Senior Executives from some of Technical Support's largest operations will discuss the challenges of merging operations with, in many cases, their toughest competitors.
| | | May 7-9, 2007: The 6th Annual Government Customer Support Conference and Exp - The ONLY Conference Designed Specifically for Government Customer Service and Support Centers, Call Centers, Contact Centers, Service Desks, Help Desk, and Web Service Portals
| | | May 21-23, 2007: Services Industry Summit - Services Industry Summit, Charleston, South Carolina - Industry luminaries from leading organizations will share insights into the hottest topics around - eService and knowledge management! Where it's at. Where it's going. And how it will change the way you do business.
| | | May 21 - 23, 2007: Call Center Demo & Conference Dallas - This conference provides a 360-degree view of the factors affecting the contact center industry-from up-and-coming trends to the latest products and services on the market.
| | | Sept. 10-12, 2007: ACCE 2007 - Annual Call Center Exhibition - Sept 10-12, 2007 - San Diego, CA
| | October 22-24,2007: The 9th Annual Help Desk Professionals Conference and Exp - Are you gaining access to qualified competent speakers delivering fresh content year after year? Are you being taught how to make immediate improvements in your work efforts and to benefit from fresh information? Are you being presented great content without being sold products or services? The 9th Annual Help Desk Professionals Conference and Expo does all this while bringing together the brightest experts and the most forward-thinking Help Desk leaders to discuss the trends and opportunities that are redefining the future of the Help Desk industry.
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