Call Center Virtualization using Network Hosted Solutions

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Call Center Virtualization using Network Hosted
Solutions

• Chuck Weston
• Qwest Communications
• cweston_at_qwest.com

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Voice XML Creates a 3rd Choice for Custom IVR
Solutions

• Brain

• Muscle

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What makes this important?

• Businesses are dealing with improving self
  service and front end call handling processes.
• Workforce competition is driving a need for more
  effective virtual support
• Capital dollars are tough to secure for system
  and infrastructure expansions
• Disaster/Failover capabilities need to be
  available to businesses of all sizes
• Do More with Less!

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What is a Hosted Contact Center?
ACD
Email
Chat

• A network-based service in which
• a service provider owns and operates a
• contact center Technology platform and
• leases its services and features to end-users
• for a monthly or usage-based fee.

IVR
Reporting
Speech Recognition
Notification
Network
Outbound
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Virtualization

• Creates a central Queue
• Utilize Multiple Locations
• Common Reporting
• One Application to Manage
• Mobile and Work at Home
• Manager Control regardless of agent location
• Monitor, Record, Reporting, Modify Routing

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Premise Vs. Hosted

• Enhanced Feature Requirements
• Control of Applications
• Cost

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Current premise Contact Center Technologies were
developed to deliver calls to a Centralized
Workforce and then adapted to support the remote
workforce
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Typical Premise-Based Solution
PSTN
Network Central Office
Network Central Office
SS7
Incoming/Outgoing Trunk Lines
Incoming/Outgoing Trunk Lines
ICR
PBX/ IP PBX
PBX/IP PBX
ACD
ACD
Workforce Management
Inter-office Trunk Lines/IP
IVR
IVR
Workforce Management
Web Interaction Server
CTI Server
CTI Server
Web Interaction Server
E-mail Interaction Server
Predictive Dialer
E-mail Interaction Server
Predictive Dialer

• Overstaffing of Agent Resources
• Inconsistent Reports
• Duplicated, Highly-skilled Personnel

• Inefficient Routing
• Inefficient Trunk Resource Usage
• Duplicate Equipment

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Emerging Software Technology has enabled an
enhanced Virtualization Model
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Typical Data Center Hosted Solution
Network CO
Network CO
Data Ctr. 2
PSTN
Data Ctr. 1
ICR
SS7
Incoming/Outgoing Trunk Lines
PBX IP PBX
PBX IP PBX
IVR
IVR
Inter-office Trunk Lines TDM/IP
ACD
ACD
CTI Server
CTI Server
WFM
WFM
Web Server
Dialer
E-mail Server
Dialer
E-mail Server
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Network Based Solutions allow for combinations of
Network Elements and Contact Center Technologies
to support a truly diverse work environment
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Network Hosted Solution
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Network Redundancy
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Network Based Call Flow
Inbound Call
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Virtualization Benefits

• Increase access to new work pool
• Provides flexible staffing options
• Decreases commute time/effect
• Increases employee satisfaction
• Addresses tough to staff hours
• Remove boundaries for highly skilled resources
• Reduces expenses
• Refocused IT Staff
• Capital vs Expense

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Value comes from the centralized platform

• Provides all-in-one contact center technology
  and leverages the reach of the network.
• Supports multiple call center sites from a single
  platform and location which reduces the need for
  dedicated IT support staff and administration.
• Eliminates duplication of call center technology
  and personnel (ACD, IVR, CTI, Email, web servers,
  predictive dialers, WFM) that typically sustains
  contact centers, which reduces capital expenses.

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Value comes from the network

• True network-to-agent routing can be done
• Eliminates expensive trunking between centers
• Provides easy telework and remote staffing
  alternatives with true virtual call center
  capabilities with a universal view and reporting
• Through a Universal Queue the platform supports
  multi-media contacts in a consolidated system.

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Critical Elements

• Network-based solution.
• Vs. a premises- based, customer (PBX/ACD/IVR)
  solution
• Vs. a data center hosted solution
• Serve multiple locations with one platform.
• Vs. placing a platform at each site
• Vs. additional highly-trained, highly-skilled,
  highly-paid personnel at each site
• Provides a more robust service offering
  redundant hardware with high availability,
  disaster recovery/avoidance, and geographic
  dispersion.
• Vs. simplex equipment that has multiple points
  for possible failures due to the multiple
  platforms adjuncts

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Why hosted services now?

• Market complexities require contact center
  sophistication.
• Contact centers have become multi-channel contact
  centers, an evolution consistent with
  network-based contact center architectures.
• Mergers and acquisitions have created
  difficult-to-manage enterprise call centers on
  geographically dispersed platforms.
• Enterprises require greatly enhanced disaster
  recovery/business continuity capabilities.
• Contact centers face an ongoing need to reduce
  costs, reduce hold time and reduce networking
  costs.

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Network Hosted Solutions do what nobody else can
. . .

• Supports endpoints anywhere and is switch
  agnostic
• Supports flexible disaster recovery architectures
• Provides high availability without burden to end
  customer
• Provides CTI to agents anywhere
• Allows rapid deployment of new features
• Enables fast deployment of new locations
• Provides Bursting and Seasonality flexibility
• Control is available to the customer
• Combines network with high feature rich
  functionality
• Fully Integrated applications
• Make enhanced features cost effective for
  businesses of all sizes

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Bottom Line Value Props for BUYING Network Hosted
Contact Center Solutions

• ROI Turn CapEx into variable OpEx
• Network solutions scale with your business
• New software application allow customer control
  and flexibility
• Enhances reliability/uptime
• Enterprise-wide management via centralized
  reporting
• Quickly add new capabilities, integrate channels
• Leverage existing assets/people more effectively

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Hosted Network Solutions allow you to maintain
control of your business applications and manage
change at your own pace.
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Questions?
Thank You!