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Posted on April 26, 2018 by West Corporation

Q&A: The Revolution of Wireless 911 Location Technologies

By John Snapp, VP of Technology

Earlier this month, I presented to carriers and PSAPs about new solutions that promise a better location earlier in the 9-1-1 call flow. I also spoke about the methodology and results from West’s location testing and trials with Google’s Android-based ELS (handset-initiated location).

The following addresses the questions I wasn’t able to respond to during the live event.

Q: We received many similar questions around the timing and availability of the wireless 9-1-1 location technologies discussed. Many asked, when will these solutions be made available? How soon will PSAPs start to benefit from the improved location? What are the potential implementation impacts to carriers and PSAPs?

Posted on April 17, 2018 by West Corporation

The Top Three E911 Obstacles Facing Enterprises

When we talk to enterprises about 911, we often hear about the E911 obstacles they face to making sure they can provide appropriate support to their users in a crisis. From roadblocks around awareness, to cost concerns, to management burden, the top three obstacles to enterprise 911 arise again and again in our conversations. Fortunately, enterprises can overcome these obstacles.

E911 Obstacle 1: Not Knowing that E911 is Broken

Perhaps the first obstacle enterprises face when it comes to 911, is knowing that they have a problem to begin with. When embarking on a transition to Unified Communications (UC), or implementing softphones, or adding another UC system to the mix, there are literally thousands of factors your IT team is considering. It’s easy to lose 911 in the shuffle.

Posted on April 12, 2018 by West Corporation

Substation Automation: The Best Way to Track Employee Check Ins

By Chandler Harrison, Account Development Executive

For today’s utility companies, keeping the power on is the most important consideration in substation management. But with more substations to run and increased demand from customers, saving time and money is more important than ever. So utilities turn to substation automation. Read More >

Posted on March 26, 2018 by West Corporation

5 Key Customer Experience Factors To Fix Within Your Business

Exceptional customer experiences don’t just happen. They don’t happen when someone finds their favorite movie on cable or gets a good deal on a blender. Those moments excite us, sure. But they’re just touch points in the relationship.

Real customer experience is not defined by a single moment. It’s made up of the person’s view of the total sum of interactions with a brand. The good, the bad and the utterly forgettable.

Posted on March 1, 2018 by West Corporation

What is E911 and Why Should My Enterprise Care?

Enhanced 911, or E911, is a technology that allows for the automatic delivery of a 911 caller’s location in addition to their phone number with their 911 call. When a call taker at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) receives a 911 call, they know where the caller is and where to send help because that caller’s location is displayed right on their screen. This is particularly critical in those emergencies where a caller can’t speak: medical emergencies, emergencies in progress, etc. The question is, do businesses need to pay special attention to how E911 functions in the enterprise?

Posted on February 27, 2018 by West Corporation

Call Center vs. Contact Center: 7 Key Differences

Call center vs. contact center. Many use these two terms interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Call centers and contact centers are two distinct models for business communication. And assuming otherwise could lead to an embarrassing faux pas or a damaging business mistake.

The primary difference between a call center and contact center lies in the methods of communication and overall experience. But before getting into specifics, start by understanding what these terms really encompass. Read More >

Posted on February 19, 2018 by West Corporation

5 Multilingual IVR Tips to Take Your Business Global

By Amy Goodwin, Senior Speech Technologist

Expanding on a global scale is great for business, but it also creates its own host of challenges. While you need to know all about cultural norms, the first step is adapting current practices to international needs. Most likely, that includes creating a multilingual interactive voice response (IVR) system. Read More >

Posted on February 16, 2018 by West Corporation

Kari’s Law now the Law of the Land

West commends Congress for the recent passage of H.R. 582, commonly known as “Kari’s Law Act of 2017.” The new law, which amends the Communications Act of 1934, is named in honor of Kari Hunt Dunn whose tragic passing in 2013 alerted the nation to the dangers of requiring a dialing prefix to access 911. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of 911 champions like Hank Hunt, Kari’s father, Americans across the land will benefit from easier access to 911 when connecting to the service from certain private phone systems.

Posted on February 12, 2018 by West Corporation

The History of 911: A Timeline

Throughout 2018, West is celebrating 50 years of 911. This timeline provides a look back at the history of 911 and emergency communications. It tracks the key legislative events and technological advancements that have helped shape 911 into the system we know today.

Posted on by West Corporation

Top 3 Benefits and Best Practices of Contact Center Modernization

By Jil Fisher, Vice President of Product Management

Some things never go out of style, like The Beatles, evenings by the fireplace and homemade apple pie.

Unfortunately, your contact center isn’t one of them, and if you haven’t replaced or upgraded your solutions recently, there’s a good chance your customers have noticed. In that case, it’s probably time for a little contact center modernization. Read More >

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Blog

Q&A: The Revolution of Wireless 911 Location Technologies

The Top Three E911 Obstacles Facing Enterprises

E911 Obstacle 1: Not Knowing that E911 is Broken

Substation Automation: The Best Way to Track Employee Check Ins

5 Key Customer Experience Factors To Fix Within Your Business

What is E911 and Why Should My Enterprise Care?

Call Center vs. Contact Center: 7 Key Differences

5 Multilingual IVR Tips to Take Your Business Global

Kari’s Law now the Law of the Land

The History of 911: A Timeline

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