Are these the right part numbers for call centre in my office?

[leemoreau]

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to use Avaya IP Office for my call centre environment and we have some basic requirements. Been working with an Avaya partner but I just don't really trust what they are saying. They keep telling me that I need to just get the Avaya IP Office with Essential but then need this super expensive $30k 3rd party call centre system to do what we need and that Avaya can't do what we need on its own which I just find so hard to believe. Below are the basic things we need and then a listing of the part numbers they quoted me on when I insisted on having a fully Avaya solution vs some 3rd party so just wanted to get some thoughts from the experts here?

- 18 users just need digital basic phones
- call centre environment using a full PRI, almost all calls are inbound with 18 users total
- there are multiple queues with agents being logged into multiple queues with geographical coverage. To make it simple, assume there are 3 Toll Free numbers that relate to 3 separate queues. Basically what we need is 3 queues that all agents can be logged into, or only some. However depending on where the call comes from, some agents may not get it. For example, lets say all 18 users are logged into Queue 1. If a call comes in from the province of Ontario, it can ring on any of the 18 users based on who took the last call. However if it comes in from BC only 5 people licenced to sell in BC can get the call. If it comes in from Alberta, then maybe 3 people can get the call and that's it. So it's not a separate queue by province, it's all the same, it's just certain people take certain calls based on where they are calling from.
- We need all calls to be recorded automatically, not on demand with easy access to listening to them
- We need reporting to see total calls coming in, to see average hold time, etc and possibly to see who's on the queue logged in and no isn't and what not.
- No special phones are needed they can all be the same.

So after talking to a sales partner, they are adamant that we need an Avaya IP Office for around $12k, but then need a $30k+ add on for call centre from some 3rd party which includes a server. They said Avaya cannot automatically record calls, can't do proper reporting of calls, or the type of queueing we need above. Below is the part numbers they gave me so just wanted to get some thoughts on this. They also said we need a server to run the Avaya software which isn't included in the quote below and would cost around $5000. Thanks SO much!!!

700476005 IPO IP500 V2 CNTRL UNIT
700479710 IPO IP500 V2 SYS SD CARD MUL
700500207 9508 TELSET FOR IPO
700213440 IPO ISDN RJ45/RJ45 3M RED
700504556 IPO IP500v2 COMBO CARD ATM V2
700417330 IPO IP500 EXTN CARD DGTL STA 8
700417439 IPO IP500 TRNK PRI UNVRSL SNGL
700429202 IPO IP500 RACK MNTG KIT
700289770 IPO - PWR LEAD (EARTHED) US
267786 IPO R8+ ESSNTL EDITION+ LIC
215181 IPO LIC IP500 T1 ADD 8CH
BCM_REMOTE_IPOFFICE BCM Remote Diagnostic IP Office
217651 IPO LIC CUSTMR SVC AGT RFA 5 LI
217650 IPO LIC CUSTMR SVC AGT RFA 1 LI
229442 IPO LIC R6+ CUSTMR SVC SPV 1
174459 IPO LIC VM PRO RFA 2 LIC:CU
269480 IPO LIC PREFRD R8+ VM PRO RFA L
229424 IPO LIC R6+ ADV EDITION

 

[AACon]

They have the preferred edition license in there, which is going to be required for call recording. I don't know what 3rd party thing they are talking about. It has the advanced edition license in there with agent licenses, so you can run CCR. I suggest NOT running CCR as it is a POS.


You can run VMPRO, and get yourself XIMA CHRONICALL. It's so much better.
You can get rid of this if you decide to go with CHRONICALL. PLEASE NOTE, chronicall does *NOT* have all the CALL CENTER features that CCR does, but it is a much better piece of software.
217651 IPO LIC CUSTMR SVC AGT RFA 5 LI
217650 IPO LIC CUSTMR SVC AGT RFA 1 LI
229442 IPO LIC R6+ CUSTMR SVC SPV 1
229424 IPO LIC R6+ ADV EDITION


Also, get a better business partner.

-Austin
ACE: Implement IP Office

 

[amriddle01]

They are right in that it will not only ring certain members of a group based upon location of caller, if they are in a group then they are eligible, it doesn't do skills based routing. If that's the main requirement it would be best to base the groups around location of the callers, if they are suggesting 3rd party software for the call centre then you wouldn't need the Avaya CCR licencing



"No problem monkey socks

 

[leemoreau]

Thank you so much for the help. I can send a PM with the 3rd party one I just didn't want to post it here since I have my name on here etc. It looks like when you talk about XIMA that's a 3rd party solution as well. I guess my main concern was that Avaya could do everything we need itself, but that they were pushing some 3rd party add on similar to this XIMA you mention. If you're saying the built in Avaya one is a POS then I don'd mind considering the 3rd party add ons. I just thought it was weird when they kept saying Avaya can't do automatic call recording, and Avaya can't do good reporting etc, as I used to work at IBM and we used Avaya, and they always had calls recorded as well as Avaya Supervisor watching queues etc. So just seemed odd to hear that Avaya couldn't do certain things.

 

[leemoreau]

I can't edit my last post but just to clarify, the part #s above was not with the 3rd party. The above was around $24k in total. Originally they quoted on Avaya plus the 3rd party add on, so the Avaya was $12k, and then 3rd party $30k. I then asked for a quote showing Avaya doing 100% of everything and they gave me the above quote. So to be clear that's not the quote they gave if I was to use a 3rd party as well.

 

[AACon]

Yes, it can do automatic call recording with preferred edition. XIMA, while 3rd party, is endorsed/sold by Avaya (or something like that). It's a great product. I does not have all the FEATURES that CCR does, but it's better at basic call reporting, monitoring, etc. It also has call recording module. They have a trial you can give a test drive.

-Austin
ACE: Implement IP Office

 

[tlpeter]

What you need is essential, and preferred,
If you want to record all calls then you need enough voicemail channels.
Advanced is only needed for the CCR agent and supervisors although i would go for Xima too.
But 30K for a call center environment with call recording is not that bad to be honest.

Xima is not bought by Avaya but it is a devconnect partner which means they can have a look in the kitchen of Avaya.


BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[intrigrant]

I assume IBM used the Avaya CM which is a complete different product with a slighty different pricing model.
The main difference is that CM CAN do skillbased routing, CM DOES have proper reporting tools, CM DOES have it all at a price.
Avaya IP Office does have some CC capabilities but it is NOT a CC system, keep that in mind. Nevertheless for most small CallCenters it can suit your needs and at a fair price. The Avaya CCR software is not what they promise to be, and since the introduction of it they keep saying it is improving with every release. And it does but in my opinion the basics they build on is wrong so it will never be as it should be.
XIMA can deliver some CC tools but it is quite limited to reporting and some realtime info which is presented in a way I would not like in a CC ( my opinion ok? ).
I cannot speak for other 3th party CC software as I don't do CallCenters anymore with Avaya IPO as it is too time consuming to get what the customer needs. Thats a period indeed.
This is not a negative advise on IPO but you need to know the limits and you need a dedicated reseller willing to help you to the end ( and they need to be capable with that ).

A simple mind delivers great solutions

 

[leemoreau]

Thanks so much everyone that's a big help. The other solution they were showing from a 3rd party does show devconnect partner as well. Will check into this further, really appreciate the help.

 

[Westi]

I have just limited experience with skillsbased routing as I have never done Nortel or Cm but I have so far emulated with IP Office something that, after I left, the customer could manage.
skillsbased routing can be emulated with groups representing the different skill levels and you just add the users to the group with the skill level you want them to have. Different way of thinking but I think it would work the same way for the calls.
Please correct me if I am wrong guys as I like to learn and today I have only learned 1 new things so far that replacing a garden hose is cheaper than repairing it these days

Joe W.

FHandw, ACSS (SME), ACIS (SME)

http://convergednetworks.ca

Interrupt the silence only if you improve it by saying something, otherwise be quiet and everybody will be grateful.

 

[jamie77]

If you do not trust your Avaya dealer, talk to another. there are plenty about. Give them your spec and see what they come up with.

My 2 pence would be this:

If you want lots of calls recorded, don't use VM Pro and Contact Store. It can auto record all calls, but 3rd party, in line solutions are much better and quite often cheaper. We use Liquid Voice or Oak.

It sound like you need some kind of skills based routing to do what you need properly. Niether Xima or CCr can handle this, nor can the IP Office on it's own. the only one I have seen that can do this on an IPO is Zeacom. Having said that, it can route on CLI and the network provider may be able to help with this also, so it maybe possible to send calls to different queues based on Geo location. IPO and VM Pro can do some pretty funky stuff.

You are spening alt of money and you need to be comfortable with the company you are giving the money to. You clearly are not, so don't. It may even be that Mitel or another system fits your needs better. I couldn't say as I only really look at IPO.

Jamie Green

[bold]A[/bold]vaya [bold]R[/bold]egistered [bold]S[/bold]pecialist [bold]E[/bold]ngineer

 

[tlpeter]

Mitel can do skill based routing but does not have VMPro
Skilled based routing can be simulated by the IPO but everything needs to be clear before installing (as always actually)
I agree about the call recording but Xima and VMPro do a good job together.

leemoreau, where are you based?
Perhaps somebody hear can give you a qoute so you have something to compare with.


BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!