Regional telco operators visit Etisalat Contact Centre

The multimedia contact centre is powered by technology from Avaya - a leading global provider of voice and data networks.

Operators were able to witness Avaya Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solutions in action as well as Etisalat's Directory Enquiry Service, which was implemented by Avaya and its Value Added Reseller, Al Yousuf Computers.

Etisalat is currently celebrating its silver jubilee and investing heavily in upgrading the services offered to its customers, both in technology and human resource terms. The contact centre, built at a cost of over AED 80 million (US$20 million) and employing over 600 staff, 70% of whom are UAE nationals, aims to form the cornerstone of improved levels of customer service and satisfaction.

Avaya's multimedia CRM solutions enable Etisalat to efficiently handle and manage both inbound and outbound customer enquiries, using voice telephony, e-mail, text chat, collaborative surfing and fax handling capabilities. It comprises Avaya's DEFINITY® communications server as the voice platform, which features automatic call distribution (ACD) and call management features, as well as an Avaya Interactive Voice Response (IVR), which provides callers with automated information. Combined, these Avaya solutions enable Etisalat to manage the diverse needs of its customers from a single platform.

"Avaya's computer telephony integration (CTI) solution along with third party back end integration and front desk applications allow agents to handle inbound calls, and provide quick access to all customer related information at the desktop level via automatic online screen displays linked to the customer call. This enables them to respond to all kinds of customer enquiries, whether it relates to fault reporting or for assistance through an Internet helpdesk and so on," said Walter Koenig, Avaya regional managing director, Middle East, North Africa and South Eastern Europe. "On the 'outbound side', CRM applications enable Etisalat to proactively communicate with its customers about new services, specific promotional campaigns or outstanding bills to a customer's fax or e-mail, and eventually, via voice calls through the Internet."

Etisalat's existing enquiry solution combined with Avaya's IVR has been integrated with the DEFINITY platform. This means an agent handling an incoming directory enquiry call at his desktop can access Etisalat's subscriber directory, and can input the required name into his desktop, find the number and then forward the call to the Avaya IVR which reads the number out to the caller. If the incoming call is initiated from a mobile telephone, the number is automatically sent to the calling mobile by Short Messaging Service (SMS).

"These Avaya solutions add further value to Etisalat's customer service portfolio as the centre functions as a complete distribution channel, providing customers with the opportunity to conduct transactions, make service-related requests, report faults, obtain technical support. It also gives them the option of discussing financial issues as an alternative to visiting an Etisalat office. This has been made possible by Avaya's technology, which routes calls directly to agents possessing the right information to respond to a specific customer need," added Mohamed A Bamakhrama, General Manager of the Etisalat Contact Centre.

"As a result of these tours, Avaya has been short listed to provide other regional operators with contact centre solutions," concluded Mr Koenig.

ENDS