Outbound Call Center Featured Article

TMCnet Outbound Call Center Week in Review

By Linda Dobel
TMCnet Contributor

At a time when we have grown accustomed to hearing about cut backs, it was refreshing this week to learn of  a number of expansion activities in the outbound call center space. We learned in a report from TMCnet Contributing Editor Rajani Baburajan that ContactPoint, a provider of sales and customer service optimitics, is expanding its reach through  membership in the American Rental Association (ARA).  

According to the report, the membership enables 8,600 ARA members to utilize ContactPoint’s real-time phone recording and scoring technology and as well as its sales training. Leveraging ContactPoint solutions,  the article explained that ARA members will have the ability to “hear what their customers hear;” to record and score actual customer phone calls. Using the information in those phone calls ContactPoint can train ARA members on sales and customer service best practices, specific to the rental industry, and revolutionize interactions with potential clients.

Also expanding its services, in this case in the higher education market, ACS, a Xerox Company, revealed that it has acquired Education Sales and Marketing, LLC (ESM), a leading contact center firm dedicated to school enrollment.

By diversifying its services, the announcement stated, ACS (News - Alert) expands its ability to assist institutions of higher education in attracting students.

Defying national reports that highlight only the cutbacks in employment, CompareNetworks, Inc., a global online B2B media company, announced they've hired Brian Cowley as CEO, who the company said has an extensive 25 years of experience in media sales and business development. Cowley commented that,  “B-to-b lead generation is quickly growing and the CompareNetworks marketplace platform is ideal for many industries.” 

Gila, LLC, through its business unit, Municipal Services Bureau (MSB), also made an employment announcement this week. It said  that Lee Rigby, its General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance, has been named Texas MAP State Chair by ACA International. The MAP (Members' Attorney Program) is a division of ACA International created to enable attorneys who practice in the credit and collection arena to better represent their clients through a number of resources designed to assist them in their practices. Municipal Services Bureau  provides outsourced collections, payment processing and call center services.

Accolades and honors were also bestowed this week. TMCnet Contributor Calvin Azuri reported that  Mobile Messenger, provider of mobile solutions, has been recognized with the prestigious 2011 ATSI Call Center Award of Distinction by the Association of TeleServices International (ATSI). The Call Center Award of Distinction is used to measure the skills of professional call center agents across the North America and the U.K.

ATSI President Michael Fultz said that, “The Award of Distinction is a top honor award. This 'secret caller' program is an intense program extending throughout the year with test calls being handled by call center agents to ensure they are offering the highest level of customer service. In order to receive the Award of Distinction, member companies operating as full call centers have to qualify for this prestigious award.”

Inktel Direct Corp., a leading business process outsourcer specializing in marketing and governmental services, shared that it has been named a “101 Best and Brightest Company to Work For” in Chicago by the National Association for Business Resources (N.A.B.R). The recognition, which seeks to recognize firms in Chicago who hire the best employees, train them well and retain their talents, identified Inktel Direct from over hundreds of firms considered the announcement said.

Rounding out the week, two companies reported expansions to their portfolios of services offerings. 

8x8 (News - Alert), Inc., a provider of cloud communications and computing solutions, said it has launched 8x8 Virtual Room, a new cloud-based video conferencing service offering businesses of any size a way to collaborate using voice, video and content. The service is based on 8x8's voice and video IP service platform and unified communications (UC) solutions and Polycom's (News - Alert) UC Intelligent Core software platform and video collaboration solutions.

And Onstream Media Corp., an online service provider of live and on-demand corporate audio and web communications, virtual event technology and social media marketing, announced that Bell SMG, which operates the MRGA (Market Research Global Alliance), has launched MRGA365, powered by Onstream Media's MarketPlace365 and believed to be the market research industry's first virtual expo The Company said MRGA365 has combined its virtual event, complete with live webcasts, recorded presentations and educational sessions, with their physical two-day Market Research Capabilities Event, which took place on July 13th and 14th.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. 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. To register, click here.