Symposium Call Center Server Feature Document

Symposium

Feature Document

Call Center ServerSet your foundation for profitable customer relationships

Table of ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Call processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Call routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Call scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Skill-based routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Queuing and presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Network skill-based routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Agent/supervisor call handling features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Agent telephone set features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Supervisor telephone set features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Contact center management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Administering Symposium Call Center Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Real-time displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Management reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Integration capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Appendix A: Script example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Appendix B: Report listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Appendix C: Report examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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Symposium Call Center Server

IntroductionWhat is a contact center?Call centers have changed dramatically over the last few years. Once an environment designed to process telephone calls, call centers have evolved to become customer contact centers, processing all types of media transactions. The contact center is now seen as the core of a business due to its critical role in maximizing customer satisfaction, enabling companies to deliver the definitive customer experience. Its integral parts consist of: Representatives who handle customer transactions (also called agents) Management personnel Technology to handle customer transactions, including the routing, treatment and fulfillment of transactions A contact center may be found within a department in a company or it may be the sole business unit that comprises a company. Regardless of the size and complexity of a contact center, its objectives and goals remain consistent: To deliver customer satisfaction through prompt, professional transaction handling To control costs by using resources and technology more efficiently To help staff work more productively To increase profitability and enhance customer loyalty Whether customers are purchasing products, requesting services, or seeking information, the contact center must be equipped with technology that delivers the timely and quality service that customers expect.

oriented to facilitate the increasingly important role they play in business. Frequently, the contact center is the only point of contact a company has with its customers or suppliers; therefore, sophisticated technology to enhance customer relationships is of utmost importance to contact center management. The challenge of management is to find an ideal balance between staffing priorities and budget controls to deliver optimal customer service. Implementing technologysuch as computer telephony integration and client-server computing and applying emphasis on call routing applications and agent empowerment are key components to ensure that each caller is served quickly and efficiently. Integrating the routing and processing of incoming calls with associated data creates an ability to satisfy a high proportion of customers during their first contact with your contact center. This combination of technology and business procedures is a driving factor in the competitive world of contact centers. Additionally, contact center representatives (agents) require tools to increase their proficiency in managing the volume of calls they take each day. The goal of agent empowerment is to provide solutions to enhance customer service and increase productivity while providing a distinct advantage within the highly competitive contact center environment. With caller information available to an agent when a call arrives, a more meaningful transaction can take place. The transactions take less time because agents are not required to spend time gathering that information from customers, and customers are more satisfied when the information they have already provided to an IVR or self-service system is passed on to the agent. The result is a better relationship between the customer and the agent.

Nortel NetworksA leader in contact centersNortel Networks has proven to be a world leader in contact center technology with contact centers located in more than 100 countries and more than 3.5 million agent positions worldwide handling over 150 million calls per day. The foundation of this success lies in the ability to understand the needs of the contact center environment, create lasting relationships with customers, and develop the solutions to address their ever-changing business needs. Nortel Networks award-winning Symposium* Call Center Server is at the core of these solutions, offering exceptional call processing and agent handling capabilities, as well as comprehensive management and reporting features that fulfill the needs of the dynamic contact center environment.

Nortel Networks Symposium Call Center ServerSymposium Call Center Servers state-ofthe-art architecture is based on clientserver technology. The Symposium Call Center Solution integrates three key technologies: telephony, call center server, and supervisor clients. It also can include optional components such as host computers or corporate database applications. The telephony component can be served by either the Nortel Networks Meridian 1*, (a robust PBX which provides agents with the interface into the voice network) or the Succession* 1000, (a server-based, full-featured IP PBX, providing the benefits of a converged network plus advanced applications andSymposium Call Center Server 3

Contact center technologyContact centers require technology that is high-performance, integrated, networked, open standards-based, and client-server

Figure 1. Symposium Call Center Server Architecture

Web Client Application Server

Supervisor and Operations Desktops

ClientsAgent Desktops Graphical Real-Time Displays Historical Reports Contact Center Management Tools CTI Applications

Digital and/or IP Telephones

Customer LAN


Historical Database Real-time statistics Call Routing and Handling IVR Interworking Network Controller Call Processing

Meridian 1*

WAN Router

Passport or Customer ProvidedDedicated Ethernet LAN* SCCS also supports Succession 1000 for IP contact center environments

Operations Workstation

over 450 world-class telephony features). The server component is comprised of industry-standard processors and software, along with Nortel Networks developed applications software, which connects to the Meridian 1 or Succession 1000 through a dedicated Local Area Network connection. The client component(s) include Nortel Networks-developed software, which runs on industry-standard hardware, as well as an array of Nortel Networks and third-party developed applications which utilize one or more of Symposium Call Center Servers open interfaces. The above figure depicts the architecture of the Symposium Call Center Server. The figure shows that LANs are used to send information between servers in the contact center. The LAN shown as the dedicated ethernet LAN is used for

messaging between the Symposium Call Center Server and the Meridian 1 PBX or Succession 1000. The supervisor workstations are connected to the server by a TCP/IP Ethernet or Token Ring LAN. This LAN also provides connections to third-party applications via interfaces such as Meridian* Link Services. For organizations with multiple call center locations, the architecture of Nortel Networks Symposium Call Center Server facilitates the linking of multiple sites to function as a seamless, virtual contact center. The server component, running on Microsofts Windows 2000 operating system, is responsible for functions such as the logic for call processing, call treatment, call handling, call presentation, and the accumulation of data into historical and real-time databases.

The client component is offered as a standard desktop client and/or browser-based thin client. The standard desktop client is located on the contact center managers or supervisors desktop, and it is comprised of a graphical user interface that runs on Microsofts Windows 98, 2000 Professional, and XP. The thin clientSymposium Call Center Web Clientuses Internet Explorer to connect to the systems powerful management tools from virtually anywhere within the corporate network. The management capabilities of the client component provide meaningful real-time contact center statistics and an easy-to-use interface to help manage agents. Supervisors are able to access screens, such as the Agent Skillset Matrix to view and make necessary changes to the skillset assignments of their agents, with a point-andclick interface.

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Symposium Call Center Server comes packaged with over 70 standard reports. Customized reports can be generated by any standard report writer that conforms to the industry standards of Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) and Structured Query Language (SQL). This allows flexibility for contact center management to create reports with information imperative to the success of their center. Symposium Call Center Servers standard reports provide details on various statistics such as call handling performance, networking information, and agent productivity. This wealth of information offers contact center managers the knowledge needed to enhance contact center efficiency. Symposium Call Center Server is designed with open interfaces that allow for the interworking of many third-party applications and the development of customized applications. This furnishes contact centers with the ability to integrate industry-standard applications for the greatest choice and flexibility possible. There are four types of information to which access is provided: historical data, real-time data, host data exchange, and call control events. Historical data can be accessed by programs that use ODBC and SQL database query standards. Information can be combined with the data from other open

databases to create unique report fields. For example, a contact center manager may need to determine the revenue per call, where the revenue figure resides in a customer host database and the number of calls residing in the Symposium Call Center Server database. Symposium Call Center Servers open interface capabilities allow the manager to combine the data from different databases to provide the required informationin this case the revenue per call. Real-time data can be utilized by Workforce Management programs to ensure that agents adhere to predetermined schedules. Real-time data can also be used by visual messaging and alerting applications like wallboards. Symposium Call Center Server utilizes Host Data Exchange and call control events to influence the routing, queuing, and presentation of calls to agents. This provides the ability to access vital information such as the language preference of the caller, the last agent the caller has spoken with, or the callers payment historyinformation that can assist in routing and treating the caller appropriately. Symposium Call Center Server also gives businesses the flexibility to turn their traditional center into a multimedia customer contact center. They can use Symposium Web Center Portal to simul-

taneously manage telephone calls, e-mail, and Web interactions with a single solution. E-mail can be routed and monitored with the same effectiveness as telephone calls, reducing response time and agent workloads. Symposium Web Center Portal adds a new dimension to collaboration between agents and customersand sets a new standard in effective, round-the clock, Web-based self-service. Nortel Networks Symposium Call Center Server provides contact centers with increased operational efficiency and the ability to customize and provide exceptional customer care to callers. The following pages detail Symposium Call Center Servers extensive call routing abilities, superior agent and supervisor call handling capabilities, and comprehensive management features.

Call processingNortel Networks Symposium Call Center Server offers flexible call handling which defines how calls are routed and treated on an individual call basis. Call routing can be defined as: Routing callers to specific destinations (agents, non-contact-center employees, or other applications) Queuing callers to specific or multiple skillsets Queuing callers to specific agents Queuing callers to other contact center destinations Caller treatment can be defined as: Providing callers with voice menu options Providing callers with the option to access automated information Providing callers with their expected wait time or position in queue

Figure 2. Symposium Call Center Server Call Processing

Symposium Call Center Server Software Meridian 1 SoftwareIncoming callers

Sales Script Master Script Service Script

CDN

Providing callers with specific music treatments


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Calls determined to be contact center calls are handled using instructions contained within call scripts, which reside on Symposium Call Center Server. Call scripts are tailor-made contact center applications that contain call routing and treatment instructions to define the handling of individual calls. This set of user-friendly commands can be combined to create various call routing schemes and treatments unique to the requirements of the contact center. Call scripts can be as simple or sophisticated as the application requires and are not limited to a specific number of steps.

link between the Meridian 1/Succession 1000 and the server were down. Otherwise, call processing is accomplished using Symposium Call Center Server and its powerful, flexible scripting tool.

A primary script is a set of call processing instructions that relate to a particular call type, caller, or set of conditions, such as time of day or day of week. A primary script can route calls to appropriately skilled agents, or it can send the control of routing to a secondary script. Primary scripts can only be invoked by a master script. Each primary script has an application with the same name. Various applications are created to differentiate between how calls should be treated and reported. Information is collected and reported to give managers specific details about call types, callers, or conditions. For example, an application within the contact center may be Sales. Customers calling to inquire about sales will call into the Sales application. Within the Sales application, agents may have different skillsets such as Branch Sales, Consumer Sales, Regional Sales, Spanish Sales, etc. A secondary script is a set of call processing instructions that is referenced by a primary script. A secondary script can route calls to appropriately skilled agents, or it can send the control of routing to another script. Secondary scripts are not invoked from a master script. All activities for secondary scripts are tracked by the application associated with the primary script that sent the call to the secondary script.

Call scriptsThere are three types of call scripts in the Symposium Call Center Server: master scripts, primary scripts, and secondary scripts. There can be, at most, two master scripts per Symposium Call Center Servera local version and a network version. A master script can be partitioned according to the requirements of the contact center. For example, it may be the only script running on the system, or it may invoke primary scripts. A master script directs calls to primary scripts, based on conditions such as the Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), Calling Line ID (CLID), or Automatic Number Identification (ANI), as well as the time of day or other criteria as selected by the contact center. A master script has the following characteristics and functions: It acts as the entry point for all new calls that will be handled by Symposium Call Center Server: calls can come through multiple CDNs, but they will all have to be processed by the master script before being treated by other scripts. It acts as the traffic director: directs incoming calls and determines what to do with them. It acts as the scheduler for scripts: invokes other scripts, called primary scripts, according to real-time contact center conditions.

Call routingWhen an incoming call is presented to the Meridian 1 or Succession 1000, a determination is made as to whether or not it is a call requiring contact center assistance. This determination can be made in many ways such as the number the caller dialed (DNIS), the callers trunk group, a choice made by the caller within an automated attendant application, etc. Calls that do require contact center or agent assistance are then routed, logically, to Symposium Call Center Server through the use of Control Directory Numbers (CDNs). A CDN is a number that is configured in the Meridian 1 or Succession 1000 as the entry point for all calls into Symposium Call Center Server. One or multiple CDNs can be configured to provide additional robustness within the contact center, offering defined backup parameters. Such parameters include a default agent group (ACD DN), music treatment, and recorded announcements. These definitions would be available in a backup scenario if Symposium Call Center Server were to be out of service, or the6 Symposium Call Center Server

Script elements and expressionsMaster, primary, and secondary scripts are all created from building blocks called elements and expressions. Elements perform distinct functions, such as routing a call to a specific destination and playing music or recorded announcements to a caller. Expressions provide the means to group elements together. The elements and expressions are combined to create call routing schemes and treatments specifically designed to meet the business needs of the contact center and its callers.

Following are some types of call processing operations, performed by elements and expressions that can be created within call scripts: Queuing and prioritizing calls to a skillset Call routing (sending a call to a local or remote agent) Providing call treatments (recorded announcements, integrated voice response sessions, playing music) Playing voice menu prompts and waiting for the collection of digits Retrieving presented calls to reroute them Disconnecting calls Providing information to and retrieving information from the contact centers databases Scheduling when to perform certain operations (according to time of day, day of week, day of year)

QUEUE TO SKILLSETFor queuing a call to a specific skillset. QUEUE TO AGENTFor queuing a call to a specific agent or list of agents, with a priority from 1 to 6. Call priorities define the order in which agents will answer calls: priority 1 is the highest level, and priority 6 is the lowest. Agents will be presented with calls assigned a priority 1 first, then priority 2, etc. GIVE MUSICThis element provides the caller with music from a defined music source, such as prerecorded music or general information on products and services. This is a simple and effective way to reassure callers that they are still in queue and have not been disconnected. GIVE RANThis element provides a recorded announcement to the caller. Recorded announcements are an effective way to assure callers that they will be serviced as soon as possible. If there is a specific announcement that should be given to all callers, such as the possibility of the conversation being recorded for quality purposes, then this element should be applied during the initial steps of a call script. GIVE BUSYThis element provides a busy tone to a caller and automatically disconnects the call. This treatment may be appropriate in the event that there are more calls in queue than can be handled by the agents logged into the system. This treatment would avoid a long wait time and frustration for the caller.

automated method of entering and retrieving information from a voice system while maintaining their place in queue. Additionally, this treatment offers contact centers the option to remove callers from the IVR or voice mail when an agent becomes available (interruptible) or to allow the callers to complete the interactive session (non-interruptible) and then be presented to the first available agent. GIVE BROADCAST ANNOUNCEMENTThis element is used to broadcast an announcement to multiple callers (up to 50) at the same time via one CallPilot or Meridian Mail voice port. The announcement can be programmed in such a way that callers are required to listen to the entire announcement before being presented to an agent. This may be required if the announcement states that calls may be monitored for quality purposes. COLLECT DIGITSThis element is used to collect information from the caller, such as the reason for the call or an account number. The digits are collected from the caller while they are connected to Meridian Mail or CallPilot, via ports. The collected digits can then be used within the script to route or treat the caller, or the digits may also be delivered to another application (Nortel Networksdeveloped or third-party), allowing the information to be used within the script. The third-party application can be programmed to populate an agents computer screen via a screen pop.

Script elementsThe foundation for the Symposium Call Center Server call processing can be found in script elements. Elements can be classified into four different categories: basic call processing elements, voice processing elements, host connectivity elements, and general elements. Following are descriptions of some of the elements that can be used to create call scripts unique to each contact center.

Basic call processing elementsThese elements are used in defining call processing. They are used to apply different treatments to calls, such as looking for an available agent (locally or remotely) who is assigned with the skillset necessary to fulfill the call, or allowing a caller to hear a recorded announcement that states the callers expected wait time. QUEUE TOThis element can have different parameters depending on the functionality required. Some examples of the QUEUE TO element are:

Voice processing elementsThese elements are utilized when employing voice processing technology such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) sessions or playing CallPilot/Meridian Mail voice messaging prompts. GIVE IVRThis element is used to allow a caller to enter an interactive voice response system or voice messaging system. This treatment furnishes callers with anSymposium Call Center Server 7

Host connectivity elementsThese elements are required for a script to interact with third-party applications. For example, they may be used to send a callers account number to a computer for data look-up and then receive the callers account status, which could be used by the script to determine appropriate routing. SEND INFOThis element is used to send data to a third-party application. SEND REQUESTThis element is used to query specific data from a third-party application. GET RESPONSEThis element is used to obtain the response pertaining to the SEND REQUEST element previously sent to a third-party application.

assigned to Skillset B. If not, then the call should be queued to those agents who have been assigned to Skillset A. LONGEST IDLE AGENTThe value is the agent ID of the agent in the specified skillset(s) that has been idle the longest. An example of how this intrinsic is used is as follows: QUEUE TO LONGEST IDLE AGENT list_A The above line of script states that the call should be queued to the agent in a predefined list of skillsets (List A) that has been idle for the longest period of time (determined by the idle time since the last call was disconnected, since the last status change, or since the agent was first logged in). TIME OF DAYThe value is the current time of the day. An example of how this intrinsic is used is as follows: IF (TIME OF DAY = 8:00. .17:00) THEN EXECUTE open_section ELSE EXECUTE night_section END IF The above lines of script state that if it is between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., then the commands that should be followed can be found in a subsection of the script entitled open_section. If not, then the commands that should be followed can be found in a subsection of the script entitled night_section. CLIDThe value is the Calling Line Identification (CLID) of the current call. An example of how this intrinsic is used is as follows: IF CLID = 2146841000 THEN QUEUE TO SKILLSET priority_skills ELSE QUEUE TO SKILLSET general_skills END IF

such as addition (+), subtraction (-), division (/) and multiplication (*); logical conjunctions such as AND, OR and NOT; and comparisons such as less than (), less than or equal to (< =), greater than or equal to (>=) and not equal () to create customized calculations for comparing known facts with conditional situations.

Intrinsics and variablesCall scripts use intrinsics and variables to facilitate call flow and simplify script definition.

General elementsThese elements are found within all scripts and facilitate script processing. QUITThis element terminates further script execution. EXECUTE SCRIPTThis element is used to branch from one script to another; for example, from the master script to a primary script. WAITThis element is used to suspend script processing for a specific amount of time. IF-THENThis element is used in conditional situations.

IntrinsicsIntrinsics are system-defined words or phrases that are used in scripts to represent a value or set of values. Following are some examples of intrinsics and ways they might be used in call scripting. EXPECTED WAIT TIMEThis value is a calculation of the average speed of answer of calls in a given skillset priority coming into the Symposium Call Center Server. An example of how this intrinsic is used is as follows: IF (AVERAGE SPEED ANSWER skillset_A > AVERAGE SPEED OF ANSWER skillset_B) THEN QUEUE TO SKILLSET skillset_B ELSE QUEUE TO SKILLSET skillset_A END IF The above lines of script state that if the average speed of answer in Skillset A is greater than the average speed of answer in Skillset B, then the call should be queued to the group of agents who have been

Script expressionsScripts are made up of elements and phrases that initiate call processing. Expressions give the Symposium Call Center Server the ability to create and compare data. For example, if the total number of calls waiting for a specific skillset is three times the total number of agents logged into that skillset, then the caller could be given a recording which states that heavy call volumes may delay servicing of the call. Expressions use mathematical operations8 Symposium Call Center Server

The above lines of script state that if the callers CLID is 214-684-1000, then the call should be queued to those agents who have been assigned to the Priority Skills skillset. If not, the call should be queued to the agents who have been assigned to the General Skills skillset.

Call variables have values defined on a call-by-call basis. These values are assigned and modified within a script. An example of a call variable is a customer account number collected through a voice processing session, as this would change for each caller referenced by the script.

Skillsets and agentsA skillset is a label applied to a collection of abilities or the knowledge of something, such as a product or department, which may be required of an agent to process a given call. The key is that skillsets are assigned to agents; agents are not assigned to agent groups, queues, gates, or splits. This allows agents to be defined as individuals, with individual capabilities and parameters rather than taking on the characteristics of a larger group. Other key attributes associated with skillsets include: Each agent can be assigned up to 50 skillsets. Agents are given a priority for each skillset to which he or she is assigned. Skillset priorities range from 1 to 48, with 1 being the highest priority assignment. Additionally, skillsets can be assigned a standby designation. A call that requires a certain skillset is given to the available agent with the highest priority for that skillset.

Script variablesScript variables are user-defined, easily understood words or phrases that can be used in scripts in place of a value or set of values. The purpose of variables is to provide the system administrator with a way to write scripts using symbolic names instead of values and to allow the administrator to make any necessary changes to the variable values while the system is active. Variables are classified into two categories: global or call. Global variables have a value assigned in a table and can be used in multiple scripts. An example of a global variable would be a list entitled holidays for a calendar year that would include the dates January 1, December 25, and December 31. If dates need to be added or deleted from this list, the system administrator would simply change the variable within the variables table and it would automatically be updated and changed in all scripts using that variable. This saves valuable time for managers and supervisors who create and edit contact center scripts. Another example of a global variable would be the use of names rather than numbers for Dialed Number Identification Services (DNIS).

Activating call scriptsScripts can be made active or nonactive based on real-time conditions such as time of day, day of the week, or day of the year. The script writer might create a script entitled HOLIDAY, which would contain different parameters than normal workdays. This script would automatically be made active for those days of the year that the contact center designates as holidays.

Call script conclusionThe key to the Symposium Call Center Server call processing is the flexibility to create and control call routing and treatments based on real-time conditions, caller requirements, and agent skillsets. Call processing is completely customized to fulfill the demands of the dynamic contact center environment.

Skillsets and call requirementsThe requirements of callers are determined by call scripts, which then determine the most appropriate skillset(s) to which the call should be directed. Callers skillset requirements can be based on the following criteria: Who the caller is: calling party information (CLID, ANI, NPA/NXX, or trunk route) What number the caller dialed: called party information (DNIS) When the caller calls: date or time of the call Call center conditions: system information (agent status or current number of callers waiting) Information that can be obtained from the caller, such as voice processing input (account numbers, invoice numbers, etc.)

Skill-based routingSymposium Call Center Servers skill-based routing provides efficient call handling and greater utilization of contact center resources by presenting calls to appropriately skilled agents and by allowing agents to handle calls from multiple call types. With skill-based routing, calls are presented to available agents who have the necessary skillset to service the callers requests. Calls can be simultaneously queued to multiple skillsets in the same Symposium Call Center Server location or multiple locations, using network skill-based routing. This flexibility provides contact centers with the maximum in call coverage and customer satisfaction.


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Figure 3. Skill-based routing fundamentally differs in concept from traditional ACD.

ACD routing

Skill-based routing

Type of caller is determined

Identity of caller and reason is determined

Platinum Customer Average hold time = 1 minute

Gold Customer Average hold time = 1.5 minutes

Corporate Customer Average hold time = 3 minutes

Key Customer Call gets routed with no special attention

Platinum Customer Average hold time = 20 seconds

Gold Customer Average hold time = 35 seconds

Corporate Customer Average hold time = 45 seconds

Key Customer Customer's personal banker

Platinum Queue

Gold Queue

Corporate Queue

Gold/ Corporate Agents

Corporate Card Agents

Platinum/ Gold Queue

Gold/ Corporate Queue

Corporate/ Platinum Queue

Platinum Card Agents Agents are no longer assigned to queuescalls are routed based on individual skillsets. With skill-based routing, agents skillsets can easily be changedmanagement is dynamic.

Complexity increases rapidly as new types of calls are added. Agents are specifically tied to a queue resulting in inefficient use of agent resources and difficulty reassigning agents on the fly.

As an example, call scripts may be set up in such a way that all calls that have dialed DNIS 2300 are queued to agents assigned to skillset Customer Service, while calls that have dialed DNIS 2400 are queued to agents assigned to skillset Sales. Skillset modes A skillset has three service modes: In-Service mode: This operation is used when the skillset is open to receive calls. Transition mode: This operation allows existing queued calls to be presented to agents, but the skillset will not accept any new incoming calls. For example, if the call center closes at 5:00, it would be beneficial to place the skillset in transition, so that callers already in queue10 Symposium Call Center Server

would be answered, and new callers would receive the defined night or after-hours treatment. Out-of-Service mode: This operation prohibits the skillset from accepting any new incoming calls, and routes existing queued calls to a predefined location or voice processing service based on business requirements. For example, this could be used for emergency situations wherein the contact center needs to be evacuated.

it will apply to all call scripts programmed on that node. Optionally, a recorded announcement can be defined for the default skillset to ensure callers are treated in the event the default skillset is in the out-of-service mode.

Skill-based routing call processingSkill-based routing call processing is accomplished by writing call scripts. The goal is to perform intelligent call routing based on skillsets. Following are the three basic steps in skill-based routing call processing: The Symposium Call Center Server determines which skillset(s) are required for the call.

Default skillsetA default skillset is used to handle calls that have not been queued by the end of a call script execution. It is defined as a local skillset for the Symposium Call Center Server node in which it is programmed, and

The Symposium Call Center Server queues the call to the appropriate skillset(s). This step is also done through call scripting by assigning QUEUE TO elements. If an agent is available, the call is delivered to the agent. If an agent is not immediately available, the call is queued to the required skillset, and treatments, as defined in call scripting, are given to the caller. The Symposium Call Center Server delivers the call to an appropriately skilled agent. The previous steps describe the basic options in skill-based routing call processing. However, the Symposium Call Center Server offers many choices to develop a routing solution that best meets the needs of both the contact center and its callers. For example, calls can be queued to more than one skillset simultaneously, they can be de-queued if not answered within a specified period of time, or they can be retrieved from an agents ringing telephone set and queued to another skillset. All of these options increase the chance of calls being answered sooner while maintaining the contact center effectiveness by looking only for appropriately skilled agents.

Queuing and presentationSymposium Call Center Servers dynamic call routing capabilities offer contact centers many choices to create a call flow unique to their business needs. When customized scripting and skill-based routing are combined with queuing and presentation preferences, contact centers can provide callers with innovative and superior customer service.

When the need arises for a caller to speak with a specific representative, Symposium Call Center Server provides the ability to queue a call to an individual agent. For example, this functionality would allow a caller to be handled by the same agent the caller talked to previously, thereby reducing the callers frustration at having to repeat their situation.

Agent queuing versatilityThe selection of an agent to receive a call is based on agent availability and the amount of time agents have been available (idle). When agents are ready to take calls, upon logging in or completing a call, they receive calls according to their skillset assignments. The order in which idle agents are presented calls is based on agent priority assignment in a skillset, from levels 1 to 48, and agent idle time. Symposium Call Center Server provides contact centers with the option of selecting agents based upon the longest total time in idle state since login, longest time in idle state since last status change, or longest total elapsed time since last skillset call.

Call queuing versatilitySymposium Call Center Server provides queuing functionality to manage agents and facilitate the presentation of incoming calls to those agents for different contact center applications. For contact centers that have agents who are capable of supporting multiple call types, skill-based routing offers the ability to request agents based on ability (skillset) and availability. Agents can be assigned many skillsets according to their abilities and can thus service many different types of calls. For agents that handle only one call type at a time, Symposium Call Center Server always offers the ability for agents to be assigned to a single skillset.

Call presentation matches callers with agentsCall presentation is the matching of available agents with incoming calls. Presentation is performed based on the requirements of a call and the service abilities of agents as defined by skillsets (qualifications).

Figure 4. Skill-based routinginvoked with a rich scripting language and prioritized on multiple dimensionsenables an almost infinite variety of custom call treatments.

Balances the workloadQueue to skillsetCustomer Service, Sales, or Service Call presented to Agent X, since skillset A is the first skillset in the list with an idle agent and/or has the highest agent priority. Queue to skillsetmost idle agent: Customer Service, Sales, or Service Call presented to Agent Y since he has been idle the longest since the beginning of the interval. Queue to idle agent skillsetlongest idle agent: Customer Service, Sales, or Service Call presented to Agent Z since he has been idle the longest since the last activity.Customer service Agent X: Idle time since last call = 10 seconds

Priority assignments for calls and agentsThere are two sets of priorities that will affect queuing and call presentation. They are the priority with which an agent is assigned a skillset and the priority with which a call is queued to a skillset. For both types of priorities, the lower value of the number indicates a greater priority in presentation.

Sales Agent Y: Idle time since last interval = 12 seconds

Service Agent Z: Idle time since last call = 15 seconds


11

Agent priority within skillsetThe contact center manager or supervisor must assign a priority for every skillset assigned to an agent. Agents with higher priorities assigned for a particular skillset will receive calls for that skillset before agents with lower skillset priorities. Agent priority per skillset has a range of 1 to 48, with 1 having the greatest priority. For example, an agent assigned a priority of 1 in Skillset A could be considered highly proficient in servicing callers for that skillset. An agent assigned a priority of 48 in Skillset A could be a new employee learning how to service callers for that skillset.

Network skill-based routingMany contact centers have geographically dispersed locations or wish to decentralize a large contact center while appearing as one seamless organization to their callers. The solution for these complex applications is to create a virtual contact center. This virtualization allows calls and agents to be distributed and managed across multiple sites with the same efficiencies as if they were all located at a single site. Virtual contact centers use both public and private networks to send calls to the optimal location to achieve the highest levels of service and efficiency. Following are some of the significant benefits contact centers can achieve when employing this technology: Maximizing customer service by sending calls to the optimal location Providing flexibility in scheduling agents among sites Enhancing multi-site control by providing both real-time and historical network information for management use and analysis Eliminating manual administrative changes normally required to rebalance incoming calls and agent staffing Providing a contingency plan for disaster recovery With Nortel Networks Symposium Call Center Server, network skill-based routing is accomplished by routing calls from one Symposium Call Center Server node (location) to other nodes in the network. Calls are routed and queued based on the requirements of the caller and the abilities of agents to fulfill those requirements. A Network Control Center serves as the general administration center for the virtual contact center. It maintains a list of all sites in the network, enables centralized administration of network skillsets and routing tables, and delivers consolidated network reports.

Network skillsets are configured centrally at the Network Control Center and propagated to each node to ensure that each Symposium Call Center Server has the same network skillsets. The network skillset is assigned to agents like any other skillset and is used in scripts in order to queue calls.

Network call processingThe first step in network call processing is to determine the skillset that is required by the caller. The required skillset can be based on CLID, DNIS, voice prompted entries, etc., and is identified during the initial elements of the associated call script. Agents are assigned to answer calls based on skillsets that define their abilities or knowledge level. They can be designated to answer calls for their location only, or they can also be assigned to answer calls from other locations. Symposium Call Center Server routes calls based on the requirements of the caller and agent availability. Networking finds the best location for the call to terminate. That may be the location where the call processing began, or it may be in another geographic region due to the time of day or availability of an agent. Following are the basic steps in network call processing: Calls are first directed to local skillsets to optimize local resources. When networked resources need to be utilized, the Symposium Call Center Server script will be written using a Queue To Network Skillset command, which points to a defined network skillset. Using the Wide Area Network (WAN), an agent reservation request is sent to the target nodes in an effort to locate an available agent.

Call priorityPriorities can be assigned to provide specialized treatment for different call types. This option allows calls with greater priority to be presented to agents before calls of lesser priority. Call priorities have a range of 1 to 6, with 1 having the greatest priority. For example, a contact center may have service level agreements with several customer groups and want to provide different levels of customer service based on those agreements. The contact center could designate call priorities based on each agreement type.

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Figure 5. i2004 Internet Phone

If an agent is available at the target site(s), that agent is placed into a reserved state, and a reserved message is sent back to the requesting site with instruction of where to send the call. After an agent is located and reserved, the call is then routed to the destination site and delivered to the reserved agent. With Symposium Call Center Servers network call routing, the costs associated with networking can be kept to a minimum because a full voice connection is not required until the networked call can actually be answered. In the meantime, the caller would hear music and announcements from the local node. Nortel Networks also offers voice over IP (VoIP) solutions for virtual contact centers. To bypass long distance toll charges, simplify management, and extend the full functionality of the contact center, calls can be routed across the IP network to agents located at other sites. With VoIP, companies can distribute their contact center applications to agents anywhere at branch sites, other corporate locations, and home-based officeswhile still providing a seamless experience for customers. This is made possible with Symposium Call Center Server and the Succession 1000, Meridian Internet Telephony Gateways (ITG), and/or Remote Office products. These solutions convert voice traffic into IP packets for transmission over IP networks. adapters, and connections to allow a choice of using a headset or handset. Additionally, IP telephonessuch as the i2004, i2002, and i2050 software phonecan be used by agents and supervisors in an IP contact center environment. Symposium Call Center Server offers agents and supervisors the maximum in flexibility to handle callers needs and requests efficiently. Agent and supervisor features allow contact centers to deliver professional service required to build ongoing relationships with customers. Agents that use single-line telephones (500/2500 sets) are also required to establish availability to receive incoming calls by following a login procedure. They complete the login procedure by dialing a series of feature access codes.

Agent queuingUpon logging into the Symposium Call Center Server, agents are identified as idle for the skillsets that are marked as active in their agent profiles. This action makes them available to answer calls that require those skillsets.

Agent telephone set featuresAgent telephone sets are predefined in the Meridian 1 PBX or Succession 1000 with an InCalls key that is programmed to receive incoming skillset calls. When available to take contact center calls, agents are required to log into the system by pressing their InCalls key and entering their specific agent identification (Agent ID) code. Attributes such as skillsets, priorities, and call handling information are then assigned, which allows call processing to begin.

Agent prioritiesWhen agents are assigned skillsets, they are also assigned a call answering priority within those skillsets. The priorities range from 1 (highest priority) to 48 (lowest priority). This allows agents that are more skilled in a certain area to take calls for that skillset before a less-skilled or standby agent. For example, a contact center that takes support calls may have agents that are skilled in different areas. If an agent is expertly skilled in answering softwarerelated questions, he or she would be assigned to the software skillset with a priority of 1. However, that same agentSymposium Call Center Server 13

Agent/supervisor call handling featuresNortel Networks Symposium Call Center Server offers easy-to-use contact center technology and brings a full array of features and functionality to every answering position. Both agents and supervisors use flexible Meridian digital telephones with built-in displays, add-on modules, optional data

Alternate Call AnswerThe Alternate Call Answer feature allows agents to quickly switch from personal directory number calls to skillset calls.

Make BusyActivation of the Make Busy key prevents an agent from receiving any callswhether skillset or calls to their personal directory number. It is utilized by agents to log out for breaks, lunch, or end of shift/day. The Make Busy key can be activated while a call is in progress and, as soon as the call is completed, the agent is logged out.

Call handling featuresThe following features facilitate agents in servicing callers:

InCallsIncoming contact center calls are presented to agent telephone sets via an InCalls key. This predefined key enables agents to quickly identify the call as a skillset call and provide the high level of service expected by the caller.

Activity codesIn some contact centers it is important to understand how agents are spending call processing time. Agents can enter activity codes related to the different functions they perform. Functions might include taking orders, dispensing information, or answering product questions. Managers can then access reports related to these activities. The reports contain information such as the total number of calls in which the specified activity was recorded. Activity code reports allow managers to feed necessary information to other parts of the business organization. For example, if a manager evaluates incoming calls on a recent product release, this information can be delivered to the product and sales teams so that solutions can be created to either eliminate the customer query or better prepare the agents for calls. To record an activity code during an active incoming skillset call, agents simply press a specified Activity Code key and enter a 1- to 32-digit code related to the function they are performing. Multiple activity codes can be entered during a single call; therefore, as the call changes from a product inquiry to an order, the time spent related to each function is recorded. A default activity code can be defined for each skillset. If an agent does not record an activity code for a call, the amount of time spent will be recorded against the default activity code defined for the skillset.

Agent Personal Directory Numbercan answer hardware-related questions, but not with the same expertise as software. In this case, he or she also may be assigned to the hardware skillset with a somewhat lower priority, perhaps level 5. Agent priorities give the contact center the advantage of offering the best call coverage to customers. Priorities offer agents an opportunity to learn a new skill without being besieged with calls. It can also allow contact centers to include staff that might not normally take calls, but could do so in the event of an increase in call volume. Sometimes agents are required to call customers to confirm orders or relay some important information. For this reason, each agent is optionally configured with a personal directory number to make or receive non-skillset related calls. This gives the contact center and its customer service representatives the advantage and capability to provide essential customer satisfaction.

Not ReadyThe Not Ready feature ensures that agents only answer calls when they are fully prepared. By pressing the Not Ready key, agents are allowed to process post-call information without interruption. Pressing the Not Ready key will disconnect any active call that the agent is on. If the Not Ready key is pressed while a call is ringing at the agents telephone set, the call will be returnedwith the highest priorityto the queue(s) of the skillset(s) to which that call was originally queued. Any time spent in Not Ready or post-call processing will be identified in management reports and real-time displays, enabling supervisors to keep track of the amount of time spent on activities not related to a skillset call.

BreaktimeIn some contact centers, agents may require a specified time between calls to complete post-call processing. The Breaktime feature is a timer that can be used to provide agents with a delay before the next call is presented. During the delay period, agents can complete necessary paperwork without being presented with another call. Offering agents a delay between calls ensures that new callers are not placed on hold while the agent completes the previous callers information.14 Symposium Call Center Server

Not Ready Reason CodesAgents also can enter Not Ready Reason Codes to explain why they have entered into a Not Ready state. This information is then communicated in real-time displays that the supervisor can monitor and use to manage the performance of the contact center. The actual reason associated with the code appears on the display (for example: lunch, training, break, etc.) so that supervisors can easily determine what activities agents are conducting while in this state. Not Ready Reason Code information also can be found in Symposium Call Center Servers historical reports.

Automatic AnswerAutomatic Answer, also called call forcing, maximizes the amount of time agents spend addressing customers needs by minimizing the time between calls. This feature can be defined for multiple agents or it can be implemented at the individual agent level. When an agent has completed a call, the next call can be automatically connected without the agent pressing any keys. A delay timer (from 0 seconds to 5 minutes) can be established to allow the agent to prepare for the next call and to allow thirdparty applications to display the necessary information on the agents terminal before the agent is connected to the next caller. Automatic answering of calls delivers better service to customers as their inquiries are answered without unnecessary delay. It also increases the overall efficiency of the contact center by processing calls without inconsistent delays.

Call AgentThe Call Agent key allows a supervisor to call an agent in an effort to establish communication. After pressing the Call Agent key, a supervisor can call the agent by pressing the associated Agent key or by dialing the agents position ID. The agent is alerted that the call is from a supervisor because the Supervisor key is illuminated.

Answer AgentIf an agent requires assistance from his or her supervisor, the Supervisor key can be pressed. The call rings on the supervisors telephone at the Answer Agent key. With a quick glance, the supervisor knows that the call is from an agent.

Supervisor keyThere may be times when agents will need the assistance of a supervisor to further support a callers needs. By pressing the Supervisor key, an agent can contact his or her supervisor instantly for consultation. If the agent is on an established contact center call, pressing this key will place the caller on hold and initiate a call to the supervisor. After the supervisor answers, a three-way conference can be established with the agent, supervisor, and caller. The Supervisor key is also used to answer a call that is initiated from the supervisor to an agent. When the telephone set is ringing and the Supervisor key is illuminated, the agent knows that the call is from the supervisor and can respond appropriately.

Answer EmergencyWhen an agent presses the Emergency key, the supervisors telephone emits a continuous tone and the Answer Emergency key flashes. The supervisor can then connect directly to the agent and the caller by pressing the Answer Emergency key.

Return to Queue on No AnswerIf an agent walks away from the telephone, the Return to Queue on No Answer feature offers the means to send a call that was sent to the agents telephone back to the queue after a predefined amount of time. This safeguard ensures that calls will always be answered with optimum efficiency. When a call is returned for queuing, the agents telephone is placed into either the Not Ready or Make Busy state (as defined by the system administrator) to prevent additional calls from being sent to the telephone.

Agent ObserveWhile a supervisor has several methods of monitoring how quickly each agent works, one of the best ways to evaluate and improve agent-caller relations is to monitor calls in progress. The Agent Observe feature enables a supervisor to listen to an agents conversation with or without being heard by the parties on the call. An optional tone is available to alert the agent and, if desired, the caller that the call is being monitored. The observing supervisor can also join the call and establish a three-way conference.

Emergency keyAn agent who is confronted with an emergency or threatening call can alert his or her supervisor immediately by pressing the Emergency key. Activating this key does not place the caller on hold. Information about the call is automatically printed on a maintenance terminal, and the supervisor is alerted by a corresponding Answer Emergency key on his or her telephone. If the contact center is equipped with a recording device, the call can also be recorded for follow-up investigations.

Supervisor telephone set featuresTo handle calls with optimum efficiency, agents must have quick access to supervisors for answers to questions and help in emergencies. Following are some of the additional contact center telephone set features available to supervisors:


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Figure 6. Symposium Call Center Web Client

cant savings in time, effort, and money. Moreover, managers can take advantage of Symposium Call Center Servers superb management tools, real-time displays, and historical reports from almost anywhere to help make better business decisions and respond more quickly.

Administering Symposium Call Center ServerSecurity management ensures access to services and resources based on predefined user profiles. Users are defined by their capabilities and their privileges. The capabilities assigned determine what is available for use during a Symposium Call Center Server session. A single interface allows administrators to configure users according to their function in the contact center. The following assumptions help to distinguish the different users in the system: Agents answer calls Supervisors manage and monitor agents. They use PCs to configure and monitor contact centers and also require telephone sets to monitor agents, answer calls, and respond to emergency requests. Administrators or contact center managers configure and administer contact centers. They use PCs for configuring and managing but may not require contact center telephone sets.

Contact center managementThe comprehensive management and reporting tools of Symposium Call Center Server can help contact center managers run their contact center more effectively and efficiently than ever. Supervisors can accurately track contact center performance and the level of support provided by an individual as well as a group of agents. The systems real-time and historical reporting makes it easy to determine when and how to adjust staffing levels during peak periods and to forecast business needs and human resources requirements over the long term. The contact center team can access this complete set of management tools either through desktop clients with a Microsoft Windows interface or via a widely used Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer. The browser-based optionSymposium Call Center Web Clientcan enable contact center managers to be even more efficient. The thin client solution is faster and easier to implement and maintain, because the client software is housed centrally on a single server, eliminating the need to install, patch, and upgrade individual desktop clients. This yields signifi16 Symposium Call Center Server

AdministrationManagers and supervisors use the Symposium Call Center Servers administrative abilities to define contact center configurations. The following items are some of the parameters defined within configuration management: Call scripts Skillset definitions Agent definitions Supervisor definitions

Meridian 1/Succession 1000 resources Real-time display information Data collection information for reports

Administering call scriptsCall scripts are tailor-made contact center applications that contain call routing and treatment instructions to define the handling of individual calls. Call scripts use a set of user-friendly commands to create various call routing schemes and treatments unique to the requirements of the contact center. During the call script creation, contact center managers work closely with the script writer to build powerful contact center applications. The script writer uses the Script Manager and Script Editor tools of the Symposium Call Center Server to create and manage the call scripts.

Script EditorIn the Script Editor, administrators create, edit, validate, and activate the scripts that generate call processing for their contact center. This section provides a text-based editor for customizing the unique call scripts. Also available is a listing of scripting variables which gives the administrator the ability to view and select available script elements, variables, events, intrinsics, and operators for pasting into call scripts during configuration. The script elements are grouped according to their classification as basic call processing elements, voice processing elements, host connectivity elements, and general elements. The listing consists of all configured variables and allows the administrator to browse quickly through the entire table.

Creating classesThroughout the Symposium Call Center Server management interface, information common to multiple resources (agents, skillsets, routes, IVR) can be grouped together and configured once. This process is called creating a class. A single class can be applied to multiple resources, which can significantly reduce the time required to assign user privileges and system parameters. The types of classes that can be created include the following: Agent Call Presentation classes define agent call handling parameters. (For example, the call force timing parameter, return to queue on no answer, and the break time timing parameter.) Agent Threshold classes define acceptable times for agent call processing conditions. (For example, the acceptable length of time for an agent to be active on a skillset call or the acceptable length of time for an agent to be in the Not Ready state.) Two levels of thresholds can be defined for the multiple agent states. This information is displayed in supervisor real-time displays, and relevant statistics are highlighted when thresholds are met or exceeded, alerting the supervisor to potential problem areas. Skillset Threshold classes define acceptable times for skillset call processing conditions presented in real-time displays. This information reflects a contact centers overall operating objectives. The following sections discuss some of the various screens related to implementing scripts, skillsets, agents, supervisors, and Symposium Call Center Server network parameters:

Script ManagerThe Script Manager contains a listing of all of the scripts in the system. Included with the system are standard script segments that can be copied and pasted into master, primary, and secondary scripts. This tool affords management ease and adaptability when administering call scripts.Figure 7. Script Editor


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Figure 8. Skillset Configuration

Defining skillsetsA skillset is a label that is applied to a collection of abilities or the knowledge of something, such as a product or department, which may be required of an agent to handle a given call. Skillsets are configured in the system and used in call scripts to send a call to the appropriate agent or group of agents. In agent configurations, skillsets are used to identify the agents unique ability to handle specific product or service calls. When defining skillsets, the system administrator enters general information such as the skillset name and default activity code, and call presentation specifics such as the prioritizing of calls. The figure on the left gives an example of the Skillset Configuration page.

Configuring agents and supervisorsWhen agents and supervisors are created in the Symposium Call Center Server, their role in the contact center is defined by the capabilities and privileges that are assigned to them. When an administrator configures an agent or supervisor, a number of attributes are associated with the user such as: Phoneset, Call Presentation, Thresholds, Skillsets, and Supervisor. When agents are trained to take calls from more than one call type, there may be a need for the agents to call on multiple supervisors for assistance. Therefore, agents are assigned a primary supervisor and can also be assigned an associated supervisor. This powerful functionality provides agents with the comfort of knowing that supervisory assistance is always available.

Figure 9. Contact Center Management Agent Details

Agent configurationIn contact center management, either the system administrator or supervisor can create an agent or change an existing agent. The following properties can be assigned: General propertiesUsed to identify items such as the agents name, language, department, title, and comments.18 Symposium Call Center Server

Phoneset propertiesUsed to identify items such as the agents phoneset login ID and personal directory number. Call presentation propertiesUsed to identify items such as the agents call presentation class (this class assigns preferences that determine how calls are to be presented to the agent). Threshold propertiesUsed to identify the Threshold Class that is used for the agent (this class assigns call handling timers for specific call processing states, such as active on a skillset call, and allows the items to be displayed in real-time displays with highlighting to indicate a potential problem to the supervisor). Skillset propertiesUsed to assign the agent to answer calls for specific skillsets. The agent is also assigned a priority from 1 to 48 or standby in each of the skillsets. Supervisor propertiesUsed to assign a primary and secondary (associated) supervisor. See the example of the Agent Details page. (See Figure 9 on previous page.)

With the Symposium Call Center Web Client, supervisors can choose to view all agents in their real-time displays, or they can apply filters to the displays to show only a subset of the agents assigned to them. Likewise, they can also create userdefined reports in Historical Reporting, and apply selection criteria to show only a subset of the agents assigned.

Supervisors also can personalize the standard displays in order to view the information that is the most critical to their business needs. They can apply color schemes, add custom formulas, and insert or remove statistics columns. They can also apply filters to most of the real-time displays. Real-time data can be presented in whatever format works bestgraphical, tabular, or a combination of the twoto help managers react immediately to changing circumstances. They have the information they need to adjust skillsets and staffing levels, or reroute calls to deploy other networked resourcesall with the goal of maintaining the highest levels of customer service and agent satisfaction. Symposium Call Center Server also offers a choice in how real-time information is going to be viewedeither as a moving window or an interval-to-date view.

Real-time displaysSymposium Call Center Servers real-time displays provide supervisors and administrators with up-to-date status information regarding the performance of the contact center and its resources. The real-time display is a monitoring tool that allows contact center managers to query and display real-time contact center data. These displays provide continuous information regarding the dynamic conditions of the contact center, including agent and call activities. The availability of this data is essential in enabling managers to quickly respond to changes in call activity. By reacting to these always-changing conditions, contact center managers can make better use of their resources and provide the highest quality of service to their customers.

Moving window viewThis view uses a moving window where the statistics are collected and kept for a fixed length of time (10 minutes). This view always represents the last 10 minutes of activity.

Supervisor configurationSupervisors are responsible for managing a group of agents. The system administrator assigns supervisor capabilities which allow agents to be assigned to them. For each of the assigned agents, supervisors: Are notified when an agent presses the Emergency key Have agent keys configured on their phonesets Can monitor their agents conversations Can change agent properties, such as the agents language, call presentation, and skillset priorities Can create, edit, and schedule agent to supervisor assignments and agent to skillset assignments

Symposium Call Center Server real-time display capabilitiesThe contact center supervisor or administrator has the ability to use standard (predefined) display definitions. There are a number of standard real-time display definitions. They are related to agents, applications, IVR, routes, skillsets, and contact center summaries. Supervisors can quickly scan the display to identify positive or negative trends in the call handling workload. Any values that exceed pre-defined thresholds are highlighted in the displays. Supervisors can even choose colors to represent different exception levels.


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Figure 10. Real-Time DisplaysAgents

Interval-to-date viewThis view allows the collection of statistics to continue for a configurable interval length. The interval length can be set to as low as 15 minutes and as high as 24 hours. When the interval is completed, the statistics are set to zero and the collection starts again for the next interval. Supervisors choose how often their displays update. Skillset information can be refreshed as often as every two seconds. Agent-related displays can update as often as every 0.5 second. On the left are two examples of Symposium Call Center Server real-time displays. The first screen represents agent information, and the second screen represents a collection of tabular and graphical real-time displays.

Agent desktop displaysSymposium Call Center Web Client includes agent desktop displays that enable agents to keep an eye on their current performance statistics and see how they are contributing to the overall effectiveness of the contact center. An agent can see up to 21 statistics for each of his or her assigned skillsets, in either a one-line or tabular format.

Figure 11. Real-Time DisplaysCollection

Management reportsFlexible management reports provide contact center managers with the detailed up-to-date information needed to administer the contact center effectively. Symposium Call Center Server offers management reports to identify immediate concerns or to provide a historical perspective. Reports can focus on a selected timeframe or on specific components such as agents or skillsets, providing the information for managers to measure and manage contact center productivity. Symposium Call Center Servers reporting capabilities can help measure system performance, assess staffing requirements, control operating20 Symposium Call Center Server

Figure 12. Call by Call Reporting

costs, generate additional revenues and, most importantly, enhance service to callers. Symposium Call Center Server offers more than 70 standard report templates that supply managers with the ability to analyze items such as skillset activity, agent performance, or the demographics of a specific customer area and much more. By knowing the capabilities of the contact center and staff, supervisors and managers can respond more effectively to changing conditions and adjust workloads and work flow to provide better customer service and offer encouragement to contact center agents.

Historical statisticsThe management information component of Symposium Call Center Server provides overall management of historical statistics such as the number of calls an agent took during a specified time frame, the number of calls that abandoned before an agent became available, or the option to follow and report on a call from the point it enters the system to the time it is disconnected (call-by-call information). The management functionality can be broken down into three basic components: collecting historical information, maintaining historical information, and accessing the information that has been stored.

Maintaining historical informationThe historical information that is collected can be stored on the call center server for durations that are decided by the administrator. These selections are easily defined in terms of days, weeks, or months. For example, the administrator enters the maximum number of days that interval data is kept or the maximum number of months that monthly data is kept. Choosing the duration of how long historical data is kept enables managers to compare past and current report information and identify historical trends to make forecasts for the future. Forecasting is especially helpful for predicting changes in contact center traffic. For example, if a retailers annual summer sale traditionally brings higher call volumes, detailed reports can help the center prepare for future sales. Similarly, tracking seasonal business trends makes it easier to manage staffing requirements from one year to the next.

When accessing the Historical Statistic Configuration screen, the administrator is advised of the actual disk space used for the historical database and the estimated required disk space for the configuration that has been chosen.

Accessing historical informationHistorical information is accessed by generating management reports. These reports can help managers run the contact center more effectively and efficiently than ever. Managers and supervisors can accurately track contact center performance and the level of support provided by an individual, as well as a group of agents. Symposium Call Center Servers historical reporting makes it easy to forecast business needs and human resources requirements over the long term. These standard reports can help managers analyze contact center activity, traffic fluctuations, agent performance and work characteristics, usage of contact center resources, and network performance. With detailed information as a guide, managers can respond effectively to changing conditions by adjusting workloads and work flow.

Collecting historical informationSymposium Call Center Server allows the administrator to select the type of historical information to be stored in the database. Information is collected based on groupings of similar datasuch as skillset statistics, agent performance statistics, route statistics, DNIS statistics, and callby-call statistics. These statistics are selected by the administrator for collection so that the contact center managers are able to choose the information that offers the most value to their operating environments.


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Figure 13. Application Delay Before Answer Report

Application Dela Before Answer y Application Delay Before AnswerSite Name:

BRAMPTON

Report Interval: 00:00:00 01 June, 2003 - 00:00:00 01 July, 2003

The standard reports are grouped into three categories: historical reports, configuration reports, and network reports.

Table Name: mApplicationStat

Skillset Calls:Offered Answered

Answer Delay

Delay at Skillset

Answered After Threshold

Maximum Answer Delay

Maximum Delay at Skillset

Average Answer Delay

GRAND TOTAL

54

51

00:06:19

00:06:19

1

00:02:34

00:02:34

00:00:07

Application: Client_Inquiries_script

Historical reportsThe historical reports provide information related to the statistics, activities, and performance of the contact center. These reports measure contact center performance and are organized according to the type of statistics that are found within them. Most of these reports are available as interval, daily, weekly, or monthly summaries. The four report categories are: application reports, skillset reports, agent reports, and resource reports. These categories are described below with descriptions of some of the standard reports that can be found within each category.

Summary:

54

51

00:06:19

00:06:19

1

00:02:34

00:02:34

00:00:07

Answer Delay Spectrum: Client_Inquiries_scriptNumber of Calls

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

52

56

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

280

300

420

540

>600

2

6

10

14

18

22

26

30

34

38

42

46

50

54

58

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

230

250

270

290

360

480

600

Delay Intervals --->

06 01/2003Application

54 54

51 51

00:06:19 00:06:19

00:06:19 00:06:19 GRAND TOTAL

1 1

00:02:34 00:02:34

00:02:34 00:02:34

00:00:07 00:00:07

54

51

00:06:19

00:06:19

1

00:02:34

00:02:34

00:00:07

C:\Program Files\Nortel Networks\WClient\Apps\Reporting\Historical\rpt\m1\MM-APP4.RPT

Printed By: Kevin 03/07/2003 2:48:35 PM

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Application reportsThe application reports measure the performance of applications defined in the system. An application is equivalent to any script that is labeled as a master or primary call script in the Script Manager display. Information is collected and reported for applications to give contact center managers specific call flow details, including call types, callers, or conditions.

Application Delay Before Answer ReportThe Application Delay Before Answer Report focuses on application performance from the customers point of view, indicating how long callers wait before being connected to an agent. The agent could be answering calls in any number of skillsets. These statistics include all skillset calls for selected applications. It also displays if the delay was after the call was presented to the skillset. By keeping delays to a minimum, the contact center exhibits respect for the value of callers time and inspires a level of confidence that will bring repeat business.

With a greater awareness of customer tolerance levels, contact center managers can adjust call scripts to provide quicker service, offer recorded announcements more frequently, or offer callers the option to access an interactive voice processing system. These choices assure customers that they will be answered and serviced promptly.

Application Call Treatment ReportThe Application Call Treatment Report shows summary performance information on the handling of each call associated with a particular application. The Application Call Treatment Report displays multiple treatments that can occur within the application and the number of calls that received the specified treatments. The report records the number of calls answered, abandoned, offered, routed, and disconnected within the application. This report measures other treatments within the call script, including commands such as Give Busy or Disconnect. Managers can keep an accurate count of the number of callers that receive specific treatment and service.

Application Performance ReportThe Application Performance Report provides an overview of calls answered, delayed, abandoned, and service level percentage based on calls that were routed to the specified application (call script). This report can be particularly useful in determining how efficiently specific call types and callers are being serviced. By showing the volume of calls answered in a given period along with the average delay callers experienced, the report can identify the level of service for a specific type of call or activity customers have received.

Application Delay Before Abandon ReportThe Application Delay Before Abandon Report gauges service quality by indicating how many callers hang up (abandon) before reaching an agent. The spectrum shows how long callers typically wait before abandoning, whether they abandoned before or after the threshold, and the percentage of calls that abandoned.

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Skillset reportsThe skillset reports measure the performance of skillsets defined in the system. A skillset is a label that is applied to a collection of abilities or the knowledge of something, such as a product or department, which may be required of an agent to handle a given call. An application can have one or several skillsets associated with this call activity.

servicing calls to the skillset, the report indicates whether or not the skillset has the required number of agents equipped to service callers. If a particular skillset is not performing well, the contact center manager may investigate further within agent reports.

agents spend at their positions and how often they are busy during a shift. However, agents should only be compared with other agents who have similar skillset assignments and priorities, because different call types may offer different service levels. Average call lengths can also be an important indicator of an agents rapport with customers. With a continued focus on customer support and service level, this report is an invaluable tool to ensure that agents project a positive image.

Agent ReportsThe Agent Reports measure the performance of agents defined in the system. The focus is on answering performance and work characteristics of individual agents. Contact center managers can manage more effectively by understanding the capabilities of the contact center staff.

Skillset Performance ReportThe Skillset Performance Report provides an overview of call handling performance within each identified skillset. The report lists the total calls answered by live agents for the assigned skillset, the number and percentage of calls that were answered after a predefined threshold, the maximum delay experienced by calls that were answered, and the total time all agents were busy servicing calls to the skillset. By indicating the volume of calls and delay times experienced by callers along with the amount of time agents were busyFigure 14. Agent Performance Report

Agent by Application Performance ReportThe Agent by Application Performance Report shows summarized agent performance data for each application under review. It details performance statistics such as the total number of calls answered, total time spent servicing contact center callers, and average call length. This report is an indicator of agent performance within an application.

Agent Performance ReportThe Agent Performance Report tracks agents call handling activities for incoming calls, drawing attention to activities that should be rewarded or weaknesses that may need to be addressed. Comparisons can be made in terms of overall productivity, measured by the time

Agent by Skillset Performance ReportThe Agent by Skillset Performance Report shows summarized agent performance data for each skillset under review. The report details performance statistics such as the total number of calls answered, total time spent servicing contact center callers, and average call length. This report is an indicator of agent performance within a skillset. It helps managers identify agents who may have difficulty with a specific skill. It can also highlight agents who are in need of additional training or reassignment to a different skillset.

Agent PerformanceReport Interval: 00:00:00 01 June, 2003 - 00:00:00 29 June, 2003 Site Name: BRAMPTON Table Name: wAgentPerformanceStatAvg ACD/ Logged In Time Skillset Talk Time NACD Talk Time DN TalkTime Not Ready Time Break Time Ring Time Waiting Time Walk away Time N/W Time Resrv'd Time Calls Present'd Skillset N/W ReAns'd Ans'd fo Call ACD/ Ans'd Short Calls Ans'd DN Calls Conf Trans Out Out Return Calls From To Time Que Out

srv'd NACD

Agent Name & ID: Jon Carlos - 33108413:55:48 00:12:58 00:00:00 00:30:05 00:27:08 00:00:00 00:02:38 12:40:12 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 35 34 0 % Work: 00:02:38 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:02:38 05:06:33 06:04:31 01:29:08 12:40:12 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 35 0 0 35 34 0 0 % Work: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.80 0 11.36 0 0.06 0 0.11 0 4.80 5 11 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 1 5 11 0 0 0 1 Avg Skillset Talk Time: 05:49:50 06/02/2003 06:07:24 06/09/2003 01:58:34 06/23/2003 13:55:48Agent

00:00:23 00:00:00

00:12:58 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:12:58

00:00:00

00:00:41

00:26:47

Avg Skillset Talk Time: 00:00:23 00:00:00 00:00:58 00:00:13 00:00:00 Avg Skillset Talk Time: 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:28:26 00:00:08 00:00:00 Avg Skillset Talk Time: 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:30:05 00:27:08 00:00:00 Avg Skillset Talk Time: 00:00:23

% Work: 0 0 34 % Work: 0 % Work:

Agent DN Performance ReportThe Agent DN Performance Report shows the amount of time that agents spend on their personal directory numbers (DNs).C:\Program Files\Nortel Networks\WClient\Apps\Reporting\Historical\rpt\m1\WM-AGT1.RPT

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Figure 15. Not Ready Reason Code Report

The Agent DN Performance Report records incoming and outgoing information including the total number of DN calls and the average amount of time spent on DN calls. It also compares internal and external DN call activity.

Agent Performance Calls Answered/Top 5 ReportThe Agent Performance Calls Answered/ Top 5 Report is a daily report that gives contact center managers a listing of the top five agents according to the total number of skillset calls answered. Agent-specific time summaries such as total logged in time and Not Ready time are compared to a group average. Managers can track performance and may offer incentives based on agent appearances in this report.

Agent Performance Calls Answered/Bottom 5 ReportThe Agent Performance Calls Answered/ Bottom 5 Report is a daily report that produces a listing of the bottom five agents according to the total number of skillset calls answered. Agent-specific time summaries such as total logged in time and Not Ready time are compared to a group average. Agents who appear frequently on this report may need assistance or further training to enhan

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