Grintek Telecom, which is focused on providing integrated communication solutions to the South African corporate market, has provided industry-leading e-business Digital Mall with an integrated voice and data e-business platform solution.
Digital Mall, an award-winning locally managed international online mall, with customers that include Ster-Kinekor, Proctor and Gamble, Nandos and Makro, has a highly pressurised call centre environment, requiring a robust and interoperable voice and e-business integration solution.
"This e-business solution provides Digital Mall with a customised, state-of-the-art system which integrates voice, data and e-business portals in its online and call centre purchasing and bookings environment."
This is according to Roger Blain, group executive, Business Incubation for Grintek Telecom.
"We have provided a solid, reliable communications infrastructure to Digital Mall, that allows them to provide outstanding fulfilment, order and information capabilities, linked to their e-commerce applications, delivering a 99.000% reliability or uptime," Blain explains.
"In addition, we have provided advanced voice recording solutions, enabling Digital Mall to cut down on contractual paperwork, by providing a reliable record of business interactions. This platform is also used as a customer interaction quality assessment tool."
Grintek Telecom has also provided Digital Mall with multi-channel integration enablers that link the Web to the call centre.
"Much of Digital Mall's revenue is concluded over the telephone, and this infrastructure needs to be mission-critical," emphasises Blain.
The solution has been fully customised to Digital Mall's specific environment and requirements, and is in effect a synergistic integration of the following technologies:
* Meridian Option 61C - this product provides users with the ability to screen and route their calls to multiple phones based on customised profiles.
* Thales (formerly Racal) Recording -a digital voice recording solution that records customer interactions for both quality and contractual purposes.
* ICM -Intelligent Call Management - and TAPI - Symposium TAPI Driver for ICM is multi-functional TAPI software that enables Windows 95/98 and Windows NT clients running TAPI applications to manage Centrex voice or ACD calls on a user's desktop. The Symposium TAPI Driver supports the DMS Intelligent Call Management (ICM) Link.
* CTI - Computer Telephony Integration.
* Softphone - the equivalent keypad of a physical phone, but activated via software, keyboard and mouse.
* Predictive dialler - automates the telephonic contacting of customers.
"The most exciting aspect of a soft phone is in its productivity enhancement, in that call lists are instantly available, and the ability to launch a customer application, along with their Calling Line Identification (CLI) and Dialled Number Identification Service (DNIS). With this information, we can determine which service the customer wanted to interact with, by virtue of the telephone number dialled, and who he/she is from the CLI. This is the linkage to CRM," Blain adds.
Softphone also saves time on every call, which translates into significant labour savings per annum.
The technology behind Predictive Dialler alleviates the agent firstly looking the name up on a list, dialling the number, dealing with repeat redials because of busy, fax or no-answer. Only the live contact is passed through to the agent.
"This can sometimes save up to 300% in productivity. It also prevents the agent from having a choice of whom to dial, as they may want to avoid a situation. It is used to contact customers using criteria, sometimes called a campaign, and provides fully measurable statistics on a telesales campaign, for example," Blain explains.
"This customised integration solution effectively spans our multi-channel e-business and call centre environment," points out Yaron Assabi, chief executive officer and founder of Digital Mall.
"The migration to the Meridian option 61C, furthermore, has been smooth and now provides the extent of scalability and resilience which our busy call centre business now requires.
"We have developed a very sound relationship with Grintek Telecom over the past few years, and this implementation has again proven the level of their commitment and service excellence; which again justifies their position as a preferred technology supplier to Digital Mall," says Assabi.
"The provision of this call centre and e-business purchasing integration platform is yet another milestone for Grintek Telecom in terms of its e-business integration capabilities. It has also provided us with a highly visible and successful live test and research-and-development site," says Blain.
"Most importantly, it is another milestone in our well-established and ongoing technology partnership and relationship with Digital Mall."
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Grintek Telecom, a division of JSE-listed Grintek Ltd, is one of SA's leading empowerment IT and telecommunications solutions and integration companies. Grintek Telecom provides tailored and innovative IT solutions from initial project and business requirement consulting, through to implementation, integration and ongoing support.
The company's telecommunications solutions have been implemented in more than 500 top South African companies and it provides solutions, services and maintenance in 23 African countries. Over 24 international vendors have selected Grintek Telecom as their local service provider and partner.
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