Product announcements were the order of the day at last week`s Call Centre and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) conference and exhibition in Chicago.
The exhibition halls were packed with vendors showcasing the industry`s latest call centre and CRM applications and products.
Worth a mention is the keynote address by Steve Forbes, CEO and president of Forbes. He emphasised that in order to get and keep customers, companies need to look ahead - to see where business and economic trends will take an organisation and the impact these trends will have on customers.
According to Henry Morris, International Data Corporation VP of data warehousing and knowledge management, companies cannot look at CRM alone. "They have to integrate CRM with the rest of their business applications." This message was apparent in most of the new product announcements made at the show.
An example is PeopleSoft`s Internet CRM Analytics Applications, which should be available during the fourth quarter of this year. PeopleSoft is launching a CRM solution with this product that connects with other applications in the enterprise.
The Internet-enabled call centre marketplace is evolving at a rapid pace, according to software provider, Witness Systems. The company announced an integrated electronic learning management solution designed specifically for the Internet. The product, eQuality Now, integrates with online learning products focusing on the soft and hard skills of customer service/sales representatives.
Application service provider Telera announced a new product that will enable businesses to deliver voice applications over the Internet. "Companies can now use Voice XML technology to deliver Web-powered communications applications to their telephone-based customers," said Prem Uppaluru, Telera`s president and CEO.
Ivus, a customer care outsourcing company, announced a suite of e-interaction analytics and consulting capabilities that work together with its e-mail, chat, live voice and self-help customer services. The company believes this combination will help e-businesses reduce transaction times, maximise sales opportunities and increase online revenue.
Communications company NEC America launched an add-on to its customer service product, QueWorX. Dale Graver, VP and GM of NEC, said the product, Web Callback, enables users browsing the Web to request a call from an agent.
"On many occasions, questions or issues may arise while a customer is accessing a Web site and traditionally the customer can send an e-mail requesting assistance. Web Callback adds the human touch back into the usage of the Internet by providing an alternate vehicle for customers to access the contact centre," said Graver. "It allows customers to receive quick, personal assistance from a contact centre agent."
Real-time communications company, Symon Communications, added multiple new features to its real-time desktop messaging solution, DeskView. Real-time messaging capabilities are now extended to individual workstations. Using Windows 95/98/2000 or NT in conjunction with the Symon Server, DeskView delivers messages to a desktop without disturbing the application that is currently active.
Locus Dialogue, a speech recognition technologies company, announced a solution developer partnership with Great Plains Software. Through this partnership, Locus will deliver speech-enabled access to Great Plains solutions. "Adding speech access to e-business applications creates significant competitive advantage," said Richard Martel, VP of LocusCare Services.
Wireless products are also seeing the light. Intecom, an e-business solutions provider, featured its new wireless application that provides secure connectivity via a Palm VII or a similar wireless device.
Finally, the results of a recent study by market analyst Datamonitor show that call centre management and CRM are key to many company strategies.
"Nearly half of all organisations see their call centre as a tool for reducing costs," said the company. "Some 32% think of it as a toll for generating profits, whereas 25% consider its main aim to be generating revenue."
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