December 1999
THE FUTURE IS CALLING
BY HUGH GOLDSTEIN
Once considered obscure and for hobbyists only, VoIP applications have moved into the
commercial mainstream. Thanks to the maturing of voice technology, the adoption of VoIP in
the e-commerce sector is taking hold in a variety of ways. Add in the Application Service
Provider (ASP) model for enterprise software solutions to the massive boom in online sales
figures, and the conclusion is obvious: global implementation of enterprise IP telephony
services is imminent. And one of the places you will see this technology flourish is in
the call center.
Around the world, leading carriers are now offering or planning to deploy
sophisticated, integrated voice and data solutions for the call center via IP. The
technology makes it possible to offer the best of both worlds to customers: the personal
service of a traditional call center and the rich information and vast market
possibilities of the Web.
To fully appreciate the effect convergence of voice and data networks will have on
e-commerce and telecommunications, it's important to review the historic merging of these
two trends: call centers and the Web.
THAT WAS THEN
The 1980s saw the emergence of the call center phenomenon: customers were offered
unprecedented, around-the-clock access to services via their telephones. The popularity of
toll-free services rapidly exhausted the capacity of the 800 numbering system, requiring
the allocation of new toll-free area codes. The differences in national phone systems also
required a multitude of toll-free numbers for global support, with prices making
international telephone support very expensive.
In the mid-1990s, the Web changed business communications in a decisive way. Web sites
and e-commerce allowed customers to serve themselves from anywhere at any time. Companies
could considerably decrease expenses through automation and increased efficiency.
Early approaches to "Web-enabling" the call center included e-mail support,
Internet relay chat, and PSTN callbacks, which are still very much in practice.
Unfortunately, e-mail is not treated with the same expediency as a voice call. Residential
users with only one PSTN line have to disconnect their modems to try the call center route
for personal assistance. And shoppers who hope to drill down to the details often find
themselves grinding against a brick wall.
Even worse, progress came at a substantial cost: the sacrificing of human touch and
personalized customer service.
THIS IS NOW
Call center managers are entrusted with an organization’s most valuable and
delicate asset: customer relationships. Wise managers would never expose consumers to a
technology in which they themselves do not have complete confidence. So, just where does
the technology stand right now?
Major advances in VoIP areas such as quality, security, standards, and increased
worldwide access have made IP a logical, reliable, and widely accessible service option.
Commercial solutions that support the transmission of VoIP are already widely available,
as are certain applications supporting video and data-sharing over IP. And herein lies the
potential.
Conferencing-type products have been on the consumer market for several years. True, it
would be costly for an enterprise to deploy its own Web-enabled call center. Consumers
would also require additional applications to fully integrate. Still, the sales potential
of a multimedia call center is so great that these impediments may seem less than
daunting.
For the merchant serious about utilizing commercial Web space, technology can provide a
real solution to capturing wider markets, closing further sales, and realizing maximum
return on e-commerce investment. Plus, carriers are beginning to roll out services for
enterprises, eliminating the need for significant up-front investment. Together, these
trends will usher in the future.
THIS IS HOW
Successful IP-based call center systems should be designed to optimize the
efficiency of customer service agents. Simple enough, but it deserves mention because of
its absolute importance.
This requires full integration with legacy ACD, database systems, and CTI middleware.
Full integration allows the call center to link the IP media with the traditional
infrastructure. The agent’s desktop with its relevant customer data can then be
linked with an incoming call from the Web, and call center agents can then assist the
consumer, simultaneously discussing services and merchandise, jointly turning and viewing
Web pages, completing forms and applications, and creating an overall positive,
personalized Internet experience.
Employing such capabilities to combine what consumers like best about online shopping
with what they love most about personalized customer service creates the optimal
commercial environment...for sellers and buyers alike.
The future is calling. It’s time to answer the call.
Hugh Goldstein is director, Surf&Call Centers, VocalTec Communications.
VocalTec Communications develops and markets end-to-end communications solutions for
service providers, corporations, and individuals. For more information, please visit their
Web site at www.vocaltec.com.
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