Contact Center Pipeline Magazine: Inside Our February 2021 Issue

FROM THE FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE

Planning a Safe Return to Work

Our Contact Center Pipeline family was saddened recently by the passing of long-time friend and colleague, Frank Priola. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Frank have lost a true friend and an inspiring human being. Frank joined Contact Center Pipeline in 2009 and brought with him a big heart, and even bigger shoulders. He made his mark with a smile, maybe a joke to lift the mood, and always a reference to ‘Bama.

Frank was a beloved family man, husband, and father of three children—the biggest accomplishments in his life until the icing on his cake arrived… grandkids! I fondly remember talking to Frank on the phone while a grandchild, home from school for the day, worked alongside.

We were privileged to have shared the time that we did. Frank’s uplifting spirit will always be a part of the Pipeline family.

I think it would only be fitting to leave you with a few of my favorite “Frank-isms.”

“If it’s not ticks, it’s fleas.”
“This too shall pass.”
“If this is as bad as it gets, we’re okay.”

Thank you for your work and dedication. RIP, friend. You will be missed. “Roll Tide.”

In addition to the shocking news of our friend’s passing, we also managed to publish our February issue. It’s a great issue and has such relevant topics.


Download the Full Issue
Contact Center Pipeline February 2021

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FEATURE
Planning a Safe Return to Work
By Susan Hash
Many employers want to protect their workers by mandating vaccines. How to address employees’ fear and concerns.

IDIOM INSIGHTS
Keep the Ball Rolling!
By Kathleen M. Peterson
Finding things that need improvement is not a commentary on how the condition came to be, but a recognition of motion

THE VIEW FROM THE SADDLE
Artificial Intelligence—The Post-Pandemic Contact Center Superhero
By Paul Stockford
AI-enabled intelligent automation is here to save the day by transforming customer and employee experiences across industries.

RECRUITING & HIRING
Live Chat Vs. Phone Agents: How to Find Top Performers at Scale
By Dr. Ben Porr
Live chat adds a layer of unique skills that even the best phone agents may not possess.

REMOTE WORK
Contact Center Leaders Reach an Inflection Point for Addressing Work-at-Home Challenges
By Ted Nardin & Brian Kearney
In 2021, leaders will need to seize the opportunity to build a sustainable work-at-home model.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Equipping the Enterprise for the AI-Powered Human Agent Era
By D. Daniel Ziv
Giving agents “in flight” guidance immediately improves call outcomes, reducing the need for call-backs and rework.

CUSTOMER CHANNELS
Texting Takeover: How to Integrate SMS, WhatsApp and Apple Business Chat into Your Contact Center
By Joseph Ansanelli
Texting offers significant advantages compared to phone, email and live-chat boxes.

LEADING THOUGHTS
Turning Disruption into Opportunity
By Chris Bauserman
Apply the adaptability and flexibility lessons learned in 2020 to give your organization an edge for long-term success.

CLOUD SOLUTIONS
Is It Time to BYOC (Be or Bring Your Own Carrier)?
By Darach Beirne
As the shift to cloud-based services continues, the BYOC model offers an attractive option for customization, control and cost savings.

DIGITAL STRATEGY
Three Ways to Make Your Customers Happy with a Digital-First Strategy
By Mike Betzer
How to get started on your digital transformation. Lessons from top brands for delivering digital care.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT | 8×8 & Aryaka
8×8 and Aryaka: Bringing the World Closer, Together
By 8×8
Meet the team powering a more connected contact center, enterprise and globe.


Please note: Contact Center Pipeline is a subscription magazine. To view all articles, please consider a subscription.


Thank you to our February sponsors: 2Ring America, 8×8, Aryaka, Calabrio, CallShaper, Customer Contact Strategies, Human Numbers, Intercom, Khoros, MusicWorks, NICE inContact, Panviva, PowerHouse Consulting, ProcedureFlow, ROI-DNA, Service Agility, Strategic Contact, and Verint.

They help make Contact Center Pipeline possible!! Please visit all our sponsors in our Pipeline Directory!