Recently we've had to "downsize" our call center and we are looking to not renew our current vendor ACD reporting package, due mainly to cost. However, I'm having a hard time locating a vendor that offers a cost-effective alternative reporting package. Any recommendations?
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Unfortunately, you're experiencing the limited interoperability of
traditional ACD technologies. Your options are few, and probably not
going to meet your goal of finding a "cost effective alternative."
Reporting packages have typically used a proprietary link from the
switch. So, you had to buy the reporting package to work with your ACD
from your switch vendor, or a close partner of theirs. A few of the
switch vendors have partners that offer alternative solutions, but not
all do. Another option is to use a CTI-based reporting solution, which
would leverage a CTI link out of the switch to access the data needed.
CTI-based reporting is generally more expensive and complex than the
reporting package from the switch vendor. You would use the CTI
reporting tool if you were doing CTI for other reasons, and/or if you
were moving all the routing and skills management to CTI as well. One
other thing you might check into is whether the vendor offers a more
limited functionality reporting tool at a lower cost. Clearly this will
compromise the functionality you're used to, but if cost is your main
driver, you may need to consider that.
This was first published in April 2003