In an effort to address the traditional limitations of the hardware intensive site-based contact center, Siemens has introduced its Open Virtualized Contact Center.
Siemens' software approach aims to make it easier and faster for organizations to distribute expanded functionality to agents in any location equipped with no more than headsets and minimally configured desktops. The new solution integrates two of its most popular products: Siemens HiPath ProCenter Enterprise contact center solution and Siemens HiPath 8000 SIP-based enterprise softswitch.
According to Siemens, the new blended service supports environments from as few as two attendants to up to 5,000 concurrent agents and provides a platform to enhance customer interactions across every segment of an enterprise, on virtually any existing communication or network infrastructure.
Well-suited to hosting in a data center, this service provides centralized administration, while delivering global enterprise-based or outsourced contact center functionality as an on-demand service anywhere that secure IP network access is available, unconstrained by legacy PBX or Centrex infrastructure.
According to Siemens, it delivers scalable, strategic communications coordination and intelligent load sharing by linking multiple Siemens HiPath ProCenter systems on a single HiPath 8000.
Furthermore, HiPath ProCenter CRM-Ready IT integration and Software Development Kit tools facilitate incorporation of contact center capabilities directly into communications-enabled business processes and applications.
Going beyond Siemens' industry-first presence and collaboration agent desktop capabilities, new presence services are meant to empower contact center agents to confirm the presence and availability of the best support resources among all HiPath 8000 users in the enterprise.
Siemens also points out that, with one mouse click, agents can then initiate collaboration that enhances resolution of customer issues during the first contact. In addition, Siemens extends this presence and connectivity to mobile users with voice over wireless LAN solutions.
"Siemens' large-scale virtualization of the enterprise contact center represents the next step in business extending its capability beyond traditional office-bound agents and effectively leveraging the knowledge of expert resources throughout the organization," said Joe Outlaw, Principal Analyst of Contact Center Solutions with Current Analysis. "It can be a much more effective way to deploy agents when and where they're needed, with the potential to lower costs."
