9. Computer Telephone Integration 9.1. Call centers 9.2. Web contact centers

9.1. Call centers Two solutions for increasing PSTN intelligence Intelligent network (IN) – switches (SSP), SCP (databases plus control programs) Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - network end equipment by computer technology. CTI - utilizing computer intelligence to manage telephone calls The CTI functions: call control, media processing, and customer data management. Call control functions: #Call setup and release-related services such as dialing services and screening services. #Routing-related services such as automatic attendant services and alternative routing services. #Network interfacing services such as tone detection/generation, call setup/release detection, and in-band signaling detection.

CTI functions (Cntd.) Media processing: Customer data management #Voice/fax processing such as voice recording/announcement, voice and fax sending, broadcasting, storing and forwarding. #DTMF (dual tone multi-frequency) digit processing, text-to-speech synthesis and speech recognition (spoken command recognition, speaker verification,…). #Call logging such as on-line recording/monitoring and call accounting. Customer data management #Personal information management for call parties. #Using calling/called identifications to retrieve the calling/called party information from the database #The information contained in the database may include a personal phone book, schedule, customer profiles, billing records, and so on

Simplified model of Call center concept Call centers Simplified model of Call center concept Traditional call centers began evolving decades ago, when call volumes were low and questions were simple and static. Separate call centers were dedicated to specific divisions or product lines, resulting in a proliferation of operational silos. This legacy has resulted in call centers that are centralized, inflexible, and tied to specific locations; impose a lot of fixed overhead; and are very difficult to manage or expand and contract operations as needed.

Call center concept Marketing/up-selling External customer Call Centre Technologies People Process IVR ACD Marketing/up-selling Technical support Product support Service support 7 x 24 support External customer Internal customer Sales Force Support team Back-office Technical staff CTI A well designed call centre will integrate people, process, and technology to improve operational efficiency and maximize the value of the customer relationship for both inbound and outbound contact. Customer data updates, purchase information Call statistics, inquiries, etc. Information Customer history, billing, purchases, value, profile Product & service information, packages, prices Marketing hints, reports, promotions Data Warehouse

Structure of Call center Traditional call centers include an ACD, an IVR system, a CTI system and a number of Agents. The ACD processes each call and routes it to the IVR, or queues it for distribution to an agent. The IVR answers to callers with a series of menu choices. Working in tandem with the IVR and ACD, the CTI system accesses database for caller account information and automatically processes the call without agent intervention. When a caller wants to talk to a live agent, the CTI system provides caller account information to the agent’s desktop just as the call at the agents headset – a true integration of voice and data.

Architecture of the Call center Data Warehouse Customized Agent Desktop Applications by Customer & Call Type Automated Scripting of Call Handling & Wrap-up Flexibility to Add New Products, Services, and Customer Service Opportunities Scripted Cross-Selling Legacy Integration Billing & Meter Reading Direct Access When the voice and data networks are separate, call centers must be built by integrating a traditional PBX with a CRM application—a mammoth undertaking. Consolidating all the silos is also quite a challenge. According to a Gartner recent study, while 64% of all contact centers have more than one location, only about half (52%) of these “multi-site” operations have actually been fully networked into one virtual center. Similarly, the lack of full voice/data convergence has prevented most contact centers from implementing screen pops for the agents, because the cost doing this type of integration in a TDM environment is prohibitive. 10

First and Third Party Call Control CTI configurations LAN PBX Third Party Call Control CTI application, e.g. Call Center (ACD) First Party Call Control CTI application (e.g. Telephone Manager) Call Center Agent CTI Link V.24 ISDN First and Third Party Call Control CTI configurations

Microsoft’s TAPI CTI Architecture for LAN NT CTI server Windows client PBX Server-based CTI applications First Party Call Control applications, e.g. Communication Manager TAPI TAPI Telephone server library Telephone client library TAPI Service TAPI client manager Proprietary TAPI service provider LAN Card CTI Link (int. LAN) LAN Card LAN Card Customer LAN ISDN Microsoft’s TAPI CTI Architecture for LAN

Novell’s TSAPI Architecture Netware CTI server Third Party Call Control CTI applications PBX CTI client TSAPI First Party Call Control CTI applications Telephone server library service provider TSAPI Telephone server library service provider Proprietary PBX protocol converter Telephone server NLM LAN Card CSTA CTI Link (int. LAN) LAN Card LAN Card Customer LAN ISDN Novell’s TSAPI Architecture

9.2. Web contact center

Model of Web contact center Figure depicts an example of a Web-enabled call center utilizing the new generation of server-based technology that is now offered by most call center equipment vendors. PSTN calls must first obtain a trunk (if available), and then arrive at the PSTN server. Under control of the Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) server, calls are connected from the PSTN server to an available agent or placed in queue. The agent services the call, and then terminates the session. IP calls, on the other hand, do not require the presence of an individual trunk for each call. Instead, shared bandwidth access to the Internet is provided for these calls, and IP calls arrive on this access line to the Internet Call server. Under control of the ACD server, calls are connected from the Internet Call server to an available agent or placed in queue. The agent services the call and terminates the session similarly to the PSTN calls. However, the agent and caller can collaborate during the IP call conversation by pushing Web pages to each other.

Simplified model of the Web contact center

The architecture of a Web Contact Center The main services that the web enabled customer contact center provides can be grouped into three categories. Each respective function is outlined as follows [Mys01]: • Self Service – FAQ – Search engine – Natural language processing – Virtual customer representative • Deferred Service – Email – Queued web response – Scheduled callback – Web seminar – Chat session • Assisted service – Interaction with customer service representatives (agents) – Text chat – Voice over web – Video conferencing

Web contact center - main services • Self Service – FAQ – Search engine – Natural language processing – Virtual customer representative • Deferred Service – Email – Queued web response – Scheduled callback – Web seminar – Chat session • Assisted service – Interaction with customer service representatives (agents) – Text chat – Voice over web – Video conferencing

Self service Deferred service Functionalities include FAQ, search engine, streaming video and e-Business front end. Requests initiated by the customer or partner via the company web site will go through the same processes within the system. The web interaction server works as the front end of the interface, since most of the self service functionalities involves dynamic content, the enterprise network would provide back end support. Examples of dynamic content generation include providing sales information through the e-business front end, and searching a knowledge base. Deferred service Functionalities include web callback button, email, voice mail and fax. The motif of deferred service is the capability of time shifting the request. Such a service is scheduled, if possible, to idle agents for better load balancing. In the handling of deferred service, the web interaction server, which is connected to the enterprise network, will provide the customer’s context to the handling agent in a timely fashion. The customer’s context is usually presented in a ‘screen pop’ on the agent’s terminal when she receives a call or otherwise handles the customer request.

Email, voice mail and fax Web callback button Located on the company web page, the customer may click on it and select the type of call he desires to receive, options include call back, Internet voice call, text chat, or web collaboration. He also needs to fill in a form regarding the nature of the call, and the desired time to receive it. The web interaction server then handles the request, and the digital ACD server handles scheduling. Upon the scheduled time of the call, the web interaction server will initiate the contact with the customer via the designated channel. Email, voice mail and fax Although these three channels are dissimilar in their processes, the way that agents handle them is unified. Email and voice mail are both transmitted through the internet, routed and scheduled by the digital ACD server. The difference is that more information can be recognized in the email to facilitate skill based routing. In the non-web enabled call center, fax is handled by an entirely different process, while in the web enabled counterpart fax handling is integrated with email due to the similarity in their nature. Requests of this type will be placed in second priority queue and routed to the appropriate agent based on the required skills.

Assisted service PSTN calls Internet voice calls This type of service requires the exclusive and immediate attention of a human agent, therefore it is the most expensive and is difficult to maintain a certain level of service. The web interaction server will again show ‘screen pops’ of the context of the customer simultaneously when the connection is established. Services in this category include public switched telephone network (PSTN) calls, Internet voice calls, web seminar, IRC seminar and cooperative browsing. PSTN calls A call is initiated by the customer, and reaches the contact center via the PSTN network. The analogue signal is converted to an internet protocol in the gateway. Simple IVR will be used to gather information about the customer and the nature of the call at the gateway. Two pieces of important information are the calling phone number and the caller’s language preferences. Internet voice calls It will be handled in a very similar way as PSTN calls. Should the customer choose this option, she needs to fill in and transmit the nature of call and other information that may assist the handling. A call control applet needs to be downloaded if there isn’t already compatible software installed, which provides the call controls resembling that of a conventional phone. When the call is connected, the digital ACD server will route the call to an appropriate agent as soon as one is available. Context of the caller will be shown in a screen pop on the agent’s computer.

Text chat, text chat master The customer may initiate a text chat session via the call-me button, or he may summon a text chat master during their conversation with each other. It is not uncommon for an adept agent to handle four simultaneous text chat sessions without prolonging the service time of each session. Upon the connection of a delayed text chat session is established by the web interaction server, the relevant context, is displayed in a screen pop on the selected agent’s terminal; related standard scripts are also presented to the agent to help them efficiently answer questions during the session. In the latter case - when an agent is summoned - relevancy is based on the keywords presented in the text chat before the chat master is summoned. IRC seminar This type of seminar is similar to the text chat session, but is open to all customers or partners. The participant needs to enter a web page in the company web site, which presents them an applet that resembles an Internet relay chat (IRC) session, or ‘chat room’ in a postmodern term. The chat master will present his topic, and invite the participant’s involvement. Its form is very similar to a workshop in real life. At the scheduled time the web interaction server will begin the chat session. The responsible agent is then prompted by a screen pop with the appropriate information and deliver the seminar.

Cooperative browsing Web seminar This is one of the most sophisticated and intimated forms of customer interaction enabled by the web contact center. The agent and the customer will brows the company web site in a synchronized browser. The actual steps of the browsing are also guided by a live agent through a text or voice channel simultaneously. Before the collaborative browsing takes place, a connection between the agent and the customer will be established. This may be an Internet/normal voice call/text chat. The customer needs to download a client program. The customer can use the “follow me” function to automatically trace the steps the agent performs. The agent can help the customer to place order or answer question, how to utilize the company web site, or promote related product or services to the customer’s interest. When the customer clicks on “end call”, the session ends. Web seminar This channel is very similar to web collaboration, but the connection is one to many. It is useful as an educational tool to teach the partners or customer how to use the e-business front end. The participant may join into this collaboration at any time.

Queuing model of Contact center

Average Talk Time This is the total number of seconds the caller was connected to an agent. This data is available from the ACD. Average Speed of Answer This is the average time it takes for the call to be picked up by the call center’s ACD. Often this is the number of “rings” before the ACD picks up the call and distributes it either to a live agent or to an IVR. This data is available from the ACD. Average Time in Queue This is equal to the total time in queue to reach an agent divided by the total number of calls answered. This data is available from the ACD. Calls Per Hour This is the average number of calls that an agent handles per hour. This data is available from the ACD. Hold Time This is the average number of seconds that a agent places a customer on hold while trying to find the callers answer. This data is available from the ACD. Agents’ Occupancy This is the average time that a agents in their seat, connected to the ACD, and ready to answer calls as a percent of the total time they are at work. This data is available from the ACD. Adherence to Schedule This is the average time the agent is in their seat as per the work force management schedule.

Unified messaging

Convergence of networks/services/ applications

10. Convergence – Concluding remarks Three types of separate networks are converged to the NGN #PSTN/ISDN - voice #IP network - data #Mobile network - voice Aspects of convergence #Access – all types of media, broadband #Core networks – selection of IP as common transport technology #Services – multimedia (Triple Play) #Terminal devices – multimedia terminals Standardization #ITU-T #IETF #ETSI #3GPP Platforms #NGN (ITU-T) #TISPAN (ETSI) #IMS (3GPP)

Convergence Pyramid