Some of the early predictions about the benefits of IP contact centers haven’t been realized.
• Standards-based systems were one early driver, creating expectations of choice, interoperability and reduced costs. Today, endpoints are a mix of H.323, proprietary and Session Initiation Protocol, with SIP the emerging leader.
• Another early incentive was an open approach that would let customers choose between various elements of voice infrastructure and applications. Some vendors offer an open approach, but most try to sell a single-vendor solution.
• While multimedia is a potential benefit of IP applications and infrastructure, it is not a driving force in many cases, as most centers still are highly dominated by voice contacts and aren’t yet ready to invest in multimedia solutions.
• The hyped benefits of IP for wiring cost savings don’t always apply. Many companies already have the wiring or run separate wires for voice anyway.
• Staff costs can be reduced greatly in some scenarios, such as the large multisite environment that centralizes servers and their management. However, staff roles and responsibilities are often not reduced, but rather are rearranged to manage the applications and networks.
Back to feature: “VoIP breaks down the walls of the call center”
