November 1999
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This Months Editors'
Picks:
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PakNetX
11 Red Roof Lane
Salem, NH 03079
Ph: 603-890-6616
www.paknetx.com |
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The new Integrated Contact Center (ICC) from PakNetX is a software solution that allows
companies to easily Web-enable their call centers, while adding customer service
functionality to their existing Web sites. Supporting multiple means of communication, the
ICC allows customers to interact with live customer service representatives through a Web
site. Visitors may click a Connect Me button on the site, and they have the
option of requesting a regular POTS callback, placing a VoIP call directly from the site,
initiating a text chat session with a representative, or placing a POTS call to the
customer service center.
The software supports traditional call center functionality through the PNX Diverse
Media Switch, which allows communication sessions of all media types to be distributed
within the contact center. Sessions are then supported by tools like browser sharing, and
video and data collaboration. The ICC can operate independently, or may be integrated with
a variety of call center systems, and does not require a pre-existing gateway or PBX. It
may be enhanced by the PNX Telephone Interface Module (TIM) or a third-party gateway to
process incoming and outgoing POTS calls.
The ICC may be installed out of the box on Windows NT, and it may also be preinstalled
with a PakNetX server. It can be easily connected to the Internet, as well as the call
centers LAN, allowing service representatives to accept calls on their desktops, or
through a phone if the software is connected to the TIM or a gateway. The ICC may also be
integrated with major CSTA-based CTI applications, for connectivity to back-office
systems.
Traditional call center features, powered by the Diverse Media Switch, include call
management and control through conferencing, hold/retrieve functions, transfer, three-way
calling, manager monitoring, and barge-in functionality. Additional features include the
ability to play audio, video, and multimedia messages for customers on hold, as well as
instant messaging using the H.323 protocol. This provides opportunities for up-selling or
cross-selling while customers are in the queue, waiting for agents. For additional
information, visit PakNetXs Web site at www.paknetx.com.
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CosmoCom, Inc.
300 Wheeler Rd.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Ph: 516-851-0100
www.cosmocom.com |
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The new version of CosmoComs Web-enabled call center software, the CosmoCall
Universe, is a multimedia, multi-channel interaction center product, offering high
availability and automatic distribution intelligence. The software may be scaled across
multiple servers, and distributed intelligence enables up to 8,000 agents to handle 50,000
simultaneous calls or messages, for an average of 200 call arrivals per second.
The CosmoCall Universe features fault tolerance, hot swappability, N+1 server
redundancy, and high availability for above-average performance standards. A clustered
server fail-over architecture, along with a T1 digital interface, add to the ruggedness of
this automatic call distributor (ACD) solution. Other interfaces and standards supported
include E1 and Euro ISDN, H.323 compliance for voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications, and
interactive voice response (IVR) support.
Management of the Universe is easy with a virtually unlimited number of queues, skills,
priorities, and agent groups, as well as links among groups and queues. The software may
be managed through remote administration and backup, through industry-standard scripting
languages. Administrators may set up application-specific configuration and customization,
and can receive real-time statistics and reporting. Application integration may also be
set up via COM+ components.
Other features of the Universe include an improved user interface for administrators,
and a variety of functions for supervisors, including telephone and chat coaching, silent
monitoring, barge-in, remote management, team objects, and browser-based historical
reports. Enhancements for agents include lower bandwidth usage for remote agents,
autocomplete functionality, replaceable parameters, and URLs for canned phrases, wrap-up
and unavailable reason codes, and configurable icon bars. Security features include MSMQ
for communication transport, and HTTPS and SSL for secure caller data communications.
Browser embedded video for callers is also included in this new version. For more
information, visit the CosmoCom Web site at www.cosmocom.com.
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ITXC Corp.
600 College Rd. East
Princeton, NJ 08540
Ph: 609-419-1500
www.itxc.com |
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ITXCs new Borderless800 service allows carriers and resellers outside the United
States to offer subscribers free or low-cost access to U.S. 800, 888, and 877 numbers
through phone-to-phone and fax-to-fax connections. Callers can reach these numbers through
a standard phone, and do not need a computer to make the connection. In addition to
reducing costs for customers, the service eliminates the special dialing instructions
usually required with the Universal International Freephone Numbering (UIFN) system, and
the expense of the International Toll-Free Service (ITFS).
The offering allows companies with toll-free numbers advertised nationally to broaden
their reach into international markets. Affiliates of ITXC throughout the world also have
the ability to offer toll-free calling within their own countries now, and other carriers
and resellers on the ITXC.net affiliate network will also be able to access those numbers.
Additional benefits of the new service include expansion of traffic while complementing
Web-based selling. Individuals with 8XX telephone and pager numbers will also benefit from
the new service.
ITXCs WweXchange service offers wholesale call completion to any phone in the
world over IP and the PSTN network. Carriers, ISPs, and Internet telephony service
providers (ITSPs) are part of the companys affiliate network, ITXC.net. It operates
in 73 cities, 35 countries, and offers 118 points of presence (PoPs). For additional
information, visit ITXCs Web site at www.itxc.com |
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