Build a Modern Call Center (Continued)

Making TIM, TAS, and SES Work Together
MSS operates through Speech Engine Services (SES) and relies on Telephony Application Services (TAS). TAS interacts with telephony hardware through an abstraction layer called Telephony Interface Manager (TIM), making for a fairly simple installation (see Figure 2). Two TIMs are available currently for MSS: the Intel NetMerge Call Manager and the Intervoice Telephony Interface Manager and Foundation Services. In fact, Microsoft and Intel currently offer a promotional "starter kit" that includes a 180-day evaluation of MSS, as well as an Intel Dialogic D/41JCT-LS Combined Media Board, Intel NetMerge Call Manager, and Intel Dialogic System Release Software, all for $995.

If you have existing telephony hardware, you'll find that both the Intel and the Intervoice TIMs can link to a vast number of telephony boards, making MSS a good solution for IVR integration into the call center. In addition, MSS is available in both a standard and an enterprise edition that support the scalability requirements of most call centers.

Finally, Microsoft also offers customer relationship management (CRM) tools through its Business Solutions group that support customer service management directly. You can use Microsoft CRM Customer Service to manage cases and service requests, as well as route requests to appropriately skilled agents. It also lets you queue requests so customers can see for themselves where their problem resolution stands. It supports the creation and maintenance of service contracts to help ensure accurate billing for support incidents. It also updates relevant contract information automatically each time a case is resolved. You can also link this CRM solution to Microsoft's Financial Business Solutions to provide complete contract and account management services.

If your infrastructure is based on Microsoft technologies, you can easily enhance it to support an integrated call-center system (see Figure 3). All you need to do is add a few additional components from the Windows Server System to create an integrated call center system. Several integrated systems exist today. Some, such as the Genesys or Altitude systems (see Resources), provide full call-center functionality in one integrated software suite that simply plugs into the existing resources your Microsoft-based network offers. Both vendors offer service stacks that build on Microsoft's own approach with the Windows Server System by providing "pluggable" components based on your specific needs.

In today's IP telephony world, call centers have become an IT commodity. If you want to enhance your ability to provide comprehensive customer service by taking advantage of these new capabilities, make sure you move toward an integrated suite of applications that are based on standards. One thing is certain: IP telephony has greatly simplified the implementation of call centers, but it won't stop here. Multimodal technologies are still emerging and will continue to improve both in the short and long terms. This translates in major cost savings and better customer service, but only if you make the right choices for the long term.

About the Authors
Danielle Ruest and Nelson Ruest (MCSE, MCT) are multiple book authors focusing on systems design, administration, and management. They run a consulting company that concentrates on IT infrastructure architecture and change and configuration management. You can reach them at wssmag@reso-net.com.