ICCM Canada Conference & Exposition Wraps Up a Successful Event

ICCM Canada Call Centre Awards Honored the Best Practices Within the Contact and Call Centre Industry; Next Year's Event to Take Place October 19-21, 2009 in Toronto, Ontario


NEWTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 9, 2008) - Questex Media Group, Inc.'s ICCM Canada Conference & Exposition today announced a successful close to Canada's premier customer contact management conference and expo. The event took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, October 6-8.

"This event has become a key meeting place for the international contact center community. The number of companies represented at this year's show demonstrates that enterprises really do recognize the critical importance of customer care; especially its critical role as a competitive differentiator in a challenging economy. We're look forward to seeing how the seeds of innovation that were planted here grow between now and next year's show," said Kevin Gilligan, event director, ICCM Canada Conference & Expo.

Event highlight included:

--  The end user keynote panel entitled "High Quality Leadership from
    Around the World: The Key to Contact Centre Success" which examined how the
    quality of leadership determines the success or failure of a contact
    center.
--  The keynote panel, an ICCM original and perennial attendee favorite,
    entitled "60 Ideas in 60 Minutes."   The panel featured industry veterans
    and experts who will share a lifetime's worth of contact centre experience
    in only 60 minutes.
--  David McSkimming, Voice and Video Portal Practice Leader, Avaya Canada
    presented a general session entitled "The Future of Customer Self Service
    and Multi-Media Customer Support," which examined how contact centers will
    be able to leverage new technologies to provide multi-media Customer Self
    Service on multiple devices including PDAs, Kiosks and Pacs.
    

For the second year in a row, a special feature on the show floor included the ContractXchange Remote Agent Showcase where remote agents for major contact center clients took calls live at the LiveXchange booth. The showcase was designed to provide visitors with a first hand view of Remote Contract Agents at work and also provide an opportunity for personal interviews with agents.

The ICCM conference program delivered dozens of business and technology-centric sessions from some of the world's largest and most respected customer care operations. Attendees participated in more than 35 case study presentations from call center executives representing companies like American Express, Interval International, Bath & Body Works, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.; MetLife, Toronto Star, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co., Wholesale Energy Group and The Shopping Channel.

Contract Centre Site Tours, sponsored by Contact Center Employer of Choice, were conducted at American Express, Energy Savings Group and AIRMILES® Reward Program.

ICCM Canada Call Centre Awards

The ICCM Canada Call Centre Awards honors the best practices within the contact and call centre industry.

The following is a list of award recipients:

--  Medium Call Centre Award (51 to 200 Call Centre Representatives)
    Winner: The Shopping Channel
--  Medium Call Centre Award (51 to 200 Call Centre Representatives)
    Honorable Mention: FedEx - Vancouver Call Centre
--  Large Call Centre Award (200 Call Centre Representatives or larger):
    Royal Bank of Canada
    

Winners were judged by the Contact Center Employer of Choice organization based on how they attract, retain and engage top talent, evaluation tools/techniques they used for analysis, cost and efficiency gains achieved, the technology used to build customer loyalty and improve performance, their growth and contact centre strategy, their workplace culture; and other factors that set their contact centers apart.

Next year's event will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario from October 19-21, 2009. For information on exhibit and sponsorship opportunities, contact Leo Squatrito at lsquatrito@questex.com or 617-219-8378.

For additional information, please visit www.iccmcanada.com.

ICCM Canada Conference & Exposition

The ICCM Canada Conference & Exposition is the annual event for business leaders to network and share insights to make their organizations more effective, and for contact centre professionals to discuss the latest issues with people who share the same concerns, interests and objectives. ICCM Canada offers educational content and networking experiences to help professionals fine-tune their skills, assess new technologies and explore strategies to improve performance and maximize customer value, and build a professional network they can rely on for guidance and support.

About Questex Media Group, Inc.

Questex Media Group, Inc. is a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider, headquartered in Newton, MA. Questex serves multiple industries including technology, beauty, spa, travel, hospitality, leisure, home entertainment, industrial and service industries through a range of well-established, market-leading publications, events, interactive media, research, information and integrated marketing services. The company's media properties include over 100 print and digital media publications, 45 conferences, tradeshows and events, as well as a range of research, data and information products. The company's businesses are managed through operating companies including Questex Media Group; InfoTrends, Inc., Imaging Networks and; McLean Events International, Ltd, a world-leading producer of appointment-based events. The company's combined operations include more than 400 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

Contact Information: Contact Meryl Franzman Beyond Words Communications Inc. 617.739.1769