PRC manages customer relationships for some of the world's leading corporations, with solutions such as inbound-outbound teleservices, e-mail management, and IVR and fulfillment.

The company's domestic operations include subsidiaries Access Direct, an outbound business-to-consumer telesales company and Hancock Information Group, a business-to-business sales process outsourcing company. Headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., PRC employs nearly 10,000 consumer care representatives worldwide.

While at PRC, Rourk has overseen and assisted in the transition to a fully automated call center, including an implementation of SQL Server, an in-house developed CRM application and a Web-enabled call center that ties in to intranet, Internet and extranet applications.

Rourk spoke exclusively with CIO Today about the challenges I.T. leaders face in today's business climate.

CIO Today: What are your top concerns as CIO?

Rourk: First and foremost is making sure that we always deliver the results that the business cares about. The I.T. objectives and the business objectives must be clearly aligned. The CIO and I.T. have to have credibility to the business so that we are part of the team when the solutions are being designed.

CIO Today: Have these priorities changed from five years ago?

Rourk: The position of I.T. within the business has changed within PRC and other businesses in that there is more of a focus on delivering business value. In the past, I.T. might have been considered more as mechanics just responsible for keeping the lights on. Now we find ourselves in the position of engineers helping to architect and design the solutions that are going to deliver the ultimate value to the business.

CIO Today: Is the I.T. department more driven by technology or financial considerations?

Rourk: It's both. It's really driven by the needs of the business. We have a responsibility to our internal customers as well as to our external customers not only to provide the most appropriate technology, but also to do it with a cost-effective solution. We're always weighing the investment against the economic value.

CIO Today: How have new legislative demands affected the I.T. department and the CIO in particular? (continued...)

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