Lucent Technologies DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2 Overview Manual

							DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Call Center Features 
91  
7 —Call Center Features
DEFINITY Call Center applications are designed to efficiently connect each caller with 
the representative best suited to serve that caller. The DEFINITY ECS begins the process 
by capturing information about the caller even before the call is routed. That information 
is integrated with existing databases and the combined data is used to match caller to 
agent. Additional DEFINITY features politely keep callers waiting in queue (a holding 
place for incoming calls) informed about how long it will probably take to process the call. 
Detailed call statistics are constantly available to agents and supervisors.
Calls coming into your DEFINITY ECS Call Center are queued up and routed based on 
information that the system continually acquires. Each of your customers can be 
presented with a variety of options for leaving a voice message, leaving a fax, or 
monitoring the status of his or her call. Using CONVERSANT voice response software, 
the system can even respond appropriately to spoken information.
Figure 12 summarizes how you might set up a DEFINITY Call Center.
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							Call Center Features 
92  
DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Figure 12. A DEFINITY Call Center
1Your Office Building8CentreVu Supervisor
2DEFINITY ECS9CallVisor Adjunct Switch 
Applications Interface
3Remote Agents Using DEFINITY 
Extender10INTUITY Conversant Voice 
Response System
4Remote Agents (Home Agent) 11Local Area Network
5Remote Call Center Using Look Ahead 
Interflow or Best Service Routing12Host Computer
6Local Agents Organized By Skill13Computer-Telephone 
Interface Server
7CentreVu CMS
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							DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Call Center Features 
93 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
ACD is the basic building block for Call Center applications. ACD offers you a method for 
distributing incoming calls efficiently and equitably among available agents. With ACD, 
incoming calls can be directed to the first idle or most idle agent within a group of agents. 
Agents in an ACD environment are assigned to a hunt group, a group of agents handling 
the same types of calls. A hunt group is also known as a split or skill with EAS.
A hunt group is especially useful when you expect a high number of calls to a particular 
phone number. A hunt group might consist of people trained to handle calls on specific 
topics. For example, the group might be:
nA benefits department within your company
nA service department for products you sell
nA travel reservations service 
nA pool of attendants
In addition, a hunt group might consist of a group of shared telecommunications facilities. 
For example, the group might be:
nA modem pool
nA group of data-line circuit ports
nA group of data modules
In the Figure 13 example, Hunt Group A receives calls only when agents are available 
since it has no queue. Calls to Hunt Group B can be queued while agents are unavailable, 
and redirected to Hunt Group C if not answered within an administrable time. Calls to 
Hunt Group C are redirected to voice mail if not answered within an administrable time.
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							Call Center Features 
94 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Figure 13. A Basic Example of Automatic Call Distribution
1DEFINITY ECS5Group C: General Information
2Incoming Lines6Queues
3Group A: Business Travel7Call Coverage to Group C
4Group B: Personal Travel8Voice Mail
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							DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Call Center Features 
95 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
Agent Call Handling
Allows you to administer functions that ACD agents use when handling incoming calls. 
You define specific agent capabilities and can plan capacities based on those capabilities. 
The same list of agent capabilities are also supported through the CallVisor 
Adjunct/Switch Applications Interface (ASAI). 
Multiple Call Handling 
Allows agents to receive an ACD call while other types of calls are alerting, active, or on 
hold.
Auto-Available Split (AAS)
Allows members of an ACD split to be in Auto-In work mode continuously. An agent in 
Auto-In work mode becomes available for another ACD call immediately after 
disconnecting from an ACD call. You can use AAS to bring ACD-split members back into 
Auto-In work mode after a system restart. Although not restricted to such, this feature is 
intended to be used for splits containing only recorders or voice-response units. 
Queue Status Indications
Allows you to assign Queue-Status Indicators for ACD calls based on the number of calls 
queued and time in queue. You can assign these indications to lamps on agent, 
supervisor, or attendant terminals or consoles to help monitor queue activity. In addition, 
you can define auxiliary queue warning lamps to track queue status. On display 
telephones, you can display the number of calls queued and time in queue of a split’s 
oldest call.
Circular Station Hunting
This feature will eliminate the hot seat in a hunt group. The DEFINITY ECS will keep 
track of the last extension in the hunt group that has received a call. When another 
incoming call arrives, the next idle extension will receive the call, bypassing the extension 
that had received the previous call. The first extension in the hunt group will no longer be 
the busiest telephone while the others in the group are sitting idle.
Reason Codes
Allows agents to enter a numeric code that describes their reason for entering Auxiliary 
(AUX) work mode or for logging out of the system. Reason codes give Call Center 
managers detailed information about how agents spend their time. You can use this data 
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							Call Center Features 
96 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
to develop more precise staffing forecasting models or use it with schedule-adherence 
packages to ensure that agents are performing scheduled activities at the scheduled 
time. You must have Expert Agent Selection (EAS) enabled to use reason codes.
Call Center Release Control
Determines which features are active on your switch. Call Center Release Control will 
control whether certain new Call Center software features are available to you.
Redirection on No Answer
Redirects a ringing ACD split or skill call or Direct Agent Call after an administered 
number of rings. This prevents an unanswered call from ringing indefinitely. The call can 
redirect either to the split or skill to be answered by another agent or to a Vector Directory 
Number (VDN) for alternative call handling.  Direct Agent Calls route to the agent’s 
coverage path, or to a VDN if no coverage path is administered. You must have ACD 
enabled to use this feature.
Intraflow and Interflow
Intraflow and Interflow allow you to redirect ACD calls from one split to another split. 
Intraflow redirects calls to other splits within the system using Call Coverage or Call 
Forwarding All Calls. Interflow redirects calls to an external split or location using Call 
Forwarding All Calls. You can have calls redirected from one split to another 
conditionally, 
according to the coverage path’s redirection criteria. For example, you can define a split’s 
coverage path to automatically redirect incoming ACD calls to another split when a 
terminal is busy or unanswered.
Look-Ahead Interflow
Balances the load of ACD calls across multiple locations. With Look-Ahead Interflow 
(LAI), you can optionally route a call to a backup location based on your system’s ability 
to handle the call within parameters defined in a vector. In turn, the backup system can 
accept or deny the call also based on defined parameters.
Enhanced LAI allows interflowing only the call(s) at or near the head of the queue to 
provide First In/First Out (FIFO) or FIFO-like call distribution and significantly reduce call 
and trunk processing for LAI.
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							DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Call Center Features 
97 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
Enhanced information forwarding allows Call Center related information to be passed 
transparently over some public networks and non-QSIG or QSIG private networks using 
codeset 0 shared user-to-user information (UUI) (for non-QSIG) or QSIG 
Manufacturer-Specific Information (MSI). For more information about UUI, see 
‘‘User-to-User Information Over the Public Network’’ on page 100.
Abandoned Call Search
Allows a Central Office that does not provide timely disconnect supervision to identify 
abandoned calls. An abandoned call is one in which the calling party hangs up before the 
call is answered. Abandoned Call Search is suitable only for older Central Offices that do 
not provide timely disconnect supervision. 
Call Vectoring
Call Vectoring is a versatile method of routing incoming calls that can be combined with 
Automatic Call Distribution for maximum benefit and Call Center efficiency. A Call Vector 
is a series of call-processing steps (such as providing ringing tones, busy tones, music, 
announcements, and queuing the call to an ACD hunt group) that define how calls are 
handled and routed. The steps, called Vector Commands, determine the type of 
processing that specific calls will receive.
Vector commands may direct calls to on-premises or off-premises destinations, to any 
skill or hunt group, or to a specific call treatment such as an announcement, forced 
disconnect, forced busy, or music.
With combinations of different vector commands, incoming callers can be treated 
differently depending on the time or day of the call, the Expected Wait Time (EWT), the 
importance of the call, or other criteria. A DEFINITY ECS G3r can route incoming callers 
using up to 999 different vectors. A DEFINITY ECS G3i can route up to 256 and a G3si 
can route up to 48 different vectors. Each vector can have up to 32 commands. DEFINITY 
ECS also allows vectors to be linked via the “goto vector” command.
Vector Directory Numbers (VDN)
Calls access DEFINITY ECS vectors using Vector Directory Numbers (VDN). A VDN is a 
“soft” extension number that is not assigned to a physical equipment location. A Vector 
Directory Number has several properties that are administered by the System Manager.
A Vector Directory Number can be accessed in almost any way that an extension can be 
accessed.
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							Call Center Features 
98 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
When answering a call, the answering agent will see the information (such as the name) 
associated with the VDN on their display and can respond to the call with knowledge of 
the dialed number. This operation provides Dialed-Number Identification Service (DNIS), 
allowing the agent to identify the purpose of the incoming call.
COR for VDN
Class of Restriction is checked for transfer to the VDN. It can also be used to block the 
AUX Trunk announcement from some Agents. Observing can also be set to allow or 
restrict to that VDN.
VDN in a Coverage Path 
VDN in a Coverage Path enhances Call Coverage and Call Vectoring to allow you to 
assign Vector Directory Numbers as the last point in coverage paths. Calls that go to 
coverage can be processed by vectoring/prompting to extend Call Coverage treatments.
VDN of Origin Announcement
VDN of Origin Announcement provides agents with a short message about a caller’s city 
of origin or requested service based on the VDN used to process the call. VOA messages 
help agents respond appropriately to callers. For example, if you have two 800 numbers, 
one for placing orders and one for technical support, you can administer two VDNs to 
route calls to the same set of agents. When an incoming call is routed to a VDN with a 
VOA assigned (for example, “new order” or “tech help”), the VDN routes the call to a 
vector, which can place the call in an agent queue. When an agent answers the call, he or 
she hears the VOA message and can respond appropriately to the caller’s request. This 
feature is particularly useful for visually impaired agents or agents that don’t have display 
sets.
Applications
There are many different applications for Call Vectoring. However, Call Vectoring is used 
primarily to handle the call activity of Automatic Call Distribution hunt groups. Call 
Vectoring can also manage a queue by keeping calls queued in up to three hunt groups 
(with four different priority levels) while also providing a series of other processing 
options. Other common applications include:
nSpecial Treatment for Selected Callers
nNight Treatment
nOff-loading of Periodic Excess Calls
nInformation Announcements for the Calling Party
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							DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
Call Center Features 
99 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
Call Prompting
Allows the system to collect information from the calling party and direct the calls via Call 
Vectoring. The caller is verbally prompted by the system and enters information in 
response to the prompts. This information is then used to redirect the call or handle the 
call in some other way (taking a message, for example). This feature is mostly used to 
enhance the efficient handling of calls in the Automatic Call Distribution application.
Four applications are described below.
nAutomated attendant — Allows the calling party to enter the number of any 
extension on the system. The call is then routed to the extension. This allows you 
to reduce cost by reducing the need for live attendants.
nDIVA (data in/voice answer) — Allows the calling party to hear selected 
announcements based on the digits that he or she enters. This may be used for 
applications such as an audio bulletin board.
nData collection — Allows the calling party to enter data that can then be used by a 
host computer application to assist in call handling. For example, this data may be 
the calling party’s account number, which could be used to support an 
inquiry/response application.
nCall Center messaging — Gives the calling party the option of leaving a message 
or waiting in queue for an agent. This may be used for an online order entry system 
or to further automate an incoming-Call Center operation.
Expert Agent Selection
Enables certain Expert Agent Selection skill types to be assigned to a call type or a 
Vector Directory Number. Routing calls via vectoring then allows the system 
administration to direct calls to agents who have the particular agent skills required to 
complete the customers’ inquiries successfully.
Call Distribution Based on Skill
Calls that require certain agent skills (such as “speaks Spanish” or “knowledgeable about 
Product X”) can be matched to an agent who matches the required skill. You can assign 
one of up to 999 skill numbers to each need or group of needs. The skills are 
administered and associated for each of the following:
nVector Directory Numbers
nAgent Login IDs
nCallers
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100 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 
DEFINITY Enterprise Communications Server Release 8.2
Overview  555-233-002  Issue 1
April 2000
This refined skill definition capability allows you to organize call handling based on 
customer, product, and language, for example.
Add/Remove Skills
Allows an agent using Expert Agent Selection to add or remove skills. A skill is a numeric 
identifier that refers to an agent’s specific ability. For example, an agent who speaks 
English and Spanish could be assigned a language -speaking skill with an identifier of 20. 
The agent then adds skill 20 to his or her set of working skills. If a customer needs a 
Spanish-speaking agent, the system routes the call to an agent with that skill. Each agent 
can have up to four active skills, and each skill is assigned a priority level.
Best Service Routing
Best Service Routing (BSR) distributes the call to the best local or remote split/skill 
among the resources to be considered, based on Expected Wait Time (EWT) or available 
agent characteristics.
Queue to Best ISDN Support 
Queue to Best information is passed transparently over several public networks and 
QSIG private networks using the envelopes that are part of the QSIG 
Manufacturer-Specific Information (MSI) and the ISDN platform enhancement.
Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS)
Displays, for a called party or answering position, the service or product associated with 
an incoming call. You administer what the system displays.
User-to-User Information Over the Public 
Network
Provides the mechanism to pass information across several key public networks, 
including information that is originated or destined for one of several applications on 
DEFINITY ECS.
Basic Call Management System  (BCMS)
The Basic Call Management System helps you fine tune your Call Center operation by 
providing reports with the data necessary to measure your Call Center agents’ 
performances.
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