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Transitioning From a Single Lens to a Broader View

In a world where consumers, including students living on campus, rely on the Internet for everything from ordering text books to scheduling an annual physical and reporting suspicious activity, it’s critical to consider user experience. Our instant gratification society demands effortless, seamless service delivery. However, only focusing on the front-end is risky business. Without upgrading data logging equipment, and other legacy network system components, universities fail to address vulnerabilities that could lead to a data breach. Only an end-to-end approach can protect human and digital assets on today’s college campuses.

Data Logging Equipment & Campus Security

Call recording equipment that enables administrators and department supervisors to monitor incoming radio and telephone traffic must be flexible enough to meet the needs of a single caller with security concerns and capable of supporting large scale crisis response teams. Multi-channel functionality allows agents to monitor two-way radios and telephone conversations simultaneously. This way you can keep an eye on where your response teams’ locations and what is happening around the campus during an event where multiple agencies respond.

However, managing the immediate crisis is only the first step in providing superior service. Organization must be able to securely access digital audio and text files after the crisis is over. Reviewing data empowers oversight committees to identify weaknesses and strengths.

After the Crisis: Data Provides Clues

Voice data storage provides access to valuable information about how quickly dispatch made decisions during an event. With this data, you can determine whether their decisions were appropriate for the situation. Reviewing voice files is an excellent way to ensure user experience remains positive and all staff members are well-trained. However, it is essential to store archived files in a protected, encrypted format. That way you can prevent unauthorized personnel from downloading and listening to security audio files or accessing data logging equipment from an unsecured port.

Campus security is challenging without worrying about whether your digital assets are secure. If you need cost-effective voice and chat capture equipment, consider ATIS. We offer a broad range of solutions that empower campus security teams to monitor devices, access session reports for analysis and review, and enhance training programs. Finally, you can know your digital and human assets are fully protected. Contact ATIS to arrange for a demo or to schedule a telephone consultation with a system specialist.

Most contact centers record and archive calls. There are two reasons to record calls: training or oversight.  When used for training, the recorded calls help teach new employees how to do their jobs.  When used for oversight, the recorded calls ensure staff members are following the script and maintaining a professional tone. This way you can be sure your calls reflect your core values.  Some administrators use call center recordings as part of a data management program or to further speech analysis research. Whatever the primary purpose, it is imperative that you and your staff apply appropriate standards to meet legal standards.

Rules & Regulations in the Call Center

Some states only require one party in a recorded conversation be notified that a digital record is being produced. Approximately one-quarter of the states in the US require both parties to have knowledge about recordings. Today, banks, credit card custom care centers and some healthcare organizations inform callers of call center recording policies immediately, or before they collect any personal information. The most important thing for managers to understand, is that ignorance is no excuse. Before implementing a call recording policy, find out who should be informed and the regulations regarding minimum security measures your firm must take to protect yourself and your employees.

Call Center Recording: Benchmarking Standards

Every in-house training program should include written standards for all call agents. Benchmarking standards should describe and define what “privileged” information entails.  Privileged information includes credit card numbers, social security numbers, addresses, and birth dates.

When you record all incoming and outgoing calls, why you record them isn’t the crucial question. What matters most is how you store the audio files and control access to archived records. If unauthorized personnel access audio or text files containing sensitive, personal information you expose yourself to legal challenges, even if the access was unintentional. Maximum security solutions include features such as dual-authentication login, date/time stamping, encrypted data storage and redaction capabilities that allow agents to pause record or delete sensitive information after the call.

Applying Industry Standards

It’s vital for companies to delve into industry-specific standards while building their call center. Although PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) cannot prevent all security risks, following the correct procedures can reduce expose for any company collecting credit card information over the telephone. Similarly, any organization that handles health information should make sure web-based storage solutions are Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act (HITECH) compliant.

Designing a Call Center Recording Program

ATIS call center audio recording solutions are cost-effective and customizable to a wide variety of industries and environments. Call us today to discuss viable solutions that enhance customer service without compromising data security.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in the Customer Contact Center

Sales teams explore conversion rates. Service oriented teams may access data within MDR call recording technology that demonstrates the length of each call and how many times a customer has to make contact in order to resolve an issue and the average ring duration. Evaluating new-hire performance often means reviewing the impact of attrition rates and low productivity as a measure of training programs. Data recording software allows management to make these evaluations while reviewing as much data as possible.

The Evolution From Call Taker to Resolution Expert

In the next five to ten years, experts believe that contact center encounters will become even more important. This will happen as consumer expectations increase and companies search for cost-effective solutions to meet new demands.

In the past, call centers were tasked with precisely documenting messages so corporate staff had accurate information necessary to assist their customers when time allowed. Today, the call center agents must be professionals with the authority and skill to represent the brand and make informed decisions that resolve issues quickly. However to achieve this laudable goal, key personnel manning the telephones and chat lines need the training, technology and other resources to meet the challenges. Data recording software provides visual insight into the KPI behind each encounter.

Analytics & Customer Engagement

Business intelligence informs organization leaders. Armed with meaningful data, company decision-makers can bridge the gap between consumer expectations and call center performance. The ¨new¨call center will serve two distinct, but highly relevant roles. Primarily, the call center will serve customers as they work together to resolve issues, place orders or share information. The secondary role, is equally important. By deploying call capturing technology and data recording software, the call center will essentially become a proving ground that drives tactical and strategic innovations. Every call will become an opportunity to improve productivity and customer experiences. This evolution will blur the lines between call center agent roles and brand-consumer relationships.

Data Recording Software:  The Bottom Line for Business Owners

Deploying state-of-the-art call capturing technology and data recording software in the call center is essential for every business who values custom relationships. The call center must accurately reflect the overall company culture and pursue the same operational and financial goals for the partnership to work. ATIS Digital offers scalable, cost-effective solutions to help your team measure contact center performance and redefine your customer service platform. Call us today for more information.

State-of-the-art call capture technology that has real-time monitoring capabilities, like ATIS Phoenix Pro, allows supervisors to closely monitor communications for gaps in knowledge during new-hire training periods.  It also identifies potential problems such as burnout and stress that may increase risk potential.

Key System Features Improve Call Center Performance

One example is the call transcript between air traffic control (ATC) and US Airways pilot Sully Sullenberg. This transcript was captured when Sullenberg made the decision to land in the Hudson River after a bird strike disabled both engines. It reveals some valuable information. For one thing, Sullenberg kept his calm throughout the incident. The transcript showed his behavior from the moment he notified ATC there was a problem until communication was broken.

Without audio file archiving and retrieval software, the FAA would have had a challenging job of determining exactly what happened in the air. It would have been very challenging to determine whether the pilot and control tower personnel reacted responsibly under the given circumstances. Passengers could have claimed the pilot panicked, opening the door to financially burdensome lawsuits. Voice recordings clearly demonstrated Sullenberg maintained focus. The recordings also prove the ATC agents on the ground were fully prepared to offer the pilot options to return to the runway, if possible.

Managing Compliance with Call Recording Technology

Protecting your business from unnecessary consumer lawsuits is essential in today’s legal environment. However, managing compliance is equally challenging without the proper tools. Whereas exact recordings should be available to authorities, releasing sensitive information to the public could result in fines and negative sanctions for the call center. Fortunately, air traffic control audio recordings support compliance protocol. Built-in functionality allows authorized agents to delete or mask audio segments that reveal personal information or background conversations. Even something as seemingly benign as a telephone number or passenger name can increase risk exposure. Automating remote audio file backup ensures files are safe and secure in the event a natural disaster or other event damages on-site hardware or software.

Protecting Your Assets

Investing in technology to protect financial and personal assets doesn’t have to strain your budget or your staff. User-friendly ATIS air traffic control audio recordings help you reduce common errors and misunderstandings, implement training programs that reduce stress, while improving performance and limit your exposure to lawsuits.
Contact us today to request a system demo. We can also discuss customized cost-effective solutions for your ATC team.

After aggressively competing against NICE Systems & Stancil Corp for this account, ATIS Won Out & was selected after exceeding the very tough aforementioned requirements. TCC Public Safety officially selected & placed an order with ATIS April 2017.

ATIS is proud to have TCC as another satisfied family member in a hard fought requirements battle! Our Mottos is “to Be Always Under Budget with a Superior Product is a Fierce Consistent Goal of ATIS in all procurement requirements for Universities & Colleges with high demands & tight budgets throughout America”!…said AL Law of ATIS.

How Do I Record My Business Skype-to-phone Calls?

Before we can answer the question, “How do I record my business Skype-to-phone calls?” we should take a quick look at why so many business leaders are moving toward Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), like Skype for Business Cloud PBX, Ring Central and dozens of other web-based options and apps that simplify recording visual and audio interactions. Forward-thinking call center managers recognize these three major advantages of navigating toward cloud solutions, including Skype for Business.

1. Budget-friendly. The “cost of ownership” for cloud solutions continues to drop as more and more companies adopt web-based calling and recording solutions. Zero maintenance expense compared to the price tag of managing multi-server systems on-site is especially attractive for communications managers facing tight financial constraints.

2. Flexibility and Built-in Security. UCaaS software is automatically updated to keep security rigorous. Plus, communications Platform as a Service (cPaas) providers continuously work to bring innovative new service options to support faster expansion and more flexibility to scale on demand to respond to sudden call volume surges. This includes increasing the “room size” in Skype meetings to enable larger teams to collaborate efficiently, without geographical boundaries.

3. Cloud Performance is Virtually Limitless. The cloud has proven itself a viable option for small-, medium- and enterprise organizations. UCaaS and cPaaS providers have shown a willingness to partner with entrepreneurs and established software engineers to improve services and functionality rather than limiting grow and innovation to a central team. The result is Microsoft’s Skype for Business continues evolving to fit the changing needs of communication teams across all industries.

Communications directors who see communications integration as a pathway to optimize workflow and streamline service delivery, will see cloud solutions as a good fit for their organizations. Skype for Business combines the best features of legacy public switched telephone networks and desktop business tools – putting voice, print, email, document sharing, images, virtual meetings and cloud-based, shared workrooms in one, easy-to-manage communications tool box.

Next Steps

Are you convinced it is time to take Skype for Business call recording solutions for a test drive? Give an ATIS Digital representative a call and ask How do I record my business Skype-to-phone calls? Your personal consultant will ask a few questions about your existing hardware and software and then walk you through the process.

The case study examines the benefits of Avaya call monitoring software and integrated call recording capabilities. Having the ability to monitor calls patterns and agent performance during volume surges empowers supervisors to fully exploit skills-based routing functionality to reduce queue times and enhance customer satisfaction levels. Customized reporting solutions allow supervisors to measure productivity against core delivery standards, identifying areas for IT and staff improvements, often reducing per call time significantly. More efficient service delivery leads to happier callers, and fewer upset callers means agents are more satisfied. Morale improves, and turnover rates decline.

The CET study showcases several key benefits of deploying Avaya IP Office Contact Center call monitoring software during a sustained weather emergency including:

● Increased capacity
● Agents handled more calls (150% compared to normal call volume)
● Reduction in handling time
● More personalized custom-focused service delivery
● Multiple contact options for callers – voice, email, chat

Do You Have to Buy New Equipment to Use Avaya Call Monitoring Software?

If you take the time to read the full case study, you will find at least ten major benefits of upgrading your UC network with Avaya call center solutions, including Avaya call monitoring functionality that helps you fine-tune your customer interaction strategies. You can do everything with your existing equipment and infrastructure in many cases, resulting in a lower cost of ownership. ATIS Digital offers turnkey solutions for emergency contact centers, and a wide range of cloud-based options designed to meet your needs as you aim for superior service delivery. You don’t have to buy new equipment to use Avaya call monitoring software, but if your current network isn’t meeting your expectations, please let ATIS help you explore expansion possibilities. We invite you to call today to schedule a private consultation or visit our customer support page to view an online demo of the PhoenixPro or MDR Advantage. And, don’t forget to ask about all the Avaya contact center solutions in our portfolio.

Consider the Power of Combining Contact Center Call Recording & Voicemail Transcription

Anyone running an inbound call center already appreciates the myriad benefits of voicemail,especially during an evolving situation where agents by be overwhelmed with both emergency and non-emergency calls. Offering information-only seekers an opportunity to leave a message reduces queue times, eases “volume stress” for call screeners and provides an efficient mechanism to direct callers to alternative contact points.

Why Organizations Should Consider Using Call Center Voicemail Transcription

Speech-to-text conversation empowers agents, and their supervisors, to read voicemail messages without having to retrieve and replay digital archives. This feature could create avenues for sharing files without compromising sensitive information. Manually redacting names, social security numbers, addresses, etc., in the written copy, while leaving the recorded copy complete, preserves a copy suitable for use in defending legal challenges or to facilitate crime scene or accident reconstruction investigations.

There are numerous reasons to add a contact center call recording transcription policy, and many options for securing the call data and controlling access. Automatic call logging and custom alerts to notify key personnel when a transcription is complete and accessible, are both available with some advanced systems. You can even configure your a fully-integrated system to email or text voicemail transcriptions to designated employees individually, or as a group.

Voice vs Written Messages

One of the key benefits gained by using a contact center call recording of both voicemail and real-time interactions, is you can hear tone and inflection, which often provides clues about the mental status of the caller and the agent. However, when dealing with a high call volume, crisis situation, transcripts provide some advantages – especially when agents can access voicemail texts via their console or email.

● Quick Review: Rather than retrieving and replaying files, an agent can save valuable minutes by briefly skimming the transcription to identify key phrases or words that indicate priority need.
● Efficient Prioritization: Email messages can be viewed during meetings or Skype consultations without disrupting the workflow, ensuring higher-priority calls are returned immediately.
● Expanded Access: Text documents allow hearing impaired individuals easier access.
● Enhanced Customer Service: Transcription makes it possible to add relevant voicemail content to customer files, so when an agent calls back, they are prepared to discuss the caller’s concerns immediately.

Conclusion

Transcription policies aren’t only beneficial for managing voicemail in the workflow process. This only one example that shows you how adding transcription to your contact center call recording policy can benefit your team and clients. ATIS Digital has software solutions for every organization looking for innovative contact center call recording software features proven to expand opportunities to drive brand loyalty, improve customer service delivery and protect your assets. Please review our FAQ page for more information or call a representative today to discuss ATIS contact center solutions.

Building a strong, customer-focused call center team starts with giving your staff the tools and confidence to provide exceptional service. Skype is affordable, available to anyone with an Internet connection and simple to use, which makes the technology a wise choice for call center training programs. Implementing an agent training program only requires four things – a computing device, a reliable connection, a web cam and a microphone.

Getting Started: Identifying Service Delivery Priorities

Every organization has a unique set of customer service goals and challenges. Many call centers train agents on the phone to use a script to gather information and inform callers about conversation recording policies. Some businesses monitor calls to maintain compliance with internal policies and external legal requirements. Identifying service delivery priorities enables training supervisors to develop a plan to help call center personnel fine tune their skills.

Empowering employees to better serve callers could include teaching methods to improve speech delivery, writing concise scripts or using breathing techniques to remain calm when a caller is aggressive or agitated. The visual and audio components available in Skype allow team members to replay sessions to measure performance and identify both strengths and weaknesses.

The Best Way to Record Skype Calls For Customer Service Training: Plan, Prepare & Playback

After you have installed and set up your Skype account, your next step is to plan your session. The leader should choose a quiet hosting room, without distracting ambient noise or activity. Make sure you have a stable internet connection, and high-quality camera and microphone equipment. A noise-canceling headset is preferred. Prepare for the training session by creating an itemized agenda that includes time for attendees to ask questions and offer feedback. Finally, establish a call storage and retrieval policy to allow trainees to replay the session to reinforce techniques and other topics covered.

Keep in mind that Skype is only one part of your unified communications strategy. Your overarching communication policy will ideally include technology to silently record conversations, and abstract or label them with relevant information such as the time, date and media channel. You also need efficient, secure digital storage solutions and audit tracks that encompass end-to-end activity from recording to archiving or disposal.

ATIS Digital can help you learn the best way to record Skype calls in every situation from training customer service representatives to coordinating an emergency response from a field command center. Call us today to learn how to integrate Skype performance with your existing communications infrastructure.

Challenges For Contact Centers: Call Center Call Recording Laws & External Partnerships

Even when companies use a prerecorded message to announce all calls may be recorded for training or other purposes, they may still be legally exposed if they route calls to an external call center during peak volume or after-hours periods. Recent successful class action lawsuits filed by consumers in California, demonstrate informed consent does not necessarily follow conversations when callers are transferred. Failing to properly provide notice to callers, and gain their consent, could cost an organization millions of dollars. In the case of hospitality giants Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC and Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC, a federal judge awarded callers routed to a call center a staggering $7.3 million, because they did not receive full disclosure about recording policies. These rules vary from state to state; however all industries, including public safety and transportation sectors, should evaluate call center call recording laws related to off-site answering, as well as both in-bound and outbound consent protocols.

The Question of Wage Theft in the Call Center

Another area administrators may overlook while exploring team engagement touch-points involves looking beyond the call center call recorder laws related to informed consent to review wage policies for mandatory virtual meetings and remote service delivery. Advanced interaction solutions, like Skype Meetings, enhance collaboration without time and geographic boundaries, and provide administrators with a plethora of call data to improve team engagement while reducing overhead. Relying only on the attendee list and length of meeting time from the back office data could expose your organization to “wage theft” claims. By simply paying wages based on the time an employee enters and exits a virtual meeting, employers do not allow for the time it takes to turn on computing devices, gather digital files and securely sign in to a remote conference. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires call centers to precisely document all work related hours, which can be very challenging when dealing with telecommuting employees attending mandatory meetings, and workers providing call center services from remote locations.

Let ATIS Digital Guide Your Call Center Recording Policy Development

Whether you’re a small campus security team, you operate a call center who services public safety organizations by recording calls during high volume periods, or you run a company and want to record calls to enhance customer service, it is important to thoroughly explore state and federal call center call recording laws in your area. ATIS Digital provides flexible, innovative communication solutions for capturing, analyzing and managing your organization’s internal and external conversations effectively. Contact a representative today to discuss call center call recording solutions that allow you to manage risks, without losing control of your budget.