Call Center Software

Call center software provider Zeacom has officially announced availability the Zeacom (News - Alert) Gateway for Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS).



This new gateway is geared for small to medium sized businesses which have deployed Zeacom Communications Center -- either in the contact center or company-wide -- but which desire certain unified communications features or capabilities delivered through Microsoft OCS. Think of it as a faster, simpler and more affordable migration path to unified communications company-wide, using existing equipment and software.

For example, a company which has deployed ZCC only in its contact center (perhaps running it on Avaya (News - Alert) hardware) can deploy Microsoft OCS in other departments and then integrate the two systems. This allows certain OCS features to be extended into ZCC -- or vice versa. As such, it allows companies to “mix and match” the features and capabilities of the two systems -- whether it be presence, conferencing, mobility, single-click access to voicemail, or process automation. What’s more, you can customize the UC features and functionality available to each department or user in your organization.

The integration of the two systems is ideal for facilitating the “informal contact center,” which is where phone calls and other contacts can be routed to certain “knowledge workers” who work outside of the contact center.

Through integration of the two systems, call center agents can leverage “presence,” which is the ability to view the availability status of other users on the network, including users outside of the main office or on mobile devices. So, for example, if an agent needs to escalate a call to an “expert” outside of the main center, they can quickly view the availability status of other knowledge workers and transfer the call to the one who is “available.” This, in turn, speeds service levels, improves first call resolution and boosts customer satisfaction.

 

“Zeacom and Microsoft – through the Zeacom Gateway (News - Alert) for Microsoft OCS – form the perfect marriage of cost-effectiveness and communications for today’s small business,” said Zeacom President Ernie Wallerstein (News - Alert), in a release. “Zeacom software empowers enterprises to maximize the investment value in their current telephony infrastructure and equipment, and provides them with the essential communications tools that are presently missing in their communications framework. By leveraging Zeacom Gateway for Microsoft OCS, employees instantly gain access to the most advanced unified communications solutions available. We provide users with the simple access to OCS; with Zeacom, users have the seamless, integrated access to manage their desktop phone via OCS.”

This new gateway will be of interest to organizations that need more than just a generic “one size fits all” Communicator client. Specialized tools are required for complex networks and call configurations, communications-enabled business processes, contact centers, operators and other key business functions.

It will also be of interest to companies looking to maximize the investment in their current telephony infrastructure and equipment, as it will enable them to cost effectively extend the phone system’s basic operation to the PC desktop, and provides the essential UC tools that are missing in the communications framework. Thus it eliminates the need to rip out or replace existing telephone system in order to achieve the latest and greatest UC functionality.

In November, market research firm Aberdeen (News - Alert) Group released a report concluding what many UC solutions providers have been stating for years: That UC does deliver measurable business value.

The report, 'Unified Communications: Gaining a Competitive Advantage While on the Move,' claims that 79 percent of companies surveyed achieved a break-even return on their UC investment within the first 12 months. The savings was realized by streamlining internal and external communications, maximizing telecom spend, increasing productivity through improved collaboration, and reducing customer churn through increased customer responsiveness.

This was one of the first research reports to confirm the return on investment for UC systems in terms of their “productivity-enhancing” capabilities, which are often difficult to measure.

Zeacom announced the gateway in November but didn’t officially announce its availability until this month. To learn more about this solution, click here.