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	<title>Customer Service Blog &#124; Fonolo</title>
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	<link>http://fonolo.com/blog</link>
	<description></description>
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		<title>The 4th Annual Customer Experience Summit In Miami</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/customer-experience-summit-miami/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/customer-experience-summit-miami/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 16:05:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[What's New at Fonolo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iqpc]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3743</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We’re excited to attend IQPC’s fourth annual Customer Experience Summit in Biscayne Bay, Miami, on May 21-23. Building on the excitement from last year, the show will include even more innovative workshops, networking opportunities, and keynote speakers to help you &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/customer-experience-summit-miami/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/customer-experience-summit.png" alt="Customer Experience Summit" align="right" />We’re excited to attend IQPC’s fourth annual Customer Experience Summit in Biscayne Bay, Miami, on May 21-23. Building on the excitement from last year, the show will include even more innovative workshops, networking opportunities, and keynote speakers to help you deliver the ultimate customer experience.</p>
<p>Fonolo focuses heavily on providing the ultimate customer experience with your call center. We’ve been blogging a lot about best practices and will be <a href="http://fonolo.com/webinar/register/880894414" target="_blank">hosting a webinar</a> on Thursday, May 17th. Customer experience is high on the priority list when it comes to corporate strategies and with customers expecting immediate customer service whether on the web, social media, mobile, call center, or in the store – it’s time to take action.</p>
<p><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/shaib.png" align="right"><strong>Meet Me At The Summit</strong></p>
<p>If you’re planning on attending the show and want to connect with me, I’d love to further discuss customer experience trends. Send me a note here <a href="mailto:shai@fonolo.com?Subject=Connecting at The Customer Experience Summit">shai@fonolo.com</a> or via Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/shaiberger" target="_blank">@shaiberger</a>.</p>
<p>Hope to see you there!</p>
<p><center><a href="mailto:shai@fonolo.com?Subject=Connecting at The Customer Experience Summit"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/connect-with-shai.png" alt="Meet Shai at The Customer Experience Summit" /></a></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/01/fonolo-sponsoring-next-weeks-call-center-summit/' rel='bookmark' title='Fonolo sponsoring next week&#8217;s Call Center Summit'>Fonolo sponsoring next week&#8217;s Call Center Summit</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Call Center Technologies Heating Up Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/call-center-technologies/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/call-center-technologies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 15:15:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Omar</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Call Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[avaya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[call-back]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[click-to-call]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interactive-video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nuance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartphone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[universal-queue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual-hold]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[voice-biometrics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3577</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let’s face it, most people don’t associate the call center world with innovation or excitement. For many, it’s a business expense, a necessarily evil, a source of many headaches, or a dreaded project. I see things a bit differently. If &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/call-center-technologies/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/call-center-technologies"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3558" title="Contact Center Providers" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/contact-center-technology.png" alt="Emerging Contact Center Technologies" width="180" height="180" /></a>Let’s face it, most people don’t associate the call center world with innovation or excitement. For many, it’s a business expense, a necessarily evil, a source of many headaches, or a dreaded project. </p>
<p>I see things a bit differently. If you look past the surface and dig a little deeper, the North American call center industry is going through an unprecedented transformation, driven by the influential power the customer has on major business decisions.</p>
<p>At the forefront of this transformation are 5 innovative technologies that are changing the call center experience and inspiring businesses to think differently.</p>
<p><span id="more-3577"></span></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Voice Biometrics</li>
<p></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nuance.com/for-business/by-solution/customer-service-solutions/solutions-services/inbound-solutions/voice-authentication-biometrics/index.htm" target="blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/voice-biometrics.png" width="181" height="100" alt="Voice Biometrics" align="right" /></a>Voice has become a reliable way to authenticate a person’s identity, because it is unique to each individual. Imagine not having to provide personal security questions at the start of every call with your bank, insurance, and pharmaceutical company. In fact, your voice signature is legally binding according to the <a href="http://www.authentify.com/solutions/esign.html" target="_blank">E-SIGN act</a>, making it a convenient way to complete signature-requiring transactions.   </p>
<p>Leading Provider: <a href="http://www.nuance.com/for-business/by-solution/customer-service-solutions/solutions-services/inbound-solutions/voice-authentication-biometrics/index.htm" target="blank">Nuance</a></p>
<li><strong>The Smartphone</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ggzoKOZ50" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/smartphone.png" alt="Smartphone for the Contact Center" align="right" width="181" height="100"></a>With over <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/07/nielsen-smartphones-used-by-50-4-of-u-s-consumers-android-48-5-of-them/" target="_blank">50% of US consumers using smartphones</a>, its only natural that smartphones are on their way to becoming a mainstream customer service device. Smartphones open the door to a wide range of benefits related to a better call experience, such as passing contextual information to the agent, and higher interactivity. We’re on the brink of a call center revolution with several providers announcing new products in 2012.</p>
<p>Leading Provider: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ggzoKOZ50" target="blank">Genesys</a></p>
<li><strong>Interactive Video</strong></li>
<p><a href="https://devconnect.avaya.com/public/dyn/d_dyn.jsp?fn=730" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/interactive-video.png" alt="Interactive Video" align="right" height="100" width="181"/></a></p>
<p>With customer support taking top priority, interactive video response is causing quite a stir with visual phone menus and instructions. This kind of enhanced featured allows businesses the ability to play advertisements, promotions, or even a music video while customers are waiting on hold. Interactive video isn’t practical for every call center but the added dimension opens up a world of new possibilities for organizations to stand out.</p>
<p>Leading Provider: <a href="https://devconnect.avaya.com/public/dyn/d_dyn.jsp?fn=730" target="_blank">Avaya</a></p>
<li><strong>Universal Queuing</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.ibm.com/solutions/alliance/us/en/index/genesys.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/universal-queuing.png" alt="Universal Queuing" align="right" width="181" height="100" /></a>Universal queuing has its implementation challenges, but the pay-off from combining voice, email, chat, and social media into a single ‘universal’ queue makes for a more consistent and streamlined customer support experience. The single view of the customer is the Holy Grail for many call centers, although most fall short in achieving it. An organization able to implement universal queuing can gain a clear advantage against their competitors.</p>
<p>Leading Provider: <a href="http://www.ibm.com/solutions/alliance/us/en/index/genesys.html" target="_blank">IBM &#038; Genesys</a></p>
<li><strong>Intelligent Call-Back</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/features" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/callmeback.png" alt="Call-Back Technology for the Contact Center" align="right" width="181" height="100"></a>I’ve saved the best for last. Web call-back eliminates the frustration from phone menus and waiting on hold by placing a widget on a website for customers to enter their number in exchange for a call-back from the next available agent. Smartphone call-back has those same advantages plus the convenience factor of mobility and the potential to add context, such as the location. The ‘intelligent’ derives from the ability to map out an entire phone menu and automatically navigate on the customer’s behalf, making it different from simple click-to-call solutions. </p>
<p>I am biased in recommending <a href="http://fonolo.com/features" target="_blank">Fonolo</a>, but I can honestly say it is the best call-back solution I’ve seen in my 6 years in the industry (something that motivated me to join the company). Its ability to navigate phone menus and low flat-rate pricing are two major differentiators from competing solutions such as Virtual Hold&#8217;s Conversation Bridge, Cisco&#8217;s Courtesy Callback, and Avaya&#8217;s Callback Assist.    </p>
<p>Leading Provider: <a href="http://fonolo.com/features" target="_blank">Fonolo</a></p>
<p>
<p>&nbsp;<br />
<center><strong>What other call center technologies would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.</strong></center>
</ol>
<hr />
<p><center><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>TOP 10 CALL CENTER TRENDS FOR 2012</strong></span><br />&nbsp;<br /><a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_call_center_trends_for_2012/"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Call-Center-Trends-WP-2012.png" alt="Call Center Trends" /></a><br />
<a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_call_center_trends_for_2012/"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
DOWNLOAD THE FREE 6 PAGE REPORT!</span></a></center>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/03/maintaining-a-smart-call-center-with-smartphones/' rel='bookmark' title='Video: Maintaining A &#8216;Smart&#8217; Call Center With Smartphones (Part 3 of 3)'>Video: Maintaining A &#8216;Smart&#8217; Call Center With Smartphones (Part 3 of 3)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/virtual-hold-rebrands-its-call-back-solutions-as-conversation-bridge/' rel='bookmark' title='Virtual Hold Rebrands Its Call-Back Solutions As &#8220;Conversation Bridge&#8221;'>Virtual Hold Rebrands Its Call-Back Solutions As &#8220;Conversation Bridge&#8221;</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/call-backs-click-to-call-virtual-queuing/' rel='bookmark' title='Call-Backs vs. Click-to-Call vs. Virtual Queuing'>Call-Backs vs. Click-to-Call vs. Virtual Queuing</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Working at a Startup: Identifying the Office Bully</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-part-4/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-part-4/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Xania</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Working At A Startup]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3483</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The other day, I was in an impromptu meeting with one of my colleagues when Shai hovered over my shoulder, anxious to have his blog post edited – right away.  Jokingly, we called him a hoverer, chastised him about being &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-part-4/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-part-4/ ‎" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fonolo-unedited1.png" alt="Working At A Startup Part 4" title="Working At A Startup Part 4" width="215" height="108" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2804" /></a>The other day, I was in an impromptu meeting with one of my colleagues when Shai hovered over my shoulder, anxious to have his blog post edited – right away.  Jokingly, we called him a hoverer, chastised him about being a micromanager (which he’s not) and had a really good laugh. All day we took jabs at one another – ok, I took jabs at everyone – about being bullies. The reality is, we have a family vibe at Fonolo, so our teasing is comparable to how siblings would act – it’s all out of love.<br />
<span id="more-3483"></span><br />
But it got me thinking.  In a small startup, we were able to make light of this one instance of hovering but employees in larger organizations don’t have that liberty.</p>
<p>Despite Shai walking around, fearlessly waving his finger gun, he’s not even close to being an office bully – but what if he was? How do employees recognize the office bully, better yet, how do they deal with those delicate situations?</p>
<p>Over the next few weeks, I’ll be discussing different types of office bullies, what ‘they’ might look like at a startup and large organization and how to handle the situation. Understanding your work ethic and personality type, the comparison might prove to be helpful if you’re weighing the startup vs. large organization options.</p>
<p>Let’s get started with …<a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/iStock_000017051488XSmall.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3485" title="bullying" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/iStock_000017051488XSmall-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></p>
<h3><strong>The Hoverer:</strong></h3>
<p>Someone who lingers over your shoulder and watches your every click. They’re intent on getting a job done and will watch your every move until the task is completed. Their claustrophobic behavior can a) be misunderstood, b) smother you to the point of quitting or c) keep you in check because you’re a slacker.</p>
<h3><strong>a) Misunderstood</strong></h3>
<p>Start-ups don’t have the time or resources to waste on dead beats. If you have a ‘hoverer’ at your desk, there’s probably urgency behind their behavior.  Recognize and respect the reason behind their hovering, make ‘light’ of the situation but get busy with what needs to be done. Be mindful that stress can be misunderstood for hovering. If the behavior is uncharacteristic, make a mental note to exercise some empathy and if it continues – call them out on it and explain <em>your </em>work style.</p>
<h3><strong>b) Smothering</strong></h3>
<p>Constant hovering typically stems from being a control freak and a need to micromanage. If you’re diligent with your deadlines and have a hoverer watching over you, you’re most likely dealing with an ego-driven individual. Results are important but so is the need to be left alone to get your work done – in peace.  Excessive smothering can drive you to be reclusive, not share your fabulous ideas and opinions, lash out and/or quit – none of these results are ideal.</p>
<h3><strong>c) Slacker</strong></h3>
<p>If you’re a slacker, you need the hoverer to survive. Otherwise, you’ll never learn the importance of hard work and will be sentenced to live in your parent’s house for the rest of your adult years.</p>
<h3><strong>Summon the Courage, Get Respect</strong></h3>
<p>Thankfully, it’s easier to tackle the hoverer at a startup because of the casual atmosphere. Typically, there is no formal HR department to lean on, so issues should be resolved in a quick and friendly manner. These environments are too small for tension, egos and attitude – toxic traits that can quickly cause friction and awkwardness. It’s easy enough (and important for office harmony) to have a casual one-on-one with your hoverer, let them know how their behavior is making you feel and ask them to give you some space.</p>
<p>Larger organizations are trickier because of corporate politics, your career path and fear of losing your job. Your first reaction might be to ‘ignore it’ but over time and in extreme cases, it can wreak havoc on your productivity and emotional stability. If confronting your hoverer isn’t an option, reach out to HR, however, be aware of departmental allies. You could be walking into an episode of Survivor.</p>
<p>In an effort to create your happy workspace, you have to summon the courage and speak up. Be firm (but calm) without being aggressive. Confidence will function like kryptonite against a hoverer and they’ll eventually back down and show some respect.</p>
<p>My blog series: ‘Working at a Startup’, discusses the pros and cons in comparison to larger organizations – pay attention, there might be some gold nuggets of wisdom that will save your hide in tough times. Come back next week, I’ll be discussing, ‘The Taskmaster’.  As always, feel free to share your thoughts in our comment section.</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-brand-evolution/' rel='bookmark' title='Working at a Startup: Brand Evolution'>Working at a Startup: Brand Evolution</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>How Social Media is Nudging Call Centers to Get Their Act Together</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-media-call-centers/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-media-call-centers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 12:30:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Call Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-contact-center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-customer-service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-media]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3495</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fonolo is all about fixing the call center experience, yet we spend a lot of time talking about social media through whitepapers, webinars and our blog (see 6 Steps to The Ultimate Social Contact Center). The connection between call centers &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-media-call-centers/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-media-call-centers/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/social-media-customer-service.png" alt="Social Media in the Call Center" width="167" height="134" align="right" /></a>Fonolo is all about fixing the call center experience, yet we spend a lot of time talking about social media through <a href="http://fonolo.com/download/normalfiles/making_social_media_work_for_your_call_center" target="blank">whitepapers</a>, <a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/" target="_blank">webinars</a> and our blog (see <a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-contact-center-guide/" target="_blank">6 Steps to The Ultimate Social Contact Center</a>).</p>
<p>The connection between call centers and social media might not seem obvious, so let me explain.</p>
<h3><span id="more-3495"></span><strong>Shifting Balance</strong></h3>
<p>For decades, companies have imposed an infuriating call center experience on their customers. Although well aware of the problem, companies haven&#8217;t done anything to improve this experience, because the cost was too high, relative to the negative impact.</p>
<p>Two forces are changing the balance of that equation. Firstly, solutions like Fonolo are <em>lowering</em> the cost of fixing these problems. Secondly, a very vocal generation of consumers, empowered by social media, is <em>raising</em> the cost of <em>not</em> fixing them (through publicly shaming companies who give bad customer service).</p>
<p>Platforms like Twitter offer a quick and easy way to broadcast negative experiences to the world – messages that are permanently attached to a company’s reputation. Albeit reactive, this has created a new urgency for companies to fix the call center experience.</p>
<h3><strong>OnHoldWith</strong></h3>
<p>Over the years there have been a number of attempts to leverage the &#8220;shame factor&#8221; to motivate companies to improve their phone-based customer service. Most commonly known is the venerable &#8220;GetHuman&#8221; project, which gathered an impressive notoriety.</p>
<p>Fonolo has also implemented something to help nudge companies into 2012. Earlier this year we launched <a href="http://onholdwith.com" target="_blank">OnHoldWith.com</a>, a Twitter-based service to amplify and track the endless &#8220;on hold with&#8221; complaints broadcasted on Twitter. OnHoldWith cleverly filters tweets related to a particular industry or company.</p>
<p><center><a href="http://onholdwith.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/onholdwith-complaints.png" alt="" /></a></center></p>
<p>OnHoldWith is not only a way for the public to collectively vent its frustration. It’s a mecca of data and stats – available to anyone who visits the site and digs into the charts. We recently shared some startling results related to <a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/united-airlines-customer-service-fail/" target="_blank">United Airlines</a> and the <a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/customer-service-lessons-irs/" target="_blank">IRS</a>.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Upcoming Webinar: 5 Best Practices for Social Media Customer Service</strong></h3>
<p>You’re all invited to join me on<strong> May 17 at 2 PM ET</strong> for a free webinar on this topic. I will share some fresh data from OnHoldWith and other sources that really demonstrates how this growing force is shaping the future of customer service.</p>
<p><strong>Topics will include:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Which social interaction channels your customers prefer most</li>
<li>How to identify and measure social key performance indicators</li>
<li>A look into the profile and characteristics of today’s social customer</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Who Should Attend:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>VP’s &amp; Directors of Contact Centers, Customer Service, Web/Social Media Strategy</li>
</ul>
<p><center><a href="http://fonolo.com/webinar/register/880894414"><img title="Register for Social Customer Service Webinar" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/register-webinar.png" alt="Register" width="183" height="36" /></a></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/03/webinar-call-centers-being-reshaped/' rel='bookmark' title='Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social  Media and Fed-Up Consumers'>Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social  Media and Fed-Up Consumers</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/02/free-webinar-how-call-centers-are-being-reshaped-by-smartphones-social-media-and-fed-up-consumers/' rel='bookmark' title='Free Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social Media, and Fed-Up Consumers'>Free Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social Media, and Fed-Up Consumers</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2011/05/our-upcoming-webinar-on-social-media-and-the-call-center/' rel='bookmark' title='Our upcoming webinar on social media and the call center'>Our upcoming webinar on social media and the call center</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>The World&#8217;s 5 Most Innovative Contact Center Providers</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/contact-center-providers/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/contact-center-providers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 16:30:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Omar</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Call Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aastra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[altitude-software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contact-center-solutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contact-center-vendors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[huawei]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interactive-intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mitel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3409</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With double-digit growth forecasted in many emerging markets such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil, the contact center market continues to evolve. Vendors are increasingly offering contact center software in addition to more traditional hardware-centric offerings. Cisco, Avaya, and Alcatel-Lucent &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/contact-center-providers/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/contact-center-providers"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3558" title="Contact Center Providers" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/light-bulb.png" alt="The World's Most Innovative Contact Center Providers" width="147" height="148" /></a>With double-digit growth forecasted in many emerging markets such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil, the contact center market continues to evolve. Vendors are increasingly offering contact center software in addition to more traditional hardware-centric offerings. </p>
<p>Cisco, Avaya, and Alcatel-Lucent continue to dominate with over <a href="http://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/reprints/avaya/vol7/article8/article8.html" target="_blank">70% of market share</a> in the global market. However, other vendors are growing revenue by targeting emerging markets, niche applications or specific verticals (ie: service providers). They are also competing on technology, especially when it comes to cloud-based offerings.</p>
<p>Let’s take a look and see which vendors are giving ‘the big three’ a run for their money.</p>
<p><span id="more-3409"></span></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Altitude</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.altitude.com/en/products/altitude-solutions/altitude-uci.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/altitude.png" alt="Altitude Software" align="right" /></a>Altitude uCI is a highly scalable, software-based contact center suite that offers interoperability with a wide range of PBX and IP-PBX vendors. They offer multi-channel inbound and outbound capabilities and competitively priced modules including IVR, workforce optimization, routing, call recording, and scripting. They are dominant in Europe and Latin America where 70% of the top contact center outsourcers choose their platform.</p>
<li><strong>Huawei</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.desk.com/blog/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/huawei.png" alt="Huawei" align="right" /></a>A thorn in Cisco’s side, Huawei has grown into a serious contender for contact center deployments in China and other developing markets such as Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. They offer a range of platforms suitable for medium and enterprise businesses that include IP switching, routing, IP-PBX, IVR, CTI, CRM, call recording, and a host of other capabilities both directly and through channel partners.</p>
<li><strong>Interactive Intelligence</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.inin.com/ProductSolutions/Pages/Contact-Center.aspx" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/interactiveintelligence.png" alt="Interactive Intelligence Contact Center Solutions" align="right" hspace="15" /></a></p>
<p>A global IP business communications software provider, Interactive Intelligence offers a scalable and tightly integrated contact center suite available as cloud-based, on-premise, and hybrid deployments. Customer Interaction Center™’s software platform offers a wide range of capabilities including IP-PBX, PBX, multi-channel routing and recording, IVR, and knowledge management capabilities. They are best suited for companies looking for a scalable, all-in-one contact center suite.</p>
<li><strong>Aastra</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.aastra.com/solidus-ecare-contact-center.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/aastra.png" alt="Aastra Contact Center Platform" align="right" /></a>Aastra’s Solidus eCare Multimedia Contact Center (wow, that’s a lot of words) is a good fit for small to medium-sized environments that want telephony, multi-channel, and mobile-phone capabilities from a single vendor. With a range of capabilities including IP routing and queuing, interactive voice response, telemarketing, and web chat, Aastra has established a large user base primarily focused in Europe.</p>
<li><strong>Mitel</strong></li>
<p><a href="http://www.mitel.com/products/contact-center" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mitel.png" alt="Mitel Contact Center Solutions" align="right" /></a>Mitel offers both a business edition of its solution for single-site contact centers with up to 25 agents and an enterprise edition for larger and more sophisticated environments. Primarily focused in North America, they offer a full range of capabilities including workforce management, multi-channel automatic call distribution, outbound dialing, screen pop, and remote agent support.</p>
<p><center><strong>Which other contact center software vendors would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.</center></strong></p>
<hr />
<p><center><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>TOP 10 CALL CENTER TRENDS FOR 2012</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_call_center_trends_for_2012/"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Call-Center-Trends-WP-2012.png" alt="" /></a><br />
<a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_call_center_trends_for_2012/"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
DOWNLOAD THE FREE 6 PAGE REPORT!</span></a></center>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>NICE Mobile Reach: Another Attempt at Smartphone Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/nice-mobile-reach-smartphone-customer-service/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/nice-mobile-reach-smartphone-customer-service/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 18:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shai</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile-customer-service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nice-systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartphones]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3368</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The intersection of the call center and the smartphone has become one of the most exciting spaces to watch in enterprise IT. To understand why, look at the typical consumer-facing enterprise – a bank, airline or online retailer. They have &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/nice-mobile-reach-smartphone-customer-service/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/nice-mobile-reach-smartphone-customer-service"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/nice-systems-logo.png" width="252" height="97" alt="Nice Mobile Reach Smartphone Customer Service" title="alt="Nice Mobile Reach Smartphone Customer Service"" align="right" vspace="35" /></a>The intersection of the call center and the smartphone has become one of the most exciting spaces to watch in enterprise IT. To understand why, look at the typical consumer-facing enterprise – a bank, airline or online retailer. They have a call center whose operational costs are substantial and rising (mainly due to rising labor costs). At the same time, that call center produces an experience despised by most consumers, due to frustrating IVRs, long hold times and the need to repeat information to agents. These are problems the industry has been struggling to fix for decades, to no avail. </p>
<p><span id="more-3368"></span>(Take a look at this recent <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&amp;gid=78206&amp;type=member&amp;item=107468755" target="_blank">discussion</a> on LinkedIn by industry veterans.)</p>
<h3>The Smartphone As First Choice For Customer Service</h3>
<p>Now along comes the smartphone, <a href="http://ipcarrier.blogspot.com/2012/04/34-of-us-teens-own-iphone-40-will-buy.html" target="_blank">exploding</a> in <a href="http://gigaom.com/2011/08/25/by-2015-smartphones-will-rule-the-mobile-planet/" target="_blank">popularity</a> faster than any consumer product in history. Today&#8217;s consumers increasingly look to this device as their first choice for customer service. If the issue can’t be resolved there, the next step is to try via desktop browser and, as a last resort, dial the company’s phone number. (After first <a href="http://onholdwith.com" target="_blank">complaining on Twitter</a>, of course).</p>
<p>Companies have to extend their customer service to the smartphone because that&#8217;s where consumers are. That&#8217;s simply reacting to the obvious. Now, here&#8217;s where it gets exciting: By connecting the call center to the smartphone, we <em>finally</em> have a chance to fix those long standing flaws I mentioned above.</p>
<p><center><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-future-of-mobile-deck-2012-3" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/future-of-mobile.png" alt="Future of Mobile" /></a></center></p>
<h3>Someone Needs To Connect The Two Worlds</h3>
<p>There&#8217;s an enormous opportunity for the company that can bring together the worlds of the call center and the smartphone in an effective and seamless matter. Ovum’s Daniel Hong wrote a great <a href="http://ovum.com/2012/01/03/bringing-the-contact-center-to-the-smartphone/" target="_blank">piece</a> on this trend in January.</p>
<p>At Fonolo, we&#8217;ve been working on this problem since 2009, having released our <a href="http://fonolo.com/features/smartphoneready" target="_blank">mobile solution</a> in 2010.</p>
<p><center><a href="http://fonolo.com/features/smartphoneready" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fonolo-smart-phone.png" alt="Fonolo Smart Phone" /></a></center></p>
<h3>Who’s Coming To The Table?</h3>
<p>Last week, I <a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/virtual-hold-rebrands-its-call-back-solutions-as-conversation-bridge/" target="_blank">posted</a> about Virtual Hold, traditionally known for their voice-based virtual queuing product, rebranding as &#8220;Conversation Bridge&#8221; with a significant focus on mobile. The week before, Genesys, one of the largest vendors of call center systems, announced <a href="http://www.enterpriseappstoday.com/call-centers/genesys-links-mobile-apps-with-contact-center-agents.html" target="_blank">Genesys Mobile Engagement</a>. (Genesys might still have some kinks to work out according to <a href="http://insidecti.com/wordpress/news/observing-genesys-g-force-2012-americas-from-afar" target="_blank">this</a> review from <a href="http://www.insidecti.com" target="_blank">InsideCTI</a>.)</p>
<p>And today, NICE is joining the fray with their <a href="http://www.nice.com/nice-launches-mobile-reach-%E2%80%93-redefines-customer-service-experience-smart-mobile-devices" target="_blank">NICE Mobile Reach</a> product. According to the release, the product will &#8220;help mobile customers choose the best channel for completing their transaction, enable a seamless and effective transition with context to other channels when necessary, and facilitate multimedia communication between customers and agents.&#8221; It also promises that &#8220;multimedia collaboration tools such as text chat, image exchange, and document transfer will be available for both parties&#8221;.</p>
<p>This sounds great but there are no details of how this will integrate with existing call centers. One way to make that happen is for NICE to also power the agent desktop, as their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAbDmgdAODk" target="_blank">demo video</a> implies. The downside of that approach is the unavoidable integration work and agent retraining. For many companies, those are big hills to get over &#8211; for companies using outsourced call centers, it&#8217;s even more problematic.</p>
<h3>We Can Finally Fix Everything That&#8217;s Wrong With The Call Center</h3>
<p>We finally have a chance to fix what&#8217;s wrong with the call center because the smartphone offers a rich and flexible interactive interface the traditional phone sorely lacks. (The dial pad was never meant to be a navigation system!)</p>
<p>With a proper connection between these two worlds, callers can:</p>
<p>1) Navigate a modern, <a href="http://fonolo.com/features/visualdialing" target="_blank">visual menu</a> system on their device rather than &#8220;pressing 1 for this or 2 for that&#8221;.<br />
2) Hold their place in queue for an agent without having to stay on the line (&#8220;<a href="http://fonolo.com/features/virtualqueuing" target="_blank">Virtual Queuing</a>&#8220;).<br />
3) Answer <a href="http://fonolo.com/features/precallquestions" target="_blank">pre-call questions</a> and have the context of their transaction transferred to the agent.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s missing is how to make that connection happen. You see, there are no open standards for communicating with a call center. Every vendor has their own protocols. (That was a big mistake by the industry, but there&#8217;s nothing we can do about it now.)</p>
<p>From what I&#8217;ve seen over the past few years, solutions requiring major changes in the call center have a hard time getting off the ground. That&#8217;s why our <a href="http://fonolo.com/features/zerointegration" target="_blank">basic philosophy</a> at Fonolo is to require little or no integration at the call center side.</p>
<h3>The TLDNR version</h3>
<p>To conclude, let me restate my thesis in tweet-form: Call center + smartphone = major disruptive force for customer service.</p>
<hr />
<p><center><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>TOP 10 CUSTOMER SERVICE TRENDS FOR 2012</strong></span></center></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_customer_service_trends_for_2012/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/customer-service-trends-2012.png" alt="" /></a><br />
<a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_customer_service_trends_for_2012/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14px;">DOWNLOAD THE FREE 6 PAGE REPORT!</span></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2011/05/the-smartphone-will-drive-the-evolution-of-the-call-center-cool-video/' rel='bookmark' title='The smartphone will drive the evolution of the call center (cool video)'>The smartphone will drive the evolution of the call center (cool video)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2011/09/in-canada-mobile-banking-is-used-by-over-12-of-mobile-subscribers/' rel='bookmark' title='In Canada, Mobile Banking is Used by Over 12% of Mobile Subscribers'>In Canada, Mobile Banking is Used by Over 12% of Mobile Subscribers</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2011/06/if-your-company-is-releasing-a-mobile-app-don%e2%80%99t-miss-a-key-opportunity/' rel='bookmark' title='If your company is releasing a mobile app, don’t miss a key opportunity'>If your company is releasing a mobile app, don’t miss a key opportunity</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Working at a Startup: Brand Evolution</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-brand-evolution/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-brand-evolution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 12:30:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Xania</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Working At A Startup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup-life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3200</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What’s Your Brand Fashion Style? Shortly after I joined Fonolo, I suggested the company revitalize their brand.  As a newbie, it was tough to come in and immediately shake things up. However, it was necessary.  Fonolo was one of the &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/working-at-a-startup-brand-evolution/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3><strong>What’s Your Brand Fashion Style?</strong></h3>
<p><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fonolo-unedited1.png" alt="Working At A Startup" title="Fonolo Unedited" width="215" height="108" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2804" />Shortly after I joined Fonolo, I suggested the company revitalize their brand.  As a newbie, it was tough to come in and immediately shake things up. However, it was necessary.  Fonolo was one of the finalists for the ‘Best in Show Award’ at the Enterprise Connect Conference in Orlando and quite frankly, our brand needed some TLC.</p>
<p>I think it’s important for brands to revaluate their image and how it impacts key components of their business. There’s a visual and technological evolution that start-ups tend to overlook – busy working on other projects, business development, administrative, resources – the ‘to do’ list is endless but ignoring your brand can kill your company.</p>
<p><span id="more-3200"></span></p>
<h3><strong>Look in the Mirror</strong></h3>
<p>We all look in the mirror for that &#8216;once over&#8217; before we leave the house. Sadly, some of us don&#8217;t and fail to notice small (but important) details. How many times have you seen disheveled people show up at meetings, food in their teeth, their ‘fly down’, sweater inside out or tags outfacing?  What kind of impression does your company make? If your brand is lacking lustre, perhaps it’s time for a professional to take your brand to the next level – someone other than the owner.</p>
<h3><strong>Style Evolution</strong></h3>
<p>My personal style has evolved over the years; at least, I’d like to think so.  As our personalities develop so does our sense of style – so should your brand.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Fonolo has evolved over the years and they recognize that, in order to grow their brand and fully maximize their potential, there was only so much they could do on their own. Like most start-ups, Fonolo outsourced their website and marketing collateral which garnered them success. However, it was time to invest in their future and therefore, hired a creative team to drive new business and create a more polished brand – style evolution.</p>
<p>I dug into the archives to show you a pictorial timeline over the last five years. A picture is worth a thousand words.</p>
<h3><strong>Style Assessment</strong></h3>
<p>Let’s start with our fearless leader, Shai Berger.  For the love of his brand, he agreed to participate and share his personal style evolution.  &lt;&lt;insert applause&gt;&gt; I think it’s safe to say that we’re really happy Shai grew out of that bright yellow tank top with the pipe. It was definitely a statement piece, albeit, a strange statement. Maybe he themed his outfit knowing he was going to be near water. Moving along, Shai transitioned into a tie phase and in his later years, he opted for a more relaxed look, which is more in line with his personality.</p>
<h4><strong>Shai Berger&#8217; Style Evolution:</strong></h4>
<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Shai_style_evolution.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3206 alignnone" title="Shai_style_evolution" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Shai_style_evolution.jpg" alt="" width="767" height="200" /></a></p>
<h3> <strong>Fonolo Marketing Collateral</strong></h3>
<p>Fonolo’s marketing material has made some leaps and bounds, which we feel ‘screams’ progress (pun intended).  Our 2012 product brochure has a more polished look and advertises our pricing – although it’s temporary, it definitely offers a more professional look to attract like-minded clients. The guys know how I feel about our 2009 brochure – I cringe every time I see it. (So do they.)</p>
<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fonolo_comarison.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3205" title="fonolo_comarison" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fonolo_comarison-938x1024.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="698" /></a></p>
<h3><strong>Tradeshows</strong></h3>
<p>With revised marketing material in hand, it was only natural that our booth adopt a similar feel – sleek and polished.  We ditched the clunky computer monitor and invested in a couple of tablets, redesigned our banners and offered free, branded chocolate bars.  The tablets were a huge hit because it allowed us to deliver our pitch at any given time and enabled conference delegates to flip through our presentation on their own time.  The infographic banner had people tripping over one another in an effort to figure it out – a perfect segue into the Fonolo pitch. In additional to the visual make over, we executed a high level of engagement with our audience. By the way, Fonolo won <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enterprise-connect-orlando-announces-fonolo-as-best-of-enterprise-connect-award-winner-144628435.html?TC=CrowdFactory_Twitter&amp;cf_from=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.com%2Fnews-releases%2Fenterprise-connect-orlando-announces-fonolo-as-best-of-enterprise-connect-award-winner-144628435.html&amp;cf_synd_id=XRhoNmg" target="_blank">Best of Enterprise Connect</a>!</p>
<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/booth_comarison.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3203" title="booth_comarison" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/booth_comarison-962x1024.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="681" /></a></p>
<p>So, what’s next for Fonolo? As I mentioned earlier, the 2012 marketing material is temporary; I wanted to implement a quick update to get us through the next few months. I’m knee deep in rewriting all the content on our site as we undergo a complete facelift. It&#8217;s not going to be easy but the results will yield much success &#8211; I can feel it.</p>
<p>Remember to invest time and resources in your public image – personally and professionally; that old adage comes into play ‘You never get a second chance to make a good first impression’.</p>
<p><strong>Is your company faced with rebranding challenges? If so, I’d love to hear from you.  Feel free to share your challenges and successes.  Collectively, we can share ideas and best practices.</strong></p>
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		<title>Top 10 Social Customer Service Blogs of 2012</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-customer-service-blogs/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-customer-service-blogs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 May 2012 14:15:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Omar</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer-service-blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-customer-service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-media]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3046</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In my six years with the customer service industry, the adoption of social media as a mainstream support channel has been the most exciting trend I’ve come across. However, I’ve always been frustrated with the difficulty in finding quality customer &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-customer-service-blogs/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/customer-service-blogs.png" target="_blank" align="right" alt="Social Customer Service Blogs" width="244" height="150">In my six years with the customer service industry, the adoption of social media as a mainstream support channel has been the most exciting trend I’ve come across. However, I’ve always been frustrated with the difficulty in finding quality customer service blogs, especially those that deal with social customer support.</p>
<p>The space is lacking high quality content and in an effort to highlight companies who are providing information worth mentioning, I’d like to profile the best blogs on my personal list. I’ve ranked them in order based on overall appearance, frequency, uniqueness, and value of information presented.</p>
<p>Please let me know what you think of this list, and feel free to share your favorite customer service blogs in the comments section.</p>
<p><span id="more-3046"></span></p>
<ol>
<strong>
<li>Zendesk</strong>
<p><a href="http://www.zendesk.com/blog" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/zendesk.png" alt="Zendesk Blog" align="right"></a>Zendesk presents their brand as the leading provider of cloud-based customer service software.  Serving over 65 million end-users with their helpdesk product, their blog is simple, elegant, frequently updated, and provides innovative discussions on customer satisfaction,  service and experience, and product updates. Highly recommended for those in the social customer support space.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.zendesk.com/blog/infographic-bad-customer-service" target="_blank">What Do Customers Hate Most About Bad Customer Service</a></li>
<p><strong>
<li>Desk.com</strong>
<p><a href="http://www.desk.com/blog/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/desk.png" alt="Desk.com Blog" align="right"></a>Fresh from its recent acquisition by Salesforce, Desk.com has been making waves in the social customer service industry. With a focus on the social aspects of customer service, their blog provides inspiring strategies on driving satisfaction in the age of social media. I’m a big fan of <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/alexhisaka" target="_blank">@alexhisaka</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/jaimelapena" target="_blank">@jaimelapena</a>, who lead the marketing team and grow the brand.
</li>
<p><a href="http://www.desk.com/blog/future-of-social-media/" target="_blank">The Future of Social Media and Customer Service</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Parature</strong>
<p><a href="http://www.parature.com/blog/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/parature.png" alt="Parature Blog" align="right"></a>I’ve always been a big fan of Parature. Founded in 2001, they pioneered social CRM and were the first company to launch a customer service product for Facebook. Duke Chung is a young and experienced CEO with an innovative approach. Serving over 40 million end-users, their blog is managed by one person &#8211; <a href="http://www.parature.com/author/tricia/" target="_blank">Tricia Morris</a>, who infuses an abundance of personality. Parature covers topics your typical social CRM, customer service experience and company news but what sets them apart is their use of interesting infographics.
</li>
<p><a href="http://www.parature.com/garter-lists-hot-crm-applications-customer-service/" target="_blank">Gartner Lists “Hot” CRM Applications for Customer Service</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Forrester &#8211; Kate Leggett</strong>
<p><a href="http://blogs.forrester.com/kate_leggett" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/forrester.png" alt="Kate Legget's Blog - Forrester" align="right"></a>Forrester’s Kate Leggett is a leading customer service analyst, and a fellow University of Toronto alum with over 10 years of industry experience. Her featured Forrester blog shows businesses how to deliver cutting edge customer service strategies. A veteran like Kate keeps her posts short and to the point but packed with useful information.
</li>
<p><a href="http://blogs.forrester.com/kate_leggett/12-01-21-customer_service_out_with_the_old_and_in_with_the_new" target="_blank">Customer Service: Out With The Old . . . And In With The New</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Gartner &#8211; Michael Maoz</strong>
<p><a href="http://blogs.gartner.com/michael_maoz/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/gartner.png" alt="Michael Maoz's Blog - Gartner" align="right"></a>I have been following Michael Maoz’s discussions on customer relationship management and customer-centric digital strategies for years. Michael is a respected Gartner analyst who publishes clean and clutter-free articles on social CRM, customer service and cloud computing. What differentiates his blogs from the others is his coverage on technical components, which attracts IT professionals and CIO’s.
</li>
<p><a href="http://blogs.gartner.com/michael_maoz/2012/03/15/social-embraces-customer-service-it-not-invited-to-the-dance-sparks-fly/" target="_blank">Social embraces Customer Service. IT not invited to the dance. Sparks fly.</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Freshdesk</strong>
<p><a href="http://blog.freshdesk.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/freshdesk.png" alt="Freshdesk Blog" align="right"></a>Somewhat of a newcomer  to the cloud-based helpdesk industry, Freshdesk is making a splash with its social customer service solution that spans across the social media spectrum. With the <a href="http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&#038;rct=j&#038;q=&#038;esrc=s&#038;source=web&#038;cd=1&#038;ved=0CEYQFjAA&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fripoffornot.org%2F&#038;ei=oKeeT6baAo2i8QScn_CEDw&#038;usg=AFQjCNEe1vPNWjxR7fwgDfQxGQ2VahO4Mg" target="_blank">CEO of Zendesk calling them a ripoff</a>, it’s safe to say they ruffled some feathers.  A little competition is great for the space and their response to this accusation was professional and classy.  Their blog covers customer support, startups, social media, product updates, and will continue to get better as they mature and grow.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.freshdesk.com/freshdesk-spotlight-part-1-what-is-customer-service/" target="_blank">What is Customer Service?</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Jive</strong>
<p><a href="https://community.jivesoftware.com/community/jivetalks" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/jive.png" alt="Jive Blog" align="right"></a>Jive’s social business and collaboration software helps enterprises leverage social media for better customer engagement and productivity. Considered to be a leader in the enterprise social platform, their depth of knowledge in the space is showcased in their blog, <a href="https://community.jivesoftware.com/community/jivetalks" target="_blank">Jive Talks</a>.
</li>
<p><a href="https://community.jivesoftware.com/community/jivetalks/blog/2012/04/23/i-got-the-socbiz-measurement-blues" target="_blank">I Got the #socbiz Measurement Blues</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Sysomos</strong>
<p><a href="http://blog.sysomos.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sysomos.png" alt="Sysomos Blog" align="right"></a>I really like Sysomos, a social media-monitoring tool for businesses with an emphasis on strategic guidance and decision-making.  Focusing on social media channels, their blog is easy to read and attractive. If you’re interested in how to properly monitor and measure customer sentiment and then use that info to drive better customer service – definitely check them out.</li>
<p><a href="http://blog.sysomos.com/2012/04/30/instant-gratification/" target="_blank">Social Media and the Age of Instant Customer Service Gratification</a></p>
<p><strong>
<li>Get Satisfaction</strong>
<p><a href="http://blog.getsatisfaction.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/getsatisfaction.png" alt="Get Satisfaction Blog" align="right"></a>They have one of the more fun and lively blogs on the list that really brings out their corporate culture. Check them out to learn some valuable information about the role of customer feedback in the support process. Curious to know the value customer feedback is in the support process?  Sink your teeth into their blog!
</li>
<p><a href="http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2011/06/29/what-makes-people-follow-brands/" target="_blank">Infographic: What Makes People Want to Follow a Brand?</a> </p>
<p><strong>
<li>Kampyle</strong>
<p><a href="http://blog.kampyle.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kampyle.png" alt="Kampyle Blog" align="right"></a>Also in the customer feedback solution space is Kampyle. Not as popular as Get Satisfaction, Kampyle strives to drive better customer engagement, lead generation, and customer service. While not as visually appealing as the other blogs I’ve mentioned, Kampyle provides unique insight on customer feedback and support.</li>
<p><a href="http://blog.kampyle.com/2011/04/02/google-1-the-new-challenge/" target="_blank">Google +1: The Brave New Social World?</a>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;<br />
<center><strong>Who else would you add to the list? Add your favorite service blogs in the comments section below.</strong></center></p>
<hr />
<p><center><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>TOP 10 CUSTOMER SERVICE TRENDS FOR 2012</strong></span></center></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_customer_service_trends_for_2012/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/customer-service-trends-2012.png" alt="" /></a><br />
<a href="http://fonolo.com/download/whitepaper/top_10_customer_service_trends_for_2012/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14px;">DOWNLOAD THE FREE 6 PAGE REPORT!</span></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/' rel='bookmark' title='Upcoming Webinar: Best Practices in Social Customer Service'>Upcoming Webinar: Best Practices in Social Customer Service</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/03/top-10-customer-service-trends-for-2012/' rel='bookmark' title='Top 10 Customer Service Trends for 2012'>Top 10 Customer Service Trends for 2012</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/05/social-customer-service-blogs/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Upcoming Webinar: Best Practices in Social Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/</link>
		<comments>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Omar</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New at Fonolo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[best-practices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social-customer-service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fonolo.com/blog/?p=3052</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most organizations are taking social media seriously and have placed it at the top of their priority list. It’s one thing to recognize the challenges but finding solutions has left many executives scratching their head and asking themselves, “How can &#8230; <a class="read-more" href="http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://fonolo.com/webinar/register/880894414"><img class="size-full wp-image-3088 alignright" title="Webinar" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/webinar.png" alt="Webinar" width="192" height="67" /></a>Most organizations are taking social media seriously and have placed it at the top of their priority list. It’s one thing to recognize the challenges but finding solutions has left many executives scratching their head and asking themselves, “How can my contact center provide proactive and effective social media customer support?”</p>
<p>Topic: 5 Social Media Best Practices Every Customer Service Executive Should Know<br />
Date: Thursday, May 17th at 2:00pm ET<br />
Presenter: Shai Berger, CEO, Fonolo</p>
<p><strong>Who Should Attend:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>VP’s &amp; Directors of Contact Centers, Customer Service, Web/Social Media Strategy</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Topics Covered Include:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Social interaction channels your customers prefer most</li>
<li>Identify and measure social key performance indicators</li>
<li>A look into the profile and characteristics of today&#8217;s social customer</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><center><a href="http://fonolo.com/webinar/register/880894414"><img title="Register" src="http://fonolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/register-webinar.png" alt="Register" width="183" height="36" /></a></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You Might Like</p><ol>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2011/05/our-upcoming-webinar-on-social-media-and-the-call-center/' rel='bookmark' title='Our upcoming webinar on social media and the call center'>Our upcoming webinar on social media and the call center</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/02/free-webinar-how-call-centers-are-being-reshaped-by-smartphones-social-media-and-fed-up-consumers/' rel='bookmark' title='Free Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social Media, and Fed-Up Consumers'>Free Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social Media, and Fed-Up Consumers</a></li>
<li><a href='http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/03/webinar-call-centers-being-reshaped/' rel='bookmark' title='Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social  Media and Fed-Up Consumers'>Webinar: How Call Centers are Being Reshaped by Smartphones, Social  Media and Fed-Up Consumers</a></li>
</ol>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://fonolo.com/blog/2012/04/social-customer-service-webinar/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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