business:

Canadian Call Center Woes
Here's an article from the Edmonton Journal about the closure of a Toronto Dominion Bank call center in the city, for a net loss of about 140 jobs. Though this is a Canadian company shutting down a Canadian call center,... Here's an article from the Edmonton Journal about the closure of a Toronto Dominion Bank call center in the city, for a net loss of about 140 jobs.

Though this is a Canadian company shutting down a Canadian call center, there have been other Canadian call center closures that can be laid at the foot of the weak U.S. dollar.

Outsourcing to Canada (an important destination in the so-called "near-shore" outsourcing model) is no longer saving U.S. companies money due to the unfavorable exchange rates for the U.S. dollar.

A recent Datamonitor report covered on TMCnet by associate editor Patrick Barnard revealed that companies are truly starting to pack up Canadian operations. The most notable U.S. outsourcer to do so thus far is Cincinnati-based Convergys Corporation.

The Datamonitor report also cites a waning of interest in Canada in relation to the increasing interest in having Spanish-speaking agents on staff for the growing consumer base of American Hispanics. (Canada does not offer a labor force with a high percentage of Spanish-speakers.)

TES

Cable Company IVR Crimes
I got my online version of the ASRNews and was interested to read about two cable giants: Charter and Comcast, and the fact that ASRNews tested their IVRs and found that the data customers feed in to the system is... I got my online version of the ASRNews and was interested to read about two cable giants: Charter and Comcast, and the fact that ASRNews tested their IVRs and found that the data customers feed in to the system is not used for CTI screen-pop purposes. Basically, Charter and Comcast are using their IVRS merely to annoy customers at the front end.

Said the newsletter, "This month we tested Charter Communications. �No CTI.� They gather ID information from the caller and then throw it away. Comcast does the same thing. These folks should either implement CTI of get rid of their IVR that is doing nothing other than irritating callers."

More high-quality customer service from the cable companies. How could it get any worse? They play a eardrum-shattering screech tone into customers' ears as payback for daring to try and get in touch with customer service?

You can find ASRNews' online newsletter at http://www.asrnews.com/asrnews/backissue/asrn0208.htm�

TES

Video Gaming Widows
Have you ever been thrown over on a Saturday night by The Horde? The New York Times had an amusing...but true-to-life...piece recently about how video gaming, particularly online role playing gaming, affects romantic relationships. Did you know they make children's... Have you ever been thrown over on a Saturday night by The Horde?

The New York Times had an amusing...but true-to-life...piece recently about how video gaming, particularly online role playing gaming, affects romantic relationships.

Did you know they make children's clothing...even baby clothes... with World Of Warcraft themes?

Do I sound like I speak from experience?

TES

Better-Than-Expected Teleservices Financials
Outsourced call center services provider Sykes this week posted better-than-expected financial results (revenue of $197.7M was ahead of the consensus $189.9M estimate, and OPM of 7.7 percent was above the 7.2 percent consensus estimate). Analyst group Stifel Nicolaus Business Services... Outsourced call center services provider Sykes this week posted better-than-expected financial results (revenue of $197.7M was ahead of the consensus $189.9M estimate, and OPM of 7.7 percent was above the 7.2 percent consensus estimate). Analyst group Stifel Nicolaus Business Services (www.stifel.com) has chalked it up to the fact that the company is experiencing "sustained, broad-based demand (across all verticals including financial services) from both new and existing clients, and the company plans to add 3,000-4,000 additional seats over 2008 and into 2009 to meet this demand."

This demand, according to the Stifen Nicolaus report, is good news for the outsourced contact center service provider market as a whole, and indicates that "clients continue to spend on customer service work despite broader economic issues."

TES

Feeling The Love From Offshore Outsourcing
Here's a piece on TMCnet today that takes a look at the pitfalls, both obvious and hidden, of offshore outsourcing and how to overcome them. First, it's important to identify the problems. My favorite snipped from this article was that... Here's a piece on TMCnet today that takes a look at the pitfalls, both obvious and hidden, of offshore outsourcing and how to overcome them. First, it's important to identify the problems.

My favorite snipped from this article was that one company discovered that an agent at one of its foreign call centers was ending customer calls with, "I love you." He thought it was a great way to show customers he cared. Sometimes...agents can care a little TOO MUCH.

The best way to make offshore outsourcing work for you is to get a better handle on training. Studies show that even if a foreign call center agent has a heavy accent, if he or she handles the call the way a North American customer expects (use the right words, strike the right tone and effect good results), accents are immediately forgiven.

And your customer will know you love them without you have to tell them, which...let's face it...is a tad creepy.

TES

Another Upside To Virtual Call Centers
As if we needed any more evidence that home-based agents and virtual call centers were the way to go, here's yet another: plan a physical, brick and mortar call center, and the neighbors start complaining that it will cause too... As if we needed any more evidence that home-based agents and virtual call centers were the way to go, here's yet another: plan a physical, brick and mortar call center, and the neighbors start complaining that it will cause too much of an increase in traffic and parking congestion, not to mention scare the birds away.

TES

The ATA Position On Do-Not-Call
You may have read that his week, Congress addressed two bills, H.R. 2601 and H. R. 3541, which will affect the future of the federal Do-No-Call Registry.� Currently, there are approximately 150 million people who have listed their phone numbers... You may have read that his week, Congress addressed two bills, H.R. 2601 and H. R. 3541, which will affect the future of the federal Do-No-Call Registry.� Currently, there are approximately 150 million people who have listed their phone numbers on the DNC Registry, and there has been a large political effort to ensure that consumer’s information will not be purged from this list.

The American Teleservices Association (ATA) came out this week in support of making the list, which was supposed to have been purged and "rebuilt" after five years to ensure list accuracy, permanent.

ATA CEO Tim Searcy said, "We are in support of a permanent Registry, but would like the assurance that it is being appropriately updated.� We would encourage the FTC or Congress to require phone companies to provide a record of all disconnected numbers so they can be removed from the DNC – making the list more accurate.”� Searcy continued, “Until that happens, we support the extension of the current list.”

TES

D&D Creator Gygax Dies
Gary Gygax, co-creator with Dave Arneson of the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons died this (Tuesday) morning at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at age 69. Read CNN's brief obituary here.... Gary Gygax, co-creator with Dave Arneson of the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons died this (Tuesday) morning at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at age 69.

Read CNN's brief obituary here.

Tight Retail Return Policies
Here's a customer service pet peeve that I've developed recently. If you have tried to return anything recently, you may have noticed that retailers have fairly seriously tightened up their return policies. I realize that the point is to catch... Here's a customer service pet peeve that I've developed recently. If you have tried to return anything recently, you may have noticed that retailers have fairly seriously tightened up their return policies. I realize that the point is to catch "serial returners" who buy merchandise regularly knowing they are going to return it. But in my opinion, when the "net" starts to catch consumers with legitimate issues, it has been cast too wide.

According to the National Retail Federation, about 40 percent of retailers have tightened their policies.

My most recent aggravation? Baby Gap refusing to take back a baby gift...with a gift receipt...after 90 days. Baby presents are often purchased before...well before...a child is born (for showers, etc.), so the 90 day return rule is not only insufficient, is fails to recognize the fact that among the priorities of new parents in the first three months or less of a baby's birth is NOT returning gifts that don't fit or otherwise don't suit. It seems to me that the Gap is well aware of this and is merely seeking to halt returns.

Here's a recent article from USA Today about the trend if you'd like to read more.

TES

Call Center Jobs: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
So what happens when a political party promises the creation of call center jobs, then loses control of the government? The incoming government says, "Nah, nah, we didn't promise them. The previous guys did. Sorry!" Something like this happened in... So what happens when a political party promises the creation of call center jobs, then loses control of the government? The incoming government says, "Nah, nah, we didn't promise them. The previous guys did. Sorry!"

Something like this happened in Australia. I guess that's the price you pay for assuming "government" is all one entity...like "The Borg" from Star Trek.

Resistance IS futile.

TES

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