Book excerpt: Companies looking for a competitive edge must convert their reactive, cost-laden contact programs into proactive, revenue-generating, "real-time" contact centres. Real-time is a big "buzzword" in the customer service field right now, and this book offers real, practical strategies for turning the call centre into a real-time operation that generates profits. These centres provide an outstanding customer experience, enhance loyalty, create new revenue, reduce expenses, and streamline the flow of information between the center and the rest of the company. "The Real-Time Contact Center" shows how to implement one.