The Vision Is Simple, Execution More Complex

The vision is simple, the execution, though, is more complex:

• The vision: to accommodate and measure any call type entering the call center, including voice calls, e-mail/WEB, fax, and video – period; to embrace every media type to provide the highest levels of customer service possible.
• The execution: the execution is a bit more complex, as it involves multiple tools and integration of multiple media types.  Think about it, queuing and intelligent routing of calls is now available for voice calls, e-mail, faxed messages, and even text chat and WEB callbacks.

Take for example e-mail and how this alone is transformed using Multiple Contact Management Systems.  E-mail can be:

• Generated directly from the Web site (for example, customer responses to “write to us now” links created for specific Web pages and routed to skilled agents),
• Sent to a specific address (such as directly to the call center) and routed based on a corresponding skill set, application, or other criteria,
• Faxes forwarded to an “electronic mailbox” and stored in a POP-3 compliant mail server.

Commonly, a customer will send an e-mail to the call center, either through an e-mail or by filling out a form on the Web site. The message travels over the Net to the call center mail server. The multimedia call center creates a “virtual message” call through the call center switch in conjunction with the mail server, treating it like an ordinary voice call, and queued and routed according to criteria established within the call center, by skills set specified by the application.  When an agent becomes available, the e-mail “call” is delivered to the agent’s voice terminal and a screen “pop” of the e-mail is delivered to the agent’s browser. For the duration of the message call, the agent’s busy status is noted.

 The real-time application includes several built-in message-handling tools, including the ability for the agent to create an e-mail response, add common phrases or questions, place the message on hold to consult with other agents within the call center, or forward/transfer the message for handling by another specialized agent via e-mail.  Notice that this process is quite similar to the traditional voice environment, with the exception that this entire process has taken place via e-mail and the written word.

 Customers using e-mail as a means of communication via the WEB typically wait long periods of time (hours to days to even weeks) before receiving responses, leading to customer dissatisfaction. The MCMS call center provides e-mail (and other media) customers with real-time access to call centers, ensuring a guaranteed response time.

 Service observance for e-mail and WEB-based transactions is also provided by most vendors to maintain a high quality of service and assist and train agents. 

MCMS call centers differ from traditional call centers and call management systems in that they extend the capabilities of the call center to multiple media.  Now multiple components, voice, e-mail/WEB, fax, and video need to be tracked as in a traditional voice call, ideally on a real-time and integrated basis.

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