It is mission critical you evaluate the impact that a move to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) will have on your Call Center Reporting prior to making the leap. Whether you are simply upgrading your existing infrastructure and adding some IP phones, or completely replacing your legacy ACD with a new system, a well thought out migration plan will ensure minimal impact to your report users. Here are three things to consider:
1) “Sites” no longer exist – If you are accustomed to generating reports based on call center location or site, it is important to know that in the world of VOIP you become one virtual call center. Your ACD essentially acts as one large site, so location specific information has to be treated differently. There are ways around this mountain by creating different Agent Groups for reporting purposes (not to be confused with certain Agent Groups for routing). This works well for agent information, however some DNIS and Skill Group data simply will not be available by site. If site reporting is important to you, make sure to ask your vendor how they can help you with this transition.
2) Terminology and Routing Rule Changes – If you are migrating to a different ACD vendor all together you will need to familiarize yourself with the new terminology. For example, some ACDs have “applications” others have “VDNs” and still others have “Services” and “Call Types”. Call routing functionality changes as well, so get familiar with the routing flows and lingo of your new platform. Sometimes this can be a night and day difference, ask your vendor for a simplified diagram of your new environment that you can share with all levels of our team.
3) Metrics and Calculations change – There is a difference between Calls Answered and Calls Handled: a Call Answered is flagged in the interval it was physically answered by an agent or device, a Call Handled is usually pegged in the interval the call was completed. This difference can skew everything from Service Level to AHT. Some vendors use one or the other and some offer both. As further example, there are several ways to calculate Service Level and AHT. Some Service Level calculations include calls abandoned, some do not. Sometimes “Hold Time” is included in “Talk Time” and sometimes its not. Understand what field definitions and calculations your current ACD uses and line them up to your new system. It is very common for metrics you are accustomed to seeing simply not to exist in your new environment. So be prepared.
If you are adding VOIP to your Call Center(s) or have already embarked on the journey and have questions Latigent has vendor mapping charts that can assist; and I am also available to help. Email me at ccrosby@latigent.com if you have questions or would like more details.
-Chris
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Additional Sources
