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27.08.2009
New White Paper: Reducing Costs by Integrating Staff Scheduling and Time
Birmingham / Ratingen (Germany), August 19, 2009 – InVision Software, a leading international provider of enterprise-wide workforce management (WFM) systems, offers a free white paper to staff planners, time management supervisors and HR managers, focusing on integrated staff scheduling and time management processes. The downloadable guide explains how to optimise the management of working times in increasingly demanding working environments and in the context of progressively more complex company structures.
Efficient personnel scheduling requires integrated time management which is just as flexible as the working hours of the employees. In most businesses, labour and time are the most valuable resources. As employers move away from fixed working hours to demand-oriented staff schedules, the more complex the requirements for time management become. Even in small and medium-sized companies, this cannot be managed without modern IT applications. This InVision white paper explains step by step how to optimise all time management processes with the help of the software solution InVision Enterprise WFM, from the transfer, distribution, allocation, monitoring and approval of working times using time accounts to the export of validated, error-free data for payroll systems.
“The automation of time management saves time and money. It also helps to avoid payroll errors, eases the scheduling burden and increases employee satisfaction,” says Peter Bollenbeck, CEO of InVision Software. “For efficient time
management, it is important that all applicable rules can be defined and used to automatically process all time account transactions in the system. For example, rules may apply to break times and rounding may be applied at the beginning or end of a shift. It is also necessary to correctly identify whether extra work should be done at normal pay rates or on overtime pay rates.”
Integrating staff scheduling and time management processes into a single comprehensive workforce management system provides a number of benefits, leading to increased efficiency and performance – especially welcome during these difficult economic times. Benefits include reduced administration costs due to automated time account calculation, eliminated pay inflation due to identification and correction of time recording errors, as well as an increased employee satisfaction and productivity due to more flexible working hours.
The white paper ‘Efficient Time Management in Increasingly Demanding Working Environments – How the Management of Working Time Can Be Optimised in the Context of Progressively more Complex Company Structures’ is available as free download at http://www.invisionwfm.com/eng/download/file/15591/297372/version/4/file/WhitePaper+ENG_UK+TimeManagement_sec.pdf
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27.08.2009
ITyX introduces Mediatrix MAILROOM 2.0 at Call Centre & Customer Management Expo
One of Europe’s leading systems integrator for digital service solutions, ITyX will present its unique self-learning software solution to the UK at the Birmingham show. MAILROOM 2.0 automates the processing of incoming e-mails, letters and faxes.
ITyX has chosen the UK’s premier industry event to showcase its new Mediatrix MAILROOM 2.0. It will also exhibit other multi-channel software solutions such as email response management, self-service, video/IP-chat, co-browsing and web radar.
MAILROOM 2.0 is the first automated mailroom, which self-learns processing of customer messages that are received via e-mail, text message, letter and fax.
The digital mailroom works by using artificial intelligence methods - it sorts, extracts and processes incoming mail without the need for administrative resources and simply learns through practice.
The service sector still invests significantly more resources to handle letters and faxes than when processing customer contacts via phone, web and e-mail.
Since the late 90s, medium and large service organisations have introduced solutions for document digitalisation and logistics. This enables the transportation of documents in predominantly digital format.
However, the classification and distribution of document-bound business processes, their automatic recognition and subsequent processing is still mainly carried out using manual, cost intensive business process steps.
Using the new Mediatrix module MAILROOM 2.0, ITyX integrates digital mail processing in the form of a graphic workflow management system into the multi-channel customer service operation of a contact centre. Incoming documents are classified using self-learning methods. Dependent on priorities and escalation times they are then are routed to the most relevant and skilled available service team member.
This method is similar to the way modern call centre solutions define and produce call workflows. ITyX’s information retrieval methods for customer and product data allow significant reductions in processing times. Mediatrix identifies required data and carries out well-defined business processes, fully automated and without the need to involve a customer services administrator.
Mediatrix MAILROOM 2.0 can be applied in any back office. Its unique text analysis methods and self-learning features allow it to process any document type – from letters to forms to invoices.
Meet ITyX at Call Centre & Customer Management Expo from 22 – 23 September 2009 at the NEC in Birmingham, hall 9, stand G1. Call us on +44 (0)191 280 4349 or email service@ityx.de to set up a meeting at the exhibition.
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25.08.2009
2009 Call Centre Expo: Surviving the Economic Downturn with Workforce Management
Birmingham / Ratingen (Germany), August 24th, 2009 – At this year’s Call Centre Expo, InVision Software (hall 9, stand F7), a leading international provider of contact centre workforce management solutions, will present how efficient scheduling for front and back office activities as well as integrated time management enables companies to reduce costs and retain customers in today’s tough economic times and beyond. Call Centre Expo 2009 takes place from 22nd to 23rd September at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham and is a key event for the international call centre industry. On the second day at 2:00, Cameron Welsh, Account Manager at InVision Software, will present effective approaches to weathering the economic storm with the help of state-of-the-art workforce management (WFM).
One approach is to reduce costs by integrating time and attendance into the workforce management process. The InVision Enterprise WFM system enables users to reduce payroll errors by automatically checking agent time records against schedules before exporting time records to payroll systems. This enables errors and anomalies in actual worked time to be corrected, clean data to be sent to payroll systems and pay inflation to be eliminated. Further benefits are reduced administration costs due to automated time account calculation as well as increased agent productivity and satisfaction.
Another approach is to use WFM to maintain and improve service levels across all communication channels without increasing resourcing costs: The explosive growth of web 2.0 applications such as social networking and communities is forcing enterprises to change how they interact with their customers, prospects and partners. Although the telephone still remains the primary communication tool between businesses and their customers, the web 2.0 generation also uses channels such as email, chat, SMS, and instant messaging. Processing these multiple channels and various customer contacts – front office and back office – is one of the main challenges in today’s contact centre and requires efficient and demand-oriented scheduling of agents. The innovative multi-channel technology of InVision Enterprise WFM enables multi-skilled agents to be deployed in an efficient and cost-saving way while improving service level across all channels, boosting customer satisfaction and increasing revenues at the same time*.
Visit InVision Software at the 2009 Call Centre Expo, National Exhibition Centre Birmingham, 22-23 September:
Hall 9, stand F7
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at the fair’s Call Centre Technology Theatre:
“Enterprise Workforce Management – The Essential Survival Guide to Surviving an Economic Downturn”
presented by Cameron Welsh, InVision Software
* In cooperation with Donna Fluss, Founder and President of DMG Consulting, InVision offers the free white paper “Building a Multi-Channel Contact Centre in the Era of Social Networking”. It can be downloaded at:
http://www.invisionwfm.com/eng/download/file/15592/297376/version/2/file/MultiChannelCC_SocialNetworking_sec.pdf.
Additionally, a webinar on this topic can be viewed at:
http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby.jsp&eventid=154027&sessionid=1&key=17B44A22E6B700C79FBDBBAF6BFA67F7.
About InVision Software
InVision Software is a world-leading supplier of enterprise-wide workforce management solutions which enable companies to optimise their staff planning and scheduling processes. InVision empowers customers to reduce personnel costs, increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction and to boost revenue by leveraging better customer service. Founded in 1995 and based in Ratingen (Germany), InVision currently employs more than 220 WFM specialists and has offices across Europe, North America, and South Africa. InVision Software AG (IVX) is listed in the Prime Standard Segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Among InVision's clients are numerous international blue chip companies, such as ABN Amro, Allianz, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, IKEA, Sky and Vodafone.
Further information: www.invisionwfm.com
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24.08.2009
Welcome to the 12th CallCenterWorld®!
Management Circle invites you to experience the key event for the call center sector in Berlin. Don’t miss it when Europe’s biggest platform for call centers, service providers, knowledge transfer and networking opens its doors from 8 to 11 February 2010.
Britain is the guest country at UK-Plaza CallCenterWorld® 2010. Make the most of the English-language conference opportunities at the pre-conference events, on the strategy day and on the workshop day. Look forward to top speakers and meet around 250 international exhibitors on 8,000 sqm at the trade fair. Visit the conference and trade fair or appear as an exhibitor with your products and services at the unique UK Plaza. We look forward to seeing you in Berlin.
Any questions? Give us a ring or write to us: + 49(0)6196/4722-802, wolf@managementcircle.de
Register by 30 November 2009 to get your early bird registration reduction of €100.00 off the conference price:
More information and registration:
http://www.callcenterworld.de/de/index.php?cid=cdu491
Hotline: +49 (0) 61 96 / 47 22 – 802
E-Mail: wolf@managementcircle.de
Host: Management Circle AG
Event Location: Estrel Convention Center in Berlin, Germany
Beginning: Mo., 8 February 2010
Ending: Wed., 11 February 2010
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20.08.2009
E.ON Service Plus Expands Workforce Management with Solution of InVision
Birmingham / Ratingen (Germany), August 18th, 2009 – E.ON Service Plus GmbH, which provides shared services such as accounting, claims and customer contact management for various businesses within the E.ON group, confirms expansion of its existing workforce management solution InVision Enterprise WFM to 500 agents. For several years, E.ON Service Plus has been successfully scheduling its service centre agents with InVision Software, one of the leading international providers of enterprise-wide workforce management (WFM) systems.
During the last few years, the number of agents working at the three principle sites of the company in Landshut, Bayreuth and Kassel has increased steadily. To meet its new challenges, E.ON Service Plus GmbH decided to expand the existing workforce management solution from InVision Software. And moved towards a more optimised, demand-oriented approach to scheduling.
Stefan Zöls, who is responsible for the staff scheduling in the customer contact management department at E.ON Service Plus GmbH, confirms: “The solution from InVision Software has been in use in our company for many years and we are very happy with its functionality. The processes are running in an optimal way and the schedules are ideally suited to our service requirements. Thus, expanding InVision Enterprise WFM was just the next logical step.”
Thanks to the expansion of the WFM system, a considerable number of planners can use the system simultaneously now. Moreover, the integration of agents into the scheduling process has been enhanced by the Infothek Inform module. Infothek Inform continuously monitors all schedules and recognises any modification. In case of any schedule changes, agents are informed automatically in real-time via email. In addition, every agent is now able to retrieve his or her personal schedule at the push of a button.
“Due to the additional components, E.ON Service Plus GmbH can keep on creating schedules that at all times conform as closely as possible to the actual requirement“, says Peter Bollenbeck, CEO of InVision Software. „Moreover, agents are now completely integrated into the planning process which will quickly have a positive impact on the employees’ satisfaction and motivation.”
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19.08.2009
Noble Systems Introduces Noble® SIPhony
Atlanta, GA – August 18, 2009: Noble Systems Corporation, a global leader in innova tive contact center technology solutions, introduces Noble® SIPhony, an evolutionary platform for unifying customer communications via a server-based telephony architecture.
SIPhony allows companies to create a more efficient and more effective telephony environment to reduce training time, improve productivity, and lower costs. The cornerstone for organizations that want the flexibility and cost savings of an IP solution, SIPhony makes it easy for organizations with existing TDM and hardware-based telephony platforms to migrate to a SIP environment. SIPhony also offers lower-cost alternatives for disaster recovery and business continuity.
SIPhony is Noble’s newest generation SIP platform. This server-based solution suppo rts contact center environments regardless of their telephony infrastructure, including pure native-SIP, traditional TDM, or a hybrid of the two. With SIPhony, contact centers can connect any type of agent, either local or remote, using any type of telephony connectivity to create a flexible platform without boundaries. SIPhony can be used as a ‘cloud-based’ contact routing platform for companies looking to centralize their resources, with support for the agent network, wherever the agents may be located.
SIPhony offers an IT-ready platform that is easy to integrate into existing hardware or software applications. SIPhony can be installed into any current IP network or PBX infrastructure (Cisco, Avaya, etc) to seamlessly provide point solutions for predictive dialing, ACD, call recording and monitoring, IVR, messaging, or workforce management in a best-of-breed multi-vendor environment, or it can be installed in a new IP or TDM environment to offer a completely u nified contact center solution. Current Noble users can gain the benefits of SIPhony without losing their investment in their current software by adding it to their Noble platform. With its server-based design, SIPhony can eliminate the reliance on traditional proprietary telephony blades with limited scalability and lifespan, creating a longer-term investment with more flexibility for future growth.
James K. Noble, Jr., President & CEO of Noble Systems, said, “Noble Systems has been providing native SIP platforms to our clients for more than five years and we first introduced the new Noble SIPhony to an enthusiastic group of clients at our users conference in May. We believe SIPhony to be a truly unique solution, as the first of its kind to offer an easy migration path to a server-based platform and to allow hybrid applications by combining traditional TDM telephony and IP environments. Noble SIPhony gives the best of bo th worlds – seamless integration to existing environments or a stand-alone unified system – to help companies achieve greater performance, improve customer service, and lower the cost of doing business.”
About Noble Systems®
Noble Systems Corporation (NSC) is a global provider of contact center technology solutions, delivering systems since 1989. Every day, millions of contacts are made by agents at 2,000+ installations worldwide conduct business using the Noble® platforms for inbound/outbound/blended communications. The scalable, integrated Noble solution includes ACD and predictive dialing; unified contact processing for voice, email, and web; and integrated IVR, digital recording, messaging, quality control/monitoring systems, scripting, and rea l-time reporting and management tools. Noble Systems (Atlanta, GA) pioneered an open, scalable, fully-distributed platform. For more information on this item or the company, contact Lee Allum at 1.888.866.2538 x538 or visit www.noblesys.com.
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10.08.2009
Allianz Suisse: Multi-Site Workforce Management with InVision Enterprise WFM
Birmingham / Ratingen (Germany), August 10th, 2009 – Allianz Suisse, one of the most important insurance companies in Switzerland and part of the global insurance group Allianz, now optimises the scheduling of 150 service centre agents with a workforce management (WFM) system from InVision Software, one of the leading international providers of WFM solutions. The agents are located at four different sites across Switzerland, handling all client claims. By introducing InVision Enterprise WFM, the workforce in all locations is managed centrally from a single site ensuring an optimised distribution of the workload as well as ensuring high quality of service and customer satisfaction.
InVision Enterprise WFM was implemented several weeks ago and Richard Habenberger, Resource Manager at Allianz Suisse, is delighted with the solution for optimised staff scheduling: “Our ultimate ambition is to reduce the administration efforts for managing our workforce. Therefore, we needed a new WFM system that is able to centrally manage planning for all service centres. It was crucial that we can provide our planners a powerful tool for creating and controlling rule-compliant schedules, while automatically taking into account our complex employee contract structure. Additionally, the solution has to offer full functionality in all of our three national languages German, French and Italian. The InVision WFM system met all of these requirements. From our site in Zurich, we are now centrally creating optimised schedules at the push of a button – for all agents working at the four different Swiss service centres.”
Using the PhoneLink interface within the InVision software, all relevant statistical information for planning and scheduling, e.g. call times, call volumes and call handling time from the CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) system, is automatically transferred to the new WFM system. Based on this historical data, the planners set up a detailed forecast of the expected working volumes and the required staff with the help of the InVision module ForecastPro. The AutoScheduler enables the planners to create rule-compliant schedules in a fully automated process covering the forecasted demand. For intraday management and control of schedules, as well as for staff evaluation and performance analysis, the planners use the OnlineCockpit where KPI (Key Performance Indicators) comparisons can be done in real-time across all service centre units.
“Our solution meets the needs of Allianz Suisse in an ideal way as the system is capable of mapping virtual structures and thus optimally supports the multi-site scheduling of geographically dispersed sites”, says Peter Bollenbeck, CEO of InVision Software. “In addition, the analysis and monitoring features help to further increase the productivity of the service centres: Planned and actual working times are permanently monitored enabling the planners to re-align future scheduling to the forecasted demand even more precise in order to ensure an optimised service level.”
About Allianz Suisse
With a premium volume of 3.9 billion CHF, Allianz Suisse is one of the most important insurance companies in Switzerland. Its business operations include insurance, pension funds and property. The company employs about 3,800 people and is part of the international Allianz group with sites in more than 70 countries on all continents. Almost 1,000,000 private individuals and more than 100,000 companies rely on the consulting, insurance and provision services of Allianz Suisse in all aspects of life. A tight network of general agencies ensures customer proximity in all regions of Switzerland. Allianz Suisse manages a total of assets amounting to 18.5 billion CHF. With more than 19,000 rental properties and a real estate portfolio of about 3 billion CHF, Allianz Suisse is one of the major real estate investors of Switzerland. Allianz Suisse is an official partner of the Swiss Red Cross.
Further information: www.allianz-suisse.ch
About InVision Software
InVision Software is a world-leading supplier of enterprise-wide workforce management solutions which enable companies to optimise their staff planning and scheduling processes. InVision empowers customers to reduce personnel costs, increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction and to boost revenue by leveraging better customer service. Founded in 1995 and based in Ratingen (Germany), InVision currently employs more than 220 WFM specialists and has offices across Europe, North America, and South Africa. InVision Software AG (IVX) is listed in the Prime Standard Segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Among InVision's clients are numerous international blue chip companies, such as ABN Amro, Allianz, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, IKEA, Sky and Vodafone.
Further information: www.invisionwfm.com
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06.08.2009
Vistaprint Rolls Out Sword Ciboodle for Enhanced Customer Support
Glasgow, UK – August 4, 2009 – Sword Ciboodle, provider of customer-oriented business software and services, today announced that it has delivered a comprehensive CRM system to online marketing leader Vistaprint, designed to help the company enhance its customer service capabilities. After only six-months, the first phases of the deployment were completed, and the Sword Ciboodle customer interaction platform is now the central technology hub for Vistaprint’s customer support.
Vistaprint offers small businesses everything they need to market their business with brand identity and promotional products, marketing services and electronic marketing solutions. As the company expanded, it sought an agile, scalable CRM product, including support for multiple languages.
Sword Ciboodle brings advanced technology to Vistaprint’s contact center operations and allows the company’s design, sales and support divisions to effectively process appropriate customer orders.
"Our business is constantly evolving, and many of the existing CRM packages in the market were not the right fit for this kind of dynamic business environment," said Michelle Healy, vice president design sales and service, Vistaprint. "Sword Ciboodle provided us with the agility we need to respond to changes, while providing a host of features we required out of the box. They also worked within a short period – on time and on budget."
The process-based solution was designed to be easily managed by Vistaprint with minimal input from Sword Ciboodle.
"Successfully delivering this project on time and on budget for an established and trusted brand like Vistaprint, with such a large customer base, is a key step in our strategic plan for growth in the U.S. and again demonstrates the short timeframe in which Sword Ciboodle can deliver comprehensive CRM solutions," said Paul White, CEO, Sword Ciboodle North America. "This is a key deployment for Sword Ciboodle in North America and we are looking forward to a successful ongoing relationship with Vistaprint, and rolling out many more successful projects across this continent and into Europe."
About Sword Ciboodle
Sword Ciboodle helps improve the way large organisations interact with their customers. The combination of award-winning, process-managed CRM software and specialist consulting and delivery services help Sword Ciboodle’s clients achieve higher revenues from their customers and reduce operational costs. Sword Ciboodle is consistently recognised by industry analysts as one of the world's leading customer-centric technology providers. For more information, please visit www.sword-ciboodle.com.
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04.08.2009
RPM Grows its Collections Business with Technology from Noble Systems
Atlanta, GA – August 4, 2009: Receivables Performance Management (RPM) has selected the Noble® Solution from Noble Systems Corporation for blended inbound and outbound contact management in its debt collection centers. Noble Systems is a global provider of contact center technology solutions. RPM is an emerging leader in accounts receivable management, serving a range of clients from large Utilities and National Telecommunications Companies to the Banking Industry and small business.
Since initially purchasing the Noble® Solution for 22 stations in 2002, RPM has grown its business to extend to a new corporate headquarters in Lynwood, Washington, with a remote site in Portland, Oregon. The company now has over 180 agent seats between the two locations. The Noble Solution allows RPM to unify its collection activities with blended outbound and inbound automated contacts. Their Noble Enterprise platform is tailored to meet their unique technology needs, integrating outbound dialing, inbound skills-based call routing, digital recording, IVR support for automated messaging, integration to a proprietary collection system and an existing PBX, and a complete suite of quality monitoring, management, and reporting tools. The Noble platform features centralized management from the Lynwood corporate collection center, with remote agents in the Portland facility, and includes a replication system for complete data redundancy.
“As a part of our focus on innovation, RPM partners with leading technology suppliers, such as Noble Systems, enabling us to invest in competitive business differentiators, using proprietary software to customize our portfolio needs and optimize our business solutions,” says Howard George, CEO, Receivables Performance Management. “The people we employ, the values we exemplify, and the technology tools we invest in, together create the difference between meeting minimum contractual benchmarks and providing the consistent and superior excellence our clients appreciate and expect.”
James K. Noble, Jr., President and CEO of Noble Systems, says, “Receivables Performance Management’s core business values our very similar to our own – providing re al value for our clients by helping them achieve their goals and keeping our promises to deliver results. Noble Systems is focused on helping our clients succeed and grow their business, and our relationship with RPM is a prime example of this commitment. We are proud to be a partner in RPM’s success as its contact center technology partner, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth.”
About RPM
Receivables Performance Management is a leader in receivables management and collection services to Fortune 500 companies faced with consumer write-offs and debt. The company has experienced tremendous growth since its inception in 2002. In 2008, RPM was named among the fastest growing private companies in America by Inc. 500, which ranked the company No. 65 in the Top 100 Private Financial Services Companies nationwide. www.recei vablesperformance.com.
About Noble Systems®
Noble Systems Corporation (NSC) is a global provider of contact center technology solutions, delivering systems since 1989. Every day, millions of contacts are made by agents at 2,000+ installations worldwide conduct business using the Noble® platforms for inbound/outbound/blended communications. The scalable, integrated Noble solution includes ACD and predictive dialing; unified contact processing for voice, email, and web; and integrated IVR, digital recording, messaging, quality control/monitoring systems, scripting, and real-time reporting and management tools. Noble Systems (Atlanta, GA) pioneered an open, scalable, fully-distributed platform. For more information on this item or the company, contact Lee Allum at 1.888.866.2538 x538 or visit www.noblesys.com.
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01.08.2009
Contact Centre Troubleshooter Hits the Target
The North East of England is widely regarded as the “Contact Centre Capital of the UK” and with the wide variety of positions on offer, many companies suffer from staff moving from job to job in search of better pay, opportunities or conditions of employment.
There are more than 50,000 people employed in the contact centre business within the North East alone and despite the current economic climate, the industry boasts a staff growth of around 5% each year. However, one of the most expensive costs to the business is the 20% to 30% staff attrition rate which many contact centres cite as their biggest problem.
One Sunderland based business is now offering its services and experience to the contact centre industry in a bid to stem the flow of staff moving from job to job and to identify exactly why people leave contact centres.
Emma Cordiner, whose business Denalli is ideally placed at Doxford International Park, believes that the increasing demands placed upon contact centre staff can account for poor productivity, high attrition rates and spiralling costs. Her findings are based on her experience in recruitment for the contact centre industry. Seeing top quality staff leave their new jobs shortly after initial training made her realise that even hiring the best people can never solve the problems associated with excessive staff turn over.
“Contact Centres in our region literally waste £188 million on recruitment and the training of staff who stay with a company for a short period of time and then move on to other positions within the sector,” said Emma. “Unfortunately, sometimes without realising, these businesses let their staff down by not valuing their work, through bad management practice or simply by a lack of ongoing training. In many cases people move jobs for reasons other than for better rates of pay. It is vital that contact centres retain their best staff and I can help them to do that.”
Emma’s role as a trouble-shooter with a “one stop shop” solution helps to reduce these high attrition rates and increase staff motivation and productivity. Her business is unique within the region and involves a three step process to analyse the problem, make recommendations and then provide solutions. Working in partnership with training companies, universities and other experts in their field, Emma is confident that the contact centre industry will benefit from her expertise including the use of targeted and informed recruitment techniques.
“Because I am totally independent from the contact centre management structure, I have found that staff are willing to tell me in confidence what the problems are in an organisation,” said Emma. “I am then able to suggest solutions to the management which will ensure that dissatisfied staff stay with the company – in many cases with an increased sense of value and motivation.”
More information from Keith Newman 07814 397951.
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