Convergence, primarily driven by the increased acceptance of Internet Protocol (IP) and improved reliability, scalability and proven benefits that come with maturing product sets, is leading the changes in contact centre technology.
That's according to the latest findings in Dimension Data's Global Contact Centre Benchmarking Report 2007, which reveals that more than 60% of contact centres have introduced IP-based or hybrid IP PBX/ACDs - a significant increase from the 50% recorded last year.
The report findings indicate contact centres are gaining a better understanding of the business benefits of an IP environment. The top reason given for a move to IP is flexibility of architecture (69%), which is followed by cost savings (66.1%). Other reasons include compliance with corporate technology policies (31.1%), end-of-life technologies that need to be upgraded or replaced (30.1%), and improved business functionality (29%).
IP is a protocol used to transport information across networks. Converged IP technologies allow contact centres to take advantage of applications across the organisation network as they aim to improve customer satisfaction and operational effectiveness.
Cara Diemont, editor of the report, explains: "Convergence, in its simplest form, is the combination of previously separate entities - data and telephony systems, networks and equipment. Since contact centres depend on a range of information and communications technology, converged technology can significantly increase efficiencies. Benefits include allowing agents to handle contacts, access customer information more quickly and, more importantly, enable contacts to be handled throughout the organisation."
The report findings also show increased usage in two technologies strongly impacted by convergence - computer telephony integration (CTI) and universal queues. Over half of contact centres (53.4%) currently use CTI while 23.3% are planning to do so. Also, 28% have implemented and 15.9% plan to install universal queues.
"As a result of the move to convergence, CTI will shift from its traditional role as a proprietary solution to link disparate technologies. It will become an open standard technology incorporated in applications across the network to enable contact centre telephony functionality. CTI will continue to deliver functions such as screen pop, transfer of calls with attached data, and unique call identifiers between systems for example call recording information passed between switching and recording platforms," explains Diemont.
"The growing adoption of CTI and universal queues illustrates that the benefits of these technologies for driving operational and service improvement are better understood. In addition, contact centres are responding to customers who increasingly want to interact with organisations using channels other than voice," concludes Diemont.
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Dimension Data plc (LSE:DDT), a specialist IT services and solution provider, helps clients plan, build and support their IT infrastructures. Dimension Data applies its expertise in networking, security, operating environments, storage and contact centre technologies and its unique skills in consulting, integration and managed services to create customised client solutions. www.dimensiondata.com
Global Contact Centre Benchmarking Report
First published in the UK in 1997 by Merchants, Dimension Data's specialist contact centre outsourcing and operations division, this year's edition is the ninth in a series of the industry-renowned benchmarking reports. The report has balanced global and industry representation from 403 contact centres located across 42 countries and five continents, and is an invaluable reference for all contact centre professionals. It provides managers with a set of best practice standards and benchmarks, including staffing and training, performance metrics, technology usage, budgets and development plans. The report is researched and published by Dimension Data. For more information about the report, please go to www.ccbenchmarking.com.
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