In this issue we will introduce the latest enhancement to the Envoy® framework – Cisco ICM support! The new Envoy® Cisco ICM interface enables the Envoy® Server to communicate with the Cisco ICM Peripheral Gateway (PG). Using the same developer friendly XML message based protocol available for all Envoy® deployments the Envoy® Cisco ICM interface will allow any new or legacy Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to easily add communication capabilities with Cisco ICM and thus leverage all the functionality that Cisco ICM offers.
Cisco ICM is a network-based software platform for managing a call center with distributed resources. Resources can range from a customer service center to a remote IVR system located in another time zone. Cisco ICM continuously monitors these resources as well as call activity, to control the distribution of calls and data across the enterprise.
By implementing the Envoy® Cisco ICM interface, there is now a “bridge” between the IVR and Cisco ICM, allowing the ICM Peripheral Gateway to collect data from an IVR for use in call routing, real time monitoring, and historical reporting. The interface also allows the IVR to make use of the ICM’s call routing function to select the target for a call being transferred.
Business Users – The Envoy® framework is capable of data aggregation so this means that all the Cisco ICM traffic through the Envoy® Server can be combined with other transactions to other systems to provide unique insights on the entire lifetime of a call that is not available from other systems. In addition, you may have a more accessible department specific data store that you would prefer to maintain some of this call related information for reporting purposes. No problem – Envoy® can store the data to the Cisco data store AND to any other data store. Store the data as you want it, and where you want it!
Application Developers – The traditional IVR / ICM interface is divided into two major sections. The communications interfaces define low level conventions and protocols necessary to establish, maintain, and terminate data communications between the IVR and ICM. The application interfaces define the higher level messages which allow the IVR to exchange call processing information with ICM. The Envoy™ Cisco ICM Plugin takes care of all the communications interfaces for you! This means that you need not worry about all the network traffic and protocol issues and are left to concentrate on making your application communicate effectively with ICM. Finish your Cisco ICM integration effort in a fraction of the time compared with a traditional implementation!
Stay tuned for additional “Envoy® Updates” in the next issue of the VEXIS Voice.
Richard Wolff, Director of Software R&D