Rounding the Final Holiday Heat

| MCM staff

With less than two weeks to go before Christmas, many marketers are gearing up for what they hope will be some of their busiest days of the year. But how are we doing so far?

The Benefits and Perils of Team Scheduling

| Penny Reynolds

Although these self-directed work teams are most often implemented in manufacturing environments to turn out a better-quality product more efficiently, many customer service organizations have also embraced this concept. But while some of the concepts of work teams have resulted in delivery of better, more efficient service to the customer, other components have created service problems.

Is Your Website Talking to Your Call Center?

| John Federman

Most multichannel merchants do a fine job of branding across channels. But few are leveraging the information gathered across business units to enhance their multichannel strategy. For too long, companies have separated their online channels from their contact centers without realizing that the two units can work in unison to boost overall sales and improve customer experience.

An education in ops

| MCM staff

Adam Schwartz is vice president/general counsel for Colchester, CT-based S&S Worldwide, which sells education and recreation products to schools and institutions.

TIDBITS

| MCM staff

Hanesbrands closing DCs Apparel manufacturer/marketer Hanesbrands, whose catalogs include Champion and One Hanes Place, wasted little time following through

This call is being recorded

| Bennett Voyles

Until a few years ago, contact center agents were monitored only infrequently. But advances in technology mean that more and more agents are being recorded

CAPTURING PHANTOM DEMAND

| Tim Parry

For many direct merchants, recording phantom demand can be as elusive as capturing an actual ghost. Advancements in contact center and Website technology