Moving between two worlds: Agents go from public network to Internet with IP-switch call distributor

Press "0" to speak to an operator. It's an important option in a telephone directory menu, and with the rise of electronic commerce, it will become important in the call center technology deployed by companies moving business onto the Web.

But linking customers and customer service representatives over the Web often starts with a "call me" button that prompts customers to supply a phone number and-if they have only one line-disconnect from the Internet. For Web-enabled call centers, a "connect me" function is more immediate and occurs over the Internet. But it requires that the automatic call distributor monitor the IP addresses of every agent in the call center to direct the call to the next open agent. And having those addresses outside any firewall poses a security risk.

PakNetX's PNX ACD 2.0, due for release this month, integrates a software-based IP switch with an enhanced automatic call distributor, call management and administrative functions to handle IP traffic. A caller at a PC with Windows, a Web browser, Internet access and an H.323 Internet phone can connect with the call center without logging off. Call center agents are placed behind a firewall: The connecting customer's Web server sees the proxy IP address, not those of the agents.

PakNetX's feature set allows it to be deployed as a stand-alone call center, said Chris Botting, PakNetX marketing vice president. "We've got agent tools such as hold, retrieve, transfer, conference; administration tools such as call detail records; and supervisory tools such as performance statistics. And of course, we have the basic IP switch technology."

Keeping the customer call in an IP environment allows for voice, video or data transmission, which makes for some interesting e-commerce applications. For example, callers with PC cameras can see the agent they're talking to-and vice versa. They can share data through NetMeeting's whiteboard function, or the agent can control the caller's Web browser in real time.

And there's the ability to push material to a caller on hold. "While you're in queue waiting for an agent, you can click a 'more info' button and display a preset Web page," said Botting.

A call center can use the PNX ACD to add Web functionality quickly and inexpensively without disrupting audio traffic. That's what Salt Lake City-based TeleServices did, said Roger LeFevre, executive vice president of parent company ACI Telecom. The 60-seat center has had computer-telephone integration since 1984, and as the Web grew, they expanded to include traditional e-mail and callback scenarios-even partnering with Intel to develop the "call me" button.

"We deployed our first ACD product on Dec. 10, 1996," LeFevre said. Now the company has two networks. "We have a traditional inbound telephony platform with blended outbound calling, and we've wormed into that the ability for the same operators to handle Internet calls on a completely standalone IP-based platform." Operators move between the two networks from the same PC. Other than the PNX ACD software and an extra PC to run it on, the only cost to TeleServices was a monitoring jack that watches the Internet and public network simultaneously and presents calls on a first-in, first-out basis.

PNX's IP-based solution seems right for the times, said Jack Brandt, an analyst with IT Management Consulting. "The Web can bring a message to the market, but customer care is the next frontier in e-commerce," he said. "Technological moves that add convenience and high touch on the consumer's end and make it easier for the vendor to practice good after-sale will inevitably pay off."

Botting said the PNX ACD will have immediate appeal for Web retailers that do business above the commodity level and must staff their call centers with high-end knowledge workers-for example, technical, pharmaceutical and financial fields.

TIME WARNER TO TEST VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

Time Warner Cable will test Concurrent Computer Corp.'s MediaHawk video server as an end-to-end solution for its Pegasus video-on-demand project. The tests, at locations as yet unspecified, will integrate the video server and Concurrent's cable back-office software suite with Scientific-Atlanta's broadband digital headend.

STREAMING VIDEO WALKS THIS WAY

Network Engines' new video streaming server was used to stream live footage of Aerosmith in an October concert on the Cybercast Web site. Lightweight cameras were attached to all five band members and their equipment to show the 20,000-member audience from their point of view.