呼叫中心外包已经发展了许多年了。但是，呼叫中心外包也许不是机构的正确选择。最近在SearchCRM.com网站举行的辩论中，专家Lori Bocklund说，外包能够帮助企业省钱和提供更好的服务。而专家Richard Snow争辩说，客户是公司的最佳资产，应该把客户留在公司内部。下面用SearchCRM.com网站的问答测验对自己进行一下测试，学习更多的有关外包的词汇并且练习根据这些知识做出决策。
开始进行问答测验：
1.创建这个词汇是为了说明与相邻国家的人签署外包合同而不是与遥远的国家的人签署外包合同的做法。
答案：近岸外包（Nearshore outsourcing）
近岸外包是让邻国而不是本国的人完成工作和服务的做法。例如，美国的许多公司把工作外包给加拿大和墨西哥。地理位置近意味着旅行和通讯更方便和更便宜，而且至少在文化方面有共通性，人们很可能说同样的语言。
nearshore outsourcing
- Nearshore outsourcing is the practice of getting work done or services performed by people in neighboring countries rather than in your own country. Many companies in the United States, for example, outsource work to Canada and Mexico. Geographic proximity means that travel and communications are easier and less expensive, there are likely to be at least some commonalities between the cultures, and people are more likely to speak the same language.
2.这是一个企业拥有特殊实力的领域。企业可能把不重要的业务领域外包出去，以便把资源集中在这里。
答案：核心能力（Core competency）
核心能力是基本的知识、能力或者在具体学科方面的专长或者一套技能。例如，一个获得微软认证软件工程师的人据说就拥有在某些微软系统和网络方面的核心能力。在市场上拥有具体实力的公司，如数据存储或者财务应用程序开发，就可以说在那个领域具有核心能力。这个词汇的核心部分指的是一个人拥有坚实的基础，并且从这个基础出发获得做一项具体工作的额外的能力，或者一个用坚实基础的公司从这个基础出发开发额外的产品。
core competency
A core competency is fundamental knowledge, ability, or expertise in a specific subject area or skill set. For example, an individual who becomes certified as a Microsoft Certified Software Engineer (MCSE) is said to have a core competency in certain Microsoft systems and networks. Companies with specific strengths in the marketplace, such as data storage or the development of accounting applications, can be said to have a core competency in that area. The core part of the term indicates that the individual has a strong basis from which to gain the additional competence to do a specific job or that a company has a strong basis from which to develop additional products.
3.这是一种把具体的商务任务（分类为前台任务或者后台任务）外包给一个服务提供商的做法。
答案：商务流程外包（Business process outsourcing）
商务流程外包是把工资单等具体的商务任务外包给第三方服务提供商的做法。一般来说，商务流程外包对于一家公司的非核心业务来说是一种节省开支的做法。商务流程外包通常分为两种类型：包括记账或者采购的内部商务功能的后台外包；包括市场营销或者技术支持的与客户有关的前台外包。
外包给国外的商务流程外包一般称作离岸外包。外包给邻国的商务流程外包一般称作近岸外包。外包给公司自己国家的商务流程外包一般称作在岸外包。
business process outsourcing
- Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the contracting of a specific business task, such as payroll, to a third-party service provider. Usually, BPO is implemented as a cost-saving measure for tasks that a company requires but does not depend upon to maintain their position in the marketplace. BPO is often divided into two categories: back office outsourcing which includes internal business functions such as billing or purchasing, and front office outsourcing which includes customer-related services such as marketing or tech support.
BPO that is contracted outside a company's own country is sometimes called offshore outsourcing. BPO that is contracted to a company's neighboring country is sometimes called nearshore outsourcing, and BPO that is contracted with the company's own county is sometimes called onshore outsourcing.
4.有时候被当作衡量管理效率的一般标准。这是一个金融词汇，用于衡量花费了一笔资金后获得的利润或节省的成本。
答案：投资回报（ROI）
对于企业中指定的资金使用，投资回报是指它实现了多少利润或者节约了多少成本。投资回报计算有时候与其它方法一起使用以便为指定的建议制定一个商务实例。一个企业整个的投资回报有时候用于指导企业管理。
如果一个企业有增加市场份额、建立基础设施、待价而沽等直接的目标，投资回报的衡量标准是实现了其中的一个或者更多的目标，而不是直接的利润或者所节省成本。
ROI
- For a given use of money in an enterprise, the ROI (return on investment) is how much profit or cost saving is realized. An ROI calculation is sometimes used along with other approaches to develop a business case for a given proposal. The overall ROI for an enterprise is sometimes used as a way to grade how well a company is managed.
If an enterprise has immediate objectives of getting market revenue share, building infrastructure, positioning itself for sale, or other objectives, a return on investment might be measured in terms of meeting one or more of these objectives rather than in immediate profit or cost saving.
5.为这些客户服务的客户服务代理可能在全球的任何一个地方工作，而不是在他的雇主所在的地方工作。
答案：虚拟呼叫中心（Virtual call center）
虚拟呼叫中心是机构的代表在地理上比较分散的、不在这个机构的办公楼里的工作站中的呼叫中心。虚拟呼叫中心的雇员也许分成小组在许多小的中心工作，或者这些雇员经常在家里工作。这对许多雇员来说是一个诱人的工作安排：工作时间通常是灵活的，不需要着装规范和通勤。对于机构来说，虚拟呼叫中心模式节省了房间和设备成本，减少了雇员的转置率。转置率在一般的呼叫中心是很高的。
转换到虚拟呼叫中心模式有许多好处。例如，My Twinn（一家高端玩具娃娃厂商）在2000年采用了虚拟呼叫中心模式。那一年，30%以上的查询电话转化为了订单，雇员转置率下降了88%，需要转到上一级的电话（由更高一级的雇员接听的）比1999年下降了90%。对于那些季节性比较强的公司来说，虚拟模式还意味着这些公司不必整年保持庞大的设施。例如，My Twinn在繁忙的圣诞节期间需要400个客户支持雇员。但是，在一年中的其余时间里，大约25个客户支持雇员就够了。
要显示出专业性和提高客户的信心，甚至砖和水泥的呼叫中心也试图向客户展示机构的虚拟办公室。拨打客户服务或者技术支持电话号码的客户感觉他们的电话接到了这个机构的一个部门，实际上，这个电话可能接到了把技术支持外包给几个不同机构的公司。在虚拟呼叫中心的案例中，客户的印象可能更加虚幻，因为这个电话可能接到一位呆在家里的家长的厨房或者一个大学生的宿舍里。
virtual call center
- A virtual call center is a call center in which the organization's representatives are geographically dispersed, rather than being situated at work stations in a building operated by the organization. Virtual call center employees may be situated in groups in a number of smaller centers, but most often they work from their own homes. This is an attractive arrangement for many employees: the hours are often flexible, and there's no dress code or commute. For the organization, the virtual call center model saves housing and equipment costs and can lead to lower employee turnover rates, which tend to be high for physical call centers.
Switching to a virtual call center model can be very beneficial. One example: My Twinn (a high-end doll manufacturer) went to a virtual model in 2000. That year, 30% more inquiry calls were converted to orders, employee turnover decreased 88%, and 90% fewer calls had to be escalated (transferred to a higher-level employee), compared to 1999. For companies whose business is highly seasonal, the virtual model also means that they don't have to maintain large facilities year-round. My Twinn, for example, requires over 400 customer support employees in their busy Christmas season, but only about 25 the rest of the year.
To appear professional and increase customer confidence, even bricks and mortar call centers attempt to present customers with a virtual representation of an organization's offices. The customer, dialing a customer service or technical support number, is given the impression that their call reaches a physical department within the organization, when in fact, it is likely to reach a company that outsources support for several different organizations. In the case of the virtual call center the customer's impression is even more illusory, as the number is quite likely to reach the kitchen of a stay-at-home parent, or the dorm room of a university student.
6.这是一个自动的程序，设法提供与一个客户服务代表为一个机构提供的相同的服务。
答案：虚拟代理（Virtual agent）
1）在客户关系管理中，虚拟代理（有时称作智能虚拟代理、虚拟代表）是一个聊天机器人程序，能够充当一个机构的在线客户服务代表。由于虚拟代理有人类的面孔和恰当地回答客户的问题，它们能像人员服务一样提供自动的交流。把人工智能与图形代表结合起来，虚拟代理越来越多地应用在CRM中以帮助人们完成查找信息、下订单和订膳宿等任务。客户对应用虚拟代理的反应基本上是积极的。一般来说，人们与虚拟代理的谈话时间要比同真人谈话的时间长一些，也许是因为与会回答问题的人性化的计算机谈话很新颖。虚拟代理一般都编辑了许多脚本能够回答广泛的问题和发表评论。例如，虚拟代理偶尔会接到结婚的建议。如果客户对脚本式的答复感到困惑而说话粗鲁，虚拟代理就会像人一样失去耐心。例如，当一个客户说虚拟代理是傻瓜时，这个虚拟代理可能的回答之一是：我是一个无生命的物体。你在侮辱一个无生命的物体。我们之中哪一个更适合韦伯斯特字典中愚蠢的定义？
据虚拟代理提供商eGain公司称，一个自动的代表能够减少技术支持成本，鼓励自助服务，鼓励客户忠诚并且可以成为企业的品牌工具。
2）虚拟代理还指在互联网上工作的人类代理。这些代理的工作地点与雇主的位置相距较远。
virtual agent
- 1) In customer relationship management (CRM), a virtual agent (sometimes called an intelligent virtual agent, virtual rep or v-rep) is a chatterbot program that serves as an online customer service representative for an organization. Because virtual agents have a human appearance and respond appropriately to customer questions, they lend automated interactions a semblance of personal service. Combining artificial intelligence (AI) with a graphical representation, virtual agents are increasingly used in CRM to help people perform tasks such as locating information or placing orders and making reservations.
Customer response to the use of virtual agents has been largely positive. Typically, people talk to a virtual agent longer than they do to an actual person, perhaps because talking to a responsive, personalized computer program is a novelty. Virtual agents are usually scripted to respond to a wide variety of questions and remarks. (For example, they occasionally receive proposals of marriage.) If a customer becomes frustrated by the scripted responses and is rude, a virtual agent, like its human counterpart, may appear to lose its patience. For instance, when a customer calls a virtual agent stupid, one of the possible responses is: "I'm an inanimate object. You're hurling insults at an inanimate object. Which one of us is more likely to fit Webster's definition of stupid?"
According to eGain, a virtual agent provider, an automated representative can reduce support costs, encourage self-service, encourage customer loyalty, and serve as a branding tool for the enterprise.
2) Virtual agent is also used to refer to a human agent who works over the Internet at some distance from the employer's organization.
7.这种类型的外包公司为其它公司提供存储空间和相关的管理职责，如备份和存档等。
答案：存储服务提供商（Storage service provider）
在互联网上，存储服务提供商是向其它公司提供计算机存储空间和相关的管理的公司。除了存储本身之外，存储服务提供商还提供定期的备份和存档，某些公司还提供把多家公司位置的数据整合在一起的能力，这样所有地点都可以高效率地共享这些数据。客户可以按月付费或者按照存储的数据量付费。两家主要的存储服务提供商是StorageNetworks公司和Managed Storage International。
有些公司专门向个人计算机用户或者小企业提供限定的存储服务，如定期的远程备份等。
storage service provider
- Also see two related terms, application service provider and management service provider.
On the Internet, a storage service provider (SSP) is a company that provides computer storage space and related management to other companies. In addition to the storage itself, SSPs typically offer periodic backup and archiving and some offer the ability to consolidate data from multiple company locations so that all locations can share the data effectively. Customers may be billed a monthly rate and for each managed terabyte of storage. Two leading SSP companies are StorageNetworks and Managed Storage International.
Some companies specialize in providing limited storage service, such as periodic remote backup, to individual computer users and small businesses.
8.通过IP和公共电信系统，这种类型的网络把一家公司的内部网延伸到供应商、厂商、合作伙伴、客户或者其它公司。
答案：外部网（Extranet）
外部网是一种使用互联网技术和公共电信系统与供应商、厂商、合作伙伴、客户或者其它企业安全地共享企业信息或者其它经营信息的专用网络。外部网可以看作是企业内部网络的一部分，是内部网扩大到了公司外部的用户。人们一直把外部网描绘成一种心态”。内部网被看作是以这种心态与其它公司做生意和向客户出售产品的一种方式。
外部网需要安全和隐私。这包括防火墙服务器管理、发放和使用数字证书或者类似的用户身份识别、加密信息和使用像隧道一样穿过公共网络的虚拟专用网（VPN）。
企业可以使用外部网从事如下工作：
·交换大量的使用电子数据交换（EDI）的数据。
·与批发商或者参与交易的那些人独家共享产品目录。
·在联合开发方面与其它公司进行协作。
·与其它公司一起开发和使用培训计划。
·提供或者访问一家公司向一群公司提供的服务，如一家公司代表关联的银行管理的在线银行应用程序等。
·与合作伙伴公司独家共享共同关心的新闻。
extranet
- An extranet is a private network that uses Internet technology and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company. It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to sell products to customers.
An extranet requires security and privacy. These can include firewall server management, the issuance and use of digital certificates or similar means of user authentication, encryption of messages, and the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) that tunnel through the public network.
9.通过把直接和间接的成本以及可量化的利润结合在一起，这种计算能够创建一次采购的实际成本的现实的预测。
答案：总拥有成本（Total cost of ownership）
总拥有成本（TCO）是旨在帮助客户和企业经理人评估采购任何IT组件的直接和间接成本以及相关利益的一种计算方法。其目的是得到一个最终的数字，反映采购的有效成本和考虑到的所有事情。当你决定购买一台计算机的时候，你可以考虑进行一次总拥有成本分析。例如，一台高端计算机的更高的成本价格也许是一种考虑的因素，但是，你还必须考虑增加维修成本和早期更换的廉价品牌的采购成本。
总拥有成本分析是Gartner Group几年前开始最先使用的，并且从那开始发展了许多不同的方法和软件工具。总拥有成本分析对任何采购的扩展成本进行计算，这称作全面负担的成本。对于消费者购买一台计算机来说，这个全面负担成本可能包括采购、维修、保养和升级的成本。对于企业购买一台计算机来说，这个全面负担成本还包括服务和技术支持、网络、安全、用户培训和软件许可证等成本。总拥有成本要与总拥有利益（TBO）进行比较以确定这个采购的可行性。
TCO
- TCO (total cost of ownership) is a type of calculation designed to help consumers and enterprise managers assess both direct and indirect costs and benefits related to the purchase of any IT component. The intention is to arrive at a final figure that will reflect the effective cost of purchase, all things considered. When you decide to buy a computer you may go through a TCO analysis: for example, the greater cost price of a high-end computer might be one consideration, but one that would have to be balanced by adding likely repair costs and earlier replacement to the purchase cost of the bargain brand.
TCO analysis originated with the Gartner Group several years ago and has since been developed in a number of different methodologies and software tools. TCO analysis performs calculations on extended costs for any purchase - these are called fully burdened costs. For the consumer's purchase of a computer, the fully burdened cost may include costs of purchase, repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. For the business purchase of a computer, the fully burdened costs can also include such things as service and support, networking, security, user training, and software licensing. The TCO has to be compared to the total benefits of ownership (TBO) to determine the viability of the purchase.
10.有些时候称作apps-on-tap”，这类解决方案提供应用程序和服务的访问，这些应用程序和服务本应该是在你自己的计算机中的。
答案：应用服务提供商（Application service provider）
应用服务提供商（ASP）提供访问在互联网上的应用程序和相关的服务的公司。这些应用程序和相关的服务本应该在他们自己的个人计算机或者企业计算机中的。应用服务提供商有时候称作apps-on-tap”。应用服务提供商预计要成为一种重要的替代的公司，不仅服务于IT预算较少的小企业，而且还要作为一种外包模式服务于大型企业并且为个人提供许多服务。早期的应用包括：
·为大型企业提供的远程接入服务。
·移动用户可以连接的住宅外的局域网，配置统一的文件服务器。
·专用的应用程序。这种应用程序在你自己的公司或者在你自己的计算机上安装和维护是很昂贵的。
惠普、SAP和Qwest等公司已经组建了提供ASP服务的第一个主要的联盟。他们计划把SAP流行的R/3应用程序提供给网络中心。网络中心将把这个应用程序提供给其它企业。微软将允许某些公司以租赁或者按使用收费等方式提供其BackOffice产品，包括SQL Server、Exchange和Windows NT Server。
虽然应用服务提供商预计将按照使用收费或者按年度许可证收费等模式向小企业和个人提供应用程序和服务，但是，大型企业都在内部提供自己的这种服务，把应用程序从个人计算机转移到专用的服务器上。这种服务器可以处理简装的瘦客户工作站。这种做法能够让企业重新说明集中管理应用程序的成本和管理企业过去在计算机出现之前的那段时间的应用。微软的终端服务器产品和Citrix公司的WinFrame产品在瘦客户机应用服务器产品中处于领先的地位。
application service provider
-ASP is also an abbreviation for Active Server Page.
An application service provider (ASP) is a company that offers individuals or enterprises access over the Internet to applications and related services that would otherwise have to be located in their own personal or enterprise computers. Sometimes referred to as "apps-on-tap," ASP services are expected to become an important alternative, not only for smaller companies with low budgets for information technology, but also for larger companies as a form of outsourcing and for many services for individuals as well. Early applications include:
remote access serving for the users of an enterprise
An off-premises local area network to which mobile users can be connected, with a common file server
Specialized applications that would be expensive to install and maintain within your own company or on your own computer
Hewlett-Packard, SAP, and Qwest have formed one of the first major alliances for providing ASP services. They plan to make SAP's popular R/3 applications available at "cybercenters" that will serve the applications to other companies. Microsoft is allowing some companies to offer its BackOffice products, including SQL Server, Exchange and Windows NT Server on a rental, pay-as-you-use basis.
While ASPs are forecast to provide applications and services to small enterprises and individuals on a pay-per-use or yearly license basis, larger corporations are essentially providing their own ASP service in-house, moving applications off personal computers and putting them on a special kind of application server that is designed to handle the stripped-down kind of thin client workstation. This allows an enterprise to reassert the central control over application cost and usage that corporations formerly had in the period prior to the advent of the PC. Microsoft's terminal server product and Citrix's WinFrame products are leading thin-client application server products.
