Cogent Communications, established late last year, has further extended its lead as the customer interaction centre offering more applications and channels than any other centre in Europe. This was the view of Genesys Senior VP Paul Uitjewaal.
Cogent Communications has announced the launch of the first International based ASP (application service provider) service to be offered to both clients and other call centres by an interaction centre.
The development follows a claim by the Genesys boss, in which Cogent Communications was adjudged to be ahead of other web-enabled interaction centres in terms of the integration of the multiple and growing number of communications channels. The new partnership comprises Cogent - the owner, integrator and service provider, Genesys - to accept and route all transactions, both voice and data, Morse - for the hardware and technology backbone, and Coranta - the integrated CRM application. "Our pre-eminence in the market has been as a result of a cohesive partnership of the most technologically advanced suppliers comprising Genesys, Morse and Coranta," explains Cogent Communications Chief Executive Ron Peerenboom.
Like the burgeoning number of recently established ASPs looking to offer both business and individuals an escape from the hassle and cost of hardware, and less than up-to-date software, Cogent Communications will be able to provide remote users with the capability of offering multiple communication channels to their clients. This will include e-mail, phone, voice-over-IP, web-based text chat, call back and WAP-support and co-browsing and plenty more.
In addition, the very latest technologies derived from the supplier partnership will permit Cogent Communications` clients to exploit a truly blended inbound and outbound capability, which will ensure full deployment of agents, and that comprehensive caller information is instantly available with the support of super-efficient CRM data.
"I can confirm that this is the first Internet-enabled integrated multi-channel interaction centre ASP to be formed in Europe," explains Mr Peerenboom. "We are at present in talks with a range of potential ASP clients in Europe and I would hope to be able to announce our first client within a couple of months."
Gillian McAlister, Chief Operating Officer at Coranta, a leading provider of CRM solutions said, "This is an important development that, if implemented as part of a cohesive CRM solution, will enable a one-stop multi-media contact centre to be created where the consumer can decide exactly when and how they want to communicate with the company."
"Companies should analyse their situation and their client needs to decide whether an in-house contact centre, an ASP or outsourcing is the best way to provide a seamless service. For example, the ASP approach is ideal if you have the relevant skills and resources, but would rather not invest in implementing a full IT framework, allowing you to build on your strengths."
Alan Barr, UK Managing Director, Genesys comments, "Our ASP strategy is to partner with 'best in class` providers to make Genesys the solution of choice for hosted contact centre solutions. This new consortium with Cogent Communications will help us achieve this by reaching this fast growing segment of the contact centre market."
Mark Byatt, marketing director at Morse concluded, "Morse is the leader in designing business critical technology infrastructures and we are delighted to be part of this consortium."
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Cogent Communications
Cogent Communications will provide clients with a one-stop shop, integrated telephone and Internet customer care platform. Cogent Communications will host, configure and maintain the backend data and the total communications infrastructure. Customer communications and data will be delivered through a standard Web browser for ease of use. Charges will be based solely on usage eliminating the need to hire IT staff to manage critical business applications and undertake costly infrastructural build-outs.
Cogent Communications proposition will permit small and medium sized companies to take advantage of a high cost of an integrated multi-channel advanced enterprise-class customer interaction centre without the attendant capital cost.
Cogent Communications will provide client companies with access to the latest in customer support capabilities including sophisticated CRM application, telephone and Internet calls, WAP, e-mail, Web text chat, Web call backs, browser collaboration, voicemail, voice-recording, fax. And uniquely, this will be also be integrated with print on demand, distribution and a product fulfilment infrastructure.
Remote e-mail campaign management is an additional functionality - this can be managed by either by Cogent Communications or in-house by the client.
Cogent Communications` unique ASP design will direct incoming interactions to the right client company`s agent at the right time with skills-based routing and customer data screen pops guaranteeing immediate and accurate customer care.
Connectivity can be facilitated through either the web (data and voice in the future) or through a VPN (voice/data).
Consortium Players
Cogent - service provider, consortium owner, integrator and architect
Genesys - accept and route all transaction, both voice and data
Morse - hardware and technology backbone
Coranta - CRM application
Cogent Communications
Ideal for companies of any size ranging from dot.com start-ups to large established blue chips.
Speed to market and quick to implement - 30-day horizon.
Convenience - no need to spend money on upgrades. The consortium will always provide the latest technology.
Cogent Communications
Cogent Communications was established in late 1999 as Britain`s first mature web-enabled customer interaction centre. It was the brainchild of Netherlands born Ron Peerenboom, Jeff Swanson from the USA and Povl Verder from Denmark, who had previously established and subsequently grown the largest outsource centre in Scotland to the point where it was sold to a specialist US call centre operator for lb72-million. Cogent Communications, which is already able to boast Orange, Nintendo, Virgin and Halifax Bank`s Intelligent Finance as clients, offer a fully integrated multi-channel service - which is technologically in advance of all other similar operations in Europe
Genesys
Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Paris-based Alcatel, pioneered the field of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) and today is the leading provider of infrastructure-independent contact center solutions for the enterprise, e-business and service provider markets. With its ability to integrate interactions across all media types, including the web and traditional voice, Genesys helps businesses provide a consistent customer interaction experience. Headquartered in San Francisco, Genesys has 43 direct sales offices worldwide. For more information please visit Genesys at http://www.genesyslab.com
Morse
Morse provides business and technology solutions to corporate customers and new e-business ventures. The company has offices across the UK, Germany and France, with specialist practices covering venture management, systems integration and computing infrastructures. It is a major partner of the world`s leading e-business companies.
Coranta
Coranta`s suite of CRM software solutions - ProfileTM - won 'Best New Product` at the Irish Call Centre Awards in 1998.
Client case studies are available.
Coranta`s website address is Coranta.com
Coranta Corporation Limited previously traded as part of Portfolio Systems Limited, an IT systems integrator and consultancy.
Portfolio was founded in 1996 and currently employs 80 staff. Its 1999 turnover was lb3.5 million. It ranked number 15 in Deloitte & Touche`s 1999 list of fastest growing technology companies in Scotland, based on turnover. Following acquisition, Portfolio will now be trading as part of the Morse Group.
Coranta`s senior management team is David Keith, Chief Executive Officer; Gillian McAlister, Chief Operating Officer; Nigel Williamson, Chief Technology Officer; and John Priestley, Sales Director.