Call Center Technology Demystified

Chapter 9

Multimedia: Transitioning from

Call Center to Contact Center
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

“The way we communicate is a function of the devices available 
and the networks we access.”

1950 TODAY

Voice only Multimedia

 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

• Email
– Structured (drop-down boxes, auto-populated fields)
– Free-form
– Not real-time
• Text or Web Chat
– Real-time
– Consideration in efficiencies of key strokes (canned
phrases, etc)
• Web Call
– Traditional voice network or VoIP (rare)
• Web Collaboration
– Can be used with text chat or web calls
– Co-browsing
– Page pushes
– Application collaboration
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9
Email
Option Who is Using It and Why
Email •Email routing and response
systems
•Most companies and
customers have email and
are comfortable with its use
•Many interactions do not
require real-time servicing
•Allows a call center to fill
lower call volume times with
email handling
•Can enable consistent
service (in response time
and answers provided
Issues
• Written communications
from customers may be
unclear and do not permit
automatic responses or
require multiple email
exchanges
•Servicing may take longer
than a phone call
• Grammar and spelling
issues can occur (customer
perception)
• Some companies have
legal or regulatory issues
with written
communications to
customers
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Email Response Management

• Can be simple, such as a group of agents who check a mailbox or
mailboxes
– Works for low volume only
• ERMS (Email Response Mgmt System) – essentially an email ACD
– Can be standalone system or a software module that is part of another
system
• Automatically receives (or retrieves) email and routes and queues contacts
to email agent skill groups. Agents receive a screen pop alarting them to
mail.
• ERMS tracks agent work stats and offers reporting
– Can return auto-acknowledgement msg and tracking number to
sender
– Can analyze To, From, Subject and Message body to route the email to
correct agent group
• Can attempt to auto respond with logic defined from word spotting to
analytics engines
• Can attempt to provide direction and suggested responses to the agents
that they can automatically click to send
• Can be integrated with a company knowledge base system so the agent can
point and click to auto-insert likely response or resolution
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Email Response Management (cont’d)

• Can handle incoming faxes as email attachments (using OCR/ICR
to access knowledge base)
• Responses can be encrypted for privacy purposes
• Reporting modules are similar to those that are seen on a voice
ACD
– Can provide customer with Auto-response
• Auto response for email has typically had a low success rate
• Customers write confusing emails (poor spelling or grammar)
• Customers ask more than one question
• Customers do not provide enough information about themselves
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9
Text Chat
Option Who is Using It and Why
Text Chat •Excellent for tech support
or environments with
downtime in the interaction;
economies of scale by
handling multiple chats
•Allows a customer to
communicate while on the
web without needing an
extra line (who doesn’t have
DSL?)
• Texting from various
devices now more
widespread
Issues
• Need to staff for real-time
response
• Communication can be
slow depending on typing
skills and applicability to
developed “canned phrases”
• Errors in grammar,
spelling and usage in free-
flowing text
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Text Chat
• Active X controls or Java Applets downloaded to a
customer’s PC
• Routing is based on caller and call purpose.
• Software monitors and controls agent work states
• Prepared responses (“canned responses”) add efficiency,
consistency and quality
• Some systems enable agents to handle multiple sessions
simultaneously
– Success is highly dependent on business type
– WFM is challenging due to scheduling algorithms that typically
assume an agent will only handle one contact at a time
• Chat transcripts can be sent to the caller in an email
• Chat transcripts can be automatically or manually copied
into the customer contact record
• Reporting tracks chats, service levels, handle times as in a
voice ACD
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Web call (PSTN)

Option Who is Using It and Why Issues

Web call over traditional • Has been used by dot- • Some customers don’t
PSTN coms, high tech and have a second line (have to
financial services or retailers hang up Web connection to
with a focus on personalized talk)
service
• Allows a customer to
communicate with someone
live to support assisted self-
service
•Good option for companies
that want to offer
personalized service
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Web call (VoIP)

Option Who is Using It and Why Issues

Web call over traditional • Early stages of adoption
PSTN • “Killer app” for Web
integration and collaboration
services
• Most customers do not
have PC configuration
necessary on the PC
(hardware and software))
• QoS
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Web Collaboration
• Can be initiated by the Agent as opposed to a web call
– Caller is uniquely identified on the web site, the web-call
server talks to a CTI server, and the call and PC screen
synchronize
– “Escort” services – the unsolicited contact by the agent;
offering assistance when it appears the customer might need
it.
• Integration with analytics packages
• Business rules that trigger this – e.g., navigation to a specific page
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Other Media

Option Who is Using It and Why Issues

Other Media • Image scans of mail • Routing issues

routed to agents – Skills
• Fax routing • Application integration
• Video calls
• In general, Unified
Communicatiosn

But all these multimedia types require the same five things to 
make them effective … 
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Voice Email Text­Chat

• Management • Management • Management

• Agents • Agents • Agents

• Processes • Processes • Processes

• Routing • Routing • Routing

• Reports • Reports • Reports

Web Calls Fax Scanned Mail

• Management • Management • Management

• Agents • Agents • Agents

• Processes • Processes • Processes

• Routing • Routing • Routing

• Reports • Reports • Reports

 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

• Potentially six different media silos; by using integrated

queuing and routing between the silos we can:
– Use one set of business rules to manage the routing of
contacts
– Create a consistent environment with greater economies of
scale
– Give customers a common experience, regardless of media
– Allow managers and supervisor to use resources more
efficiently
• Results of integrating:
– Improved efficiency by the pooling principle
– Creating consistency in processes, operations, metrics and
service
– Increasing agent satisfaction with diversity of workload, and
additional career paths that may increase agent retention
– Common tools and common (single) set of reports
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Voice Email Text­Chat

• Management • Management • Management

• Agents • Agents • Agents

• Processes • All Media
Processes • Processes
• Management
• Routing • Routing • Routing
• Agents
• Reports • Reports • Reports
• Processes

• Routing
Web Calls Fax Scanned Mail
• Management •
• Reports
Management • Management

• Agents • Agents • Agents

• Processes • Processes • Processes

• Routing • Routing • Routing

• Reports • Reports • Reports

 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

PBX, ACD  CTI Blending
and Hybrid

MULTI­MEDIA 
CONTACT CENTER 
ARCHITECTURE 
OPTIONS

Communications 
Server Total CTI
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

PBX, ACD 
and Hybrid

MULTI­MEDIA 
CONTACT CENTER 
ARCHITECTURE 
OPTIONS

• Non­telephony contacts (email, chat, etc) access the voice­switch application intelligence through 
“phantom” calling
•When the phantom call is launched, it is put into queue and the switch sends a “call connected to 
station” event to the CTI server, which in turn sends the session to the PC
•CTI  links are enhanced so that non­telephony applications can access the queuing and routing 
logic via a CTI “make call” event
• CTI is middleware only, because the application logic resides on the switch … so the switch 
provides the reporting tool

PBX /ACD / Hybrid Multimedia Architecture
Advantages
• Generally very good for
environments with minimal non-
voice contacts
• Has a high degree of reliability
• Environment is very familiar to
existing support staff
Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9
Disadvantages
• Puts non-voice functions onto a
system optimized for voice – can
lead to problems in handling
multiple text chats or in allowing
a voice call to interrupt email
handling (multiple queue
handling issues)
• Invests further in architecture
that is in place, but may not be in
line with industry directions and
trends
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

CTI Blending

MULTI­MEDIA 
CONTACT CENTER 
ARCHITECTURE 
OPTIONS

• Voice­switch application logic is used for managing the voice channel, CTI server manages the 
nonvoice contacts
• Routing, agent work states and queue management is handled in two places.  A blending module 
on CTI server monitors voice events and other media events.  The agent is logged into two 
applications, and the blending logic changes the work states as needed to deliver contacts
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

 CTI Blending Multimedia Architecture

Advantages Disadvantages
• Leverages CTI capabilities while • Creates environment with dual
preserving investment in existing administration and reporting
voice infrastructure systems
• Manages voice with tools
optimized for voice, and other
media with tools optimized for
non-voice
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

MULTI­MEDIA 
CONTACT CENTER 
ARCHITECTURE 
OPTIONS

Total CTI

• All of the application logic is placed on an external server 
• Voice switch is now just one of many servers with which the multimedia routing application 
communicates
• All routing, agent work states and queuing gets managed within the CTI application

Total CTI Multimedia Architecture
Advantages
• Now have a single
infrastructure to administer,
maintain and upgrade
• Common management,
reporting and development tools
for all media
Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9
Disadvantages
• Lower level of reliability than a
PBX or ACD (if CTI server fails,
no contacts – even voice – can be
routed without a substantial
backup plan)
• Significant interaction and
customization may be required
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

MULTI­MEDIA 
CONTACT CENTER 
ARCHITECTURE 
OPTIONS

Communication 
Server

• Most of the Communications Servers were developed with multimedia in mind; as a 
result, they are more readily adapted to a multimedia environment
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Communications Server Multimedia Architecture

Advantages Disadvantages
• Engineered for multimedia from • Limited scalability
start • Generally not as reliable as a
• Single infrastructure to PBX/ACD
administer, maintain and upgrade
• Common management,
reporting and development tools
for all media
• Good package for when you
need lots of functionality fast
• Good for small and medium
centers
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Other Multimedia Technology Considerations

• Incorporating multiple sites (“virtual” call centers)
• Network security – firewall rules for new ports and
protocols
• Forecasting and scheduling – some existing SFMS do not
have multimedia modules
• System and process bottlenecks – be sure to use simulation
tools to model prior to implementation
• CTI – look at CYI as a whole, and not just as a multimedia
queuing engine. Find a single platform for all applications
• Quality monitoring/logging systems – ensure complete
integration and identify operational issues
• Developing knowledge bases – can be critical in multimedia
world for accessing information quickly and transferring
(pasting) the information into a format for the customer
• Reporting – integrate existing, or purchase new?
• CRM – ensure integration with all systems
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Multimedia Considerations

• Link your multimedia strategy to your business and call

center strategy (e.g., Customer Retention, Growth)
– What media works best for your business, and in what order?
– What media apply in which situations (self-service, assisted)

• Let the customer choose and control his or her use of

media channels (but remembering that when revenue is at
risk, assistance can mean the difference between closing
the sale or an abandoned shopping cart)

• Multimedia has its place, but is not a cure-all. Remember

that a phone call is not a failure
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Ripple Effects - People

– Job descriptions and skill requirements and organizational
relationships may change
– Human resources processes change – keyboard and grammar skills
are now as important as voice skills; alters who you screen, qualify
and promote
– Training and development needs increase to alter or augment
existing training programs and can lengthen ramp-up times
– Quality monitoring – Coaching and development managers must
conduct grammar and writing evaluations. Forms may need revised
– Compensation – Multimedia can create pressure to raise
compensation levels or they may need to vary by media
– Agent retention – Opportunity to learn multimedia skills may help to
reduce agent turnover
– Existing agent skills and talents – Determine whether to take great
voice contacts away from what they do so well
– Depth and breadth of skills – If speech self-service is working, then
agents will need advanced problem resolution, conflict resolution, or
critical-thinking skills. Will need to recruit and screen for these, and
be aware that call lengths may increase as well. (metrics vs what is
really happening)
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Ripple Effects - Process

– Business rules will need to be well-defined. Web calls and

chats are real-time events and need priority equal to voice.
Determine if non-real-time contacts for high priority
customers merit handling differently

– Metrics now change (“measures of accessibility”) –

determine what the measurements are according to the
business rules (e.g.):
• 100% of emails responded to within 24 hours
• Priority email messages responded to in 4 hours
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Ripple Effects - Organizational

– IT roles take on new responsibilities

• Troubleshooting processes, escalation procedures, and
vendor support contacts must be documented and have a
process to update and test
• Interoperability labs

– New legal ramifications may exist for email or text-

chats
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Wrap-up
– The call center is in a state of transition from voice-only to
multimedia contact center
– Treat multimedia interaction channels with same vigilance
and discipline as voice channels
– Remember where your routing answers are coming from –
“who’s calling?” and “why are they calling?”
Media Type Who is calling? Why are they calling?

Voice ANI, prompted digits DNIS, prompted digits

Email “From” address “To” address, subject line,

key words and phrases in
message body

Fax ANI, OCR/ICR DNIS, OCR/ICR

Web calls Cookies, Web page logins Web URLs, radio buttons,
and form-filling dropdown menus

Video ANI Web URLs, radio buttons,

dropdown menus

Mail (scanned) “From” address via OCR/ICR “To” address, PO Box

number via OCR/ICR
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

Wrap-up
– Multimedia applications can be standalone or part of an
integrated multimedia center. Plan to use integrated
multimedia queuing for staffing efficiencies, consistency of
processes and service, agent job enrichment and a common
source of business rules

– Application infrastructure is the critical enabler for universal

queuing and routing (voice switch, CTI (blending or total)
and communications server); select the correct one for your
environment

– Tie your multimedia strategy to other business, contact

center, technology and self-service strategies

– Consider the ramifications of multimedia for other call

center technologies. Integrated multimedia can mean
replacing, upgrading or adding modules to components like
WFMS, network and application infrastructure, reporting,
etc.
 Call Center Technology Demystified – Chapter 9

C’est Tout!