Recently in Call Center/CRM Category

InstantService, provider of contact center solutions, sent me notice of their new release today. InstantService is an ASP providing a hosted suite of services for customer support and sales.

Today's release highlights a new queue distribution model for chat- and email-based customer messages, based on automatic call distribution (ACD), which InstantService has adapted and renamed AQD, Automatic Queue Distribution.

The full release follows:

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InstantService New Release Includes Automatic Queue Distribution (AQD) for Live Chat and Email Management

SEATTLE, May 5, 2005 – InstantService, a leading service provider of contact center solutions, today announced the delivery of its Spring ’05 release. New features, such as Automatic Queue Distribution, Response Library Hot Keys, and Mail Queue Filtering, will enable companies to service more customers more efficiently with chat and email, while increasing sales and reducing customer support costs. InstantService is an ASP and releases new features quarterly to existing customers at no extra charge.

“We are very pleased to deliver the Spring ’05 release to our customers,” said Mike Lande, CEO of InstantService. “We’ve taken the ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) model found in traditional phone-based contact centers and made it available as a queue management system for incoming chats and email messages. InstantService customers should experience a significant productivity increase from AQD (Automatic Queue Distribution) and the other new features.”

Spring ’05 Release highlights:

Automatic Queue Distribution (AQD)

InstantService offers a queue distribution model that automatically assigns new customer chat and/or mail sessions to agents based on their availability, skill and performance. In a customer support scenario, Automatic Queue Distribution streamlines agent workflow and reduces customer wait times. In a sales scenario, the new system fairly assigns incoming sessions to commission-earning agents in sequence, based on their individual skill and priority settings.

Response Library Hot Keys

Administrators can now assign hot key combinations to Response Library items. Agents can use these shortcuts to quickly send frequently used text responses into a chat or mail session. When used with InstantService’s existing hot key commands, both hands can remain on the keyboard, boosting the speed and accuracy of agent responses when they are handling several simultaneous sessions.

Mail Queue Filtering

Agents may filter the InstantService Mail Queue by departments. The filtering feature allows Agents to prioritize departments and easily view mail messages that require more immediate attention.

To learn more about all of the new features available in the InstantService Spring ’05 release, please visit http://www.instantservice.com, or use the following URL to chat now with a sales representative: http://www.instantservice.com/chat

About InstantService

InstantService provides an integrated suite of live chat, email management, knowledge base, website analytics and lead capture solutions designed to increase online sales and improve customer support while reducing contact center costs. InstantService is a hosted application that easily integrates with existing ecommerce and CRM systems, facilitating valuable relationships between companies and their customers -- the first step of customer relationship management.

Over 300 companies, recognized for their commitment to customer service excellence, trust InstantService's scalability, security and performance. Clients include America West Airlines, REI, H&R Block, Intuit, Gateway, 3Com, McAfee, Xerox, Sento, Ditech, Sony Online Entertainment, Cendant, Ernst & Young, NEC Mitsubishi, and Venus Swimwear. InstantService is based in Seattle and has been in operation since 1998.

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AB -- 5/4/05

SBC's $4 billion Project Lightspeed is expected to bring triple-play services via fiber to 18 million households by the end of 2007. That's a lot of customer relationships!

To manage those relationships, SBC is planning to use Amdocs IP Convergence solution based on its billing, CRM, and ordering and payment mediation products -- with consulting and integration services to smooth the implementation.

Today's news release quotes Michael Matthews, chief marketing officer of Amdocs in describing the benefits of his company's solutions to SBC:

"Service providers like SBC companies that have the foresight to recognize the value of customer centricity, and of an intentional customer experience, will come out ahead, as they will be able to maintain customer loyalty, growth and profitability. Amdocs is committed to continue to invest in creating solutions that improve customer service and management over all interaction platforms, including television."

Sounds good, but I'm skeptical. CRM is as much about relationships and corporate culture as it is about technology. In my experience, SBC needs a lot of help in its management of customer relationships. They are the ILEC in the area where I live, and if I had a choice I would use another provider.

Just to clarify: SBCs field crews are the best. The telephone guy that comes to your house knows his stuff -- you can't beat him for professionalism. But their back office and contact center processes make me wonder whether they really care about keeping me as a customer.

If Amdocs wants to help SBC "maintain customer loyalty," they're going to have to go a lot further than installing technology -- they're going to have to help their client work on the human processes that frustrate and alienate their customers.

AB -- 5/4/05

Customer Operations Performance Center Inc. (COPC) announced today that Ventura, a UK-based contact center management company (subsidiary of Next plc.) achieved certification to the COPC-2000 Standard. The full release is available on TMCnet at:

Ventura Achieves Certification to COPC-2000 Standard

COPC issues its certification based on an audit process measuring an organization's performance against a set of customer-service metrics. Ventura has a staff of 7,500 across six sites in the UK. The company operates in the financial services, telecommunications and retail industries, and provides services to government and non-profits as well.

AB -- 5/3/05

I just had a reminder that early-bird registration for TMC's Speech-World event expires this Friday, May 6, 2005. I believe early registration gets you a $200 discount. Here's the URL to go to:

http://www.tmcnet.com/speech-world/register.htm

AB -- 5/2/05

This morning I received Microsoft's announcement of its Microsoft Customer Care Framework. This offering, based on Microsoft's .NET technology and Web services architecture, is designed to integrate disparate systems into a unified platform for customer care.

Microsoft's press release from today is reproduced below:

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Microsoft Delivers Customer Care Framework to Help Service Providers Boost Call Center Efficiency and Enhance Customer Service

Solution helps enable service providers and large enterprises to streamline call center operations and improve customer experience.

REDMOND, Wash. - May 2, 2005 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the general availability of Microsoft Customer Care Framework, an integrated software solution that streamlines call center operations for service providers. With Microsoft Customer Care Framework, call center operators can help improve customer service and reduce costs by decreasing average call times, eliminating redundant data requests and delivering better information faster to call center agents.

Microsoft Customer Care Framework integrates with service providers' existing customer relationship management (CRM) systems, operations support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS), providing a unified platform that consolidates disparate applications and automates contact center workflow. Initially targeted at service providers, the solution is also applicable to any business whose call center operations represent a significant part of its operations.

"Contact centers are a crucial customer service function for telecommunications service providers, or any enterprise that has direct contact with a large customer base, for that matter," said Maria Martinez, corporate vice president of the Communications Sector at Microsoft. "Because customer service satisfaction directly impacts the bottom line, businesses need a solution that improves call center efficiency, reduces operational costs and integrates seamlessly with back-office systems. With Customer Care Framework, Microsoft demonstrates its ability to channel its expertise into products that solve real and relevant business problems."

Based on Microsoft .NET technology and Web services architecture, Microsoft Customer Care Framework is easy to implement, integrate and deploy. It works in conjunction with a suite of products, including Microsoft BizTalk Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. In addition, Web services enable multiple data sources and applications to be accessed simultaneously, increasing overall call center productivity and improving the quality of customer service.

"To remain competitive, today's communications service provider (CSP) has to successfully and cost-effectively manage a complex system of customer service applications and databases," said Sanjay Mewada, vice president of Yankee Group Research Inc. "As CSPs roll out new services and seek greater customer-centricity, they need a unified platform that brings together different applications and automates contact center workflow, which will result in increased efficiency and improved customer satisfaction."

Initially designed to address the requirements of service providers, Customer Care Framework is being deployed by leading communications companies such as Primus Telecom Australia Pty Ltd.

"Achieving the highest levels of customer satisfaction is the No. 1 priority in our business," said Robert Iftime, software development manager at Primus Telecom Australia. "Our ability to continuously deliver excellent customer service is a key differentiator in today's highly competitive market. With its Customer Care Framework, Microsoft offers a solution that links key systems and information, which will enable us to streamline call center operations and, in turn, improve customer response times." Because Microsoft Customer Care Framework is able to bring together data from different types of applications within a single user interface, it has been welcomed by large enterprises in other industries such as financial services, retail and communications. In addition, leading system integrator Accenture Ltd., independent software vendors CosmoCom Inc., Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc. and Telution Inc., and industry partners such as Mahindra-British Telecom (MBT) are adopting the solution to improve their own customer care offerings.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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AB -- 5/2/05

According to an announcement today, a new company, Celona Technologies, has entered the Operations Support Systems (OSS) market area with products particularly targeted at product portfolio management for telecommunications companies. Today's release says that the new company has already gone live with BT Retail as a client.

Celona's news release from today is available on TMCnet at:

This interesting release just arrived at TMCnet outlining how the Superior Court of California in Napa County is using speech technology to provide court information to callers:

Superior Court Adopts Speech Technology to Better Serve Citizens Via the Telephone

The release is interesting enough (reads almost like a case study) that it is worth reproducing a sizable excerpt:

Edify Corporation and American Telesource Inc. (ATI) today announced that the Superior Court of California, Napa County, has invested in self-service speech technology that automates jury management and criminal and traffic fine collection, in both English and Spanish. Residents use ordinary human speech or simple touch-tone commands to gain around-the-clock access to updated court information, reserving staff time for questions that require live assistance. Automating employee and customer processes significantly enhanced service to residents, raised staff productivity and dramatically cut operational costs.

With decreasing budgets and tight resources, local governments are turning to new technology to make the most out the residents' tax dollars while giving them the best possible service. At the forefront of this trend is the Superior Court of California, Napa County, which serves a population of 132,000. The county realized its juror management and criminal and traffic fines collection processes were frustrating for staff and citizens alike. Every week, the court issues approximately 1,100 jury service summons and handles an average of 500 requests for deferment of service or disqualification. All of these tasks were being handled manually by jury staff who felt buried in paperwork and phone messages. Prospective jurors endured lengthy and cumbersome wait times when trying to find out court instructions on the phone during overloaded peak hours. Staff in the criminal and traffic divisions faced similar challenges. Napa County looked to Edify and ATI for a comprehensive solution that would enhance customer service, help court clerks recover from piles of busywork, and cut costs.

"We are 100% focused on providing the best possible service to our constituents," said Jeanette Vannoy, information technology manager for the Superior Court of California, County of Napa. "ATI's government expertise coupled with Edify's proven platform and speech technologies enabled us to not only exceed our expectations in process efficiency and service levels, but also allowed us to use public money wisely by lowering costs while improving service."

Two full-time employees used to feel overwhelmed by paperwork and telephone calls. Now, just one clerk works just part-time, giving personal attention to people who really need it. The criminal and traffic divisions also reported lower volumes of live calls now that the automated system is resolving questions so effectively.

"A key government initiative is to reduce spending without impacting customer service, and Napa County is leading the way in executing on this vision and setting a precedent for counties in California and throughout the country," said Mitch Mandich, president and CEO of Edify. "Automated speech recognition solutions enable organizations to deliver higher levels of service and satisfaction to constituents while increasing operational efficiency and reducing costs."

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AB -- 4/26/05

BenchmarkPortal, a provider of contact center performance measurement services, issued an announcement today that it has received a patent for its online evaluation system. See the full announcement at this page:

News: BenchmarkPortal Receives Patent for Online Benchmarking

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent #6,877,034 for Performance Evaluation through Benchmarking, Using an On-line Questionnaire Based System and Method. BenchmarkPortal calls its patented system RealityCheck, a Web-based tool allowing contact centers to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of a center's performance.

Here's how the company's news release describes the tool:

"RealityCheck includes a Balanced Performance Scorecard, which plots one center's efficiency and effectiveness against its industry peer group. Call quantity (efficiency) is plotted on the x-axis, and call quality (effectiveness) is plotted on the y-axis. Combined, these performance indices provide contact center mangers with a high-level view of their Center’s performance. Contact centers that are able to optimize customer-centric results, while containing costs can apply to become a Purdue University certified “Center of Excellence."

BenchmarkPortal works closely with an academic partner, the Center for Customer-Driven Quality at Purdue University. Dr. Jon Anton is director of research for both entities.

AB -- 4/21/05

For the second morning in a row, Siebel Systems has issued a spate of good news:

Siebel CRM OnDemand Continues to Gain Worldwide Momentum; Customer Wins, Analyst Reports and Award Underscore Recent Accomplishments

Siebel Business Analytics Showing Strong Momentum; New Customers, Expanded Products and Partnerships, Industry Accolades, and Significant Revenue Growth Demonstrate Unique Value of Siebel Business Analytics Solutions

IBM and Siebel Systems Target the $24 Billion Social Services and Social Security Market

Siebel Systems Delivers New Self-Service and eBilling Solutions for Credit Card and Telco Companies

Siebel Systems to Optimize for Intel Itanium Processors

I see a message and reminder in this: In spite of disappointing financial news and an abrupt change in top management, Siebel continues to maintain strong product offerings and market presence.

AB -- 4/19/05

I was struck by the multiple announcements from Siebel Systems this morning touting various marketing coups:

Area Chooses Siebel CRM OnDemand to Manage Relationships with Corporate Travel Customers; Leading Finnish Travel Agent Deploys Siebel CRM OnDemand Hosted by IBM to Increase Sales Effectiveness and Enhance Customer Service

Boehringer Ingelheim Standardizes on Siebel Pharma in 24 Countries Worldwide; Leading Pharmaceutical Company Deploys Siebel Pharma to 6,000 Staff to Increase Customer Loyalty and Profitability

AstraZeneca Norway Standardizes on Siebel Pharma to Maximize Sales and Marketing Effectiveness; Leading Pharmaceutical Company Further Aligns Marketing and Sales Business Processes to Strengthen Relationships with Health Care Customers

Rabobank Standardizes on Siebel Business Applications Across 30,000 Employees and 9 Million Customers

Swiss Post Transforms Sales Effectiveness and Efficiency Using Siebel Sales

Siebel 7.8 Allows Companies to Offer the Right Product, at the Right Price, at the Right Time; New CRM Solution Enables Effective Product, Pricing, and Promotions Management across Multiple Channels

Siebel Systems Surpasses 3 Million Live Users Worldwide -- More than All Other CRM Providers Combined; Best-in-Class Customer-Facing Solutions Meet Unique Requirements for Organizations of All Types and Sizes

It doesn't surprise me that Siebel is working hard to get some good press after the sour notes sounded in past weeks over their poor financial performance and sacking of their CEO after only a year on the job.

For some of our recent coverage on Siebel, see these articles:

Siebel, Salesforce.com Spotlight Diverging Forces in CRM Space -- By Robert Liu

SAP Doesn’t Want Siebel -- Who Does? -- By David Sims

Also, Rich Tehrani, Robert Liu and I included some discussion of Siebel in our weekly podcast this past Friday. Follow this link to listen to it in MP3 or to add our podcast to your player:

http://www.tmcnet.com/podcast/

That said, I do think that Siebel has a strong offering in the on-demand CRM space, which should not be downplayed amidst their recent bad news. See my review in this blog entry:

Siebel Serious About CRM On-Demand

AB -- 4/18/05