During this Podcast we discuss:

• The gaps between C-level executive perceptions of customer service, and the reality of the customer service being delivered
• The critical role customer service professionals play in engaging executives to help align organizational investments with the strategic goals of the overall organization

Our new research highlights 1000 companies in 47 countries, and we consider similarities and differences amongst executive perceptions. C-level executives believe their organizations treat the "customer as king," but customers disagree. We consider where the gaps reside between these two groups, and specifically focus on three key areas:

• Is the customer service organization strategically- or tactically-focused?
• How are customer service metrics and measurement utilized by the company?
• Is the information flow on customer service issues being utilized by the entire company?

The Millennials are coming, and few businesses are prepared. Please join us for this brief, complimentary podcast to begin to learn about key customer experience strategies for addressing the needs of the Millennial generation. During this podcast, we will discuss:

• Factors that motivate the Millennial generation
• Strategies for building customer loyalty with this important market

Customer service stands on the brink of a new era. Recent advancements in standards have made the dreams of customer service a reality.

Learn from Darryl Addington, Manager of Product Marketing, Genesys:

• How SIP-enabled applications are being used by Genesys customers to improve the customer experience while reducing customer service operational costs
• About a new approach to customer service that uses previously unavailable resources within the customer service operation

Unexpected events have an adverse impact on the customer's experience due to uncontrolled wait time, wasted agent capacity and missed revenue opportunities. In this podcast, ICMI's Alex Dering talks with Marsha Calfee, Director of Product Marketing for Genesys' Informiam product line, about creating a framework for positive business management that involves everyone -- from senior execs to frontline agents -- and how contact centers can manage unexpected events in real-time. You'll learn the components of a proactive business management model, how it differs from using traditional historical reporting tools, and the benefits that this model will bring to the rest of your enterprise.

Join us for a special podcast on how to create a strong competitive customer advantage by enhancing your Customer Front Door, the entrance to your enterprise. In this podcast, ICMI's Greg Levin interviews Genesys' Mayur Anadkat about common customer complaints and negative experiences associated with traditional self-service models. Youll learn how an intelligent Customer Front Door can welcome customers and assist them with unique, proactive services based on the caller's intent, instead of having to navigate a rigid, standardized, complex call tree. Youll also hear how this approach provides relevant, personalized service that can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty -- creating the opportunity for a long-term relationship and higher lifetime customer value.

Join us for Part 5 of our special podcast series on how switching to IP will affect your center. This time, ICMI's Janie Iadipaolo interviews Jeff Weil, vice president of services and support with Empirix, about best practices in disaster recovery and business continuity.

ICMI's Janie Iadipaolo interviews Paul Shaw, Contact Center Specialist for BT. It's the fourth installment in our series on how customer care organizations can work as optimally as possible in an IP environment.

Call Center Guru Bob Furniss ponders The Call Centerverse with Keith Dawson, including the latest management trends that are working in the real world.

Keith and Connie discuss, among other things, Home Agents and Pajama Parties.

Many customer care organizations seem to find it easy to define efficiency, but they have a more difficult time defining effectiveness. Take a moment to listen to our five-minute podcast, when ICMI's Joe Fleischer interviews Genesys' Stefan Captijn about how organizations can define, measure and improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of their service to customers. During this podcast, you will learn how to select criteria for evaluating how well your organization assists customers; how to apply what you already know about your customer care team's efficiency to gauge the team's effectiveness; and which types of information are essential for enabling you to improve your organization's communication with customers.

Jay introduces some fresh ICMI research into what helps call-center also-rans become bigtime winners. First discussion point: what roles do leaders have in helping centers to "break through" to greatness.

Jay talks obstacles. Of course, everybody has them. But how do "break through" center deal and what exactly are they dealing with?

Jay recaps his standing-room-only keynote speech at ICMI's Call Center Demo and Conference in Miami.

This interview with ICMI Editorial Director Keith Dawson occurred shortly after Jacada and Avaya announced that they are entering into a joint marketing agreement. Avaya is going to be offering several key Jacada tools to their global customer base of (mainly) large call centers.

Take a moment to listen to our five-minute podcast, when ICMI's Joe Fleischer interviews Genesys' Stefan Captijn about how to integrate automation with agent-based support to serve customers most effectively, while boosting agent productivity and satisfaction.

It's Part 3 in our special Podcast series on how switching to IP will affect your center. This time, ICMI's Janie Iadipaolo interviews Rich Collier, Senior Pre-Sales Systems Engineer with Empirix. Our focus during this segment is first-customer resolution. You'll learn why this metric has become an important indicator of how well companies serve their customers; best practices to increase the likelihood of first-customer resolution; and how to use advances in IP telephony to sustain your goals for first-customer resolution.

ICMI's Janie Iadipaolo interviews Phil Odence, vice president of business development with Empirix, about how customer care organizations can work as optimally as possible in an IP environment.

ICMI's Janie Iadipaolo interviews Steve McCoy, Director of Technology Strategies for West Interactive. It's the second installment in our series on how customer care organizations can work as optimally as possible in an IP environment.

ICMI's Joe Fleischer interviews Genesys' Stefan Captijn about the findings of groundbreaking research from Genesys that reveals the powerful impact of the customer experience on your business.

Susan Hash and Joe Fleischer discuss ICMI's new digital publication.