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OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract] |
OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | (1) OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Overview TeleTech Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“TeleTech” or the “Company”) is a geographically diverse global provider of technology-enabled, fully-integrated customer engagement management solutions for Global 1000 clients and their customers. A global provider of analytics-driven, technology-enabled business process outsourcing, technology integration, consulting and customer management, and hosted and managed technology services. TeleTech's 41,000 employees serve clients in the automotive, communication, financial services, government, healthcare, logistics, media and entertainment, retail, technology, transportation and travel industries via operations in the U.S., Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Basis of Presentation The Consolidated Financial Statements are comprised of the accounts of TeleTech, its wholly owned subsidiaries, its 55% equity owned subsidiary Percepta, LLC, its 80% interest in iKnowtion, LLC, and its 80% interest in Peppers & Rogers Group through the third quarter of 2013 when the final 20% interest was repurchased (see additional information in Note 2). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts for 2012 have been reclassified in the Consolidated Financial Statements to conform to the 2013 presentation. Use of Estimates The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates its estimates including those related to derivatives and hedging activities, income taxes including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, self-insurance reserves, litigation reserves, restructuring reserves, allowance for doubtful accounts, and valuation of goodwill, long-lived and intangible assets. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. In the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recorded a change in estimate which resulted in a decrease of $4.6 million to employee related expenses in connection with an authoritative ruling in Spain related to the legally required cost of living adjustment for employees' salaries for the year 2010, 2011 and 2012. Concentration of Credit Risk The Company is exposed to credit risk in the normal course of business, primarily related to accounts receivable and derivative instruments. Historically, the losses related to credit risk have been immaterial. The Company regularly monitors its credit risk to mitigate the possibility of current and future exposures resulting in a loss. The Company evaluates the creditworthiness of its clients prior to entering into an agreement to provide services and as necessary through the life of the client relationship. The Company does not believe it is exposed to more than a nominal amount of credit risk in its derivative hedging activities, as the Company diversifies its activities across six well-capitalized, investment-grade financial institutions. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair values of cash equivalents and accounts receivable and payable approximate the carrying amounts because of their short-term nature. Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers all cash and highly liquid short-term investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents. The Company manages a centralized global treasury function in the United States with a focus on concentrating and safeguarding its global cash and cash equivalent s. While the majority of the Company's cash is held offshore, the Company prefers to hold U.S. Dollars in addition to the local currencies of the foreign subsidiaries. The Company believes that it has effectively mitigated and managed its risk relating to its global cash through its cash management practices, banking partners, and utilization of diversified, high quality investments. However, the Company can provide no assurances that it will not sustain losses. Accounts Receivable An allowance for doubtful accounts is determined based on the aging of the Company's accounts receivable, historical experience, client financial condition, and management judgment. The Company writes off accounts receivable against the allowance when the Company determines a balance is uncollectible. Derivatives The Company enters into foreign exchange forward and option contracts to reduce its exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations that are associated with forecasted revenue earned in foreign locations. The Company also enters into interest rate derivatives which consist of interest rate swaps to reduce the Company's exposure to interest rate fluctuations associated with its variable rate debt. Upon proper qualification, these contracts are designated as cash flow hedges under current accounting standards. The Company formally documents at the inception of the hedge all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedging activities. All derivative financial instruments are reported at fair value and recorded in Other assets and Other liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. Changes in fair value of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a component of Stockholders' Equity, to the extent they are deemed effective. Ineffectiveness is measured based on the change in fair value of the forward contracts and the fair value of the hypothetical derivatives with terms that match the critical terms of the risk being hedged. Based on the criteria established by current accounting standards, the Company's cash flow hedge contracts are deemed to be highly effective. Any realized gains or losses resulting from the foreign currency cash flow hedges are recognized together with the hedged transaction within Revenue. Any realized gains or losses from the interest rate swaps are recognized in interest income (expense). Gains and losses from the settlements of the Company's net investment hedges remain in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until partial or complete liquidation of the applicable net investment. The Company also enters into fair value derivative contracts that hedge against foreign currency exchange gains and losses primarily associated with short-term payables and receivables. Changes in the fair value of derivative instruments designated as fair value hedges affect the carrying value of the asset or liability hedged, with changes in both the derivative instrument and the hedged asset or liability being recognized in Other income (expense), net in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. In addition to hedging activities, the Company has embedded derivatives in certain foreign lease contracts. The Company bifurcates and calculates the fair values of the embedded derivative feature from the host contract with any changes in fair value of the embedded derivatives recognized in Cost of services. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Maintenance, repairs and minor renewals are expensed as incurred. Depreciation and amortization are computed on the straight-line method based on the following estimated useful lives:
Building | 25 years
Computer equipment and software | 3 to 5 years
Telephone equipment | 4 to 7 years
Furniture and fixtures | 5 years
Leasehold improvements | Lesser of economic useful life (typically 10 years)
| or original lease term
Other | 3 to 7 years
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2013, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that improves the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. This new guidance requires entities to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income when applicable or to cross-reference the reclassifications with other disclosures that provide additional detail about the reclassifications made when the reclassifications are not made to net income. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or cash flows since it is an enhancement to current required disclosures.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592 + Details
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