This document discusses voice/telecom technologies including interactive voice response (IVR), automatic call distribution (ACD), and web conferencing. It provides details on each technology and their purposes. IVR allows customers to access information and services via phone or speech while ACD routes incoming calls to agents. Web conferencing enables remote work. The document outlines roles to support these systems and discusses benefits like cost savings, improved customer service, and business continuity. It proposes an IT strategy and sourcing model to implement new IVR/ACD systems along with communication and governance plans.

1. VOICE/TELECOM:
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
• Web Conferencing/Telecommuting
IVR allows customers to interact with a company’s host system via a telephone keypad or by speech
recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following the IVR dialogue.

2. ACD:
Telecommuting:
system that distributes incoming
calls to a specific group of
terminals that agents based on
customer need, type, and agent
skill set.
work location, that can be anywhere outside
of a centralized organizational work place;
usage of ICTs (information and
communication technologies) as technical
support for telework

3. 1. ACD/IVR implementation engineer: help with the migration or upgrade to
new IVR and ACD systems. They help test servers, voice gateway routers,
PSTN circuits and IVR scripts to ensure they are implemented to the required
standards.
2. Telephony design engineer: gather and assess ACD reports, experience
working with legacy PBX and implementing ACD systems, assess the viability
of migrating current systems to use newer technologies such as ACD and IVR
3. IT Support Specialist: provides support for software, hardware and other
system needs, supports implementing the remote work/web conference
service

4. Maximize cost savings- IVR allows customers to self-service; these tasks cost “pennies compared to
dollars” compared to agents assisting with these tasks. These tasks multiplied thousands or millions
of times per year through calls make IVR a worthwhile investment.
Provide great customer service- A well designed ACD/IVR system allow customer to gain fast access
to desired information. Customers spend less time on hold and rely less on customer service
representatives. ACD and IVR systems provide companies with a consistent high quality customer
experience.
Improve service quality- Reports and other data that is generated from ACD and IVR usage will help
managers zero in on areas for improvement and help with continuous process improvement.
Information such as hang ups, time on hold and task completion time will help gauge service quality.
Support Business Continuity- Services such as web conferencing allow employees to work remotely.
This is critical in the event of an emergency, natural disaster or outage. Telecommuting reduces the
risk of disruptions to the business because it allows employees to work from virtually anywhere.

5. “the resources needed to execute strategy, provide a
platform for future growth”
• IVR Software
• Knowledgeable staff/IVR experts
• IVR applications
• IT Service Management
• Infrastructure Management
• Business Intelligence/Analytics

6. Steps or rules that when followed, complete activities or
ensure the delivery of IT goals
• Customer Service
Customer retention
• Data management/Business Intelligence
• Customer relationship management
• SLA agreements
• Business Continuity
• Innovation
• User Authentication

7. Telephone network
Internet Network
IVR Software/Applications/System

8. Confusing/poorly
written menus
Poor authentication
measures
Low utilization rate, low ROI

9. “concerned with making decisions that align with company goals and objectives”
• Improve customer service
• Measure effectiveness & efficiency of new systems
• Collect feedback
• Business Intelligence Reports/Benchmarking
• Increase employee efficiency
• Increase customer retention

10. Period Budget LRP

11. Service: IVR
Problem: Low customer service, low customer retention, poor resource management
Options/Alternatives: Zendesk (third party customer service), outsourcing entire
call center function, third party IVR solution
Expected outcome & impacts: Higher customer service & customer retention,
focus call center staff on more complex problems, 24/7 customer service without labor
costs, streamline processes, maximize cost savings, reduce operational costs
Risks: poorly designed IVR system, customers do not adopt new technology,
authentication vulnerabilities, low IVR system utilization rate
Mitigating actions: have well designed IVR system and options menu, show
customers time-saving features of IVR system, well written security rules and
measures, use business intelligence to continually improve IVR system and processes

12. Communication Type Purpose Communicator Stakeholders Messages Delivery Method Feedback
Measures of
success/understandin
g
Frequency
IT Strategy
The purpose of this
strategy is to
communicate the
value of the ACD,
IVR and Web
Confering systems
and to discuss the
plans of IT over the
next year. Create a
shared vision
CIO
Board of
directors,
executives, IT
organization,
call center
IT strategy reflects
business direction and
goals. IT strategy enables
increased customer
service and cost savings
Board of directors
meeting, e-mail, in
person presentation
Qualitative
feedback
from board of
directors. E-
Mail survey
for IT
organization
Employees knowing
what their
responsibilities and
duties will be with this
new strategy
once a
month, with
progress
updates
Marketing
Purpose of this is to
introduce the new
IVR/ACD systems to
customers and
encourage them to
self help quickly
through IVR
Marketing
IT organization,
call center,
customers
IVR system will provide
greater customer service
and faster solutions
Media campaign,
agent introduction to
customer
Post IVR
surveys to
customers
IVR utliization rate,
customer feedback
Marketing
campaign
daily for
customers
IVR goals and plans
Communicate IVR
goals and plans to
call center staff and
how IVR will the call
center
IT manager
Board of
directors, IT
organization,
call center
Lay out details of how IVR
will increase productivity
and customer satisfaction
e-mail
Customer
feedback,
IVR
utilization
rate
Customer feedback, IVR
utilization rate
Once for
goals, then
monthly for
feedback
results
Web conferencing and
telecommuting statistics
Show the benefits
and savings of
working remotely
IT manager
Board of
directors, IT
organization
Show details of how
working remotely and web
conferencing services are
providing cost savings and
benefiting ITO and
employees
e-mail
Employee
surveys,
office space
reduction
cost savings
details
Employee surveys,
office space reduction
cost savings details
Quarterly

13. "the disciplined provisioning and blending of business and IT services from the
optimal set of internal and external providers in the pursuit of business goals."
• Customize and develop IVR/ACD system and applications internally
• Integrate IVR/ACD system with existing customer database
• VPN & web conference services: outsource (IBM & Adobe)
• Remote security features: outsource (SecurID)

14. References
• Gartner ID: G00146131 (Best-Practice for Creating an IT Services Sourcing Strategy)
• Gartner ID: G00170368 (Effective Communications: How to Develop a
Communications Plan)
• Gartner ID: G00211869 (An ERP Business Case Tutorial)
• http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/news/presskits/speech/docs/whitepaper_getting_the_most_from_your_ivr.pdf
• http://www.crmxchange.com/uploadedFiles/Featured_White_Papers/PDF/Five%2
0Ways%20IVR%20Systems%20Fail.pdf