New software is allowing companies to monitor customer service calls more closely and be sure that their employees are not playing computer games, job hunting or surfing the web instead of helping customers. Employers have been able to record calls for years, but the new programs work at a much faster rate and can be programmed to key in on certain words and keep track of call times and origins. Sales of call monitoring software reached $323 million last year, up 16 percent from 2001.
See "Customer service calls monitored more closely", Jeffrey Gold, Chicago Tribune, August 24, 2003