<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A nice try, but left me scratching my head
Review: A number of terms were missing (such a front-line/back-line, touch and hold, full-text/keyword search and many others) which limits its usefulness for software hotline and help desks. There were also a number of cases where you have to ask yourself why they include one term but not another (IP but not NetBEUI, MPEG but not JPEG). Other terms make your wonder if they really know what they are talking about. For example, they say IP is a "UNIX-based set of rules that governs the Internet and everything that interacts with it." Note that Windows NT is defined, but UNIX is not. Refering to things, but not defining them is also a very common problem. In addition, the authors seem to think that Microsoft is the only company producing computer operating systems as those are the only ones they talk about. Also, the authors talk about the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, but none of the Windows config files (win.ini, system.ini). Although the books is filled with acronyms and terms that I did not know before getting the book, I keep asking myself if they made the same mistakes with these terms as the did with the basic computer terminology.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a start
Review: Aside from the spelling and grammatical errors, I found this book extremely helpful in getting me past the clutter of acronyms that are so prevalent in the telecom field. Unfortunately, this is also one of the very few books that is willing to define most of the terms for you. In that regard, I think that this is a great book that serves its purpose. Although I would really like to see a more updated version.
Rating:
Summary: It's a start
Review: Aside from the spelling and grammatical errors, I found this book extremely helpful in getting me past the clutter of acronyms that are so prevalent in the telecom field. Unfortunately, this is also one of the very few books that is willing to define most of the terms for you. In that regard, I think that this is a great book that serves its purpose. Although I would really like to see a more updated version.
Rating: 
Summary: A very useful reference
Review: At the moment, I do not know a long-term course training call center resources specialist, and people doing this job usually come from other field. The book is full of useful hints to help people with a good, but general, background in connecting it to the reality of call centers and every day activities in CRM. As usual for this kind of books, it is not a detailed reference, but I found in it satisfying answers to many doubts arised about the correct use of words and acronyms.
Rating:
Summary: OK Reference for a Basic Orientation to Call Center Jargon
Review: First, what this book is NOT: it is neither exhaustive nor in-depth. (The fact that the book is only 277 trade-size pages should suggest this.) It is also not particularly helpful to the complete new-comer to the call center environment, especially not Customer Service Representatives. But then it doesn't really claim to do all that. It is written more for, say, people in the finance or human resources department who want to learn a little about what the techno-geeks in systems delivery are talking about. Or for new MIS analysts who may have come from some other performance measurement background, but who haven't grasped all the call center jargon yet. And also for the call center managers who know THEIR job, but who are baffled when they try to talk to anyone in marketing about how the center operates. So, on to what it IS: this is a dictionary, so you are presumed to have some knowledge of the language to begin with. And the authors try to offer some breadth of the available technology without being too proprietary. The entries concerning CTI (computer-telephone integration) and web-enabled technology are a little sparse, but the core concepts (regarding Automated Call Distribution) are relatively reliable. The typos can be off-putting, but maybe they'll get that improved in the 3rd edition. I wouldn't rely on this book alone as my "Complete Guide" to call center operations (I hope the title was the product of an over-active marketer rather than the authors' choice), but is is a HELPFUL guide. If you are looking for detailed material, pull out your user manuals and read the README.TXT files that come with your applications. If you are looking for a general overview of the terrain, this book is a good tool to have at your disposal. If you leave it at your desk, you may be surprised at the number of people who ask to borrow it.
Rating:
Summary: OK Reference for a Basic Orientation to Call Center Jargon
Review: First, what this book is NOT: it is neither exhaustive nor in-depth. (The fact that the book is only 277 trade-size pages should suggest this.) It is also not particularly helpful to the complete new-comer to the call center environment, especially not Customer Service Representatives. But then it doesn't really claim to do all that. It is written more for, say, people in the finance or human resources department who want to learn a little about what the techno-geeks in systems delivery are talking about. Or for new MIS analysts who may have come from some other performance measurement background, but who haven't grasped all the call center jargon yet. And also for the call center managers who know THEIR job, but who are baffled when they try to talk to anyone in marketing about how the center operates. So, on to what it IS: this is a dictionary, so you are presumed to have some knowledge of the language to begin with. And the authors try to offer some breadth of the available technology without being too proprietary. The entries concerning CTI (computer-telephone integration) and web-enabled technology are a little sparse, but the core concepts (regarding Automated Call Distribution) are relatively reliable. The typos can be off-putting, but maybe they'll get that improved in the 3rd edition. I wouldn't rely on this book alone as my "Complete Guide" to call center operations (I hope the title was the product of an over-active marketer rather than the authors' choice), but is is a HELPFUL guide. If you are looking for detailed material, pull out your user manuals and read the README.TXT files that come with your applications. If you are looking for a general overview of the terrain, this book is a good tool to have at your disposal. If you leave it at your desk, you may be surprised at the number of people who ask to borrow it.
Rating:
Summary: Another Dawson Grammatical Error Filled Book
Review: I have been a senior analyst in call centers for years and am not very impressed with the amount of thought that went into this book. Dawson / Bodine define terms, but they do not give examples. In today's call centers, I am uncovering numerous mistakes being made by management and reporting analysts in their understanding of what elements are important to better running a call center. Example: This book should have given examples of how Average Speed of Answer (ASA) is calculated, then explained that taking a straight average does not give you a true picture of the call center's performance. What are key measures to a call center success? I too read this book and found myself scratching my head. If this is the quality of book coming out in the future, I think I will stop reading. Keep in mind that Dawson is (or was) an editor of a call center magazine. I have now purchased 3 books by Dawson and I am getting turned off. The amount of spelling errors and grammar mistakes in all his publications is overwhelming.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book that defines Call Center terms in plain English
Review: This is a terrific book that explains most of the current Call Center terminology in plain everyday language. The book does not just define a term, in many cases it goes into a brief history and provides concise explanations of how the technology works. This is a good book for the expert and the beginner. Considering how quickly the Call Center technology is changing, Ms Bodin did a great job in including most of the recent changes. There are a few problems. The book could have been better proof-read. I found several spelling and grammatical errors. I also found a few glaring omissions, for example Readerboard, the Web (though she did have the Internet), and DS1 interface cards. The Readerboard was particularly upsetting since she referred to it in her discussion of ACDs, but then failed to include it in the dictionary.
<< 1 >>
| 
