Cisco IP Contact Center (IPCC)

Transcription

1 Richard Costello Product Report 28 March 2003 Cisco IP Contact Center (IPCC) Summary Cisco IPCC Enterprise and IPCC Express Edition are IP-based contact center solutions that offer multichannel capability for the low end of the market too. Note Cisco recently announced the availability of IPCC Enterprise Edition 5.0 (February 2003). Table of Contents Overview Analysis IPCC Components Pricing Competitors Strengths Limitations Insight List Of Tables Table 1: Cisco Product Re-branding Table 2: Enterprise Reporting Features Table 3: Web Interaction Options Table 4: IVR Integration Capabilities Table 5: IPCC Third-Party Vendors List Of Figures Figure 1: Cisco IPCC Configuration Figure 2: Cisco Enterprise Reporting Strategy Gartner Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

2 Corporate Headquarters Cisco System, Inc. 170 West Tasman Drive San Jose, CA , U.S.A. Phone: Fax: Internet: Overview Cisco IPCC Enterprise Edition and the smaller IPCC Express Edition are IP-based contact center solutions that combine automatic call distribution (ACD) functionality with Cisco IP telephony based on Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data (AVVID) CallManager software and server hardware, Cisco routers/gateways, Cisco interactive voice response (IVR) (Cisco IP Queue Manager or Cisco IP- IVR), and Cisco 7940 or 7960 IP phones and softphones. IPCC makes significant use of the Cisco Intelligent Contact Management (ICM) software code base for providing the ACD functionality. Cisco recently reorganized its product lines to offer a more defined set of contact center solutions: Cisco IPCC Enterprise Edition, formerly called Cisco IPCC, is targeted at contact centers of 50 agents and up, although Cisco has some smaller installations. Cisco indicates that its largest contact center installations today are in the neighborhood of 2,000 agents. Cisco itself has about 600 contact center agents, and Reality, an IPCC customer based in the U.K., has about 1,000 agents currently. The stated scalability numbers for IPCC Enterprise are 800 agents per CallManager cluster, with maximum support for 6,000 total agents. (Cisco indicates that 6,000 total agents is the top tested number today.) Cisco IPCC Enterprise Edition provides a migration path from a legacy call center infrastructure to an IPbased contact center. It can be implemented in single-site or multisite enterprise contact center environments. The IPCC platform uses Cisco CallManager server(s) as the call-control element. Capabilities include intelligent call routing, ACD functionality (monitoring and control of agent state, routing and queuing of contacts), universal queue (with r.5.0), inbound/outbound calling, real-time data for agent and supervisors, network-to-desktop computer-telephony integration (CTI), IVR integration, realtime and historical reporting, and service creation capabilities. IPCC Enterprise Edition also supports Web-based contact, including collaborative browsing, text chat and response management. It can use a company s established IP network and WAN infrastructure to extend the contact center to remote offices and at-home agents. Cisco IPCC Express, formerly called Cisco IP Integrated Contact Distribution (ICD), is a single-server ACD, IVR and computer telephony (CT)-integrated platform that is targeted at five to 75 agents in departmental, branch office and small and midsize business (SMB) call center environments: Ease of installation, configuration and administration are key features of IPCC Express. IPCC Express provides tighter integration with Cisco CallManager (than IPCC Enterprise), using the same Web-based administration and the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory as CallManager. 28 March

3 IPCC Express offers a lower price point for customers with no advanced feature-set requirements. In the 50- to 75-agent range, where there is overlap between IPCC Enterprise and IPCC Express from an agent support perspective, a key differentiator is the functionality required. For example, integration with legacy ACDs would require IPCC Enterprise, not IPCC Express. System-wise, IPCC Enterprise also offers full redundancy options; IPCC Express does not. Other features found in IPCC Enterprise that are not in IPCC Express include: Multichannel integration with Cisco Manager Option and Cisco Web Collaboration Server Option modules. Inbound and outbound calling capabilities via Cisco Outbound Option (formerly called Cisco Blended Agent). Native driver integration with customer relationship management (CRM) packages from Siebel, Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft and Epiphany. Multisite pre- and post-routing capabilities. Integration with PBX contact centers via peripheral gateways (PGs). Sophisticated and customizable agent desktops. The Cisco Product Re-branding table summarizes some of the Cisco contact center product name changes that have recently occurred. Some of the name changes include the option description, which is indicative of a change from a product previously available as a stand-alone offering to a product now available as an option. Table 1: Cisco Product Re-branding Old Brand IPCC IP ICD ICM Network Applications Manager (NAM) Cisco Manager Cisco Collaboration Server Blended Agent New Brand IPCC Enterprise Edition IPCC Express Edition ICM Enterprise Edition ICM Hosted Edition Cisco Manager Option (for IPCC Enterprise or ICM Enterprise) Cisco Web Collaboration Option (for IPCC Enterprise or ICM Enterprise) Cisco Outbound Option (for IPCC Enterprise or ICM Enterprise) Analysis IPCC Components To deliver a full-featured contact center solution requires IPCC Enterprise Edition (for ACD functionality); a call queuing feature, such as Cisco IP Queue Manager, Cisco IP-IVR or Cisco Internet Service Node (ISN); Cisco IP phones, such as the 7960 or 7940 and softphones with media termination capabilities; Cisco CallManager for call processing; and Cisco voice-enabled routers and gateways. To deliver contact center functionality in addition to voice, customers would deploy one or more of these options in addition to the items noted above: Cisco Web Collaboration Option, Cisco Manager Option and Cisco Outbound Option. 28 March

4 The figure Cisco IPCC Configuration provides an illustration of those components in a basic Cisco IPCC configuration. Figure 1: Cisco IPCC Configuration Source: Cisco Systems. Contact Routing Functionality 28 March

5 Cisco ICM (formerly GeoTel ICR) is CTI middleware primarily for providing network-based routing functionality in contact centers. ICM software supports ACD functionality, pre-routing and post-routing functions, network-to-desktop CTI, Web interaction and remote agent capabilities, as well as IVR and workforce management integration. ICM also provides centralized management control and enables consolidated reporting across heterogeneous and geographically dispersed resources. Because IPCC leverages core ICM functionality, it is able to provide the routing logic for both time division multiplexing (TDM) and IP-based solutions and provides a migration path for customers moving from TDM to IP telephony. For multisite deployment, IPCC enables a company to partition its system across divisional entities each entity maintains autonomy over contact center operations, such as scripts, enterprise skill groups, schedules and procedures. Partition is an optional feature of Cisco IPCC. IPCC can create a virtual contact center platform by integrating multicarrier networks and third-party switches, ACD systems, IVR systems, Web servers, , databases, desktop applications and agents distributed at different locations. New features and enhancements in IPCC Enterprise Edition release 5.0 include the following: Universal queuing and routing, cooperative blending. Multichannel integrated reporting, multichannel real-time statistics. Streamlined multichannel administration, common agent configuration across channels. Universal queuing and cooperative blending provide agents with the ability to work on multiple tasks from various channels. For instance, if an agent is assisting a customer using text chat, another text chat request can be delivered to that agent. Agents also may be delivered a task of a different channel type than their active task. For example, an agent may be responding to a customer s when a voice call arrives. Cisco IPCC Enterprise can route the voice call to the agent, interrupt the agent s work on the e- mail, allowing the agent to handle the real-time voice call, and then return to the when the voice call is complete. A nonredundant version of IPCC Enterprise Edition is standard, with redundancy an option. Specific components include the following: IPCC Server Software the IPCC central controller includes the call router and the database server components. The call router provides the central intelligence for routing decisions, using real-time callhandling and agent status data. It receives routing requests from the network and contact center systems and processes them through call-routing scripts. A call router is capable of routing queries from alternative media, such as the Internet, fax and . The system repository for configuration, scripting, and real-time and historical reporting data is the database server. This information can be combined with data coming from ACDs, PBXs, IVRs and networks. This database is accessible via ICM software utilities and third-party Structured Query Language (SQL) and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) tools. The database lookup can be based on calling line ID (CLID), dialed number (DN) or called entered digits (CED). IPCC Software Peripheral Gateway (PG) provides the interface between the central controller and premise-based systems (ACDs, PBXs, IVRs, Web and servers, and agent desktop applications). IPCC includes PG software for Cisco CallManager, Cisco Queue Manager and the IPCC CTI Server. PGs collect information from peripherals about agent status, performance, queue status, IVR availability and 28 March

6 other variables and sends it to the central controller for pre- and post-routing decisions. Each PG tracks events on a per-agent and per-contact basis. IPCC CTI Server CTI components provide an interface between the IPCC platform and agent desktops and server applications. It takes call and transaction data from different systems and provides it to the agent desktops and CTI Server. Information from these systems is used to trigger integrated desktop telephony applications, such as screen pops and voice and data transfers. Data elements can include dialed numbers, CLID, CED, information submitted on a Web form, information extracted from a database, voice processing and agent transaction. At the server level, the IPCC platform manages the availability of real-time and historical information provided by the Internet, carrier networks, IVRs, Web servers, business applications, databases and the IPCC platform itself. The CTI Server delivers agent, contact and customer data in real time to a server or workstation application as events occur during a call. It forwards pre-route indications to CTI application servers. The pre-route indications identify the customer and provide associated call information to applications while the call is still in the network and before the customer is connected to an agent, IVR resource or Web server. On the post-routing function, if the call is transferred to another agent, IPCC provides coordinated voice and data transfer by sending the customer profile data along with the call. Call events are provided from the moment a call arrives at an answering location (ACDs, IVRs, PBXs, Web servers) until the caller hangs up. In addition, changes on the agent s state are reported as they occur. Information obtained from integration with CRM packages such as Siebel, Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft and Epiphany can be used to match customers with agents and expand the data available to the screen pop. Cisco IPCC Enterprise Edition offers three options for supporting CTI: The out-of-the-box Cisco Agent Desktop solution Pre-integrated IPCC connections to CRM applications CTI toolkits Cisco Agent Desktop Formerly called the Cisco Turnkey CTI Suite, Cisco Agent Desktop is the CTI solution for Cisco IPCC contact center agents and supervisors. Functionality delivered in this software/server application includes agent screen pop, softphone, IP agent phone, agent/supervisor coaching, supervisory features and GUIbased customization, maintenance and change management capabilities. Screen Pop an incoming call containing information about the caller (for example, automatic number identification [ANI], dialed number identification service [DNIS]) automatically triggers a customer database lookup, which pops into a browser or Windows application for instant caller identification by agent. If established information is not available, the caller can be prompted to enter an account number or other identifier digits. Softphone allows IPCC agents to control traditional telephony functions (call answer, hold, conference, transfer) from agent PCs rather than telephones. The softphone capability also includes a 28 March

7 telephone directory that allows agents to manage contacts in groups at their desktops and initiate outbound dialing. IP Agent Phone allows agents to use Cisco IP 7940 or Cisco IP 7960 phones as the ACD phone in place of the Agent Desktop application; it can be utilized as a backup agent phone in case of agent PC failure. Supervisor Desktop software that allows supervisors to view agent states, call information, send text messages to agents, record conversations and provide advanced monitoring and management functions, such as supervisor/agent chat (for coaching purposes), silent monitor, barge-in (on an active call), intercept (remove the agent from the call), call recording and recorded call review. Agent workstation requirements for Windows 95 and 98 are a Pentium-based PC with 32MB RAM. Agent workstation requirements for Windows NT, 2000 and ME are a Pentium II-based PC with 64MB RAM and 16MB of free disk space. Supervisor workstation requirements for Windows 95, 98, 2000 and NT Workstation are a Pentium III-based PC with 64MB RAM, 16MB of free disk space, a SoundBlaster-compatible card and speakers. For environments of greater than 20 agents, or more than two concurrent monitor sessions, a separate silent monitor server is required. Pre-integrated CTI Connections For customers using popular, commercially available CRM packages, Cisco offers standard integrations that CTI-enable the CRM application. The CTI-enabled CRM application makes use of Cisco CTI technology to provide integration between CRM applications from Siebel, Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft and Epiphany and telephony components. Contact centers that take advantage of these pre-integrated solutions provide their agents with a single application for call control, screen pops and customer management. Agents do not have to concern themselves with switching between customer service and telephony functions, because all features are delivered in the single CRM user interface. CTI Toolkits Cisco CTI toolkits use ActiveX controls that provide desktop applications with access to the CTI Server, so screen pops and other CTI operations can be created and integrated with business applications. The foundation of the agent desktop is two Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation servers that can be embedded into any ActiveX host application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Visual Basic. It maintains the states of the agent and phone set while communicating with the system s CTI Server via TCP/IP and with the desktop application via OLE. IPCC integrates with a variety of desktops, such as OS/2, Windows, Macintosh and 3270 terminals. IPCC provides customers with industry-standard CTI interfaces, such as Telephony Application Programming interface (TAPI) 2.1, ActiveX and Java. For customers with thin-client desktops, it includes Java clients that can be embedded into any Java applications. IPCC Admin Workstation (AW) the user interface for the IPCC environment, the AW is the management workstation for the IPCC system. Running on the Microsoft Windows operating system and featuring point-and-click functionality, it enables supervisors to define, modify and review routing scripts, monitor contact center activity, define and request reports, and ensure system security. Cisco CallManager Software/Server(s) 28 March

8 CallManager software operating on the appropriate server platform provides traditional PBX telephony features and functions such as basic call processing, signaling and connection services to IP telephony devices, such as Cisco IP phones and gateways. Services such as call hold, transfer, forward, conference, automatic route selection (ARS), speed dial and last number redial are also supported. Call admission control ensures that voice quality of service (QOS) is maintained if WAN links become constrained and automatically diverts calls to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) when WAN bandwidth is unavailable. Cisco IP Queue Manager IP Queue Manager provides functionality that is controlled by the IPCC platform. IP Queue Manager contains a subset of the functionality of Cisco IP-IVR, provides prompt and collect capabilities and acts as a basic call-queuing functionality for IPCC Enterprise agent skill groups. If an appropriate agent is not available when a call is received, IPCC automatically uses the IVR to play announcements, collect digits or offer alternate routing options before redirecting the call to a targeted answering resource. In addition, IP Queue Manager is an information source for consolidated real-time and historical reporting. Cisco IP-IVR By comparison, Cisco IP-IVR is a full-featured IVR solution that includes prompt and collect, database integration (for screen pops or routing decisions), Extensible Markup Language (XML) and voice XML (VXML) support, and support for HTTP triggers. IP-IVR also offers optional automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS) capabilities. Cisco IVR is sold in two packages. The first, IP Queue Manager, provides basic IP-IVR functionality and call queuing with prompt and collect capability. The second package, Cisco IP-IVR, provides full IP-IVR functionality and can be a stand-alone solution. A customer will likely choose IP Queue Manager if basic call-queuing functionality for the contact center is required and IP-IVR if support for additional voice response applications are required (ASR, TTS). Auto attendant is a sample script that is part of both IVR products. Cisco ISN Cisco ISN provides Web-based carrier-class IVR, queuing and IP switching services for both IP and traditional telephony networks, using standard Internet technologies to provide flexibility and openness lacking in traditional IVR systems. Through integration with Cisco ICM and NAM software, and with the IPCC solution, Cisco ISN delivers the following customer contact services and benefits as part of a strategy for service providers and large enterprises: IP-based IVR services IP-based queuing IP-based switching Compatibility with other Cisco call-routing and voice over IP (VoIP) products Carrier-class platform The ISN provides IVR and queuing capabilities in an IP environment. The ISN consists of a Voice Browser which presents an H.323 VoIP interface to products such as the Cisco AS5300 Voice Gateways and 36xx Gatekeeper. The Voice Browser plays media files to the caller and collects information in return. Other components making up an ISN deployment are the ISN Application Server, Cisco AS5300 Voice Gateway (customer-supplied), Media Server (Windows 2000-based) and Micro 28 March

9 Applications which define elements of an IVR application and reside on the ISN Application Server. The ISN must support all the base requirements for NAM or ICM. Cisco Voice Gateways The following is a list of recommended voice gateways for IPCC Enterprise Edition: Internetwork Operating System (IOS) Gateways Cisco 827-4V small-office gateway that provides QOS. Cisco 1751 small-office voice gateway that provides QOS. Cisco IAD2400 Series small-office voice gateway that supports one T1 centralized attendant service (CAS)/Primary Rate Interface (PRI) CAS/PRI line (24 channels) or eight Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) ports. Cisco 2600, 3620, 3640, 3660 and 3700 gateways that run on a Voice Interface Card (VIC) within a Cisco router. Cisco VG200 stand-alone gateway. Cisco MC3810-V3 entry-level enterprise, multiservice stand-alone gateway, which provides improved performance over the Cisco 3810 gateway. Cisco AS5400, AS5350 and AS5850 gateways, which run on the Network Access Service platform. Cisco 7200 Multi-service gateway, which contains voice gateway capability integrated into a router. Cisco 7500 Series Router, which contains voice gateway capability integrated into a router. Integrated Switch Gateways For ease of deployment, integrated switch gateways (ISGs) are all-in-one hardware platforms that perform switching as well as gateway functions: Catalyst 4000 Access Gateway module plugs into the Catalyst 4000 chassis and supports both analog and digital interfaces. Catalyst 4224 VIC plugs into the chassis and supports both analog and digital interfaces. Catalyst 6000 Access Gateway module plugs into the chassis and supports both analog and digital interfaces. Cisco Agent IP Phones and Softphones The Cisco IPCC agent telephones utilized are the Cisco 7940 IP and Cisco 7960 IP phones, along with the Cisco Agent Desktop softphone application. Cisco IP Phone 7960 High-end Cisco IP phone. Supports multiprotocol capability: H.323 and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standards (support for Media Gateway Control Protocol [MGCP] is planned). Microsoft NetMeeting-compatible. Integrates with the LDAP3 standard directory. 28 March

10 Contains a large pixel-based liquid crystal display (LCD), six programmable line/feature buttons and four interactive soft keys. Features Polycom full-duplex speakerphone technology, a speaker on/off button and a microphone mute button; has volume controls for speakerphone, handset, headset and ringer. Supports software updates to the phone s flash memory. Supports Web-based information services; uses standards such as XML. Supports G.711 and G.729a algorithms for voice compression. Contains an internal Cisco two-port Ethernet switch that allows for the direct connection to a 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN via an RJ45 interface with single LAN connectivity for both the phone and a colocated PC. Contains an RS-232 port for add-on option, such as line expansion or security access. Supports local or in-line power. IP address assignment Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) client or statically configured. Cisco IP Phone 7940 Midrange Cisco IP phone for users with directory number requirements. Supports H.323 standard. Microsoft NetMeeting-compatible. Integrates with the LDAP3 standard directory. Contains a large pixel-based LCD, two programmable line/feature buttons and four interactive soft keys. Features Polycom full-duplex speakerphone technology, a speaker on/off button and microphone mute button. Also has volume controls for speakerphone, handset, headset and ringer. Supports software updates to the phone s flash memory. Supports Web-based information services; uses standards such as XML. Supports G.711 and G.729a algorithms for voice compression. Contains an internal Cisco two-port Ethernet switch that allows for the direct connection to a 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN via an RJ45 interface with single LAN connectivity for both the phone and a colocated PC. Contains an RS-232 port for add-on options, such as line expansion or security access. Supports local or in-line power. IP address assignment DHCP client or statically configured. Cisco Enterprise Reporting IPCC Enterprise collects real-time (as it happens) and historical (over periods of time) data for contact center reporting. The Enterprise Reporting system collects contact and customer data throughout the life of each interaction until the contact terminates (that is, from start to finish). It consolidates the information 28 March

11 from carrier networks, IP contact centers, the Internet, ACDs, IVRs, Web servers, databases, business applications, and individual and remote agent desktops. The figure Cisco Enterprise Reporting Strategy illustrates the flow of data in the IPCC Enterprise Reporting function. Figure 2: Cisco Enterprise Reporting Strategy Source: Cisco Systems, Inc. Interaction, customer, peripheral and agent data are collected and stored in IPCC s central Microsoft SQL server database for use in real-time and historical reporting and in routing decisions made by the prerouting and post-routing functions. Cisco indicates that as a single reporting solution, Enterprise Reporting virtually eliminates the need for manual data consolidation or custom programming historically associated with enterprisewide reporting. 28 March

12 Table 2: Enterprise Reporting Features Real-Time and Historical Data Reporting Functionality IPCC Enterprise Reporting collects event information from multisite contact centers in real time. Real-time data provides information about skill groups, services, trunk groups, peripherals, agents, routes and scripts and is constantly overwritten by new data. Historical data is stored in 30-minute intervals. Thresholds can be established to alert supervisors when traffic flows deviate from preset parameters. Real-time monitoring can be done continuously or on demand using Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The IPCC Enterprise Reporting package enables users to generate reports based on historical information collected from single or multisite call centers about each skill group, service, trunk group, route and peripheral services. The data collected from different resources on an event-by-event basis is converted into a single format and stored on the IPCC central server database. The system collects performance data through the life of each call. It can combine data from different parts of the contact center (ACDs, PBXs and IVRs). Enterprise Reporting includes about 100 pre-defined, standard report templates and formats, including bar charts, pie charts, grids and line charts. It also supports 75 templates specific to IP contact center reporting. Custom reports can be created using a client database access tool based on Powersoft Infomaker. All reports can be scrutinized to see specific statistics, including the data of individual agents; they can be printed manually or scheduled. Data can be exported to industry-standard third-party file formats. Reports and routing scripts can be monitored continuously or on demand using Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The Cisco WebView reporting package is the Web interface to IPCC for enterprise reporting using Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator and standard browser features. WebView enables users to select specific report categories, such as IPCC, and includes a suite of IPCC-specific report templates. Cisco IPCC Enterprise supports response management and interactive Web collaboration sessions, such as Web callback, text chat, and form and page sharing. Web options include the Manager Option and Web Collaboration Option. Table 3: Web Interaction Options Manager Option Processes customer messages, directing them to the appropriate agent, categorizing and prioritizing them, sending automatic replies or suggesting response templates. A Web-based interface provides access to tools for reading and responding to messages in queues. Agents can examine communication history, internal notes, status and priority for each message. Templates from a list of suggested replies could be inserted directly into response fields. Supervisors can monitor and manage the queues and generate reports on message traffic, system, agent and group performance. Real-time monitoring provides information on agent activity, performance, and personal and skill group and queue status. An open application programming interface (API) enables customers or third parties to integrate Manager with CRM packages and external data sources. 28 March

13 Table 3: Web Interaction Options Web Collaboration Option Provides the ability for agents to share information with customers over the Web while conducting a voice conversation or text chat. The collaboration features are: Page sharing: An agent or customer can push a Web page for the other party to view. Follow-me browsing: The page viewed by an agent or a customer is visible to the other party. Frame share: Allows customers and agents to share frame-based Web pages. Form share: Allows sharing of standard Web forms between agents and customer. Callback: Allows customers visiting a company Web site to make a callback request by completing a Web form. Text chat: Customers and agents can communicate via text chat in real time. Real-time application demo and sharing: Allows an agent to demonstrate to the customer an application that resides in the agent s desktop. The Web Collaboration option works with Web browsers on standard operating systems, firewalls and proxy server configurations. It provides end-to-end security in all Web collaboration modes using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. Remote Agent Support Remote agent support extends the Cisco IPCC Enterprise environment by providing CTI, contact distribution and reporting capabilities to remote agents outside of the physical location of a contact center. In addition to skills-based routing, Cisco IPCC Enterprise provides softphone, screen-pop and third-party call control functionality for remote agents delivering a single network-to-desktop CTI solution for the enterprise. Each agent has access to personal statistics, such as number of calls handled, average call work time, average talk time, cumulative available time and total login time. On the skill-based pre-routing function, remote agents are grouped according to skills. IPCC Enterprise makes routing decisions based on real-time agent and call status information from each agent s desktop; it can reserve the remote agent to ensure availability. On the post-routing function, IPCC Enterprise allows a remote agent to request a new destination for a call from within the desktop application. The software will make the routing decision based on real-time and enterprisewide resource availability. The new resource can be a skill group or service or another remote agent. Third-Party IVR Support The IVR interface option enables IPCC Enterprise to communicate directly with third-party IVR systems, manage IVR port use and request specific IVR scripts. IVR integration supports customer identification and segmentation, skills-based routing, IVR load balancing, call queuing at a premise or network base, consolidated reporting capability and delivery of IVR data to answering resources across IPCC Enterprise. The IVR interface is based on the industry-standard Computer Supported Telephony Architecture (CSTA) protocol and on the Cisco PG. 28 March

14 Table 4: IVR Integration Capabilities Queuing Routing Integrated Reporting Call queuing is supported on network- or premises-based IVR systems, directing calls to an IVR queue when no resources are available. Call treatments, such as announcements, music or collect digits, can be applied to the call. When an agent becomes free to handle the call, IPCC directs the IVR system to release the call. The IVR system can be located at the enterprise level (either behind or in front of the ACD) or at the network level. Regardless of location, the IVR can initiate and complete call redirection without a PBX or ACD system. The IVR system located in front of the ACD is used to segment callers based on customer profile information or transaction requirements. If the call requires further handling, the IVR collects callerentered digits for use in post-routing. The IVR system behind the ACD is used to process the call based on the caller s response to IVR prompts. Located at the network level, the IVR system sends a preroute request to IPCC, which issues a destination specifying the most appropriate enterprise resource. When a call requires further processing, the IVR system queries IPCC for a postroute destination, which can be an agent or a treatment within the IVR system. The dialed number, CLID, CED and customer data are sent to IPCC to select the appropriate agent. IPCC combines IVR information with data from other resources. Each IVR application appears as an IPCC service on consolidated real-time and historical reports. Third-Party Applications Support Cisco IPCC supports integrations with CRM, IVR, call logging/recording, workforce management and other contact center solutions from the following third-party vendors. 28 March

15 Table 5: IPCC Third-Party Vendors CRM IVR Voice/Data Recorders Workforce Management Others Cliffstone Chordiant SW Cicero/Level 8 E.piphany Graham Technology (now BroadWare) Kana Oracle Pegasystems PeopleSoft Point Info Systems/S1 Siebel SAP Apex Voice Aspect VoiceTek Aumtech BeVocal Edify Epos Fluency Voice IBM Direct Talk Intervoice-Brite Nuance Octon Pascom Periphonics Spanlink Syntellect TellMe Networks Vitual Hold Technology LLC Yulong Envision Telephony e-talk Eyretel (now Witness Systems) Mercom Systems Nice Systems Verint Systems Witness Systems Aspect TCS Blue Pumpkin IEX Newmetrics Concerto (dialer) Divine (dialer) Exony (reporting) Crystal Voice (VoIP) Inova (wallboards) Spectrum (wallboards) Symon (wallboards) TargetVision (wallboards) Magnetic North (dialer and wallboards) Pricing Cisco IPCC Enterprise starts at $1,000 per agent and can range up to about $3,500 per agent. Cisco IPCC Express (ICD) starts at $4,995 for 10 agent licenses. Cisco IP-IVR starts at $4,995 for software and five IVR ports. Cisco Queue Manager starts at $4,995. Cisco CRM Adapter pricing is about $1,000 per agent, depending on the CRM vendor. GSA Pricing No. Competitors Avaya MultiVantage Call Center; Avaya IP Contact Center Nortel Symposium Contact Centers Siemens ProCenter Suites NEC CallCenterWorX Aspect IP Contact Suite Rockwell FirstPoint Enterprise Interactive Intelligence Customer Interaction Center (CIC) 28 March

16 Apropos Interaction Management System (IMS) Genesys G6 Suite Altitude Software Unified Customer Interaction (uci) Suite Strengths IPCC Enterprise is targeted at 50-agent-and-up contact centers. Cisco s largest installation so far is 2,000 agents. IPCC Express is targeted at five- to 75-agent contact centers. IPCC Enterprise s open system architecture uses industry-standard protocols and has broad interoperability with multiple vendor systems an advantage for enterprises or telecom operators with different infrastructure investments at each location. IPCC Enterprise supports pre-call and post-call routing as well as agent skills-based routing. Prerouting is the routing process applied at the carrier level. The call remains in the carrier network until the routing decision is made, then the call is sent to the appropriate location. Post-routing allows secondary routing decisions once the call is already connected to a peripheral such as an ACD, PBX or IVR system in a company s private network. Post-routing is only executed when redirection of a call to another agent or site is required. The IPCC Agent Desktop application supports Agent and Supervisor Hot Desking, which uses profiles contained in an LDAP server to enable agents and supervisors to physically move from one PC to another within a contact center. IPCC offers easier facilitation of remote-site additions to an established contact center environment. IPCC provides the advantage of bridging TDM to IP environments; supports virtual contact center capability; is location-independent; and offers lower-cost move, add and change (MAC) management. Limitations IPCC Enterprise is a multichannel IP-based solution that is relatively unproven in large contact center environments. The feature gap between traditional TDM-based and newer IP-based contact center solutions is still anissuewithcustomers. Cisco IPCC Enterprise Edition configurations typically require several servers such as CallManager(s), Web Collaboration and , and IVR. The installation of IPCC Enterprise Edition, which has core functionality based on Cisco ICM, can be complex for small to midsize contact center environments. Cisco IPCC Express is designed for applications that run across TCP/IP. It is sold as an IP solution only, not as a solution that integrates with established PBX systems. Insight IP-based contact centers represent a new opportunity for vendors who are now able to offer affordable multichannel solutions to the lower end of the market. That opportunity was previously not economically obtainable with proprietary TDM hardware. This currently represents the prime market target for Cisco IPCC and other IP contact center solutions, since the scalability of IP-based solutions is still relatively unproven in larger implementations today. Cisco is putting considerable emphasis on promoting Cisco IPCC market penetration; however, Cisco ICM still accounts for about one-half of its contact center 28 March

17 installations to date. Plans include the subsequent introduction of Cisco ICM releases 6 and 7, but with the particular intent of supporting the established ICM customer base only. IPCC Enterprise and Express Editions are Cisco s primary contact center products going forward. However, also look for Cisco to target expansion of IPCC Hosted Edition out to the enterprise. 28 March