The Regence Group Gets Results With Aspect
Aspect Communications announced that The Regence Group reports that using an Aspect solution has enabled it to make great strides toward reaching business goals that rely on high customer satisfaction. Regence needed to collect immediate, raw feedback from customers that could be acted upon quickly. Using Aspect's flexible IVR software-Aspect Customer Self-Service, Regence developed an innovative contact center application that lets customers record private, post-service feedback. This application has led to increased customer and agent satisfaction and an eight-second drop in call-handling times.

			Required Reading
		Siebel takes a dose of its own medicine    Inside the new Siebel Systems, the chief executive no longer blames the world when his company discloses bad news to Wall Street. And in August, the new chief executive, J. Michael Lawrie, ordered 50 of his top executives to Cambridge, Mass., for three days of self-reflection, if not self-criticism. (New York Times) more >>
Archive of past Required Reading articles

Nestle Waters North America Selects Cisco Customer Voice Portal
Cisco Systems announced that Nestle Waters North America is deploying the Cisco Customer Voice Portal. The Cisco Customer Voice Portal (CVP) version 3.0 helps enable businesses to improve customer service while reducing operational costs through the use of self-service voice applications. The Cisco CVP's open platform allows enterprises to avoid "forklift" upgrades of existing contact center equipment and to protect their existing investments by using installed contact center technology.

Acorn Systems Converts 400% More Leads With salesforce.com
Salesforce.com announced that Acorn Systems is successfully using salesforce.com to improve lead and marketing campaign management. Acorn Systems selected salesforce.com's service in August 2003 in response to an urgent need for better coordination across its marketing, inside sales and sales department. Salesforce.com was customized and implemented in less than four weeks for a 400 percent increase in inbound lead conversion within 6 months.

More Than 50% of European Broadband Subscribers Dissatisfied with Customer Service
SupportSoft announced the results of a pan-European survey among broadband subscribers in which more than 50% claimed dissatisfaction with the customer service from their broadband service provider. Belgians have the best experience dealing with their broadband service provider's customer service department when they have an issue, 16% of whom said that dealing with their broadband provider is like "getting advice from a trusted friend." In contrast, 19% of Spaniards surveyed said that calling their service provider's broadband customer service department when they have an issue is "like a trip to Hell and back."   (about SupportSoft)