Roadmap for Implementing a Multi-Site IP Contact Center

(1)

Mobility

WHITE

PAPER

March 2007

Roadmap for Implementing a Multi-Site

IP Contact Center

(2)

Section 1: Executive Summary

Internet.Protocol.(IP).has.altered.the.technical.and.economic.landscape.for.multi-site.contact.centers..It.gives. IT.managers.enhanced,.easier-to-use.and.more.cost.effective.tools.for.building,.consolidating.and.extending. multi-site.contact.center.environments..It.allows.enterprises.to.cost.effectively.deliver.advanced.contact. center.capabilities.to.secondary.locations,.branches,.outlets.and.at-home.agents..And,.it.allows.enterprises.to. centralize.IT.management.by.integrating.all.of.their.servicing.capabilities.–.in-house,.outsourced,.managed. care.–.under.a.common.technology.umbrella.. Implementing.a.multi-site.IP.contact.center.requires.the.right.technology,.business.processes.and.partner.. Success.depends.upon.a.well-defined.implementation.roadmap.that.details.each.phase.of.the.process..The. framework.for.building.a.multi-site.IP-enabled.contact.center.is.outlined.below..The.recommended.steps.will. guide.your.implementation,.help.you.realize.operating.efficiencies.and.cost.savings,.while.creating.a.robust,. high.capacity.and.high.availability.operating.environment..

Section 2: The Flatten, Consolidate and Extend Strategy & Its Benefits

“Flatten,.consolidate.and.extend”.is.a.strategy.that.helps.companies.improve.their.financial.performance.and. their.customers’.experience.by.using.IP.to.simplify.the.contact.center.infrastructure.. Enterprises.“flatten”.their.contact.center.infrastructure.when.they.use.IP.technology.to.eliminate.expensive. carrier.and.networking.services.charges..The.highly.scalable.systems.enable.enterprises.to.“consolidate”. multiple.distributed.ACDs.and.their.supporting.applications.into.a.single.instance.located.in.a.data.center,. centralizing.simplifying.management.of.the.contact.center.infrastructure..Contact.center.applications.over.IP. can.“extend”.to.locations.and.operations.anywhere.in.the.world,.as.it.eliminates.physical.and.geographical. limitations. Flatten..IP.implementations.yield.tangible.benefits.for.the.contact.center.and.the.IT.organization.by. significantly.reducing.the.cost.and.complexity.of.these.departments..IP.networks.make.it.unnecessary.to.use. network.management.and.carriers.to.move.traffic.between.sites..This.eliminates.the.majority.of.carrier.fees. and.network.management.costs.for.advanced.routing.features..Any.enterprise.with.more.than.one.contact. center.will.find.it.cost.effective.to.migrate.to.an.IP.environment.. Consolidate..For.IT.managers,.IP.eliminates.the.need.to.maintain.separate.call.management.and.supporting. systems,.such.as.ACD,.IVR,.Predictive.Dialing,.recording,.quality.assurance,.and.workforce.management,. at.each.site..This.greatly.reduces.hardware.requirements,.maintenance.fees.and.support.requirements..In. addition,.enterprises.that.have.multiple.and.decentralized.servicing.locations.–.such.as.remote.offices,.branch. offices.or.outsourcers.–.and.are.committed.to.providing.their.customers.with.an.outstanding.and.consistent. customer.experience,.regardless.of.the.channel.they.use,.should.consider.migrating.to.an.IP.environment.. Extend..For.contact.centers,.IP.greatly.simplifies.the.management.challenge.by.eliminating.routing.and. queuing.restrictions;.interactions.can.be.cost-effectively.routed.to.the.best-qualified.agent,.regardless.of.their. physical.location..IP.provides.full.transparency,.regardless.of.whether.the.center.is.located.inside.or.outside. the.organization,.and.improves.the.customer.experience..Standardizing.and.reducing.complexity.increases. interoperability.and.provides.the.most.cost.effective.business.continuity.and.redundancy.. All.of.these.benefits.result.in.significant.cost.savings..As.a.result,.companies.that.successfully.migrate.to. IP,.even.on.a.hybrid.basis.in.conjunction.with.their.existing.TDM-based.solutions,.can.expect.to.realize.a.30. percent.reduction.in.operating.costs..

(4)

The.following.is.a.three-part.guide.to.identifying.the.potential.presented.by.IP,.building.a.business.case.for. migration.to.IP.and.ultimately.to.designing.and.implementing.an.IP.infrastructure.

Identifying the Potential

•.Document operating costs..Assess.your.current.operating.environment.to.determine.the.competitive.

advantages.of.consolidation,.the.savings.migration.to.IP.can.be.expected.to.deliver,.as.well.as.forecast.the. cost.of.future.growth.using.the.current.model.versus.an.IP.model.

•.Inventory your contact center assets..Determine.which.current.contact.center.assets.are.fully.depreciated.and.

forecast.how.many.years.it.will.take.to.fully.depreciate.each.of.the.remaining.assets.

•.Formulate a high-level architectural design..Document.your.technical.and.functional.requirements.and.

develop.an.IP-based.contact.center.architectural.plan.that.will.enable.your.enterprise.to.optimize.the. performance.of.its.contact.center(s)..(Bring.in.outside.expertise.if.you.don’t.have.IP.experience.in-house.). Compare.your.current.system.to.the.projected.future.architectural.design.with.an.eye.to.filling.all.system. and.functional.gaps.

•.Identify duplicate systems and applications..Consider.which.of.your.existing.systems.and.applications.will.

become.redundant.when.you.consolidate.contact.center.management.to.one.site.

Building the Business Case

•.Identify one-time and ongoing project-related costs..Create.a.summary.of.costs.that.include.new.hardware.and.

software,.professional.services,.incremental.bandwidth,.internal.resources,.write-offs,.penalties.and.fees.for. canceling.existing.contracts.

•.Identify hard savings..Calculate.network.management.fees.for.CTI,.transfers.and.other.advanced.features,.

carrier.charges,.reduced.per-minute.rates,.real.estate,.hardware,.software.and.maintenance.fees.for. redundant.applications.(servicing.applications,.WFM,.quality.assurance,.recording,.reporting.applications,. IVR,.CTI,.ACDs,.dialers,.voice.mail,.scripting.applications,.etc.),.and.full-time.employee.savings.

•.Identify soft benefits..Many.of.the.benefits.of.migrating.to.IP.are.hard.to.quantify,.but.do.contribute.

significantly.to.improving.the.operating.environment..These.include.an.improved.customer.experience,. enhanced.brand,.increased.customer.loyalty,.standardized.service.throughout.the.enterprise,.increased. agent.retention,.improved.skills-based.routing.to.a.larger.agent.pool,.redundant.operating.environment,.etc.. •.Conduct ROI analysis..Prepare.an.ROI.analysis.and.determine.the.payback,.net.present.value.and.internal.

rate.of.return.for.this.investment.

•.Identify sponsor..Develop.the.stewardship.of.a.senior.level.project.sponsor,.perhaps.the.CTO.or.the.EVP.

responsible.for.the.relevant.business.unit.

• Assemble project team..Create.a.cross-functional.team.of.technical.personnel.and.business.managers.

to.staff.the.project..Assign.responsibility.for.the.network:.the.new.architecture.may.change.the.support. requirements.for.your.applications..Prior.to.fully.implementing.the.new.architecture,.determine.which. business.unit.will.be.responsible.for.managing.the.new.network.and.centralized.applications..Coordinate. with.business.managers:.during.each.phase.of.the.project,.business.managers.should.be.encouraged.to. examine.and.modify.their.operating.procedures.and,.if.necessary,.retrain.staff.to.realize.the.full.benefits.of. the.technology.improvements.

Design and Implementation

•.Conduct a network assessment..Analyze,.identify.and.address.any.weaknesses.in.the.current.system;.

determine.Quality.of.Service.of.voice-over-IP.resources.to.meet.your.enterprise’s.requirements..Add. incremental.bandwidth,.if.necessary.

(5)

3 avaya.com

•.Design a secure network..Address.security.at.all.levels.of.the.design..Identify.all.potential.points.of.risk..

Identify.and.invest.in.solutions.that.minimize.the.chance.of.security.breaches..

•.Address survivability..Design.a.network.that.addresses.slowdowns.and.failures.by.building.in.alternative.

paths.for.IP.traffic..

•.Provide for redundancy..Incorporate.redundancy.into.the.network.and.contact.center.applications.to.

minimize.unplanned.disruptions.in.service..Duplicate.network.paths.and.servers..Design.the.network.so.that. other.sites.can.provide.support.during.failures..Create.gateways.to.provide.business.continuity.if.problems. occur.at.the.central.site.or.network..Provide.redundancy.for.all.supporting.contact.center.applications,.such. as.the.servicing.application,.workforce.management,.quality.assurance,.interactive.voice.response,.voice. messaging,.dialing,.scripting,.etc.. •.Prioritize..Divide.the.project.into.short.and.measurable.phases.of.three.to.six.months.and.prioritize.phases. based.on.achieving.maximum.customer.benefit.and.financial.gains.as.early.as.possible.

•.Create baseline measurements..Prior.to.beginning.each.phase,.determine.baseline.measurements.of.

performance.of.the.center.or.function.to.use.for.comparison.when.the.project.has.been.completed..It.may. be.wise.to.conduct.a.customer.satisfaction.survey.before.beginning.the.implementation.–.and.perform. others.during.the.process.–.in.order.to.quantify.the.customer.benefits.

•.Implement and test..To.mitigate.concerns.and.minimize.risks,.conduct.one.or.more.pilot.implementations.

before.moving.to.full.implementation..After.the.successful.pilots,.obtain.authorization.from.all.impacted. departments.to.undertake.full.implementation.in.phases.

•.Coordinate with finance and procurement groups..Coordinate.with.finance,.procurement,.asset.management,.

telecom.and.IT.groups.to.ensure.that.all.hardware,.software,.systems.and.network.circuits.are.either. redeployed.or.that.contracts.are.cancelled.as.they.become.redundant.during.the.process.

•.Measure and communicate..After.each.phase,.assess.the.effectiveness.of.the.implementation.using.your.

baseline.measurements.and.communicate.its.success..IP-enabled.architecture.empowers.business. managers.to.vastly.improve.service.and.support,.as.it.eliminates.many.limitations.of.the.previous. technology.topology..During.each.phase.of.the.project,.contact.center.and.business.managers.should.be. fully.apprised.of.changes,.their.benefits.and.impact.

•.Initiate operational improvements..Identify.and.adapt.business.processes.as.necessary.to.realize.the.benefits.

from.the.technology.enhancements..Equally.important.are.the.new.opportunities.that.may.emerge.from. the.new.architecture:.business.managers.should.be.encouraged.to.modify.their.site-based.processes.to. realize.the.full.value.of.technology.enhancements,.giving.them.access.to.enterprise-wide.metrics.and. capabilities..This.is.an.essential.step.that.will.expedite.adoption.and.help.you.realize.the.benefits.of.the. new.architecture..Speeding.up.the.realization.of.benefits.will.give.an.enterprise.a.substantial.strategic. differentiator.over.its.competitors..

•.Create more meaningful reporting..Once.the.new.architecture.is.in.place,.review.and.consolidate.reporting.

systems..Eliminate.redundant.reports..Design.new.ones.that.provide.a.complete.and.consistent.view.of.all. contact.center.activities.across.departments.and.geographic.locations.. During.each.phase.of.the.project.rollout,.trainers.should.work.with.contact.center.and.business.managers.to. explain.the.impact.of.the.changes.and.their.benefits..Furthermore,.new.opportunities.will.emerge.with.the. new.IP-enabled.architecture,.empowering.business.managers.to.vastly.improve.service.and.support..Because. the.new.topology.eliminates.many.limitations,.business.managers.should.be.encouraged.to.modify.their.site-based.processes.to.realize.the.full.value.of.the.enhancements,.including.access.to.enterprise-wide.metrics. and.capabilities.. Training.is.an.essential.step.that.expedites.adoption.among.key.stakeholders.and.helps.enterprises.realize. benefits.of.the.new.architecture.sooner..IP-enabled.call.centers.offer.a.substantial.differentiator.over. competitors,.so.fully.utilizing.their.capabilities.promptly.can.be.a.strategic.imperative.for.the.enterprise.

(6)

IP Project Implementation Checklist



Use.this.implementation.checklist.to.make.sure.that.you.have.the.right.resources. and.plans.in.place.to.succeed.with.your.initiative. .1. _.. Have.you.drawn.a.high-level.architectural.diagram.for.your.proposed.environment? .2. _.. Have.you.identified.system.and.functional.gaps.in.your.current.operating._environment? .3. _.. Have.you.documented.all.functional.and.technical.requirements.for.your.new.IP._{contact.center.environment?} .4. _.. Do.you.have.a.project.sponsor?. .5. _.. Have.you.assembled.a.cross-functional.team.of.business.and.technical.managers._{that.has.decision-making.authority?} .6. _.. Have.you.quantified.the.savings.and.costs.associated.with.your.proposed.IP.environment.and.built.the.business.case.and.return.on.investment.model.to. facilitate.the.project.approval.process?. .7. _.. Have.you.identified.all.necessary.resources.and.expertise.to.assist.you.in._{successfully.implementing.your.new.IP-enabled.environment?} .8. _.. Have.you.inventoried.your.current.contact.center.assets.to.identify.all.systems.that._{will.become.redundant.once.the.IP.infrastructure.is.in.place?} .9. _.. Have.you.assessed.your.data.network.to.identify.potential.weaknesses.and.identify._{the.necessary.fixes.to.avoid.any.negative.impact.on.quality.of.service.(QoS)?} 10. _.. Have.you.addressed.system.survivability.and.redundancy? 11. _.. Have.you.involved.security.experts.to.address.security.at.all.levels.of.the.network._{and.system.design.to.minimize.the.potential.of.security.breaches?} 12. _.. Have.you.separated.the.project.into.a.series.of.measurable.3-to-6-month.phases._{and.obtained.buy-in.from.all.impacted.areas?} 13. _.. Have.you.designed.your.plan.to.begin.with.a.pilot.so.that.it.can.be.reviewed.and._{enhanced.before.beginning.a.full-scale.implementation.throughout.the.enterprise?} 14. _.. Are.IT.and.business.managers.ready.to.modify.procedures.and.realize.the.benefits._{once.the.new.IP.technology.is.in.place?} 15. _.. Have.business.managers.identified.reporting.changes.required.to.take.advantage.of._{the.new.IP-enabled.environment?}

(7)

5 avaya.com If.your.enterprise.follows.this.comprehensive.checklist,.you.will.be.on.your.way.to.IP-enabling.your.contact. center.architecture..It.is.strongly.recommended.that.you.find.an.appropriate.technology.partner.–.one.that.you. are.comfortable.working.with.and.who.can.make.this.critical.transition.happen.for.you..While.your.enterprise. may.effect.this.transition.only.once,.a.technology.partner.like.Avaya.will.have.been.involved.in.thousands.of. similar.transitions...

Section 4: Why Avaya: Key Differentiators

Avaya.leads.the.industry.with.its.Intelligent.Communications.solutions..Avaya.is.uniquely.positioned.to.assist. your.contact.center.in.implementing.an.IP-enabled.architecture.that.allows.you.to.execute.the.strategy.of. flatten,.consolidate.and.extend..Avaya’s.differentiators.include:

•.Richest contact center feature set..Avaya.offers.the.most.functionally.rich.and.well-designed.contact.center.

solution.in.the.industry..Avaya.has.dedicated.more.than.28.years.to.building.the.most.innovative.and. scalable.contact.center.solutions.for.many.of.the.market’s.most.demanding.customers..Avaya.contact. center.solutions.include.more.than.700.high-value.features.that.are.in.production.in.more.than.32,000. customer.locations.around.the.globe..

•.Industry leading, patented call assignment technique..Avaya.provides.industry-.leading.predictive.and.

adaptive.techniques.that.govern.the.assignment.of.agents.to.calls.so.that.contact.centers.can.achieve.their. efficiency.and.effectiveness.goals..For.instance,.Business.Advocate.is.a.patented.Avaya.software.solution. that.optimizes.the.performance.of.contact.center.agents.and.improves.customer.satisfaction.by.ensuring. that.the.right.agent.handles.each.call..It.reduces.call.abandonment.rates,.increases.agent.occupancy.rates,. lowers.the.average.speed.of.answer.and.minimizes.service.delays. •.Massive scalability..Avaya.supports.massively.scalable.multi-site.contact.center.solutions.with.the.Avaya. integrated.ACD/PBX.and.Avaya.Communications.Manager.(ACM)..A.single.instance.of.ACM.today.supports. 7,000.agents,.12,000.trunks,.9,000.voice.prompts.and.announcements,.12,000.queue.positions.and. 300,000.busy.hour.completions..Avaya.plans.even.greater.scalability.in.future.releases..

•.Network-agnostic architecture that supports TDM and IP..Avaya.contact.center.solutions.are.designed.to.

optimize.the.performance.and.interoperability.of.diverse.TDM.and.IP-based.contact.centers.while.protecting. the.customer’s.existing.investments.. •.IP performance optimization..Avaya’s.Converged.Network.Analyzer.(CNA).vastly.improves.the.performance. and.dependability.of.a.customer’s.IP.network..CNA.provides.detailed.visibility.into.how.well.paths.through. the.converged.IP.network.are.functioning.for.both.IP.telephony.and.data.applications..When.the.IP.wide. area.network.design.provides.diverse.paths.between.locations,.CNA.enhances.the.reliability.and.voice. quality.of.these.applications.by.optimizing.their.performance.in.real.time.

•.Highest security protection..Avaya.understands.the.importance.of.providing.secure.solutions.that.minimize.

exposure.for.its.customers..Avaya.contact.center.solutions.can.be.completely.isolated.from.the.corporate. LAN/WAN,.if.desired,.and.IP-based.conversations.can.be.fully.encrypted.

•.Business continuity, full redundancy and high availability..Avaya.contact.center.solutions.are.designed.to.be.

fully.redundant.and.to.minimize.service.interruptions.caused.by.network.outages..Avaya.high.availability. solutions.ensure.system.performance..

•.Layer 7-call recording..Avaya.uses.the.native.software-based.service.observe.capability.of.ACM.to.provide.

100.percent.or.random.call.recording..This.is.an.elegant.and.simple.approach.to.call.recording.that. eliminates.administrative.complexity.and.avoids.the.need.for.a.bandwidth-intensive,.network.sniffing. approach.

(8)

helping.customers.build.optimal,.world-class.service.environments..Our.programs.include.contact.center. strategy.and.architecture,.network.design,.application.integration,.implementation,.security,.business. continuity.planning.and.maintenance..

Section 5: Summary

Implementing.a.multi-site.contact.center.is.a.complex.task.that.requires.cross-functional.support.and.the. cooperation.of.managers.throughout.the.enterprise..At.the.same.time,.it.is.well.worth.the.effort.for.the. significant.benefits.it.delivers.to.the.enterprise..Once.the.new.IP.infrastructure.is.in.place,.the.business.units. will.have.an.opportunity.to.change.their.processes.to.take.advantage.of.the.new.architecture..Those.that. do.will.realize.improvements.to.their.bottom.lines,.while.improving.the.customer.experience,.building.their. brands.and.customer.loyalty.. If.you.would.like.more.information.on.Avaya.Intelligent.Communications,.including.IP.Telephony,.contact. center.solutions.and.more,.visit.www.avaya.com..

(9)

©.2007.Avaya.Inc..All.Rights.Reserved... Avaya.and.the.Avaya.Logo.are.trademarks.of.Avaya.Inc..and.may.be.registered.in.certain.jurisdictions... All.trademarks.identified.by.®,.TM.or.SM.are.registered.marks,.trademarks,.and.service.marks,.. respectively,.of.Avaya.Inc.,.with.the.exception.of.FORTUNE.500.which.is.a.registered.trademark.of.. Time.Inc..All.other.trademarks.are.the.property.of.their.respective.owners. 03/07.•.MIS3301 About Avaya

Avaya enables businesses to achieve superior results by designing, building and managing their communications infrastructure and solutions. For over one million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®_{, Avaya}

embedded solutions help businesses enhance value, improve productivity and create competitive advantage by allowing people to be more productive and create more intelligent processes that satisfy customers.

For businesses large and small, Avaya is a world leader in secure, reliable IP telephony systems, communications applications and full life-cycle services. Driving the convergence of embedded voice and data communications with business applications, Avaya is distinguished by its combination of comprehensive, world-class products and services. Avaya helps customers across the globe leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results.