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UC Experts Discuss Expert Agents and Unified Communications

Posted by Jim Burton, on August 31, 2009

UCStrategies.com's expert UC panel discussed expert agents within the contact center and the impact on unified communications. Jim Burton, CXO of UCStrategies.com, led the discussion with a review of the use of expert agents in the contact center including their use in the CTI days of the 1990's. Blair Pleasant continued the discussion with how advancements in technology and presence make the use of expert agents viable. Blair also noted the hurdle for utilization of expert agents is less about technology, and one of a people management issue. Don Van Doren extended the discussion into "first contact resolution", and the need to tap into "outside experts". Don pointed out that for an expert agent structure to work, a significant paradigm shift has to happen at the organizational/culture level. He pointed out the shift to a “customer centered orientation” has to happen to all employees, whose job it is to be responsive to customers, including all "expert agents.” Michael Finneran closed out the discussion with his observation on mobility, and its’ ability to provide accessibility to land voice systems, while proving for roving supervisors and expert agents through their mobile phones. This discussion panel included UC experts Pam Avila, Jim Burton, Don Van Doren, Michael Finneran, Dave Michels, Blair Pleasant and Art Rosenberg.

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2 Comments

Art Rosenberg 10/31/2009 10:31:49 AM

Graciela,
Your case study reference of the Texas Association of School Boards confirms the need to change FCR from First "Call" Resolution to First "Contact" Resolution. With easy access to basic information on the web, the need for live assistance will increasingly become too complex to resolve during a single phone call.
Rick Tillotson's description of the caller reveals that using the telephone and getting an immediate response is not the best solution.
"Many of our callers are educators who make quick calls and return to the classroom. FCR is very important to us and that means getting all the resources fast. With training, hearings, and travel, we can't keep our experts tied to a desk."
Clearly the only urgency is because the phone was used to squeeze in a voice conversation during a short break, instead of using other forms of contact that wouldn't be so time dependent. Messaging is obviously a more practical alternative, allowing the contact initiator to submit their question at their convenience and get an appropriate answer "as soon as possible," depending on the expertise required.
With almost all consumers having access to either desktop or mobile communications access including both phone and messaging services, First "Call" Resolution should be reserved for emergency situations, not normal informational contacts.
First "Contact" Resolution will support what I have described in the past as "As Soon As Possible" (ASAP) responses from "experts" who are not always available. Although Siemens uses the "ASAP" approach via a live "agent" who needs expert support ("tell me when" alert), it could easily be done more directly through options in self-service applications (on-line, IVR).
As consumers increasingly use the Web for access to information, the need for live assistance through "click-to-talk/chat" will replace the
graciela tiscareno-sato 9/1/2009 10:28:51 AM

Here's a case study article I published on this topic earlier this year...featuring HOW and WHY one organization decided to employ expert agents with SOA-based UC: “The Gopher Effect: Improve Agent Retention and First-Call Resolution; Leverage a services-oriented architecture in the contact center.” http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/Web-Exclusives/Viewpoints/The-Gopher-Effect-Improve-Agent-Retention-and-First-Call-Resolution-52734.aspx