In a statement issued today, the Minister for Human Services, Joe Hockey, said the deal would include expansion of Centrelink's speech recognition services, the introduction of so-called "smart outbound dialling systems" and development of mobile text services.
Hockey indicated the speech recognition services would be used to process simple queries from customers, "while ... giving customer service officers more time to manage more complex enquiries".
Telstra will manage more than 1,000 sites nationwide, including the Centrelink Call Network call centre operation.
The introduction of smart outbound dialling systems -- which automatically dial numbers from a list on behalf of an agent -- is expected to allow Centrelink to slash the more than 94 million letters it sends out each year.
Hockey claimed short-message service trials had proven "very popular" with customers and said further development of the medium "may better serve specific groups like students and jobseekers".
HOT gossip!!
The Shire of Corrigin, WA is in political wrangle at the moment regarding the delivery of broadband services into the town. Telstra came into the town last week promising to put in satellite to all residents under HiBIS (DCITA). The town people invited a wireless service provider (also under HiBIS) to present their solution to the town and apparently the town want wireless now. To throw a spanner in the works, Telstra have got wind of this and now claim they are going to put in aDSL (much to the disgust of Corrigins neighbouring and larger town - Merredin), however, the town prefers the wireless solution of the other company. Now there is a big cat fight between the Shire, Chamber of Commerce and residents whom have all called upon the ****istance of the MP for Merredin Mr. Brendan Grylls (here opens another can of worms)to help the town kick Telstra out so they can get their precious wireless network and they have planned a big town meeting on monday night 13th Dec. to discuss their plan of attack.
Dont ask me how i got the Goss.. i have the contact details of the guy from the Chamber of Commerce in Corrigin for you guys to follow this up below:
Mr. Mark Walling
Member of Corrigin Chamber of Commerce
Corrigin, WA
(08)90632028
Good luck and i wouldnt recommend a personal appearance asthings could get ugly if Telstra show up,
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