1.

Contact Center Services

A contact center -- also referred to as a customer interaction center or e-contact

center – is a central point from which all customer interactions across various channels are
managed. Their primary purpose is to provide customers with efficient and effective technical
support, customer service and sales assistance.
The contact center typically includes one or more call centers, but may also include
other types of customer contact, including emails, webchats and social media interactions.
Contact centers are often integrated into an enterprise's customer relationship management
(CRM) strategy.
Contact centers are growing in importance as customers increasingly expect
businesses to be consistently available on various channels, not just over the phone. The
multichannel approach that contact centers take allows them to create better customer
experiences by refining customer service, increasing efficiency and improving their insights
into their customers' behaviors and needs.

Contact Center vs. Call Center

Contact centers and call centers are both centers for customer service, and the two terms
are often used interchangeably. However, the primary difference between the two is that call
centers only manage inbound or outbound calls, while a contact center offers
omnichannel customer support, including email, chat, voice over IP (VoIP) and website
support.
 Key features of a contact center include:
 Advanced call distribution, which allows contact center service providers -- called agents
-- to maximize the number of calls taken while maintaining a positive
customer experience.
 Real-time reports, which enable contact centers to observe and analyze agent
performance and customer satisfaction in real time across the various channels used.
 Scripts, which provide agents with a framework for providing callers with effective
support and generating sales; and
 Interchangeable assignments, since agents share contacts and objectives, thus allowing
them to work as a team even while maintaining individual stations.

Contact centers possess several advantages

over call centers:
For example:

Contact Centers allow customers to self-serve and solve their own problems by
offering two-way, keyword-driven instant messaging and text messaging or
communication with a chatbot. This self-service decreases the amount of time agents spend on
the phone, which in turn reduces customers' wait times and lowers overall costs.

Types of Contact Centers

  Hardware contact centers 

are installed and hosted on physical servers within a business's premises. Consequently,
hardware contact centers depend on businesses having sufficient space and capacity to house
and maintain the servers, effective disaster recovery procedures and competent hardware update
processes.

 Cloud-based contact centers 

are hosted on a cloud provider's internet server and are the point from which all
inbound and outbound communications filter. Cloud-based contact centers are accessible
anywhere via the internet and function the same as other contact centers.

 Hosted contact centers 

are centers where the contact center infrastructure is outsourced to another

company that manages the systems externally. This often leads to a better return on investment
(ROI) for companies by minimizing upfront the infrastructure's costs and maintenance.

 Virtual contact centers 

enable a company's agents to work remotely from home. Virtual contact

centers create flexibility and comfort for the agent, while simultaneously lowering costs for the
company.

Contact Center capabilities and infrastructure

The contact center infrastructure that is necessary to support communications may be
located on the same premises as the contact center -- as with hardware centers -- or it can be
located externally -- as with the other three types.
In an on-premises scenario, the company that owns the contact center also owns
and manages its own hardware and software. This requires staffing and IT investments that
some companies choose to forego by outsourcing those tasks to cloud providers or hosting
companies.
Contact center performance is often supported by operations research and analysis
as well as mathematical models, such as queuing theory. However, contact centers support
multiple channels, so they do not have to support universal queuing. They may instead use
separate systems with varying business processes.

The future of contact centers

As technology evolves and customers rely on more communication channels, contact
centers will have to continue to adapt and grow.

Contact center trends that have affected contact center communications in recent years, and
continue to do so, include:
 Social media
 Social media platforms, such as Twitter, have become popular customer communication
platforms, making it important for companies to support these channels.
 Mobile access
Customers demand support for mobile-friendly communication services, such as application
and text support.
 Video telephony
IP/video telephony services such as FaceTime and Skype enable customers to interact
with companies using video chat, allowing for more personal, face-to-face interactions.
 Advanced analytics
Analytics play an increasingly important role in predicting customer behavior. Speech
analytics is also used to monitor, evaluate and train contact center employees. 

A highlight of the future of contact centers, looking at social media, mobile access and video telephony. Furthermore,
advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) technology are coming quickly. AI and AR are both expected
to take on prominent roles within contact centers. Currently, AI development has placed a spotlight on agent-assist tools that can
listen in on calls and follow agent prompts to crawl customer service records and suggest answers to customers' problems during a
live conversation. AR introduces the ability to add a visual element to live agent and customer interactions. Agents will be able to
suggest and show solutions to technical problems that verbal descriptions over the phone or chat can't replicate.

2. Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECS)

 Entrepreneurs are people with skills and capabilities to see and evaluate business
opportunities. They are individuals that can strategically identify products or services needed by the
community and they have the capacity to deliver these at the right time and at the right place.

Entrepreneurs are agent of economic change; they organize, manage and assume risks of a
business. Some of the good qualities of an entrepreneur are opportunity seeker, risk taker, goal
setter, excellent planner, a confident problem solver, hardworking, persistent and a committed
worker.

Entrepreneurship on the other hand is not just a simple business activity. It is a strategic
process of innovation and new venture creation. Basically, entrepreneurship is both an art and
science of converting business ideas into marketable products or services to improve the quality of
living.

The entrepreneurial competencies refer to the important characteristics that should be

possessed by an individual in order to perform entrepreneurial functions effectively. In this module,
you will learn some of the most important characteristics, attributes, lifestyle, skills and traits of a
successful entrepreneur in order to be successful in a chosen career.

Below are few important characteristics / traits / attributes of a good entrepreneur:

 Hardworking: One of the important characteristics of a good entrepreneur is hardworking.

This means habitually working diligently for a long period of hours. Hardworking people
keep on improving their performance to produce good products and or provide good
services.

 Self-confident: Entrepreneurs have confidence in one’s ability and own judgment. They
exhibit self-confidence in order to cope with all the risks of operating their own business.

 Discipline: Successful entrepreneurs always stick on the plan and fight the temptation to do
what is unimportant.

 Committed: A good entrepreneur accepts full responsibility of everything in his/her

business. He/she gives full commitment and solid dedication to make the business
successful.

 Ability to accept change: Nothing is permanent but change. Change occurs frequently.
When you own a business, you should cope-up and thrive on changes. Capitalize on positive
changes to make your business grow.

 Creative: An entrepreneur should be creative and innovative to stay in the business and in
order to have an edge over the other competitors.

 Has the Initiative: An entrepreneur takes the initiative. You must put yourself in a position
where you personally are responsible for the failure or success of your business.

 Profit-Oriented: Entrepreneur enters into the world of business to generate profit or

additional income. This shall become the bread and butter for you and for the family as well.
Therefore, you must see to it that the business can generate income.

Listed below are the important skills of a successful entrepreneur.

 Planner: Planning is a strategic thinking and setting of goals to achieve objectives by

carefully maximizing on all the available resources. A good entrepreneur develops and
applies step-by-step plans to realize goals. A good entrepreneur knows that planning is an
effective skill only when combined with action.
  People Skills: Is a skill which is very important in order to be successful in any kind of
business. People skills refer to an effective and efficient communication and relation to
people working in and out of your business. In day-to-day business transactions, you need to
deal with people. A well-developed people skill can spell out the difference between success
and failure of the business.

 Decision Making: Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to think quickly and make a
wise decision towards the pre-determined set objectives. No one can deny that the ability to
make decision is an important skill that an entrepreneur should possess. Sound decision
should spring out from given facts and information and should be towards the pre-
determined objectives.

3. Environment and Market(EM)

People who aspire to start a business needs to explore the economic, cultural and social
conditions prevailing in the area. Needs and wants of the people in a certain area that are not met
may be considered as business opportunities. Identifying the needs of the community, its resources,
available raw materials, skills, and appropriate technology can help a new entrepreneur in seizing a
business opportunity.

To be successful in any kind of business venture, potential entrepreneurs should always look
closely at the environment and market. They should always be watchful on the existing
opportunities and constraints. The opportunities in the business environment are those factors that
provide possibilities for a business to expand and make more profits. One of the best ways to
evaluate the opportunities and constraints is to conduct (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and
Threats) SWOT Analysis.

SWOT analysis is a managerial tool to assess the environment. This gathers important
information which in turn is used in strategic planning. Strengths and weaknesses are internal in an
organization. Basically, they relate to resources owned by organization, things that you have
control over and as well as to the extent of its marketing.

Opportunities and threats exist in the external environment. Opportunities relate to the
market, to the development of new technologies, and external factors such as government policies,
climate, and trends. Threats relate to what the competition is doing as well as legal and other
constraints.

Everyone has his/her own needs and wants. However, people have different concepts of
needs and wants. Needs in business are important things that every individual cannot do without in
a society. These include:
1. Basic commodities for consumption,
2. Clothing and other personal belongings,
3. Shelter, sanitation and health, and
4. Education

Basic needs are essential to every individual so he/she may be able to live with dignity and
pride in the community of people. These needs can obviously help you generate business ideas and
subsequently to product development.

Wants are desires, luxury and extravagance that signify wealth and an expensive way of
living. Wants or desires are considered above all the basic necessities of life. Some examples are
the eagerness or the passion of every individual which are non-basic needs like; fashion
accessories, expensive shoes and clothes, travelling around the world, eating in an exclusive
restaurant; watching movies, concerts, having luxurious cars, wearing expensive jewelries,
perfume, living in impressive homes, and others.
Needs and wants of people are the basic indicators of the kind of business that you may
engage into because it can serve as the measure of your success. Some other good points that might
be considered in business undertakings are the kind of people, their needs, wants, lifestyle, culture
and tradition, and social orientation that they belong to.

4. Perform Basic Computer Operations and

Internet Navigation
What is a computer?

Computers
are machines
that perform tasks or
calculations according to
a set of instructions, or programs. The first fully electronic computers, introduced in the 1940s,
were huge machines that required teams of people to operate. Compared to those early machines,
today's computers are amazing. Not only are they thousands of times faster, they can fit on your
desk, on your lap, or even in your pocket

Computers work through an interaction of hardware and software. Hardware refers to the
parts of a computer that you can see and touch, including the case and everything inside it. The
most important piece of hardware is a tiny rectangular chip inside your computer called the central
processing unit (CPU), or microprocessor. It's the "brain" of your computer—the part that translates
instructions and performs calculations. Hardware items such as your monitor, keyboard, mouse,
printer, and other components are often called hardware devices, or devices.

• The computer processes input through input devices like mouse and keyboard.

• The computer displays output through output devices like color monitor and printer.

• Computers have become indispensable in today’s world. Millions of people use computers
all over the world.
There are several uses of computers:

Word Processing - Word Processing software automatically corrects spelling and grammar
mistakes. If the content of a document repeats you don’t have to type it each time. You can
use the copy and paste features. You can printout documents and make several copies. It is
easier to read a word-processed document than a handwritten one. You can add images to
your document.

Internet - It is a network of almost all the computers in the world. You can browse through
much more information than you could do in a library. That is because computers can store
enormous amounts of information. You also have very fast and convenient access to
information. Through E-Mail you can communicate with a person sitting thousands of miles
away in seconds. There is chat software that enables one to chat with another person on a
real-time basis. Video conferencing tools are becoming readily available to the common
man.

Digital video or audio composition – Audio or video composition and editing have been
made much easier by computers. It no longer costs thousands of dollars of equipment to
compose music or make a film. Graphics engineers can use computers to generate short or
full-length films or even to create three-dimensional models. Anybody owning a computer
can now enter the field of media production. Special effects in science fiction and action
movies are created using computers.

Desktop publishing - With desktop publishing, you can create page layouts for entire books
on your personal computer.

Computers in Medicine - You can diagnose diseases. You can learn the cures. Software is
used in magnetic resonance imaging to examine the internal organs of the human body.
Software is used for performing surgery. Computers are used to store patient data.

Mathematical Calculations - Thanks to computers, which have computing speeds of over a

million calculations per second we can perform the biggest of mathematical calculations.

Banks - All financial transactions are done by computer software. They provide security,
speed and convenience.

Travel - One can book air tickets or railway tickets and make hotel reservations online.

Telecommunications - Software is widely used here. Also, all mobile phones have software
embedded in them.

Defense - There is software embedded in almost every weapon. Software is used for
controlling the flight and targeting in ballistic missiles. Software is used to control access to
atomic bombs.

E-Learning – Instead of a book it is easier to learn from an E-learning software.

Gambling-You can gamble online instead of going to a casino.

Examinations-You can give online exams and get instant results. You can check your
examination results online.

Computers in Business - Shops and supermarkets use software, which calculate the bills.
Taxes can be calculated and paid online. Accounting is done using computers. One can
 predict future trends of business using artificial intelligence software. Software is used in
major stock markets. One can do trading online. There are fully automated factories running
on software.

Certificates - Different types of certificates can be generated. It is very easy to create and
change layouts.

ATM machines - The computer software authenticates the user and dispenses cash.

Marriage - There are matrimonial sites through which one can search for a suitable groom
or bride.

•
Based on the operational principle of computers, they are categorized as analog computers
and hybrid computers.
• Analog Computers: These are almost extinct today. These are different from a digital
computer because an analog computer can perform several mathematical operations
simultaneously. It uses continuous variables for mathematical operations and utilizes
mechanical or electrical energy.

4.1 Different types of Computers

Based on the operational principle of computers, they are categorized as analog computers and
hybrid computers.

• Analog Computers: These

are almost extinct today.
These are different from a
digital computer because an
analog computer can
perform several
mathematical operations
simultaneously. It uses
continuous variables for
mathematical operations and
utilizes mechanical or
electrical energy.

• Hybrid Computers: These

computers are a
combination of both digital
and analog computers. In
this type of computers, the
digital segments perform
process control by
conversion of analog
signals to digital ones.
 Following are some of the other important types of computers.
• Mainframe Computers:
Large organizations use
mainframes for highly
critical applications such as
bulk data processing and
ERP. Most of the mainframe
computers have the
capacities to host multiple
operating systems and
operate as a number of
virtual machines and can
thus substitute for several
small servers.

• Microcomputers: A computer with a

microprocessor and its central
processing unit is known as a
microcomputer. They do not occupy
space as much as mainframes. When
supplemented with a keyboard and a
mouse, microcomputers can be called
as personal computers. A monitor, a
keyboard and other similar input output
devices, computer memory in the form
of RAM and a power supply unit come
packaged in a microcomputer. These
computers can fit on desks or tables
and serve as the best choices for single-
user tasks.

Personal computers come in a variety of forms such as desktops, laptops and personal digital
assistants. Let us look at each of these types of computers.
• Desktops: A desktop is intended to be
used on a single location. The spare
parts of a desktop computer are readily
available at relative lower costs. Power
consumption is not as critical as that in
laptops. Desktops are widely popular for
daily use in workplaces and households.
• Laptops: Similar in operation to
desktops, laptop computers are
miniaturized and optimized for
mobile use. Laptops run on a
single battery or an external
adapter that charges the computer
batteries. They are enabled with an
inbuilt keyboard, touch pad acting
as a mouse and a liquid crystal
display. Its portability and
capacity to operate on battery
power have served as a boon for
mobile users.

• Personal Digital Assistants

(PDAs): It is a handheld
computer and popularly
known as a palmtop. It has a
touch screen and a memory
card for storage of data. PDAs
can also be effectively used as
portable audio players, web
browsers and smart phones.
Most of them can access the
Internet by means of Bluetooth
or Wi-Fi communication.

• Minicomputers: In terms of
size and processing capacity,
minicomputers lie in between
mainframes and
microcomputers.
Minicomputers are also called
mid-range systems or
workstations. The term began
to be popularly used in the
1960s to refer to relatively
smaller third generation
computers. They took up the
space that would be needed for
a refrigerator or two and used
transistor and core memory technologies. The 12-bit PDP-8 minicomputer of the Digital
Equipment Corporation was the first successful minicomputer.
 • Supercomputers: The
highly calculation-intensive
tasks can be effectively
performed by means of
supercomputers. Quantum
physics, mechanics, weather
forecasting, molecular
theory are best studied by
means of supercomputers.
Their ability of parallel
processing and their well-
designed memory hierarchy
give the supercomputers,
large transaction processing
powers.
• Wearable Computers: A record-setting
step in the evolution of computers was the
creation of wearable computers. These
computers can be worn on the body and
are often used in the study of behavior
modeling and human health. Military and
health professionals have incorporated
wearable computers into their daily
routine, as a part of such studies. When
the users’ hands and sensory organs are
engaged in other activities, wearable
computers are of great help in tracking
human actions. Wearable computers are
consistently in operation as they do not
have to be turned on and off and are
constantly interacting with the user.

5. Different Operating Systems

Operating System or OS -- is software, consisting of programs and data, that runs on

computers, manages computer hardware resources, and provides common services for
execution of various application software. The operating system is the most important type
of system software in a computer system. Without an operating system, a user cannot run an
application program on their computer, unless the application program is self-booting.
• Common Brands: Windows or Mac
• Others: UNIX / Linux, Google Chrome OS, Novel
• Before Windows, Microsoft used Dos. Dos was a non- GUI OS (Graphical User Interface)
 • Window versions: Windows CE, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE,
Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
• Mac versions: Apple DOS 3.1, Apple System 1-7, Mac OS 8, Mac OS 9, Mac OS 10, Mac
OS X
• Unix/Linux got its start in 1957-- Bell Labs found they needed an operating system for their
computer center that at the time was running various batch jobs. The BESYS operating
system was created at Bell Labs to deal with these needs.
Today’s computers are:

• Multi-user - A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same
computer at the same time and different times.
• Multiprocessing - An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more than
one computer processor.
• Multitasking - An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software
processes to run at the same time.
• Multithreading - Operating systems that allow different parts of a software program
to run concurrently.

5.1 Basic Components

• Motherboard
• CPU – Central Processing Unit
• RAM – Random Access Memory
• Video Card -
• Power Supply
• Hard disk or drive
• Optical Drive
• Hardware and Software -- All of these components are usually found within the tower of a
desktop computer. They are referred to as "hardware". Hardware can be thought of as the
actual physical components that go into the computer. "Software" refers to the programs and
systems that operate within the hardware.
 • The Motherboard -- The motherboard is the “heart” of the computer. It is the largest and
most fundamental component of a PC and every other component is attached to it in
some way. This is because all the different components use the motherboard to
communicate and work with each other.

The motherboard has a series of slots, sockets and connectors for attaching the
components of a PC.

• The CPU -- CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. This is the brain of the computer
and is often referred to as the "processor" or the "chip". It is found under a heat sink and
fan and sits directly on the motherboard.

The CPU directs, coordinates and communicates with the other components and performs
all of the "thinking". It's not really thinking, what a CPU actually does is perform
mathematical calculations. It is the software that people write that translates those
calculations into useful functions for us.

• RAM -- RAM stands for Random Access Memory, and comes as modules in predefined
amounts. It is also found directly on the motherboard and usually in one, two or four
slots. The memory chips store information, temporarily, for short term use by the CPU.
RAM is used to store information for files that are actually being used by the CPU at any
given time.

The computer's RAM memory is an entirely different thing from the hard disk "memory".
The hard disk stores information "permanently" for long term use.

• The Graphics Card -- The graphics card or video card translates information into the
graphics and text that appear on the monitor screen.
Most motherboards now include a slot specifically designed for the graphics adapter
called the AGP slot. This stands for Advanced Graphics Port.
Modern graphics adapters usually incorporate some memory right on the card to improve
their performance.

• The Power Supply -- This supplies power to the other components, which is why it has
so many wires coming out of it.
It is usually positioned at the back top corner of the computer case. The power supply has
a fan built into it to keep itself and the computer cool.

• The Hard Disk -- A hard disk - which is also called a "hard drive" - is much like a filing
cabinet. The programs and data are stored on the hard disk and the computer accesses
them as they are needed. When the computer accesses the hard drive, it is reading and
moving the stored information into the RAM memory. That memory is the temporary
workspace. However, the original file is still on the hard disk and is left undisturbed until
the file is saved.

The Optical Drive -- The optical drive is often called a DVD drive, or a CD drive. It sits
at the front of the computer for ease of access, and uses a laser to read and write
information to CD's and DVD's

Name: _________________________________________
Grade: _________________________________________
Activity 1: INTERVIEW
Directions: Select a successful entrepreneur or practitioner. Conduct an interview using the set of
questions below.

1. How did you identify your customers?

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

2. What were your considerations in selecting your customers?

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

3. Explain how your product or service became unique to other products.

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

4. Did you consult somebody before you engaged in this business? Cite / give sample insights that you
gained from the consultation.
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

5. What were your preparations before you started the actual business?
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

6. What creative and innovative techniques did you adapt in the

development of your product or service? What was the effect of the innovative techniques to the sales
and profits of your business?
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

7. What strategy did you consider to create a unique selling proposition to your product or service?
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________
Activity 2: IDENTIFICATION

Direction. Identify What type of Computer is given in the illustration below.

What Computer type am I?

1. ___________________________________________ 2.
___________________________________

3. _________________________________________

4. __________________________________________ 5. ___________________________________
Activity 3: LABELING
Instruction. Label the Parts of the Computer System

1.

1. _______________

3. _______________
4. _______________

2. _______________
2.

3.