Multimedia Contact Center via Conference Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional public switched telephone networks (PSTN) limit customer interactions with businesses to basic audio-only communication, failing to leverage the high bandwidth and rich media capabilities of modern communication devices, leading to inefficient customer service and increased operational costs for businesses.
Innovation Solution
A business contact center system utilizing a conference controller and media handlers to manage multimedia interactions, enabling routing, recording, and playback of media, as well as agent selection based on skill sets, across packet and circuit-switched networks, allowing for flexible and efficient handling of customer contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional PSTN circuit switched technology is used for voice communications, then basic audio-only communication is provided, but high bandwidth and rich media capabilities of modern communication devices are not leveraged
Solution Approach 1:
The contact center system is designed to handle multiple types of media (voice, video, data, fax) through a unified packet-switched network infrastructure. The system can route different media types through the same network using protocols like SIP and H.323, allowing a single system to provide diverse communication services without requiring separate dedicated infrastructure for each media type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from circuit-switched to packet-switched technology, fundamentally changing how communications are transmitted. This parameter change enables flexible allocation of network resources and the ability to carry multiple media types over the same infrastructure, transforming the contact center from audio-only to multimedia-capable.
2Productivity
If traditional PSTN phone contact handling is used, then customer contacts are managed with limited options, but considerable expense in terms of employee hours and equipment is involved
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated media routing, video conferencing, and rich media capabilities that can handle customer contacts without requiring extensive human intervention. Automated video conferencing systems and intelligent media routing can resolve customer issues independently, reducing the need for human agent involvement in routine matters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple communication channels (voice, video, data, fax) into a unified contact center platform. By merging these capabilities, the system can handle diverse customer contact types through a single integrated infrastructure, improving efficiency and reducing the resources needed compared to maintaining separate systems for each communication type.
3Adaptability or versatility
If audio-only contact handling is used, then basic communication is provided, but flexible media management and agent allocation are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The contact center system dynamically adapts to different media types and customer needs in real-time. The media routing and conference control systems can dynamically switch between different media streams, adjust conference participants, and allocate resources based on current requirements, providing flexibility without requiring complex manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces intelligent media routing and conference control systems as intermediary components that manage the complexity of multimedia operations. These intermediary systems automatically handle media negotiation, routing decisions, and conference management, shielding users from the underlying complexity while providing flexible media services.
Data Source
AI summary
A business contact center for interfacing customers with a business is described. The business contact center includes a plurality of media handlers and a conference controller. Each of the plurality of media handlers includes a corresponding control link. Each of the plurality of media handlers is configurable via the corresponding control link to define a plurality of media services including at least one of; routing media between selected media endpoints, recording media from a selectable media source, and playing selectable media to a selected media endpoint. The conference controller is coupled with each of the plurality of media handlers via the corresponding control link. The conference controller is responsive to a customer contact to configure via the corresponding control link an available one of the plurality of media handlers to define selected ones of the media services, media sources and media endpoints for handling the customer contact.