Customer Service & Support Resources

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Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)

Call Center Handbook
A Practical Guide to Call Center Technology

Automation

ACD (see Automatic Call Distributor above)

Call Tracking Software and Systems

Guide to Help Desk Technology, Tools and Techniques
Managing the Implementation of New Support Systems

Computer Telephony (see Telecommunications)

CRM

CRM Automation
Customer Obsession
Customer Relationship Management Technology
A Practical Guide to CRM

Implementation

Integrating People with Processes and CRM Technology
Integrating Technology Into the Call Center - training course
Managing the Implementation of New Support Systems

In general

Call Center Handbook
Call Center Operations
Contact Center Technology: Topics, Trends and Truths - training course
Guide to Help Desk Technology, Tools, and Techniques
A Practical Guide to Call Center Technology

IVR (see Interactive Voice Response)

Networking and Internetworking (see Networking)
Predictive Dialing

Optimizing Outbound Calling
Predictive Dialing Fundamentals

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Complete Help Desk Guide
A Practical Guide to Call Center Technology
Which Telephone Service Provider?

Telecommunications in General (see Telecommunications)

Telephony (see Telecommunications)

Types of

Call Center Handbook
Call Center Technology Demystified
Contact Center Technology: Topics, Trends, and Truths - training course
Guide to Help Desk Technology, Tools and Techniques

Vendors

Complete Help Desk Guide

Voice Technology (see Voice Technology)

Websites (also see Online Support)

Benchmarking (also see Performance Measurement)

Call Center Benchmarking: How Good is "Good Enough"
Customer Obsession
Help Desk Contribution to Corporate Benchmarking, The
Integrating People with Processes and CRM Technology

Business Skills

Business, Finance and Accounting Essentials for IT Managers - training course
Business Case Development for IT Managers - training course
Business Skills for IT Professionals - training course
Communication and Negotiation Skills - training course
Management Skills for New Managers - training course

Call Center (also see Help Desk)

In general

Call Center Savvy
Help Desk Handbook
Maximizing Call Center Performance

Automation (see Automation)

Customer Satisfaction

Call Center Sample Customer Satisfaction Forms

Design

Designing the Best Call Center for Your Business
Designing Six Sigma Call Centers: How to Optimize Your Help Desk or Call Center - training course

Disaster Planning

Call Center Continuity Planning

Management (also see Human Resource Issues)

Call Center Management on Fast Forward
Designing Six Sigma Call Centers: How to Optimize Your Help Desk or Call Center - training course
Certified Call Center Manager (training and certification exam)
Customer Care and Contact Center Handbook
Fundamentals of Call Center Supervision - training course
The Real-Time Contact Center

Metrics (see Performance Measurement & Management)

Modeling

Call Center Performance Enhancement: Simulation & Modeling

Setting up a

Designing Six Sigma Call Centers: How to Optimize Your Help Desk or Call Center - training course
Designing the Best Call Center for Your Business
Ergonomics -- How to Make Your Workstation Work for You
Integrating Supporting Technologies Into the Help Desk - training course
Running an Effective Help Desk

Site Selection (see Site Selection)

Supervision (see Supervision)

Technology (see Automation)

Call Monitoring (see Monitoring)

Certification

Certification Issues for Technical Support Professionals
Certified Call Center Director (training and certification exam)
Certified Call Center Engineer (training and certification exam)
Certified Call Center Manager (training and certification exam)
Certified Call Center Professional (training and certification exam)
Certified Call Center Quality Assurance Professional (training and certification exam)
Certified Call Center Supervisor (training and certification exam)
Certified Help Desk Professional (training and certification exam)
Certified Help Desk Manager (training and certification exam)
Certified Help Desk Director (training and certification exam)
Certified Support Team Leader (training and certification exam)
Certified Workforce Management Professional (training and certification exam)

Coaching

Call Center and Help Desk Supervisor Methods, Metrics, and Coaching Techniques - training course
Coaching for World-Class Customer Support
Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service
Coaching for Improved Work Performance
Managing and Motivating Contact Center Employees

Communication Skills (Also see Problem-Solving)

In general

Building Bridges -- Using Thinking Styles to Facilitate Communication
Call Center Operation: Design, Operation, and Maintenance
Call Center Success: Essential Skills for CSRs
Call Center Technology and Techniques
Certified Help Desk Professional (certification training and exam)
Customer Expectations (video)
Customer Service Skills For Technical Support Professionals
Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service
Delivering Legendary Customer Service Over the Phone
Effective Information Gathering Techniques
Knock Your Socks Off Answers
Negotiation and Mediation (video)
Success as a CSR
Telephone Techniques (video)
Understanding Customer Competence Levels
Wake Up Your Call Center: How to be a Better Call Center Agent

Difficult Customers

Anger Diffusion (video)
Customer Service Over the Phone

E-Support

Elements of Email Style, The
E-Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication

Listening

Active Listening (video)

Continuity Planning

Call Center Continuity Planning

Cost Justification (see Financial Management)

Customer Relationship Management

Building Relationships With Key Accounts (video)
CRM Automation
CRM Strategies - training course
Customer Driven Process Improvement (video)
Customer Obsession
Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management Technology
Essentials of CRM
Harvard Business Review on Customer Relationship Management
A Practical Guide to CRM

Customer Satisfaction

In general

Building Relationships With Key Accounts (video)
Customer Driven Process Improvement (video)
Customer Satisfaction Research, Measurement and Application - training course
How to Measure Customer Satisfaction
Managing the Customer Satisfaction Process (self-study course)

ISO 9001:2000

Customer Satisfaction Measurement Simplified

Measurement

Analysis and Interpretation of Customer Satisfaction Data - training course
Customer Satisfaction Research, Measurement and Application - training course
Handbook of Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty Measurement
How to Measure Customer Satisfaction
How to Measure Service Quality & Customer Satisfaction
Improving Your Measurement of Customer Satisfaction
Listening to the Voice of the Customer

Surveys Samples

Guide to Customer Surveys
Call Center Sample Customer Satisfaction Forms

Surveys and Questionnaire Design

Designing Effective Questionnaires - training course
Guide to Customer Surveys
Measuring Satisfaction: Survey Design, Use, & Statistical Analysis

Customer Service

Communication Skills (see Communication Skills)

In General

Customer Service for Dummies
Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service
Tales of Knock Your Socks Off Service

Technology (see Automation)

Dictionaries

An Abbreviated Guide to Incoming Call Center Terms
Call Center Dictionary
Glossary of Help Desk Terms
McGraw-Hill Illustrated Telecom Dictionary
Microsoft Internet & Networking Dictionary
Newton's Telecom Dictionary

Disaster Planning (see Continuity Planning)

E-mail

E-Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication
Why Web-Based Customer Support?

Ergonomics

Ergonomics - How to Make Your Workstation Work for You

Erlang

Call Center Management on Fast Forward
Call Center Performance Enhancement: Simulation & Modeling

Facilities Design

Designing the Best Call Center for Your Business
Ergonomics - How to Make Your Workstation Work for You

Financial Management

Managing Help Desk Costs - training course
Economics of Online Customer Support, The
Integrating People with Processes and CRM Technology
Telecommunications Expense Management

Forecasting (see Workforce Management)

Help Desk (also see Call Center)

In general

Effective Software Customer Support
Glossary of Help Desk Terms
Help Desk Handbook
Running an Effective Help Desk

Automation (see Automation)
Certification (see Certification)
Communication Skills (see Communication Skills)

Internal

How to Manage the IT Helpdesk

Management

Certified Help Desk Director (certification training and exam)
Certified Help Desk Manager (certification training and exam)
Get The Point (How to Write Policies, Procedures, & Tasks)
How to Manage the IT Helpdesk
How to Survive Call Volume Spikes
Managing Unresolved Service Requests

Marketing

Marketing the Help Desk to Senior Managers and Customers

Setting up a

Help Desk Handbook
Running an Effective Help Desk

Software Selection (see Automation)
Technology (see Automation)

Human Resource Issues

Coaching (see Coaching)

Compensation

Agent Staffing and Retention Study Final Report
Call Center Agent Motivation And Compensation

Evaluation

Powerful Performance Appraisals

Hiring

Agent Staffing and Retention Study Final Report
Call Center Recruiting And New-Hire Training
How to Hire the Best Service Professionals

Motivation (see Motivation)
Retention and Turnover

Agent Staffing and Retention Study Final Report
Call Center Agent Turnover And Retention
Minimizing Agent Turnover

Scheduling (see Workforce Management)
Training (see Training)

Internal Customer Support

Internet-Based Support (see Online Support)

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

How to Build a Speech Recognition Application
Improving the Effectiveness of IVR and Voice Portals - training course

ISDN

ISDN A Practical Guide To Getting Up and Running

ISO 9001:2000

Customer Satisfaction Measurement Simplified

Job descriptions

Help Desk Handbook

Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management Foundations - training course

Management

Advanced Management Topics

Call Center Management on Fast Forward
Contact Center Strategy: How Leaders Drive Results - training course

In General

Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service
Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service
Sustaining Knock Your Socks Off Service

Call Center, of

Certified Call Center Manager (training and certification exam)
Call Center Management on Fast Forward
Designing Six Sigma Call Centers: How to Optimize Your Help Desk or Call Center - training course
Essential Skills For Incoming Call Center Management - training course
Fundamentals of Call Center Supervision - training course
Tools and Methods for Help Desk Managers - training course

Coaching (see Coaching)

Customer Satisfaction, of

Managing the Customer Satisfaction Process (self-study course)

Help Desk, of

How to Manage the IT Helpdesk

Leadership

Contact Center Strategy: How Leaders Drive Results - training course
Principles of Effective Leadership for the Support Organization

Metrics (see Performance Measurement & Management)

Motivating (see Motivation)

Personnel, of (also see Human Resource Issues)

Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service
Motivating Customer Service Employees

Project Management

Project Management Essentials - training course

Metrics (see Performance Measurement & Management)

Mission Statement

Customer Service for Dummies

Monitoring

Monitoring, Measuring, and Managing Customer Service
Monitoring Study Final Report

Motivation

Call Center Agent Motivation And Compensation
Call Center Agent Turnover And Retention
Managing and Motivating Contact Center Employees
Motivating Customer Service Employees

Networking

Basics of

Fundamentals of Data and Converged Networks I - training course
Fundamentals of Data and Converged Networks II - training course
Network Tutorial: A Complete Introduction to Networks
Networking Fundamentals - training course
TCP/IP Networking - training course

Voice Over IP Networks (see Voice Over IP)

Wireless (see Wireless)

Online Support

Customer Service On the Internet
Economics of Online Customer Support, The
E-Service
Managing Web-Based Customer Experiences
Technical Support on the Web
The Year's Ten Best Web Support Sites

Outbound Calling

Optimizing Outbound Calling
The Real-Time Contact Center

Outsourcing

How to Select and Outsource Services for Your Help Desk

Performance Measurement & Management (also see Benchmarking)

Call Center and IT Help Desk Metrics, Data Analysis, & Reporting - training course
Call Center and Help Desk Supervisor Methods, Metrics, and Coaching Techniques - training course
Call Center Performance Enhancement: Simulation & Modeling

Planning

Call Center Performance Enhancement: Simulation & Modeling
Creating Business Plans For Dummies
Contact Center Strategy: How Leaders Drive Results - training course

Policies and Procedures

Get The Point

Predictive Dialing

Optimizing Outbound Calling
Predictive Dialing Fundamentals

Problem Solving

Problem Solving (video)

Project Management

Project Management Essentials - training course
Telecommunication Projects Made Easy

Questionnaires (see Customer Satisfaction Surveys & Questionnaires)

Re-Engineering

Designing Six Sigma Call Centers: How to Optimize Your Help Desk or Call Center - training course

References (also see Dictionaries)

Knock Your Socks Off Answers

Return on Investment (see Financial Management)

Sales

Building Relationships With Key Accounts (video)

Scheduling (see Workforce Management)

Service (see Customer Service)

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

How to Establish and Maintain Service Level Agreements

Service Recovery

Knock Your Socks Off Service Recovery

Skills

Communication (see Communication Skills)

Project Management (see Project Management)

Silent Monitoring (see Monitoring)

Simulation Modeling

Call Center Performance Enhancement: Simulation & Modeling

Site Selection

Call Center Handbook (Chapter 1)
Designing the Best Call Center for Your Business

Software Selection (see Automation)

Software Support

Effective Software Customer Support

Staffing (see Workforce Management)

Strategy

CRM Strategies - training course
Customer Driven Process Improvement (video)
Contact Center Strategy: How Leaders Drive Results - training course
Sustaining Knock Your Socks Off Service

Stress

Managing Stress: A Guide for Customer Support Professionals
Optimizing Stress in the Support Center
Overcoming Overwhelm: Thirty Days to Less Stress
Stress Management (video)
TeleStress: Relief From Call Center Stress Syndrome

Surveys (see Customer Satisfaction Surveys & Questionnaires)

Supervision

Call Center and Help Desk Supervisor Methods, Metrics, and Coaching Techniques - training course
Fundamentals of Call Center Supervision - training course

TCP/IP

TCP/IP Networking - training course

Technical Support

Customer Service Skills For Technical Support Professionals
How to Manage the IT Helpdesk
Technical Support on the Web
Year's Ten Best Web Support Sites, The

Technology (see Automation)

Telecommunications

In General

Business Telecom Systems
Intro to Telecommunications: Voice and Data - training course
Telecom Fundamentals: Telephony Networking - training course
Telecom Fundamentals: Carrier Data Services - training course
Telecom Handbook, The
Telecom Tutorials, The
Telecommunications Fundamentals - training course
Telecommunication Projects Made Easy

Management

Telecommunications Expense Management
Telecommunication Projects Made Easy

PBX

Next Generation Phone Systems
PBX Systems For IP Telephony

Selecting

Business Telecom Systems
Next Generation Phone Systems
Which Phone System Should I Buy?
Which Telephone Service Provider?

Telephony (also see Voice over IP)

Telephony Tutorials, The

Voice Over IP (see Voice over IP)

Telephone Skills (see Communication Skills)

Training

Call Center Recruiting and New-Hire Training
Revolutionizing Support Staff Training

Training Seminars

Call Center, Help Desk, CRM, & Customer Satisfaction Measurement
Telecommunications, Networking, Voice Over IP, Data Communications

Videos

Active Listening (video)
Anger Diffusion (video)
Building Relationships With Key Accounts (video)
Call Center Video Library (video set)
Customer Driven Process Improvement (video)
Customer Expectations (video)
Negotiation and Mediation (video)
Problem Solving (video)
Stress Management (video)
Telephone Techniques (video)

Voice over IP

Advanced Voice Over IP: Deploying VoIP in the Enterprise - training course
The Call Heard 'Round The World
Intro to Telecommunications: Voice and Data - training course
Voice Over IP - training course
Voice Over IP Foundations  - training course
Voice Over IP (VoIP) and IP Telephony - training course

Voice Technologies

IVR (see Interactive Voice Response)
Speech recognition

How to Build a Speech Recognition Application

Telephone

Next Generation Phone Systems
Which Phone System Should I Buy?
Which Telephone Service Provider?

Voice over IP (see Voice over IP)

Web-based Support (see Online Support)

Wireless

Going Mobile
Going Wi-Fi
Integrating Wireless Networks - training course
Securing Wireless Networks - training course

Workforce Management

Call Center Management on Fast Forward
Call Center Workforce Management: Forecasting, Calculating, and Scheduling - training course
Workforce Management Hands-on Certification Boot Camp - training course

Erlang (see Erlang)