Not sure if this link is posted, but is anyone aware of how close SYD is to a deal?
newsalert.com
Frost & Sullivan: The Race is on For Web Integration in the Call Center Market
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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Like everything else these days, call centers are moving to the Web. Call centers are moving
away from the traditional voice-centric environments to multimedia customer contact centers that can process "calls" regardless of their point of origin --
Web, phone or fax -- and regardless of their form -- voice, text or image.
According to new strategic research from Frost & Sullivan (www.frost.com), U.S. Web-Enabled Call Centers Market, there has been a rapid move to
integrate the Web into call center applications. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for this market for 1997-2004 is forecasted to be 110.4
percent.
The next generation of call centers will enable customers to reach vendors via any media they choose. Many Internet and call center companies believe
the time has come for Web-enabled call centers, according to Frost & Sullivan's telecommunications industry analysts.
Furthermore, there has been a proliferation of companies entering the market since 1998. These companies either have an Internet background or call
center expertise. In many cases, these companies are partnering with each other to leverage expertise in each of these areas.
For the purposes of this study, a Web-enabled call center is defined as a solution that links a call center to a Web site and enables a Web browsing
customer to interact real-time with a customer service representative (CSR). Two-way, real-time communications between the CSR and end user can be
achieved via one of the following methods: Call back, text-chat, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video over IP, and whiteboarding.
Companies participating in this market are very diverse, ranging from start-ups to large, diversified corporations. Most competitor groups are actively
seeking partnerships and reseller agreements with each other to provide a seamless and complete media solution as well as to gain access to a customer
base. The market will be varied and fragmented in the short to medium term as companies test partnerships, product development and customer
reception.
Implementing a Web-enabled call center is attractive to many call centers, because they need to give superior customer service to remain competitive
and to differentiate their service. Opportunities for growth depend on targeting companies with flexible, customizable solutions that can fully integrate
into existing call center operations. Companies adopting this product include e-commerce vendors, as well as those in specific vertical markets
including the finance industry, the technology industry, hospitality, and travel.
The technologies reviewed include IP, Web, Callback, ACD, IP ACD, e-commerce, Callthrough, Web agent, Internet telephony, integrated messaging,
WWW, Internet Call Centers, multimedia, and CTI.
Market participants include: Acuity, Active Voice Corp., Applix Inc., Apropos Technology, Aspect Telecommunications Corp., Astea International,
Inc., ATIO Corporation, Aurum Software, Balisoft Technologies Inc., Business Evolution Inc., Chordiant Software, Clarify, Comdial Corp., Contact
Dynamics, Contact Point Technologies, CosmoCom Inc., Davox Corp., DC Systems, Edify Corp., eFusion, Ericsson, Inc., eShare Technologies,
Fujitsu Business Communications Systems, Inc., Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., GeoTel Communications, InnoMedia, Inc., insite
Innovation, Interactive Intelligence, InterVoice, Inc., Interworks Systems, Lucent Technologies, Melita International Corp., Mosaix Inc., Motorola,
Multicall Incorporated, NetSpeak, New Media Telecommunications, Nortel, PakNetX, Periphonics Corporation, PHD, POINT Information Systems
Inc., Quintus Corporation, Response Interactive, Rockwell Electronic Commerce Division, Sideware Systems Inc., Siebel Systems, Sitebridge,
Spanlink Communications, Inc., Teloquent Communications, Inc., Vantive Corp., VocalTec Communications, GlobalPhone Corp., WebLine
Communications Corporation, and Whitecap.
This telecommunications industry research has integrated the Market Engineering consulting philosophy into the entire research process. Critical phases
of this research included: Identification of industry challenges, market engineering measurements, strategic recommendations, planning and market
monitoring. All of the vital elements of this system help the market participants navigate successfully through the telecommunications market.
Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company that monitors the telecommunications industry for market trends, market
measurements, and strategies. This ongoing research is utilized to update a series of research publications such as #2890-62 U.S. Call Center Hardware
and Software Markets and to support industry participants with customized consulting needs.
Visit the Frost & Sullivan web site: frost.com.
Report: 2005-62 Date: January 1999 Price: $2450
SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
/NOTE TO EDITORS: Free executive summaries of all Frost & Sullivan
reports are available to the press./
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