| Call Center Research |
17.07.2008
The UK Contact Centre Operational Review (2007) - IP and Call Handling
By Steve Morrell.
The figures from this year’s survey point to the use of IP within the contact centre as being very much a thing of the here-and-now, rather than another possibility for the future. Despite the relatively slow start to IP implementation, these statistics point towards IP being an integral, definite and strategic part of the contact centre industry’s future.
The mantra “evolution, not revolution” has been pushed by telephony vendors, encouraging contact centres to consider the option of moving at their own pace towards IP, and this is what has happened in recent years. However, there is a significant proportion of respondents (17%) using pure IP within their contact centres.
Current use of IP within the contact centre
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Proportion of respondents
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Pure IP Infrastructure
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17%
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Hybrid IP and TDM Infrastructure
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28%
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No VoIP
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40%
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Don't know
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15%
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Respondents expect the use IP to increase from 17% today to 41% within 2 years. These figures show that IP is making its way further into the mainstream and is figuring in the thinking of many businesses’ contact centre strategies.
Regardless of the geography or timing of IP surveys, reducing network costs has consistently been seen as one of the most important reasons for implementing IP, with almost two-thirds of our respondents rating it as very important. Having greater flexibility to add and change agents is also very important, as is the need to replace ACDs/PBXs which may have been bought to counter the Y2K problem, and which are now coming to the end of their useful life, although the no.1 reason is that it has been a corporate-wide decision to move to IP.
The effects that pure IP implementation has actually had (rather than the perceptions of what it could do) revolve around inter-site cost reduction and the flexibility to add and change agents quickly, with many also experiencing greater interoperability between systems.
The author is a Softigator member. You can contact him directly to ask questions or to comment on this article. Click on "search" in the member area and contact the author. You are also invited to comment on this article at service@softigator.net.
The UK Contact Centre Operational Review (5th edition – 2007) can be downloaded at www.contactbabel-downloads.com. info@contactbabel.com.
Editor's comment:
Experience from this year point to the use of IP within the contact center as being very much a thing of the here-and-now, rather than another possibility for the future. Despite the relatively slow start to IP implementation, these statistics point towards IP being an integral, definite and strategic part of the contact center industry's future. This can be compared to 3G on mobile phones, a technology supposed to be the future of mobiles but pushed as part of its current features due to demand.
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12.07.2008
Softigator Call Center Radar 05-07-08 to 11-07-08
These are the headlines only. Go to the full article view of the Call Center News, go to the Softigator.com member area and click on “Start”. All members are invited to participate and send press releases, comments and ideas to service@softigator.net!
Registration is free and takes one minute. Don't forget to verify the link we send you.
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Events:
Have a look at our up to date listings of Call Center Events now, just follow the link and select "events"!
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Europe:
CRM market to face uncertainty
Strike expected at 999 call centre
Only one in five British consumers satisfied with Customer Care of Financial Services firms
Romanian Telecom Operator to open new Call Centre
Nationwide Insurance Deal for Jacada
Dorset County Council contact centre to expand
150 new Call Centre jobs in Birkenhead
Performance measurement 'key' to call centre success
Major change at Hastings Direct
10th Anniversary for Call Centre Expo
New monitoring and coaching tool aims to tackle high training costs and induction times
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North America:
New Call Center to open in Washington
BPO Index shows that the BPO market has been impacted by credit crunch
The impact of Offshore Outsourcing on Customer Satisfaction
IPVG, Canada call center firm in BPO deal
532 workers lose jobs due to Call Center shutdown
911 chief offers plan for call-center merger
Canadian pleads guilty in telemarketing fraud
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Latin America:
New Call Center hires 200 in Jamaica
Avaya to call more on Jamaica, Caribbean markets
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Africa:
MTN, Fate Foundation Encourages Call Centre Venture to Nigerian Youths
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APAC:
Avaya expertise recognized at Middle East Call Centre Awards
New Call Center to open in Kuala Lumpur
Call Center training company targets emerging cities on the Philippines
BT Considering Philippine Market for Hosted Call Center Services
Call center school employs actors to teach would-be agents
Vodafone to charge customers for Call Centre usage
Australians want their questions answered in their own accent
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04.07.2008
Softigator Call Center Radar 28-06-08 to 04-07-08
These are the headlines only. Go to the full article view of the Call Center News, go to the Softigator.com member area and click on “Start”.
All members are invited to participate and send press releases, comments and ideas to service@softigator.net!
************************************************************************************
Events:
Have a look at our up to date listings of Call Center Events now, just follow the link and select "events"!
************************************************************************************
Europe:
Call Centre Pricing and Attrition Worries Outsourcing Providers
Vertex wins contract with the National Trust
The Telemarketing Company’s business to business market research achieves Market Research Society accreditation
T-Mobile takes over Orange Netherlands call centre
New call centre brings job boost
AMR Research, 2008, names The Top 10 CRM Vendors in 2007
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North America:
Legal charges in telemarketing case
Overall satisfaction with commercial call centers rose, finds Study
North Carolina company expands Call Center Operations
BrandonWayne Group launches new Call Center
Ottawa call centre expected to escape job cuts
American Cancer Society reports telemarketing calls from ‘look-alike'
N.E.W. Customer Service Companies Inc. introduces Virtual Call Center
New Call Center launched in West Virginia
Outsourcer emerges from Chapter 11
Analysts: Americans prefer cell phone, PC customer service to cable TV
Local hospitals receive customer service awards
Offshore call centre service lags
Milton call center may face a blow
Call center receives $275,000 grant from AZ Commerce
Ardmore call center will close Sept. 1
Douglas lands 700 jobs with Advanced Call Center facility
IBM Develops Audio Masking Technology To Protect Call Center Recordings
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Africa:
MTN plans to stretch call centre hours
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APAC:
Future of Australian call centre clouded
Inauguration of Call Centre on July 7 in Pakistan
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01.07.2008
Softigator Call Center Radar 21-06-08 to 27-06-08
These are the headlines only. For a full article view, got to the Softigator.com member are and click on “Start” – or go to http://www.softigator.com/callcenterbusinessnetworking/start.html.
All members are invited to participate and send press releases, comments and ideas to service@softigator.net!
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Events:
For an overview of Call Center Events worldwide go to:
http://www.softigator.com/callcenterbusinessnetworking/callcenter_market.html
9-11th Nov in Barcelona:
2nd Annual Customer Contact 2008, Europe
For the second consecutive year, and continuing to build upon the success of Frost & Sullivan's US based Call Center Industry Coverage and Events, we are delighted to announce the 2nd Annual Customer Contact 2008, Europe : A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange. Taking place 9-11 November 2008 at the Hilton Barcelona, in Barcelona, Spain, the industry's most interactive event will deliver real world insights and strategies from seasoned contact centre professionals along with multiple opportunities for you to network and benchmark against the industry's best.
Customise your experience with a program structure to meet your individual needs with 3 dedicated tracks and 13 interactive sessions to choose from including:
Track 1: Contact Centre and Agent Performance Optimisation
Track 2: Strategic Outsourcing
Track 3: Customer Experience Strategy
Sunday - Start off your Frost & Sullivan experience networking and building relationships with your industry peers with a historic tour of Barcelona. Then join us for a relaxed Networking Reception and Dinner later on in the evening.
Monday - Wednesday - Benchmark against the strategies, processes and technologies that deliver customer satisfaction and excellence through Frost & Sullivan's unique interactive format. Frost & Sullivan events propel networking to a new level, by maximising a pollination of ideas among industry cross-sections, and by delivering concrete value to your business. See an award-winning Contact Center in action on our site tour taking place Wednesday morning. It is an event you won't want to miss!
To learn more about
2nd Annual Customer Contact 2008, Europe:
A Frost & Sullivan Executive Mindxchange
Contact Frost & Sullivan at partners@frost.com for complete event details. You may also contact us by direct dial, in Europe, +44 (0) 1856 398641. From within the US, call 877.GO.FROST (1.877.463.7678).
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Europe:
Plymouth’s Direct Wines Ltd to relocate call centre
BRITISH GAS to relocate UK-wide call centre operation
Garlands Call Centre gets green light
Noble Amcat™ Strengthens European Team with New Financial Controller
Study: UK Call Centres among the most expensive
Hope for 500 workers at Ventura
Once again: Data Lost in the UK
To offshore or not to offshore – Banking bosses have different routes
Unified communications, IP contact centre markets jump 22% - study
Barclays Bank expands Doxford International call centre
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North America:
Convergys expected to hire 450 Call Center agents
Layoffs at Dell
TD Bank call centre to add 200 employees
Affiliated Computer Services to close call center
TransFirst Holdings Inc. to add sales call center
Do Not Call Update
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Africa:
Netcampus to launch Contact Centre Professional Certification supported by Microsoft
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APAC:
Business Process Outsourcing and Call Centre work in Mauritius
CCPA opens doors for Multinationals with own Call Centers
Dnata Contact Centres named Best Call Centre
Smaller Call Centers increasingly interesting for SME sized client companies in the UK
Hanarotelecom barred from signing up new customers
PSA opens customer service and support office in Malaysia
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