In a bid to transform its global contact centre and
enterprise operations, IT management software giant CA has
implemented a new unified communications and collaboration
(UC&C) solution from Verizon Business.
In theory
unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) systems can
ultimately let firms become more flexible and adaptable
entities enabling them to have effective collaboration and
communication with not only their user bases , but also with
suppliers and customers.
However, to date a standard definition of UC& C is yet to
emerge yet most would agree that
UC&C allows connected individuals to gain access to a host of
communication services through a single integrated interface.
Yet there exist a number of key issues that need to be addressed
before a UC&C solution worthy of a loose definition could be
implemented successfully; this includes applications portfolios,
systems integration and network reliability.
For once in the role of customer rather than IT supplier, CA
will deploy a Verizon Business
Private IP network integrated with
Cisco's
Unified Communications Manager 6.1 platform to connect more
than 12,000 CA employees in 65 locations in 35 countries.
The new call centre environment will integrate voice over IP
(VoIP) and UC&C to help CA become more responsive to its
customers’ needs in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific. CA employees
will be able to choose from a variety of communication forms—such
as voice, e-mail, instant messaging, and audio and Web
conferencing—and select which was most appropriate and effective
for any given external or internal interaction.
Call centre agents will be able to conduct business at locations
other than a traditional call centre enabling CA to both mobilise
its workforce and also offer a degree of business continuity in the
event of unforeseen circumstances.
Stephen Savage, Senior VP and CIO at CA, hoped that the new
UC&C platform would be a key enabler. He commented, “[It would]
set a new standard for customer service even as we achieve
significant operational and cost efficiencies. The new platform
will also [provide] customers with new types of value-added
multimedia, IP-based support services in the future.”