As the traditional phone-based call center
morphs into a multimedia-based customer contact center able to support
multiple contact points whether they be phone or through the
Internet there is a growing demand for products that can provide a
painless migration path from the old to the new, without disrupting
existing contact functions or causing a loss of existing (and significant)
technology investments. Cisco recently
made a couple of announcements involving its ICM software and Java client
that have given multimedia contact centers a bit of a jolt, and I decided
to use this months column space to discuss these announcements.
Cisco has introduced the latest version of its Java client for CTI
desktop applications in the Cisco ICM software environment what the
company is calling an ultra-thin client that allows complete
browser-based deployment of agent desktop functionality. This client
includes screen pop and soft phone features across multiple PC-based
operating systems. In essence, Cisco is allowing customers to create an
IP-based contact center architecture on top of their existing TDM-based
CTI investments.
THE FINEST OF BLENDS
Ciscos ICM software helps manage voice and data distribution across
enterprise networks and offers an integrated suite of intelligent contact
management capabilities that support customer interaction via telephone,
Web, fax, and e-mail across a heterogeneous network of automatic call
distributor (ACD), interactive voice response (IVR), database, and desktop
applications. The Cisco platform also enables an organization to deploy a
complete network-to-desktop CTI strategy by providing call-event and
customer-profile information to a targeted agent desktop. ICM solutions
are available for both single-site and multi-site contact center
deployments.
CHOSE YOUR FLAVOR
As customers increasingly embrace network-based computing, Java enables
application developers to write a single program that can be run on
multiple platforms, including UNIX, Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh,
IBM OS/2, and browser-based desktops. The Cisco Java client has been
written in pure Java for easy implementation with no vendor-specific
Java extensions. Specifically, desktop applications written with the Cisco
Java client are supported on any operating system or browser that supports
version 1.1.5+ of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). This flexibility enables
Cisco ICM users to deploy the softwares network-to-desktop CTI
functionality throughout the enterprise as an applet on a browser-enabled
desktop or as an executable in a non-browser environment.
One of the first customers to step up to the ICM plate is JC Penney
Direct Marketing Services, a JC Penney wholly-owned subsidiary that
markets supplemental insurance and an array of membership services. Using
ICMs network-to-desktop capabilities, JC Penney DMS is now segmenting
customers through IVR and database integration, and routing each customer
to the most appropriate answering resource anywhere in the company. The
desktop application, which was designed and developed by a JC Penney
employee in less than five weeks, is designed to automate the
customer-identification and data-retrieval processes.
According to Jeff Camp, VP of customer service at JC Penney DMS, We
installed Cisco desktop functionality in our three call centers, which
employ 850 representatives and process ten million calls annually, in just
three months. It amazed a lot of people here how fast it went in both
in terms of our previous experience with CTI and the size of the
installation. After the ICM systems CTI functionality was implemented,
representative talk time was reduced, on average, by 15 seconds per call.
Looking forward, JC Penney DMS plans to implement additional
caller-segmentation capabilities to further improve and customize the
service experience for each customer. The group is also looking at
integrating Web and e-mail transactions into its call center environment
and Cisco eMail Manager, so that inbound customer contacts whether
they come from e-mail, the Web, or an inbound phone call are managed
completely by the ICM application.
OTHER NEWS
In addition to providing enterprise-class intelligent contact management
software, Cisco also provides network applications management capabilities
to the service provider market. Recently, MCI WorldCom introduced
next-generation intelligent contact management capabilities that it will
offer to its business customers based on Cisco ICM software. The
in-network solution directs each voice contact on a call-by-call basis to
the best qualified agent able to serve the callers needs, no matter
where the agent might be located. This ensures that the customer receives
the best customer service experience possible. MCI WorldComs new
intelligent contact management service marks its debut as a Cisco Powered
Network. |