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Posted on June 15, 2017 by West Corporation 


Behind the Scenes at West’s Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC)

By: Tricia McConnell, Sr. Marketing Communications Manager

On a Friday afternoon in the Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC) at West, call volume is steady but manageable. A vehicle collides with a bus, which triggers a 9-1-1 call from the car’s telematics system. A registered nurse from a 24-hour hotline reports a caller complaining of chest pains and nausea. The ECRC call takers identify the location and nature of these emergencies then conduct warm transfers by contacting the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) and confirming that the dispatcher and caller can communicate before dropping off.

The mood in the room back in October 2012 was significantly more intense. Then, as Hurricane Sandy surged up the east coast, PSAPs in impacted areas struggled to manage the overwhelming 9-1-1 call volume. The ECRC staff and other West employees worked extended shifts and through scheduled days off to help PSAPs respond to incoming 9-1-1 calls.

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West Corporation

Posted on June 13, 2017 by West Corporation 


Use your IoT data to improve your enterprise’s 911 solution.

Using your IoT Investment to Improve Your Enterprise’s Emergency Responses

The Internet of Things, or IoT, is one of today’s hot topics in tech. IoT will change how enterprises are built and operate internally. While the concept of having different types of devices interconnect and communicate wirelessly seem futuristic, many enterprises are already incorporating IoT sensor devices into their buildings’ infrastructures. As enterprises deepen their investment in IoT, though, many aren’t aware that they can also leverage it for 9-1-1 to improve emergency situation outcomes.

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West Corporation

Posted on June 12, 2017 by West Corporation 


NYC Skyline

Congratulations to New York City on the Passage of Kari’s Law

West commends the New York City Council for the recent passage of the new law, “Requiring direct telephone access to 911 service.” The passage of this law ensures that New Yorkers using multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) in certain businesses and City agencies have easy, direct access to 9-1-1 service in an emergency.

The law is modeled on Kari’s Law, so-named in honor of Kari Hunt whose tragic passing in 2013 alerted the nation to the dangers of requiring a dialing prefix to access 9-1-1. Simply, this new NYC law will allow users of these MLTS to dial 9-1-1 without requiring any prefix, post-fix or trunk access code. In addition to the direct dialing provision, the law also requires that on-site notifications be issued when 9-1-1 is dialed and that calls must be directly delivered to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

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West Corporation

Posted on June 8, 2017 by West Corporation 


West’s Emergency Gateway Now Offering Additional 9-1-1 Management Automation for ShoreTel Connect Onsite

West is pleased to announce that its Emergency Gateway (EGW) has achieved ShoreTel TechConnect certification with the latest release of ShoreTel Connect Onsite.

EGW is an on-site appliance that streamlines and optimizes 9-1-1 management, allowing enterprises to maintain accurate and up-to-date data for 9-1-1 purposes, with minimal manual intervention. Previously integrated with ShoreTel ShoreGear, this new certification includes expanded 9-1-1 management functionality for ShoreTel Connect. Read More >

West Corporation

Posted on June 1, 2017 by West Corporation 


champion challenger

Optimizing Performance with Champion Challenger Testing

Unrelenting customer evolution demands unrelenting customer experience (CX) optimization. In traveling along this line of thinking, inspirations to integrate the latest and greatest technologies often emerge before decision-makers take more obvious and immediately beneficial considerations into account. Sometimes, it’s the thoughtful, yet subtle investments that garner the highest returns. And solid consultative partnerships can help ensure these “ah-ha” moments don’t slip through the cracks.

For example, West recently identified two opportunities to increase self-service within a client’s interactive voice response (IVR) system. By making a few tweaks to this leading financial services company’s call flow, West set them up to save an estimated $5.4 million in the next year.

Read this case study to explore how conducting two strategic Champion Challenger tests has positioned West’s longtime partner to save big while providing a more rewarding CX — all while avoiding the need to sacrifice an abundance of organizational resources.

West Corporation

Posted on by West Corporation 


Using GIS Data to Improve Alarm Monitoring Center Operations

By: Mary Jo Lakhal, Sr. Program Manager

As I mentioned in a previous post, to optimize alarm monitoring center performance, you need AHJ contact data that is highly accurate and available in real time. Of these two attributes, I believe data accuracy is the more difficult to achieve.

I know from experience that even with a dedicated, full-time staff, creating and maintaining an agency contact database is challenging. Frequently, the consolidation of jurisdictions or adjustments to jurisdictional boundaries result in hours of work tracking which subscribers must be assigned to a new agency.

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West Corporation

Posted on by West Corporation 


Five Steps to get the most out of GIS in your NG9-1-1 system

By: Peter White, GISP

One critical component of the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) systems is a shift from the use of tabular Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) and ALI data to a reliance on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data for location identification, validation, and call delivery. For agencies that are ready to progress to a GIS-based NG9-1-1 system, the process can seem daunting. Fortunately, West has gained significant experience in helping agencies create and deploy GIS data through our methodical, no-nonsense approach. This process has proven to reduce complexity and the risks associated with this substantial shift in 9-1-1 systems.

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West Corporation

Posted on May 18, 2017 by West Corporation 


The Critical Link Between AHJ Data and Your Monitoring Center

By: Mary Jo Lakhal, Sr. Program Manager

As many of you in the security and alarm industry know, West specializes in 9-1-1 technology and solutions for public safety, carriers, companies and educational organizations. In 9-1-1, the accuracy of the data (the caller’s location) and the speed at which that data is delivered to public safety are key to successful emergency outcomes.

Obviously, the faster we can identify where a 9-1-1 caller is, the better. Speed without accuracy sends first responders to the wrong address. Accuracy without speed delays response times and puts lives at risk.

We know this is true in the alarm industry, too—particularly in the monitoring center, where speed and efficiency translates to improved ROI and satisfied subscribers (less churn).

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West Corporation

Posted on May 12, 2017 by West Corporation 


Graphic representing safety services communication interconnections.

The Acceleration of Customer Experience

By: Doug Thompson, Director of Product Management and Development

Customers in every industry are evolving in step with the technology they touch. Advancements like vehicular Wi-Fi connectivity are becoming mainstream and the phrase “hang up” the phone has lost true meaning for anyone born in the last decade.

During my presentation at Forrester’s Digital Transformation, I discussed how brands must address more rapid consumer evolution and the symbiotic relationship between man and machine. The biggest takeaway? One must understand where your CX stands now in order to develop an adequate strategy to shift it to an ideal state.

After taking this brief CX Strategy assessment, be sure to click here to see what your score tells you about your personal next steps in CX strategy. Primary areas of focus include: Read More >

West Corporation

Posted on May 11, 2017 by West Corporation 


Partner Channel

West Introduces Safety Services Enterprise Channel Partner Program

West is pleased to announce that it has launched a new channel partner program for its enterprise solutions. We’ve been dedicated to supplying innovative 9-1-1 solutions for carriers, public safety and enterprises for more than 35 years. By introducing this new program, resellers can work with West and position themselves as full-service Unified Communications (UC) advisors by including 9-1-1 solutions with their voice offerings.
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