Melita vs Davox

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 The 1980s Showdown: Melita vs. Davox in the Battle for Call Center Technology  

In the 1980s, the call center technology landscape witnessed a fierce battle for market share between inventor Alek Szlam and industry giant Davox. 

This chronological traces the epic journey of Melita International as it took on Davox in a high-stakes competition, ultimately emerging victorious.

Switzerland's San Moritz Summit: The journey began when Mr. Art Warneke extended an invitation to Alek Szlam to demonstrate Melita's solution at San Moritz in Switzerland. 

Over 100 directors from global debt collection centers convened, presenting a rare opportunity. 

Among the attendees, only one other vendor showcased mainframe-based payment processing solutions. 

Alek seized this chance to forge connections with industry leaders, setting the stage for future success.

The Davox Check and Dick Helenberger: Alek Szlam's path crossed with a significant obstacle at CitiCorp St. Louis under the leadership of Dick Helenberger, who oversaw the debt collection center. 

Alek discovered a substantial check ($6,000.000) made out to Davox, signaling a formidable presence. 

Undeterred, Alek embarked on a mission to persuade Dick and his team to choose Melita over Davox, even as he learned of CitiCorp's investment in Davox.

A Presentation That Sealed the Deal: Alek's presentation was a make-or-break moment, and he knew he had to impress the decision-makers. 

After a compelling presentation, Dick's team, comprising approximately eight individuals, expressed interest in Melita's solutions. 

This initial breakthrough led to subsequent reviews and discussions, eventually securing the deal. This partnership also opened doors to further sales opportunities within CitiCorp's U.S. collection centers.

The 35-Hour Odyssey to Singapore: Alek's ambition extended beyond the U.S. to the Asian market. 

He embarked on a grueling 35-hour journey to present to Citicorp's Asia Pacific division. 

However, an unexpected setback occurred when the Asia Pacific Director of Technology couldn't attend due to an emergency. 

Despite the odds, Alek's resilience paid off when the director requested his return, resulting in the successful acquisition of the Asia deal.

Winning Over SIS of Paris, France: Alek Szlam's tenacity was further tested when he met Francis Dubrulle of SIS at a U.S. trade show, discovering Davox's distribution deal. 

Alek swiftly secured a meeting in Paris to present Melita's pioneering digital voice processing platform. 

Davox's testing installation's failure to work with IBM technology propelled Melita to the forefront, saving SIS from potential penalties and establishing a valuable partnership.

The Household Finance Dilemma: The battle against Davox extended to California's Household Finance (HFC), where Alek met the director of collections who had already chosen Davox. 

Alek's innovative solution to optimize agent utilization on the Northern Telecom ACD system turned the tide. 

Melita designed a hardware and software interface that automatically assigned ACD agents to outgoing campaigns when necessary. This innovation addressed HFC's concerns, leading to the deployment of Melita's solutions across three locations, effectively sidelining Davox.

The Birth of Dynamic Inbound/Outbound Call Processing: The success at HFC sparked a groundbreaking concept: 'Dynamic Inbound/Outbound Call Processing. ® ' 

Alek's innovative idea allowed both ACD and telephone system agents to handle various call interactions, with intelligent scripting at PC desktops. 

This revolutionary solution was accepted, paving the way for automated in/out call management and orders from HFC's other locations, effectively displacing Davox.

The battle for supremacy in the call center technology industry during the 1980s was marked by Alek Szlam's unwavering determination and Melita Corporation's innovative solutions. 

Despite the formidable presence of Davox, Melita emerged victorious, leaving a lasting legacy of technological innovation and customer-centric solutions in its wake.