Brendan Read : The Readerboard
Brendan Read
TMC
| Contact Center/CRM Views and Analysis

Longview IoT Boosts Energy and Wireless Efficiency

Some of the biggest challenges slowing down the adoption of IoT are security, efficient battery usage and optimized wireless communications.One company has...

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Hallmark's Simple, Inexpensive Way to Boost Customer Satisfaction

In an effort to boost margins, companies often push more users to automated solutions such as FAQs, chatbots, voice bots and anything...

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Huawei Places the World's First 5G VoNR Video Call

Huawei recently completed the world's first voice over NR (VoNR) call. The voice and video call service was made using two Huawei...

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IGEL Advances Future of Work

IGEL is a provider of a next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces. The company’s software products include IGEL OS, IGEL UD Pocket (UDP) and Universal...

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Tata Communications and Cisco Collaborate on SD-WAN

Tata Communications and Cisco have extended their partnership to enable enterprises to transform their legacy network to a customized and secure multi-cloud...

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How to Win the 50-Year-Old China Trade War

Today and this week in-fact is historic - the left and right in the U.S. agree that we have a major trade...

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Extreme Elements Enables The Autonomous Enterprise

Extreme Networks just announced Extreme Elements which in-turn enables the autonomous network and subsequently the autonomous enterprise. In a dynamic webinar, Dan...

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Tune In, Call in (And Donate), 'Hope for Haiti Now' Tonight 8pm

January 22, 2010

Here's an important way to help relieve the distress and suffering of the Haitian people from the recent earthquakes, The "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" telethon to aid the victims will air tonight at Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Helping to make the telethon a success is TeleTech. It will be providing technical infrastructure and 5,000 employees from around the globe to take calls from telethon viewers who wish to make donations to support the people of Haiti.

The warnings of (and responses to) Haiti

January 15, 2010

The almost incomprehensible destruction and loss of life and immense suffering from the earthquake that struck Haiti--alas another disaster amidst the economic and political turmoil that for decades if not centuries that have ravaged the people of this nation--also serves as a warning for companies in their site selection decisions: wherever they locate. The message is this: if you want your contact centers and other back offices to survive disasters in locations whether offshore, nearshore, or onshore then be prepared accordingly because the chances are increasingly excellent that no one else i.e. governments will protect you beforehand, during, or afterward. IOW you're on your own. To change and correct that last situation is--where politically feasible--up to you: to make sure that the authorities are doing their jobs in protecting your firm, staff, and their families.

9-1-1 Operators' Jobs Secure With New Car Infotainment Systems

January 7, 2010

The tough, dedicated professionals who staff the 9-1-1 contact centers, and those equally stressed pros who handle claims calls for health insurers who have been worried that the distracted driving laws being rolled out in the U.S. and Canada will result in fewer calls--and possible layoffs--can breathe easy. That's because the automotive and tech geniuses have managed to come up with exciting new ways for motorists to maim and kill themselves and others that should compensate for the fewer injuries and deaths resulting from the new regulations.

My Top Trends For 2010

December 31, 2009

This is the time of year for predictions and trends forecasting in the coming year, so before the famous lit bill drops in New York City's Times Square I'll offer a few of mine for 2010 and beyond:

Can Social Media Influence Sales? Just Ask Simon Cowell

December 21, 2009

If there is ever a demonstration that social media can make or break a product--and why enterprises should wrap tools and training with CRM strategies to effectively tap this new channel via their contact centers as presents to themselves-- then a recent U.K. Facebook-organized campaign to deny the debut single from the recent winner of Simon Cowell's X Factor reality show the hallowed position of Britain's top Christmas pop song should be it...And that's the lesson with social media. If individuals can topple the best efforts of an industry giant like him--with the lovely touch of beating the musical equivalent of saccharine with Semtex--imagine what those who believe or dislike other products and firms can do if they can gain support for their campaigns via the social channel.

Thinking Twice About Loyalty Programs

December 14, 2009

Developing customer loyalty through card/membership programs is a good idea, in theory and for the meantime in practice. Yet is this a short-term gig, about as effective cash/gifts/other goodies-based performance incentives, with the same inherent flaw? If companies spent more time and resources on the latter--delivering rightpriced items and experiences--reinforced by quality customer care including easy-to-navigate web sites and IVR menus and well-trained and attentive contact center and in-person i.e. retail, ticket counter, checkin staff--at the right price than on gimmicks like the cards, cutting out the programs' expenses and profits to the middlepeople--they may amaze themselves in seeing how loyal customers can be.

May Nortel Execs' Stockings Be Laden With Coal

November 30, 2009

Canada's CBC reported Thursday that Nortel's management approved a plan earlier this fall to reward themselves with salary increases, investments or bonuses. An internal document obtained by the broadcaster outlines a new compensation scheme for 72 Nortel executives that will see them get a total of $7.5 million on top of their current salaries in 2009. This greedy self-serving, yet not surprising move given Nortel's record of incompetent, questionably ethical management--one whose stupidity is matched only by its board who failed in its duties to properly oversee this outfit--comes out at a time when those that actually did their jobs well--its pensioners and long-term unemployed--are being denied what is rightfully theirs.

Who Needs Telemarketers? Pay People To Tweet and Post Instead

November 23, 2009

Here's a budding new and potentially more profitable and much less costly option to those hated (and in turn heavily regulated) cold-call telemarketing callspaying people to pitch goodies from their social networks i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Want To Make Money? Shape Up Your Voice Self-Service

November 18, 2009

managers and execs, here's a winner of a tip to make money and not leave it on the table: clean up your automated voice a.k.a.

Make Customers Smile? Give Them Low Priced Half-Decent Products

November 13, 2009

A Nov.11 Los Angeles Times column by David Lazarus makes more kicks at the commonly stated (if not truly believed, and for good reason) assumption of organizations, their contact centers, and their suppliers that customers really give a rat's hindquarters about customer service especially in this tough economy.
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