September 24, 2008
AireSpring's Best Practices for Voice Network UtilizationBy Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor Traditional call centers have changed from the standard live agent answering a phone line to a multi-channel, technologically advanced communication center. While these advanced capabilities help to improve right contacts, first call resolution and other contact center KPIs, the contact center must ensure that it complies with modern standards for call completion and minimum call duration dialing patterns.
A close examination of current calling statistics can enable the contact center to increase productivity and ensure it is compliant with new standards within the telecommunications industry as a whole. To help assist the contact center in these efforts, AireSpring (News - Alert) has published its Best Practices for Voice Network Utilization. This paper begins by outlining for the contact center the proper methods for telemarketing/outbound dialing list maintenance. Such maintenance requires that the contact center start with a fresh list and perform regular hygiene to ensure that the list stays up to date and free of potential bad numbers. To stay compliant with Federal and State DNC Legislation, AireSpring offers DNC compliance via Teleblock, while other vendors also offer solutions to assist in this process. AireSpring offers tips to good list hygiene which include: remove disconnected numbers; remove busy numbers; remove ring no answer; and remove non-standard numbers. By taking these critical steps, the contact center can eliminate wasted time in repeated attempts on invalid numbers. Automatic outbound dialing can provide major benefits to the contact center, but it also has its challenges. For one, the risk of low call completion rates and below threshold minimum call lengths is significant. Calling metrics can be improved by applying tips such as making sure your equipment is not set to hang up on the fourth ring; avoid dialing numbers sequentially; set your equipment to remain connected for at least seven seconds of a completed call; do not set number of alls dialed per second to a number your available staff cannot easily handle; and use “User Busy” or “User here” code as a screening factor. The contact center can also manage response codes when using ISDN/RPI or SIP Trunk Groups. These codes can be used to manage or remove unwanted numbers and improve dialing patterns. Centers can also maximize their performance through optimization techniques for non-ISDN/SIP Trunk Groups. In such a situation, it is preferable to use “E&M Wink” instead of “E&M Immediate” signaling. In addition, by setting the guard timer, the contact center can avoid creating locked channels. Setting SIT Tones ensures dialing equipment is set to receive and interpret SIT Tones so that disconnected numbers can be removed from dialing lists. To learn more about these challenges and how AireSpring can help, click here. INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO West 2008 — the biggest and most comprehensive IP communications event of the year — concluded Thursday in Los Angeles, California. Thousands of attendees flocked to the event for three valuable days of exhibits, conferences and networking opportunities. Mark your calendar now for ITEXPO East 2009, February 2-4, 2009, in sunny Miami, Florida.
Read archived editions of Show Daily eNewsletters from ITEXPO (News - Alert) West 2008 here. See you in February!
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan's articles, please visit her columnist page. Edited by Stefania Viscusi |