Are your company's call center services all that they could be? Even centers that were state of the art a decade or so ago might be out of date and inadequate today. As technology expands, so do clients' expectations regarding communication. Nowadays, a client will normally expect to be able to contact a company representative more or less twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, either by phone, fax or email. Clients expect a quick response and courteous, efficient service regardless of how the communication is carried out. Though the technology to support this level of service is readily available, it can be a challenge for call centers to keep up with. Moreover, the quality and scope of outgoing calls remains important, as global competition for clients is fiercer than ever.
Here are just some of the services that inbound and outbound call centers need to provide to be competitive in today's buisness world. Agents must be able to take orders, process transactions, respond to requests for services and information, and provide effective help for clients who are having problems with the company's products. A sort of 'help desk' is often necessary, with two or three tiers of agents who can respond to various requests and queries. Regarding the outbound function of the call center, market research, polling and sales calls are conducted on a near-constant basis. Supervisors are needed to monitor the agents, and outcomes of calls are tracked and reported by various means. Usually, this requires the call center to have on-site supervisor stations, as well as up-to-date means of tracking and reporting. These fairly traditional services are only the beginning; nowadays, a call center may also be required to respond to letters, faxes and emails, use computer telophony integration (CTI), and provide service through voice recognition programs for those times when the call center is 'closed'. However, that really is the point - a modern call center should never really be closed at all. Increasingly, clients may reside in different time zones, and they have the right to expect service at any time. Even within a given time zone, there is an expectation of constant availability. This, along with the proliferation of means of communication and the need to integrate and respond to information from various sources, adds to the modern call center's tasks.
The need for all of these services puts considerable pressure on the modern call center, not to mention the company itself! For this reason, some small and medium sized companies may find themselves unable to meet all of these demands for service on their own. Some companies may resist outsourcing their call center needs, perhaps feeling that the personal touch would be lost. According to call center service providers, however, they needn't worry - the modern call center is more than able to provide knowledgable, personal service to clients. It has been proven mathematically that a single large call center is more effective - in terms of cost and service - than multiple small centers. It is easy to understand why this makes sense. The larger the call center, the more able it will be to provide the full range of services needed today. Some technological solutions are expensive to acquire and update, but if their cost can be absorbed by a large call center that services multiple companies, everyone can take advantage of the technology without having to individually acquire all the hardware and software. Moreover, in a large center, training and supervision becomes streamlined and effective. Individual agents gain expertise at a rapid pace; being exposed to a range of clients, their learning curve is huge.
All in all, there are many reasons to consider call center outsourcing, not the leas of which is the demand for an increasingly comprehensive range of call center services. Nowadays, companies really have no choice but to give clients what they want and need. A modern, fully equipped call center can help you do just that, at a reasonable cost and with updates available as often as you need them.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Screenshots Vista Windows
Features Additionally, Vista will include many other new features.
Aero Vista will include a completely re-designed user interface, code-named Aero. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than previous Windows interfaces. The most visible addition to the interface is the sidebar (however this feature has been removed in the last alpha release), an area at the side of the screen consisting of tiles which display dynamic information about whatever window is currently in the foreground, which is essentially an extension of the "system tray" on the Windows task bar.
Search Vista will feature a new search engine that will allow for instant display of results for a given search. This is in contrast to the search engine of Windows XP, which can take several minutes to display results. The Vista search will allow you to add multiple filters to continually refine your search (Such as "File contains the word 'example'"). There will also be saved searches that will act as Virtual Folders, where opening a folder will execute a specific search automatically and display the results as a normal folder. The search will also feature other usability improvements. The Vista search is actually built on an expanded and improved version of the indexing service for the search in Windows XP. This feature is similar to Apple Spotlight.
Metro Metro is the codename for Microsoft's next generation document format, which is based on XML. It is similar in many ways to Adobe Systems' PDF. Metro is intended to allow users to view, print, and archive files without the original program that created it. The name Metro also refers to the print path in Vista. With Metro, documents can remain in the same format from the time they are created to the time they are printed. Microsoft states that Metro will provide better fidelity to the original document by using a consistent format for both screen and print output.
While many analysts suspect Metro is intended to be a "PDF-killer", Microsoft insists that they are not attempting to duplicate all the functionality of the PDF. For example, at the time of this writing, Metro is not planned to have the capabilities for dynamic documents.
Shell The new shell is a significant change from previous versions of Windows. Combined with the new desktop searching feature, the shell gives users the ability to find and organize their files in new ways. Apart from the typical file organization practice of using folders to contain files, a new collection known as Lists let you organize files from multiple locations in a single place.
A new type of folder known as a Shadow Folder enables the ability to revert its entire contents to any arbitrary point in the past.
Additionally, the shell contains significant advancements in the visualization of files on a computer. Previous versions of the Windows Shell would display thumbnails to represent different files on your computer. In Windows Vista the thumbnail concept is taken further by overlaying different imagery to communicate more information about the particular file such as a picture frame around the thumbnail of an image file, or a filmstrip on a video file. Windows Vista helps the user identify the file easily by more intelligently generating the thumbnails. Using algorithmic analysis, images are cropped around their likely subject, and interesting key frames are automatically chosen from a video file. Also, the ability to zoom the thumbnails in the shell greatly increases their usefulness.
Networking Windows Vista is expected to have a brand new networking stack. A significant change is a more complete implementation of IPv6 which is now supported by all networking components, services, and the user interface. Vista also takes advantage of P2P technology to provide a new type of domain-like networking setup known as a Castle. Castles make it possible for user credentials to propagate across networked computers without a centralized server making them more suitable for a home network.
The ability to assist the user in diagnosing a network problem is expected to be a major new networking feature. Using technologies such as UPnP, Windows Vista has a greater awareness of the network topology the host computer is in. With this new network awareness technology it can provide help to the user in fixing network issues or simply provide a graphical view of the perceived network configuration.
Other features Full support for the "NX" (No-Execute) feature of processors. This feature, present in AMD's AMD64 architecture, as well as Intel's EM64T Architecture, can flag certain parts of memory as containing data instead of executable code, which prevents overflow errors from resulting in arbitrary code execution. This should not be confused with trusted computing facilities provided by a so-called Fritz-chip.
Built-in DVD recording capabilities, including Mt. Rainier support. A new installation program that will install Vista in about 15 minutes (which is present in alpha build 4074 of Windows Vista). Native Raw Image support (a format used by most professional digital cameras).
Native, embedded RSS support, with developer API. A new level of file encryption support from that available in Windows XP, which will make it easier and more automatic to prevent unauthorized viewing of files on stolen laptops/hard drives.
Monad. A new command-line interface called MSH, and codenamed Monad will not be fully implemented in Vista, but will exist in it to some extent. It plans to combine the Unix pipes and filters philosophy with that of object-oriented programming.
The "My" prefixes will be dropped, so "My Documents" will just be "Documents", "My Computer" will just be "Computer", etc. Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSat), a built in benchmarking tool which analyzes the different subsystems (graphics, memory, etc), and uses the results to allow for comparison to other Vista systems, and for software optimizations. The optimizations can be made by both windows and third-party software. Tom's Hardware Overview
File Virtualization, when an individual program's permissions are restricted, allows that program to use its own 'fake' set of certain files so modifications to those files from said program does not alter the original files. Transactional File Transfers, prevents a half updated set of files from being created during updates for example, which can cause stability problems. InfoCard, a user interface to the Identity Metasystem.
Features and technologies delayed until future releases WinFS (short for either Windows Future Storage or Windows File System): a combined relational database and filesystem, based on the next version of SQL Server (codenamed Yukon). Working on top of NTFS, it will provide abilities to represent objects and their relationships, rather than just a hierarchy of files and folders. The removal of WinFS from Windows Vista was announced in August 2004, and is expected to be released as an update to Vista, entering beta stages at about the same time as Vista is released. Microsoft's promotion of this technology has spurred the recent trend towards desktop search tools. Full implementation of Monad.
Graphics hardware requirements Vista's graphics requirements are defined in relation to the different desktop experiences.
Aero Glass This graphics mode adds support for 3D graphics, animation and visual special effects in addition to the features offered by Aero Express.
Intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. At least 64 MB of graphics memory, 128 MB recommended, or 256 MB for 1600x1200+. At least 32 bits per pixel. 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9. A memory bandwidth of 2 GB / second. Capable of drawing ~1.5M triangles / second, one window being ~150 triangles. A graphics card that uses AGP 4X or PCI Express 8-lane bus. It is likely that such a configuration will be entry-level or lower by Vista's release in 2006.
Aero Diamond A graphics mode customized for the Vista Media Center Edition, and will not be made available in the other editions. Not much information is currently available, but it appears that it will be the most advanced level of graphics in Vista, requiring hardware at the same level or greater than the Aero Glass visual style.
Aero Express The lesser Aero visual experience offering only the basic visual improvements introduced by Vista, such as composition based DPI scaling.
Intended for mainstream or lower-end graphics cards. Uses the Avalon Desktop Composition window manager. A Vista Driver Display Model (LDDM) driver is a requirement. Some graphics cards already support LDDM. In some Vista builds (4074, 5048), LDDM is already supported to run Aero Glass.
To Go The new Vista look & feel without any visual special effects, similar to the visual style Luna of Windows XP in that it resembles merely an application skin. As with Luna, no additional hardware requirements compared to the classic Windows interface.
A simple option for consumer upgrades, and mobile / low-cost devices. No additional requirements compared to the lesser Classic mode. Fallback mode in case the hardware requirements for Aero aren't met.
Classic The most basic user interface offered by Vista, which is also seen in Windows 2000, or Windows XP with its visual style Luna deactivated.
An option for corporate deployments and upgrades. Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or LDDM drivers. No graphics card hardware requirements exceeding those of Windows XP.
Naming considerations Vista means "the visual percept of a region", with these synonyms: aspect, panorama, prospect, scene and view. Translated from Spanish and Italian, vista means: sight, vision, ability to see; look, glimpse; spectacle; viewfinder; range of view; point of view.
In Latvian, however, vista means 'hen' (grown-up female of a bird, [2]) and 'chicken' (as in food), and may also connote something or someone not particularly agile or clever.
Windows Vista has been unofficially abbreviated to Windows VI, staying with the traditional 2 character motif, as in 95, 98, Me, NT, XP. VI is also the number 6 in Roman numerals, and Windows Vista will carry the version number 6.0 (Windows 2000 and Windows XP being Windows NT versions 5.0 and 5.1, respectively).
Windows Vista sound like "bosta" in Argentinian culture.
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Vista is a part of the atmosphere that surrounds the world of Arda before the cataclysm at the end of the Second Age. Vista forms the inner layer of normal air: above it is Ilmen, and above that Vaiya.
Aero Vista will include a completely re-designed user interface, code-named Aero. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than previous Windows interfaces. The most visible addition to the interface is the sidebar (however this feature has been removed in the last alpha release), an area at the side of the screen consisting of tiles which display dynamic information about whatever window is currently in the foreground, which is essentially an extension of the "system tray" on the Windows task bar.
Search Vista will feature a new search engine that will allow for instant display of results for a given search. This is in contrast to the search engine of Windows XP, which can take several minutes to display results. The Vista search will allow you to add multiple filters to continually refine your search (Such as "File contains the word 'example'"). There will also be saved searches that will act as Virtual Folders, where opening a folder will execute a specific search automatically and display the results as a normal folder. The search will also feature other usability improvements. The Vista search is actually built on an expanded and improved version of the indexing service for the search in Windows XP. This feature is similar to Apple Spotlight.
Metro Metro is the codename for Microsoft's next generation document format, which is based on XML. It is similar in many ways to Adobe Systems' PDF. Metro is intended to allow users to view, print, and archive files without the original program that created it. The name Metro also refers to the print path in Vista. With Metro, documents can remain in the same format from the time they are created to the time they are printed. Microsoft states that Metro will provide better fidelity to the original document by using a consistent format for both screen and print output.
While many analysts suspect Metro is intended to be a "PDF-killer", Microsoft insists that they are not attempting to duplicate all the functionality of the PDF. For example, at the time of this writing, Metro is not planned to have the capabilities for dynamic documents.
Shell The new shell is a significant change from previous versions of Windows. Combined with the new desktop searching feature, the shell gives users the ability to find and organize their files in new ways. Apart from the typical file organization practice of using folders to contain files, a new collection known as Lists let you organize files from multiple locations in a single place.
A new type of folder known as a Shadow Folder enables the ability to revert its entire contents to any arbitrary point in the past.
Additionally, the shell contains significant advancements in the visualization of files on a computer. Previous versions of the Windows Shell would display thumbnails to represent different files on your computer. In Windows Vista the thumbnail concept is taken further by overlaying different imagery to communicate more information about the particular file such as a picture frame around the thumbnail of an image file, or a filmstrip on a video file. Windows Vista helps the user identify the file easily by more intelligently generating the thumbnails. Using algorithmic analysis, images are cropped around their likely subject, and interesting key frames are automatically chosen from a video file. Also, the ability to zoom the thumbnails in the shell greatly increases their usefulness.
Networking Windows Vista is expected to have a brand new networking stack. A significant change is a more complete implementation of IPv6 which is now supported by all networking components, services, and the user interface. Vista also takes advantage of P2P technology to provide a new type of domain-like networking setup known as a Castle. Castles make it possible for user credentials to propagate across networked computers without a centralized server making them more suitable for a home network.
The ability to assist the user in diagnosing a network problem is expected to be a major new networking feature. Using technologies such as UPnP, Windows Vista has a greater awareness of the network topology the host computer is in. With this new network awareness technology it can provide help to the user in fixing network issues or simply provide a graphical view of the perceived network configuration.
Other features Full support for the "NX" (No-Execute) feature of processors. This feature, present in AMD's AMD64 architecture, as well as Intel's EM64T Architecture, can flag certain parts of memory as containing data instead of executable code, which prevents overflow errors from resulting in arbitrary code execution. This should not be confused with trusted computing facilities provided by a so-called Fritz-chip.
Built-in DVD recording capabilities, including Mt. Rainier support. A new installation program that will install Vista in about 15 minutes (which is present in alpha build 4074 of Windows Vista). Native Raw Image support (a format used by most professional digital cameras).
Native, embedded RSS support, with developer API. A new level of file encryption support from that available in Windows XP, which will make it easier and more automatic to prevent unauthorized viewing of files on stolen laptops/hard drives.
Monad. A new command-line interface called MSH, and codenamed Monad will not be fully implemented in Vista, but will exist in it to some extent. It plans to combine the Unix pipes and filters philosophy with that of object-oriented programming.
The "My" prefixes will be dropped, so "My Documents" will just be "Documents", "My Computer" will just be "Computer", etc. Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSat), a built in benchmarking tool which analyzes the different subsystems (graphics, memory, etc), and uses the results to allow for comparison to other Vista systems, and for software optimizations. The optimizations can be made by both windows and third-party software. Tom's Hardware Overview
File Virtualization, when an individual program's permissions are restricted, allows that program to use its own 'fake' set of certain files so modifications to those files from said program does not alter the original files. Transactional File Transfers, prevents a half updated set of files from being created during updates for example, which can cause stability problems. InfoCard, a user interface to the Identity Metasystem.
Features and technologies delayed until future releases WinFS (short for either Windows Future Storage or Windows File System): a combined relational database and filesystem, based on the next version of SQL Server (codenamed Yukon). Working on top of NTFS, it will provide abilities to represent objects and their relationships, rather than just a hierarchy of files and folders. The removal of WinFS from Windows Vista was announced in August 2004, and is expected to be released as an update to Vista, entering beta stages at about the same time as Vista is released. Microsoft's promotion of this technology has spurred the recent trend towards desktop search tools. Full implementation of Monad.
Graphics hardware requirements Vista's graphics requirements are defined in relation to the different desktop experiences.
Aero Glass This graphics mode adds support for 3D graphics, animation and visual special effects in addition to the features offered by Aero Express.
Intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. At least 64 MB of graphics memory, 128 MB recommended, or 256 MB for 1600x1200+. At least 32 bits per pixel. 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9. A memory bandwidth of 2 GB / second. Capable of drawing ~1.5M triangles / second, one window being ~150 triangles. A graphics card that uses AGP 4X or PCI Express 8-lane bus. It is likely that such a configuration will be entry-level or lower by Vista's release in 2006.
Aero Diamond A graphics mode customized for the Vista Media Center Edition, and will not be made available in the other editions. Not much information is currently available, but it appears that it will be the most advanced level of graphics in Vista, requiring hardware at the same level or greater than the Aero Glass visual style.
Aero Express The lesser Aero visual experience offering only the basic visual improvements introduced by Vista, such as composition based DPI scaling.
Intended for mainstream or lower-end graphics cards. Uses the Avalon Desktop Composition window manager. A Vista Driver Display Model (LDDM) driver is a requirement. Some graphics cards already support LDDM. In some Vista builds (4074, 5048), LDDM is already supported to run Aero Glass.
To Go The new Vista look & feel without any visual special effects, similar to the visual style Luna of Windows XP in that it resembles merely an application skin. As with Luna, no additional hardware requirements compared to the classic Windows interface.
A simple option for consumer upgrades, and mobile / low-cost devices. No additional requirements compared to the lesser Classic mode. Fallback mode in case the hardware requirements for Aero aren't met.
Classic The most basic user interface offered by Vista, which is also seen in Windows 2000, or Windows XP with its visual style Luna deactivated.
An option for corporate deployments and upgrades. Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or LDDM drivers. No graphics card hardware requirements exceeding those of Windows XP.
Naming considerations Vista means "the visual percept of a region", with these synonyms: aspect, panorama, prospect, scene and view. Translated from Spanish and Italian, vista means: sight, vision, ability to see; look, glimpse; spectacle; viewfinder; range of view; point of view.
In Latvian, however, vista means 'hen' (grown-up female of a bird, [2]) and 'chicken' (as in food), and may also connote something or someone not particularly agile or clever.
Windows Vista has been unofficially abbreviated to Windows VI, staying with the traditional 2 character motif, as in 95, 98, Me, NT, XP. VI is also the number 6 in Roman numerals, and Windows Vista will carry the version number 6.0 (Windows 2000 and Windows XP being Windows NT versions 5.0 and 5.1, respectively).
Windows Vista sound like "bosta" in Argentinian culture.
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Vista is a part of the atmosphere that surrounds the world of Arda before the cataclysm at the end of the Second Age. Vista forms the inner layer of normal air: above it is Ilmen, and above that Vaiya.
Internet Battle
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in a market, there are lower prices. This is especially true in the computer industry where it is reported that 68% of households have a computer. According to the Computer Industry Almanac, the worldwide number of Internet users will exceed 1 billion this year with the United States leading with over 185 million users. The number of users will continue to increase as well as competitors, forcing companies to offer faster connections at a cheaper price. Two technologies that will lend a hand in allowing new players into the Broadband market are BPL and WIMAX.
Broadband Over Power Lines, BPL
BPL is a technology that allows Internet data to be transmitted over utility power lines and is also referred to as Power-line Communications or PLC. The technology works by modulating high-frequency radio waves with the digital signals from the Internet. These radio waves are fed into the utility grid at specific points, then travel along the wires and pass through the utility transformers into homes and businesses.One main concern by officials in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), is that BPL will interfere with radio systems including fire, police, short-wave and land mobile. There are other groups who are taking the initiative in realizing this potential including the IEEE which has begun to develop IEEE P1675, "Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware."This technology has gained national attention with reports by the Wall Street Journal that industry powerhouses Google and Goldman Sachs have invested nearly $100 million into Current Communications Group, a company that provides high-speed Internet access over electrical power lines. According to Reuters, CCG will use the financing to deploy voice, video and data services in domestic and global markets. IBM is also currently researching the use of electrical power lines to provide internet access by opening a BPL center in Houston with CenterPoint Energy although IBM has declined to put a dollar value on the amount invested.
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WIMAX
WiMAX, also known as IEEE 802.16, is a standards-based wireless technology that provides broadband connections over long distances and is intended for wireless “metropolitan area networks". It can be used for wireless networking in much the same way WiFi is used today while also allowing for more efficient bandwidth use and interference avoidance. WiMAX has a broadband wireless access range of 30 miles compared to only 100 – 300 feet for a WiFi wireless local area network.WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including "last mile" broadband connections, hotspots, and high-speed connectivity for businesses. Alvarion, a global organization headquartered in Israel that supplies integrated Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) solutions, has announced it will supply satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. with equipment that uses WIMAX technology in order to enhance customer upstream bandwidth requirements. By implementing “last mile” broadband connections, DirecTV would then be able to supply faster connections to rural areas where it would cost millions to lay down the cable lines necessary for high speed. Another application under consideration is gaming. Microsoft is looking to make WiMax a standard feature in its Xbox 360. This would allow gamers with similar equipment to interact with other players without any internet access. All the funcionality of WiFi with improved range and reduced network latency makes WiMAX a very attractive alternative.
Broadband Over Power Lines, BPL
BPL is a technology that allows Internet data to be transmitted over utility power lines and is also referred to as Power-line Communications or PLC. The technology works by modulating high-frequency radio waves with the digital signals from the Internet. These radio waves are fed into the utility grid at specific points, then travel along the wires and pass through the utility transformers into homes and businesses.One main concern by officials in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), is that BPL will interfere with radio systems including fire, police, short-wave and land mobile. There are other groups who are taking the initiative in realizing this potential including the IEEE which has begun to develop IEEE P1675, "Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware."This technology has gained national attention with reports by the Wall Street Journal that industry powerhouses Google and Goldman Sachs have invested nearly $100 million into Current Communications Group, a company that provides high-speed Internet access over electrical power lines. According to Reuters, CCG will use the financing to deploy voice, video and data services in domestic and global markets. IBM is also currently researching the use of electrical power lines to provide internet access by opening a BPL center in Houston with CenterPoint Energy although IBM has declined to put a dollar value on the amount invested.
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WIMAX
WiMAX, also known as IEEE 802.16, is a standards-based wireless technology that provides broadband connections over long distances and is intended for wireless “metropolitan area networks". It can be used for wireless networking in much the same way WiFi is used today while also allowing for more efficient bandwidth use and interference avoidance. WiMAX has a broadband wireless access range of 30 miles compared to only 100 – 300 feet for a WiFi wireless local area network.WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including "last mile" broadband connections, hotspots, and high-speed connectivity for businesses. Alvarion, a global organization headquartered in Israel that supplies integrated Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) solutions, has announced it will supply satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. with equipment that uses WIMAX technology in order to enhance customer upstream bandwidth requirements. By implementing “last mile” broadband connections, DirecTV would then be able to supply faster connections to rural areas where it would cost millions to lay down the cable lines necessary for high speed. Another application under consideration is gaming. Microsoft is looking to make WiMax a standard feature in its Xbox 360. This would allow gamers with similar equipment to interact with other players without any internet access. All the funcionality of WiFi with improved range and reduced network latency makes WiMAX a very attractive alternative.
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