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Contents 
Introduction
Data#3
Toyota Financial Services
NRMA
Inchcape
Executive summary |
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For Data#3, switching to VoIP and integrating it with corporate applications fell into the category of "eating your own dog food". The company is a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, and at the time of the initial implementation, managing director John Grant said "There is no better proof to our customers of our belief in a particular technology than to have implemented that technology ourselves. We are now one of the largest accessible demonstration sites for IP telephony in Brisbane."
The company has completed three of the four subprojects it planned.
Outbound calling is integrated with Data#3's ACT-based CRM system so that on dialling a customer's number, the agent is automatically presented with a form for recording call details. Phone dialling is implemented similarly for personal address books in Outlook, a Notes-based recruitment system, and any other application that maintains a list of contacts. This integration was carried out in-house, using the standard connection points provided by the various programs along with CTI software from New Zealand-based Performance Solutions Limited (PSL). The PSI software sits on top of the Cisco Call Manager software and provides the required integration facilities.
| "We can't downplay the significance of mobility." John Grant, Data #3 |
Inbound calling uses caller ID to identify the customer so that the appropriate information can be popped onto the screen of the agent to whom the call is routed. The information follows the call if it has to be transferred to another agent, even if he or she is working at a different location. While both these aspects could just as readily be done with a conventional PABX system, Grant says the issue is whether to continue the investment in old PABXs or make the move to VoIP.
Mobility is a different matter. O'Brien says VoIP means Data#3 staff can work anywhere a VPN connection is available -- while travelling to conferences or meetings, or even at home.
The company uses Cisco's IP Communicator softphone, which delivers exactly the same functionality as a handset but can be used anywhere in the world.
The most common situation is that the employee makes a VPN connection to Data#3. The softphone runs across that link, and the PSL software and other applications are available via Citrix and associate with the softphone. Thus, the same range of applications and the same degree of integration are available whether the user is in the office or at a remote location.
The company is also in the process of Web-enabling most of its applications and in conjunction with the Cisco WebDialer this should make similar functionality available via a browser.
Providing full-scale telephony services to mobile users is a big advantage, says Grant. Sales and service delivery staff are always available whether they are working at a different desk, on a customer's premises, or from home. This does require a degree of trust, he notes, but he trusts his staff to do their jobs wherever they can do it best. That might mean working on a proposal at home to minimise distractions, but if it is necessary for them to participate in another activity, the full communications and applications suite is available wherever they are.
"We can't downplay the significance of mobility," he says.
Grant observes that most organisations are virtual organisations these days, and "we need to provide an integrated and functional environment." This has been possible with applications for some time, and now telephony has been added.
The fourth subproject is a virtual meeting room. Previously, Data#3 has used teleconferencing via either an external provider or internal facilities, but that lacks the ability to use the company's meeting application that presents the agenda, collects notes, and assigns action items.
Integrating VoIP and this software will enable people located off-site to be full participants in the meeting, and save work for the convenor. This project should be complete by the end of the month.
Grant sees this as the first step to integrating VoIP with the full Notes collaboration environment.
While VoIP can save money -- Data#3 expects significant savings in hardware maintenance and call costs -- O'Brien says the important benefits are non-financial. The greater user-friendliness of VoIP and of integrated systems allows employees to make more use of the features and to become more productive. Presence management reduces phone tag. These productivity improvements provide the real ROI.
Grant agrees, saying that Data#3 only looked for a break-even result on hard dollars to justify the investment, with the real payback coming from staff productivity.
6%
3%
