Although network cost savings and ease of deployment make a compelling argument, it is IP’s promised benefits of easier multimedia routing and queuing, remote agent deployment, multi-channel integration, and multi-site virtualisation that is driving investment. IP telephony is now the fastest growing technology bringing revitalisation to a declining contact centre market. In fact, it is radically changing particularly in the Nordic regions where the concept of ‘Straight Through Communications’ is becoming
a reality.
This new model allows calls to be routed straight through to the experts eliminating the first line of agents by streamlining all communications. For instance, employees can provide “traffic light” notices via their mobile devices that notify call centre routing logic, switchboard operators and colleagues about current availability e.g. participation in meetings. Similarly, when travelling, users can route service calls and personal contacts to their mobile phone or to a selected team of specialists to ensure that customer requests are resolved in the most immediate manner.
All information is accessible by switchboard, contact centre operators and company employees, improving availability and call resolution by as much as 20%.
Wicom was early to recognise the potential in IP-based contact centre applications. It maintains its strength in the Nordic market but is beginning to achieve greater visibility with service providers such as BT Infonet, T-Systems and BT Global Services in Germany and is working with key organisations such as Fujitsu Services, the Finland Post Group and Premiere.
