Hot Topic/Torrid, NYC 311 and Progressive Win Top Honors in ICMI Video Contest Supporting Positive Customer Service Experiences

    
    Videos to air at ICMI's Annual Call Center Exhibition Conference and Expo
    taking place in Las Vegas during national 'Customer Service Week,' Oct.
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<p>PRINCETON, N.J., <chron>Sept. 24</chron> /CNW/ -- ICMI, producer of the 2009 ACCE conference, has announced the winners of its Customer Experience Video Contest.</p>
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<p>A five-member panel of customer service industry experts gave top honors to videos submitted by Hot Topic, Inc., NYC 311 and Progressive. Videos were judged on how well they supported the theme of a providing a positive customer experience, along with creativity and originality. Submissions were required to be three minutes or under in length and were accepted in any genre, including comedy, documentary and animation.</p>
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<p>First place winner Hot Topic, Inc. includes three brands; Hot Topic, Torrid and ShockHound. Hot Topic is a specialty retailer of music-inspired apparel and accessories. Torrid is a fashion-forward specialty retailer for plus sized women. ShockHound is an online music, merchandise, content and community retailer.</p>
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<p><person>Joy Hussey</person>, Customer Service Manager, said that the goal of their video was to epitomize, "the ultimate Hot Topic, Torrid and ShockHound customer experience. We teach our new hires how to walk in our customers' shoes, go above and beyond and build an exceptional customer connections." NYC 311, New York City's phone number (and online website) for government information and non-emergency services, took second place, while third place went to Progressive, a nationwide vehicle insurance provider.</p>
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<p>Contest judges were <person>Drew Daly</person>, Senior Director of Sales, World Travel Holdings; <person>Larry Eiser</person>, VP, Call Center Operations, Duke Energy; <person>Glenn Gemmill</person>, Director of Operations, Customer Development Center, Coca Cola; <person>Roger Lee</person>, Manager, Education and Development, Customer Experience Operations, Thomson Reuters; and <person>Scott Murphy</person>, Contact Center Manager, Employees Retirement System of Texas.</p>
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<p>Winning videos will be shown preceding each day's keynote address at ACCE 2009, taking place at <location>Las Vegas</location>' Mandalay Bay October 5-9 during Customer Service Week. Customer Service Week recognizes and honors people who serve and support customers, and was proclaimed by the U.S. Congress in 1992. Winning videos can be viewed online at <a href="http://www.icmi.com/acce2009/VideoContest">http://www.icmi.com/acce2009/VideoContest</a>.</p>
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<p>ICMI (International Customer Management Institute), a division of Think Services/UBM, is a leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals, from frontline agents to executives. The ACCE Conference and Expo, now in its sixth year, is North America's largest global gathering of contact center professionals.</p>
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<p>For more information or to attend the 2009 ACCE Conference & Expo, visit <a href="http://www.icmi.com/ACCE2009">http://www.icmi.com/ACCE2009</a>.</p>
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    About ICMI
    
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<p>The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals - from frontline agents to executives - who wish to improve customer experiences and increase efficiencies at every level of the contact center. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, analysts, and consultants are committed to providing uncompromised objectivity and results-oriented vision through the organization's respected lineup of professional services including: Training and Certification, Consulting, Events, and Informational Resources. Founded in 1985, ICMI continues to serve as one of the most established and respected organizations in the call center industry.</p>
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    About Think Services
    
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<p>Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI.  Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than <money>$1.6 billion</money>.  To learn more, visit <a href="http://www.think-services.com">www.think-services.com</a>.</p>
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For further information: Rachel Levy of Think Services, [phone], [email protected] Web Site: http://www.think-services.com