[January 25, 2000]

SYMON Communications Unveils SideBar Real-Time Messaging System For Call Centers

Contact center solutions provider SYMON Communications, Inc. announced SideBar, a real-time messaging application designed to enhance communication between contact center supervisors and agents.

Tailored for the specific needs of contact centers, SideBar is an efficient way to notify staff of events, distribute information, ask questions, or generate an instant online meeting with the purpose of positively impacting the customer experience.

“In the fast-paced call center environment, e-mail often can’t do the job,” said Chuck Odom, President of SYMON Communications, Inc. “There’s a lag time in delivery of e-mail that can prevent supervisors from communicating instant alerts, or getting the immediate answer they need to a situation or problem.

SideBar is designed to provide the best method for staying in complete contact with as many people as required. It’s a real-time, full-featured solution that facilitates a quicker flow of information, making any contact center more responsive and efficient,” he added.

SideBar message notification can be set up to appear in several different ways, including as a screen pop on top of any application, via an audible tone, or through a graphic which appears at the bottom of the screen or in the tool tray. The system differs from generic instant messaging solutions in that it runs on a company’s Intranet versus the Internet and supervisors maintain complete control over all messages being sent. Agents cannot send messages or initiate chat sessions with other agents, only with a supervisor.

Multiple forms of messaging are available in the SideBar system, any of which can be sent to individual agents or groups of agents:

• Instant Messages Immediate notification of breaking news events, alerts, or service updates that are instantly displayed in a pop-up window. Instant messages are delivered only if the agent is currently online.
• Real-Time Chat Instant, live online meeting between a supervisor and one or more agents. Real-time chat is a powerful tool for live communication with a supervisor without placing the customer on hold.
• Queued Messages Messages are delivered immediately if the agent is online, otherwise they are stored until the agent logs back into SideBar, ensuring receipt of all messages.
• Predefined Responses A Queued Message can provide the agent with a list of responses from which they can choose a reply. If requested, the agent can also include a text response instead of (or in addition to) a predefined response. The supervisor can maintain and use lists of often-used responses. SideBar will track all the responses for a given message and provide the supervisor with individual replies and summary information.

Supervisors and agents can customize SideBar windows to fit their specific needs. A SideBar window can easily be resized or placed in any section of the screen with the option of setting it to pop-to-top. Calendar and calculator features are also included for convenience.

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