It's the desktop, stupid

“Everyone knows customer service is bad, but not many know why it's so complicated”
— David Holmes, executive vice president of global marketing for Jacada

Customer service representatives get a bad rap, but sometimes it's the technology's fault. Specifically, too much technology and too many interfaces.

Atlanta, Ga.-based Jacada knows how complicated the call center can be. So earlier this year, it designed a new workspace, the Jacada Workspace. And more recently Embratel, one of the largest telecom companies in Latin America, selected Jacada's Fusion suite of contact center solutions, which includes the Jacada Workspace, to unify its customer service desktop, reduce call times and improve the customer experience.

The Jacada WorkSpace is a single-agent console that unifies customer interaction tools with a single access point to all the mission-critical applications required by the agent to effectively complete a customer interaction. The solution includes universal agent capabilities; support for multiple, simultaneous call sessions; support for Linux servers; and Asynchronous JavaScript Technology and XML (AJAX) controls and features.

This reduces the input CSR's overload caused by trying to respond to the barrage of customer relationship management systems, computer telephony integration (CTI) screen pops, call scripts, knowledge bases, e-mail, chat and a growing number of business applications required to retrieve and input customer data.

“The number one reason customers are unhappy is because the customer agent is unhappy, and this is why,” Holmes said.

It reduces that overload by limiting and organizing the display of tools thrown in the CSRs face at any given time. It uses parameters such as the specific task or role the CSR needs to perform or the geographical location of the caller.

Using AJAX, Jacada WorkSpace offers client/server-like features and controls in a Web-based, thin client solution. As a result of enabling the support of CTI integration for thin client desktops, it can provide remote agents with contact center functionality, such as screen popping, usually only available within the walls of a contact center operation. CSRs like this.

“Everyone says they want to improve customer service, but when it comes to budget time, customer care becomes a cost center,” Holmes said.

Not so at Embratel. CSRs there in Sao Paulo, Brazil, have faced the kind of merger and acquisition mania prevalent here in the states, causing them to deal with an onslaught of tools and interfaces. Their company came to their aid.

In addition to simplifying the desktop, Embratel wanted to reduce call-handling time and a browser-based thin client that would not require significant additional investments in desktop hardware and software. And it wanted it quickly.

Together with 3CON, its channel partner in Brazil, Jacada will now apply its Fusion contact center solutions to support more than 1500 customer service agents. Jacada also supports 6500 reps at Cox Communications and has deals with Qwest and Vodafone.

1. Single sign-on/auto logon
2. Single view of customer
3. Workflow & process automation
4. Jacada WorkSpace
5. Upsell & cross-sell
6. Adherence, compliance & alerts
7. Auto call wrap-up & disposition
8. Dashboards, reporting & alerts

Source: Jacada