Government Technology

Delivering high quality service has always been on the top of the agenda for local councils, health authorities and central government, and with call and contact centres strongly linked to customer service in this industry, it is fundamental for the public sector not only to employ the right staff, but the best processes and systems.
    
IT and technology are key in the day-to-day working of call and contact centres making it necessary for managers to select the right system from a variety of products to suit their business needs and to keep in line with their customer strategy. Also impacting on this is the option that people now have to choose how you communicate with them including e-mail, SMS and webchat, plus the traditional channels of phoning and mailing.
    
And while the technology is important we can’t forget that well developed processes tied in with the overall customer management, plus the employees working there - who should be motivated, incentivised and trained - are also key to a successful public sector contact centre.
    
Celebrating its tenth anniversary year, Call Centre Expo 2008 is here to help.

Which Technology to choose?
Call Centre Expo, sponsored by Verint, taking place 16–17 September 2008 at the NEC Birmingham, invites you to make a positive impact on your organisation by identifying and changing just one thing in relation to your contact centre. And if this ‘one thing’ is a technology system, then the vast range of products and services available from the industry’s leading suppliers will give you some exciting new options.
    
Over 250 suppliers will be exhibiting over the two days, including Cisco, NICE, Armstrong Communications, FrontRange, Intervoice, Oracle, Nortel, Genesys, Aspect, NewVoiceMedia, and Sennheiser, offering a number of technologies such as VoIP, automation, CRM software, complaints management, speech recognition, automatic call distributors, unified communications, and hosted call centres.
    
Discover the latest product developments in sample taster sessions, hosted by vendors in the three Solutions Theatres, and how they can be applied to deliver fantastic results. Call Centre software, workforce management, database management, CRM software and customer analytics are some of the products/services that will be displayed in the Call Centre Technology theatre sponsored by ntl:Telewest, Customer Management Technology theatre sponsored by Siemens, and Call Centre & Customer Management Solutions theatre sponsored by e-living.
    
Another demonstration of a recently launched service in the UK at Call Centre Expo will be ContractXchange.co.uk, which will give you the option to offer your staff the flexibility and convenience to work from home. Located within the Connections Networking Bar, the ContractXchange Live Home Agent Showplace will showcase how homeworking can work for your organisation. For the first time ever at a UK event, observe agents from British Gas and the Canadian Automobile Association call centres working throughout the duration of the show in three different homeworking environments allowing you to assess its suitability for your organisation.

Looking for solutions?
For those of you needing a solution to solve your business challenges, visit the Consultancy Clinic. Six of the leading industry consultancies - including EMax Consulting, Trinity Horne, RXPerience, Analysys Mason, and Harding & Yorke - invite you to attend drop-in private sessions to receive impartial advice.
    
If, within your contact centre, a solution to prevent high staff turnover is needed, a couple of brand new features for 2008 could be relevant for you. Encourage your local council, for example, to engage with its staff and ultimately improve the experience for its constituents. The Learning and Development Zone hosts a range of training & development providers of programmes and vocational qualifications to ensure performance improvement. This feature will help you to develop your team through training and make sure they are well equipped in their work.
    
The Incentive Avenue sponsored by HMV, is another dedicated feature area on the showfloor packed full of suppliers with solutions to transform workplace morale and performance and help to retain the best staff. Virgin Incentives, Thorntons, Asda Business Rewards, Threshers, and Love2reward offer packages to implement a positive change in your organisation. Plus, if you visit the Incentive Avenue you will receive a free HMV music download.

Learn from industry experts
With twice as many speakers in the Keynote Theatre for 2008 it gives you more opportunity to hear from leading industry voices for free. On day one, Jonathan Austin, chief executive officer from Best Companies Ltd discusses ‘Brand Engagement – How employees can impact your brand?’; followed by Mark Bradley, author and founder of Mark Bradley Projects who considers ‘Why customer “lip” service is no longer enough’. The last speaker of the day is Ian Chakravorty, director of Go MAD Thinking with a presentation on ‘I’ve got that thinking feeling! – How thinking affects your results’.
    
Day two brings a further three speakers, with Dr Max Blumberg talking on ‘Stress busting with psychological resilience’ and Max McKeown presenting ‘What the hell do they want now? – The truth about innovation, engagement and customers’. A third surprise speaker will be announced in the coming weeks.
    
Running alongside the exhibition will be the high level paid-for CCF Conference delivering quality educational content and big brand case studies from companies including Tesco, O2, Sky, Kwiq Fit, Lego and Thomsons. Speakers are from both private and public sector organisations and the 24 sessions and four masterclasses will allow you to hear from businesses facing the same issues as you.
    
Hear from the Head of Contact Centres at HM Revenue and Customs, Head of Technology & Telecoms Consulting at YouGov, and Head of Customer Service Improvements at DVLA and learn how they have overcome obstacles to be the leading players within your industry and their respective fields.
    
After the successful co-location with Customer Management Expo in 2007, it has now become a permanent neighbour reflecting the importance of customer experience management in any organisational process, system or operation. Plus, a second co-location with Service Management Expo - Europe’s only dedicated field service and mobile workforce management show - gives you three relevant shows all accessible with the one badge.
    
All of this means Call Centre Expo 2008, Europe’s no 1 event for customer contact solutions, is the place to go for whatever IT or technological challenges you may be facing in your contact centre. Join your industry peers to acquire new business knowledge and share new ideas and best practice – register now for FREE at www.callcentre-expo.co.uk/gt .