remotely log in to the contact center system, which then routes calls and messages to them. These are called virtual call centers. Many firms establish virtual call centers to save on real estate, furniture, and utility expenses. Contact center systems are offered by almost all VoIP manufacturers as well as providers such as software developer Aspect which offers it independently of the tele- phone system. Contact Center Staffing and Self-Service Transactions Contact centers are under increasing pressure to increase staff productivity, justify the number of agents hired, and improve the quality of customer service to attract and retain customers. Initially companies in the United States and Europe outsourced their centers to Latin America, India, the Philippines, and other countries with lower labor rates. Many of these companies have now closed or cut back on staffing levels in these remote areas, as well. It's a particular challenge to improve customer service when cutting labor expenses by using fewer agents. To respond to customers without adding staff members, companies are deploying technologies, such as automatic and written responses to e-mail, speech recognition, web-based sales, online forums, and chats. The practice of customers completing trans- actions without speaking with an agent is referred to as self-service. Some companies Value-Added Applications for Telephone Systems operate their sales function almost entirely on the Web. And, of course, Amazon and Dell built their entire business models around the Web. Many of these web-based businesses are well regarded for their customer service, even though they don't actually involve any human contact. Moreover, many consum- ers prefer self-service on the Web over having to listening to long, automated menus and waiting in phone queues. Others conduct business mainly on the Web but do have provisions for live help. For example, direct sales of Google's Android-based Nexus One phone was initially handled entirely on the Web. However, the company formed a