TxtCentre announces first client
TxtCentre takes advantage of the rapidly growing acceptance of txt messaging to improve customer service levels and reduce costs for inbound call centres
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – April 18 2003 – TxtCentre NZ Ltd and ACCESS Technology today announced the successful implementation of TxtCentre.
Txt messaging is a fast growing phenomenon – even in the older age groups. While txt messaging used to be the domain of the “under 20s”, today its use extends across all age groups. This is partly as a result of parents learning from their children and from the aging of the original txt pioneers. The group of people who do not txt shrinks monthly. Research in Europe shows more than 50 percent of consumers use txt, a figure that is greater than that of people who use email or online services! TxtCentre believes that statistics from the New Zealand market, a market which is similar to Europe, just slightly less mature, will show the same trends.
TxtCentre takes advantage of this significant uptake of txt communication and provides a new communication channel for all inbound contact centres. Instead of calling into a contact centre in the traditional manner, consumers can now “signal” a request for service by sending a keyword, via a txt message, to the short-code 8080.
Keyword’s are managed by Txtcentre and will typically be the name of the organisation the consumer wishes to contact. TxtCentre manages these inbound txts and sends a return path message back to the consumer with the details of when the contact centre will call them back. A contact centre agent then calls the consumer back to conduct the relevant conversation, business or transaction.
The response time can be automatically calculated based on existing call activity. This process provides the opportunity to better manage contact centre workloads. For example, during peak periods the response time sent to the consumer might be increased (within a threshold) and during quiet times, the response time might be reduced. Integrated Text Response (ITR), the txt equivalent of Integrated Voice Response (IVR) is also provided in order to deliver simple to use, self-service functions directly to consumers. This also reduces contact centre agent loads. Furthermore, the TxtCentre service is seamless, with inbound txt messages being integrated into a contact centre’s existing call queue management systems.
Mark Unwin, General Manager of ACCESS Technology commented, “Txt messaging is the communications channel of choice for many consumers and the use of txt increases day by day. TxtCentre has allowed us to quickly accommodate this channel with minimal cost and we were up and running almost immediately. We also expect that TxtCentre will help with smoothing out the call load that arises following the direct marketing programs we run for our clients.”
Until the advent of TxtCentre, contact centres had to accept the significant cost of taking mobile phone originate calls, or risk alienating the 2.2 million consumers who use mobile phones in New Zealand by barring their calls. The elimination of wait time, an on-going issue for all contact centres in terms of cost and customer satisfaction levels, as well as the ability to streamline repetitive tasks are just some of the benefits delivered by TxtCentre. Another is the ability to dramatically reduce call abandonment. TxtCentre captures a caller’s number as part of the inbound txt message.
Warren Tobin, Managing Director of TxtCentre: “The telecommunications and technology industry is filled with complex products which sometimes miss the mark in terms of delivering real business benefit. TxtCentre is a simple concept that delivers immediate benefits in two of the most important areas for any business; cost containment or reduction and customer service.”
About ACCESS Technology
ACCESS Technology was founded in 1992 to primarily provide support for ACCESS Technology Japan by calling IT professionals in Japan. Through the years they have evolved into a leading international contact centre that caters for both corporate and residential markets. They have a number of long-term contracts with reputable companies such as Apple Computer and iPayroll and provide on-demand services for organisations such as TechTonics, Eftpos New Zealand and Computerland.
ACCESS Technology has business alliances with contact centres such as Wellington City Council and New Zealand Post in relation to providing contact centre training and are a preferred Telecom partner. As well as offering professional inbound and outbound contact centre services they provide contact centre recruitment and training through ACCESS Technology’s Sales Academy. The training program is NZQA accredited, ETITO registered and they provide the National Certificate in Call Centre Operations. www.accesstechnology.co.nz
About TxtCentre Ltd
TxtCentre was formed to harness the opportunities afforded by mobile phones and the new forms of communication available through them. The intellectual property surrounding the TxtCentre product has been successfully patented. TxtCentre has offices in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. TxtCentre is a partner of Vodafone, Telecom and many other large telecommunications organizations. www.txtcentre.com