Connections Magazine News and Information

Spanlink Appoints Roxann Swanson as VP of Sales

2010-03-11T20:40:00Z

Spanlink Communications announced that Roxann Swanson has joined the company as vice president of sales. Swanson will oversee the sales organization of Spanlink's Cisco practice. She will report to Spanlink President and CEO Scott Christian and is based in Dallas.

Swanson has more than 25 years experience in the telecommunications and contact center industry. She formerly served as vice president of contact center sales for Cisco. During her time there Swanson grew overall contact center sales by 20 percent year over year. In addition, she played an integral role in driving Cisco’s contact center market share from fourth to second.

"Roxann stands out as an exceptional leader in the enterprise contact center space," said Christian. "Her strengths include organizational development and leadership, strategic thinking, strong relationships, outstanding sales skills and a burning passion for this business. Roxann has a proven track record of success and we’re thrilled to have her join our team."

Amtelco Goes "Pink"

2010-03-09T16:21:00Z

Amtelco has launched a "you click -- we donate" fund raising campaign for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For every new fan on Amtelco's Facebook page, Twitter or unique login to Amtelco's customer support websites, Techhelper, Amtelcopedia, and resource library, Amtelco will donate towards this far-reaching cause.

The "you click -- we donate" campaign starts at the National Amtelco Equipment Owners (NAEO) conference in Newport Beach, CA, March 21, 2010 and continues through October (which is breast cancer awareness month), 2010.

Tom Curtin, president, said "the 'you click -- we donate' campaign is a great way for our customers and everyone in our industry to benefit an organization whose core objective is to find a cure for a disease that has touched so many of our friends and relatives."

For more information, contact Amtelco at 800-356-9148 or email to info@amtelco.com.

Professional Teledata's PInnacle Freedom Negates Weather’s Fury

2010-03-09T15:23:00Z

Launched just one year ago, Professional Teledata's hosted solution, PInnacle Freedom, has already proven itself, especially in light of the recent snowstorms and outages in the eastern US. "We are excited about the success of our hosted product as a viable alternative for premise based equipment," said Allen Kalik, president of Professional Teledata. "As VoIP and carrier services continue to evolve, we are there at the forefront of that technology with the expertise and infrastructure to bring these advantages to our customers."

The Freedom product includes PInnacle software licensing and use of hardware hosted in the Manchester, NH headquarters office of Professional Teledata. DID or DNIS numbers are routed to the eOn eQueue switch, and call center staff can access the system using a high speed Internet connection 24x7. Hosting has proven particularly effective in integrating multiple locations, as well as for relocations.

"With the recent weather issues in the east causing outages and transportation issues, the ability of Freedom offices to continue operation has really proved the effectiveness of hosted solutions," said Dale Schafer, VP of engineering at Professional Teledata.

To learn more, contact at Karen Black 800-344-9944 x112 or kblack@proteledata.com.

AMS Introduces PromptEZ

2010-03-05T17:13:00Z

Audio Messaging Solutions, LLC (AMS), a provider of telephone on-hold messaging services, launched a new software application called PromptEZ. The program enables automated and customized message delivery with Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CUCME) VoIP systems that are compatible with ManageExpress iManage. With this technology, AMS can direct on hold and auto attendant content across multiple locations at national, regional, and individual sites, all from one secure web portal.

To create the program, AMS partnered with California-based ArcanaNetworks, Inc., a technology developer that provides secure, web-based management of CUCME across distributed sites. The two teams designed PromptEZ to enable effective customer communications, while providing a technical solution for clients who distribute unique voice content throughout their network.

"Providing individual greetings on a per store, per system level has always been a tedious process, because clients' IT teams are primarily responsible for executing the message delivery," explained Mitchell S. Keller, President of AMS. "By expanding our services to include PromptEZ, we 'bridge the gap' and remove this time-consuming, labor-intensive task. Now businesses can focus on other resources, saving both time and money."

See the case study about the implementation of this technology at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

DMG Consulting Releases 2010 Outbound Dialing Report

2010-03-05T16:05:00Z

DMG Consulting LLC, a provider of contact center and real-time analytics market research and consulting services, released its 2010 Outbound Dialing Market Research Report. The 50-page report explores outbound market trends, projections, best practices, the competitive landscape, and profiles the leading vendors. The report reveals that the outbound industry is entering a new era ripe with opportunity. DMG Consulting projects the traditional dialing market will grow by six, seven, and eight percent, respectively, between 2010 and 2012, while the outbound IVR notification market will grow by twenty, eighteen, and sixteen percent, over the same three-year period.

"Despite regulations limiting outbound calling to unwelcoming prospects, dialing is not going away so long as consumers continue to invite companies to reach out to them with useful information," said Donna Fluss, president of DMG Consulting. "The new era of dialing brings with it opportunities for enterprises to build dialing strategies that help them achieve a competitive advantage through proactive customer care, notification and early-stage collections."

This report is available for free download via DMG Consulting’s Web site dmgconsult.com.

Screen Capture and Screen Recording from Revcord

2010-03-01T16:09:00Z

Revcord, offering a full featured voice recorder without extra cost options, announced that software version 7 now includes screen capture/screen recording. Revcord's screen recording enables an agent’s computer screen to be recorded, synchronized with voice, and then transfers the file and updates the database on the server.

The screen recording capture works in either of two modes on the Revcord voice logger: Client Mode and Server Mode. In the Client Mode the recording works with a Record on Demand (ROD) trigger. In this mode the user will have the ability to enable or disable screen capture. In the Server Mode the screen recording works with any recording trigger however the Server Stealth Mode overrides the ROD and continuously records the screen. Playback is performed on the search screen allowing voice or voice and screen playback.

Revcord's screen recording is a powerful, yet simple investigation tool or can be used in conjunction with the quality monitoring and agent evaluation capabilities, also included at no additional cost.

Global Contact Services Earns Self-Regulatory Certification

2010-02-25T18:41:00Z

Global Contact Services (GCS) has earned certification as a Self Regulatory Organization (SRO). The certification process is conducted by the American Teleservices Organization (ATA). It requires that all policies and procedures of a teleservices company must comply with federal and state telemarketing statues and regulations, along with consumer protection rules. To achieve this level of compliance, every department at GCS must document that the requirements are being followed. GCS is one of only five companies to earn the certification thus far.

GCS is a provider of integrated customer care solutions and business process outsourcing (BPO) for many industries, including insurance, banking, financial, telecommunications, and fulfillment. It operates contact centers in the United States and the Philippines.

"The SRO certification establishes to clients and to the Federal Trade Commission that GCS is a self-regulated business following state and federal call center rules," said Connie Staunton, director of licensing and compliance with GCS. An independent certified auditor reviewed processes and monitored activity at GCS contact centers. "We have succeeded in demonstrating that our operations meet the most stringent measurement requirements available for compliant contact center operations," said Staunton.

GCS also recently earned certification for PCI-DSS -- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard -- for its acquisition and fulfillment services for clients requiring payment processing.

CAM-X Announces Dates for Convention & Leadership Training Seminars

2010-02-23T20:13:00Z

CAM-X Convention: This year's CAM-X Convention will be a joint conference held with WSTA. The partnership will increase the pool of vendors and member participants, allow for a better program, and provide a better economy-of-scale to hold down costs. The convention will be in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel on October 3-6, 2010.

The theme is the "Future of Our Industry." The agenda will focus on marketing, with a full day of "boot camp" seminars broken down into seven sub-topics. There will also be sessions on Social Networking, a second Profit Enhancement Group ("PEG") meeting, roundtable discussion groups, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The last session will be a panel discussion entitled "Evolution: The Future of Our industry." Additionally, will be the banquet and CAM-X Award of Excellence presentations.

Leadership Training Seminars: CAM-X announced the dates of their annual spring training seminars. The first will be held in Toronto on April 13 and then repeated in Calgary on April 15. This is ideal for call center supervisors, team leads, and managers. Topics include:

"Out of Site, not out of Mind: Everything you wanted to know about Remote Agents: with Tom Sheridan
"Training Best Practices and Performance Management" with Barbara Bradbury & Dana Lloyd
"HR Software Demonstration and Social Networking" with Ron Guest of TwoGreySuits.

More information is available at www.camx.ca.

ATSI Unveils Marketing Webinars

2010-02-23T19:54:00Z

The ATSI Marketing Committee announced a series of four marketing Webinars. The principle speaker of these events is Adrienne Zoble of Adrienne Zoble Associates, Inc.

The sessions are:

"Easy Market Planning" (March 17),
"On Generating Referrals" (April 21),
"The Dos and Don’ts of Direct Mail" (May 19)
"Thriving in Difficult Times, or Getting Your Phone to Ring Again" (June 16).

Each Webinar begins at 2:00 pm EST and lasts 90 minutes. The price per Webinar starts at $99 for members and $139 for non-members.

More information is available at www.atsi.org.

InfoCision Announces Corporate Restructuring

2010-02-19T20:46:00Z

InfoCision Management Corporation announced a strategic corporate restructuring, asking three members of the company's executive team to take on additional responsibility with newly created roles. Even in this down economy, InfoCision has maintained its 27-year history of growth, and this tactical shift will ensure the company continues that growth for years to come.

Steve Brubaker moves from senior vice president of corporate affairs to Chief of Staff. In this role, Brubaker will continue to oversee InfoCision's regulatory compliance and internal and external communications efforts. In addition, he is taking on the added responsibility of supervising inter-departmental communication and teamwork to ensure that special projects and important operational processes are implemented properly and efficiently. Brubaker started as a communicator with InfoCision nearly 25 years ago.

Michael Van Scyoc will move from his position as Chief Information Officer to Chief Strategy Officer. Van Scyoc had previously been in charge of InfoCision's department of Information Technology (IT) -- Client Services. In his new role, Van Scyoc will be responsible for creating and executing new strategic initiatives and helping to define and manage the company's long-term strategic direction. He has been with the company for 22 years.

With Van Scyoc changing roles, InfoCision’s entire Information Technology team will now be overseen by Chief Technology Officer, Michael White. White had previously led the IT-Infrastructure department, but will now take the lead on all technology programs to ensure the company stays on the cutting edge of industry technology practices. He has been with InfoCision for 20 years.

AnswerNet Acquires Assets of Exchange Network

2010-02-18T14:32:00Z

AnswerNet, a provider of inbound, outbound, and e-bound contact center services, announced the addition of the Exchange Network of Billerica, Massachusetts to its growing family of call centers. "We are extremely pleased to bring Exchange Network and its employees on board with AnswerNet," said AnswerNet President and CEO Gary A. Pudles. "Exchange Network has done a great job of providing premier telephone answering and call center services to its clients throughout the Merrimack Valley and New England for over 60 years. By becoming a part of AnswerNet, Exchange Network will now be able to offer its customers additional services to help them further reduce operating costs."

Exchange Network principal Alan Hamer added, "This is an excellent opportunity for Exchange Network employees and clients. AnswerNet is well known throughout the call center industry as a company with one of the broadest suites of services. Our clients will be able to benefit from their access to these services. AnswerNet also has an excellent track record of promoting from within and developing their employees. This will allow our employees opportunities that just didn't exist previously."

The March Issue of Connections Magazine is Now Available Online

2010-02-16T23:10:00Z

The March 2010 issue of Connections Magazine is now available online.

You may download the PDF file of the entire issue or just read the articles.

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CenturiSoft Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

2010-02-15T13:00:00Z

CenturiSoft is celebrating 10 years serving the telecommunications industry. John Pope founded CenturiSoft in 2000 with the vision to "Revolutionize the Way We Communicate." He departed from past standards, building a new messaging product, the Centuri Messenger, from the ground up using ISDN-PRI (digital) trunking instead of analog trunking. In 2003, the Centuri Messenger extended its ISDN-PRI capabilities to include VoIP and prepare for the future with HD audio and video capabilities. With two patents pending, its "Call Logic Engine" and scripting has allowed CenturiSoft to accomplish hundreds of installations, in various industries, interfacing to several different switches and vendors seamlessly and without sacrificing features. CenturiSoft has installations worldwide, including the United States, Canada, China, and United Kingdom, located in answering services, call centers, and medical, government, and utility organizations.

CenturiSoft takes this time to thank their customers, resellers, and technology partners for making this a reality; they are appreciative to all that have supported and fostered their growth over last 10 years. Their mission is "To become the number one systems platform provider for the Unified-Communications market," stated John Pope, president, "and that is becoming more a reality today."

CenturiSoft currently has two divisions: its applications division (CenturiSoft) and its service provider/hosting division (ReparoVox Communications, acquired in 2006).

Convergys Names Jeff Fox President and CEO

2010-02-11T14:11:00Z

Convergys Corporation announced that Jeff Fox has been named president and chief executive officer. Fox has agreed to serve in this position for at least one year and will remain on the Convergys Board. Fox, a board member since February 2009, and previously COO of Alltel Corporation, succeeds David F. Dougherty. Dougherty will serve as a consultant to help facilitate a smooth transition.

Philip A. Odeen, chairman of the board, noted that, "Jeff Fox is a talented and proven leader with deep expertise and strong operational experience in the telecommunications and technology industries. Having worked with Jeff as a member of our Board for the past year, I am confident his values and priorities are closely aligned with the Board and our commitment to build a strong Convergys and deliver meaningful, long-term, shareholder value."

Fox added, "Convergys is a solid company with a strong foundation in global relationship management that delivers excellent value for clients worldwide. I look forward to working closely with Convergys's talented management team and employee base to leverage the company's strengths, provide outstanding service to clients, and enhance value for shareholders."

AnswerNet Promotes Josue Leon to VP of Operations

2010-02-09T22:38:00Z

AnswerNet, a telemessaging firm and a full service provider of inbound, outbound, and e-bound contact center services, announced that Josue Leon has been promoted to vice president of operations. Mr. Leon has been with AnswerNet and its predecessor companies for over 23 years. He began as a site manager and has held various operations management positions within the company.

As vice president of operations, Mr. Leon will be responsible for all of the call center and client-facing operational activities, including client services, quality control, and measurement and service delivery. "Josue is a creative and thoughtful executive who embodies AnswerNet's core values," said AnswerNet President and CEO Gary A. Pudles. "He has repetitively proven himself as an excellent leader and is the right person to lead AnswerNet into the future."

Novo Technologies Turns 15

2010-02-09T14:53:00Z

Novo Technologies, a provider of call recording solutions used for compliance and quality monitoring, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. Novo Technologies has delivered hundreds of recording solutions for customers worldwide.

"Looking back on our first fifteen years," said Louis Turmel, President of Novo Technologies, "I have to thank our employees and partners for their essential contribution. I also want to thank our customers for the trust they have put in Novo and in our solutions. Aligned with our corporate mission, we will keep on building our future around values of innovation and customer service excellence."

Several landmarks were met during these fifteen years. In the past year Novo deployed their solution in one of the largest, multisite Cisco IP deployments in Canada and finalized the delivery of a multisite emergency call recording solution in Malaysia, while releasing version 5.2 NovoLog with enhanced IP recording support.

The Connection Adds Another Contact Center in Western New York

2010-02-04T12:20:00Z

The Connection, a U.S.-based outsourced contact center, announced the addition of a new 340-seat contact center to be located in Penn Yan, New York. The facility is expected to be up and running in March of 2010 and will bring up to 450 new jobs to the area. The Connection is expanding in order to meet the needs of its growing client base in the areas of wireless telecommunications, healthcare, financial services, and retailing. Services that will be supported in the Penn Yan facility include live operator inbound voice, email response, live web chat customer service, sales, and tier-one and tier-two customer/help desk support.

Over the last four years, The Connection has opened two other contact centers in the Western New York area. The first was a 300-seat facility which opened in Jamestown, New York in 2006 and the second was a 350-seat facility in Olean, New York in 2008.

Mail-N-More to Print and Mail Invoices - and More

2010-02-03T12:39:00Z

Chris Twigg, of Mail-N-More, announced that their new invoice printing and mailing services can cut the cost of bill printing and mailing by up to fifty percent, as well as speed up receivables. Additionally, Mail-N-More can:

track bills (via the USPS Website link) from Mail-N-More's post office, to the recipient's local mail sorting center, and even to the mail carrier's bag,
split a billing file into bills to be mailed, faxed, and emailed,
provide optional online payment capability,
track faxes and emails to delivery, and
bar code all information required by a bank so that if the remittance address is the sender's bank lock box, the bank scans the bar code and emails a daily report of who has paid; this can be uploaded into an accounts receivable program.

Mail-N-More currently sends invoices for the AnswerNet group of companies including AnswerNet, Signius, Answer America, and Cerida.
Contact Chris Twigg at 321-729-9972 or info@bizmailservice.com.

US Ambassador Kenney Congratulates Convergys for Growth in the Philippines

2010-02-02T20:34:00Z

Marife Zamora, Convergys Vice President and Country Manager and other senior executives welcomed US Ambassador Kristie Kenney to the Convergys One facility in Makati City. The Convergys executives also took the ambassador on a tour of the building highlighting Convergys' specialized communication training tools and career opportunities available to employees.

During her visit, Ambassador Kenney visited several production floors where she spoke with contact center agents about their experiences working for Convergys and their future aspirations as participants in Convergys' Talent Management program.

Recently, Her Excellency, President Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Ambassador Kenney were the guests of honor as Convergys celebrated the opening of its largest contact center facility in the Philippines, which will bring approximately 3,500 new jobs to Metro Manila. Convergys has twelve contact center facilities in the Philippines -- seven located throughout metro Manila, three in Cebu City, one in Bacolod City, and one in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

In other news, Convergys is partnering with IBM to help provide contact center support in handling the five million estimated telephone calls expected to support the validity and accuracy of the 2010 Census data.

OnviSource Announces Redundancy, Backup and Disaster Recovery Solutions

2010-01-29T15:46:00Z

OnviSource announced the availability of OnviNet Ensura Backup and Disaster Recovery Solution packages for its customers using their OnviCall and AccuCall platforms. OnviSource is offering Ensura Backup and Recovery Solutions to its customers to protect their business and assist in restoring operations in the event of unforeseen disaster or problematic circumstances.

Ensura offers critical backup, standby, and redundancy packages designed to facilitate the fastest possible recovery. Each level of protection is configured to accommodate a variety of customer needs. Ensura Basic offers protection from potential hardware failures. Database replication and hardware redundancy make up Ensura Standard. For customers seeking the most comprehensive backup and recovery protection, Ensura PRO offers full redundancy, database replication, redundant application licenses, and one-click switchover to secure continuous operation.

To assist customers in choosing a backup and recovery package that will best satisfy their operating requirements, OnviSource is offering a free System Requirements Assessment service to consider the unique requirement of each customer. OnviCall is part of the OnviCenter 6 suite of solutions in workforce optimization (OnviCord), workforce CRM automation (OnviCall), and workforce communication automation (OnviNet).