Keeping 'InContact' In A Call Center Environment
CRN Test Center engineers recently evaluated UCN's inContact and were highly impressed with its built-in functionality and user-friendly GUI. Engineers were able to map standard call flow processes the first time they used the software and soon after were able to get more abstract and creative with the hundred-plus actions the software has incorporated.
Installation consists of downloading multiple .exe from the company's Web site. One such application, WebManager, is the starting point for all administrators. Policy and permission driven, WebManager is an HTML log-in page where the reseller would log into its customer's account in order to control agents, stations and other types of business processes. UCN will provide an agent ID as well as a user name and password before access to the WebManager interface is granted.
Another downloaded application, Myagent, keeps all users connected. To be part of the workflow, company agents must have it installed and running on their desktop wherever they reside.
InTouch is the historical, realtime reporting tool for supervisors and managers. It shows what all agents are doing at all times. This also is a permission setting and provides the status of an agent and how long they have been online.
Supervisors are able to listen and record conversations between agents and customers using the inTouch feature. For this purpose, UCN provides storage for recorded phone calls with a set-up FTP site. There is a monthly $30 storage fee per Gbyte. This is a great opportunity for solution providers to offer this as an added service. They do not need to use UCN to create a storage array and or create an FTP site for data transfer.
A simple download of a .dat file is required inContact's inControl, a development tool that makes this product unique. It is where an administrator can build a call flow and determine how inbound calls are handled. An extremely useful feature of the inControl application is the text-to-speech option, which allows the software to speak rather than requiring the user or admin to make a pre-recording.
CallDetail is another application used for extracting raw data. It is used if the customer has their own reporting tool and wants access to the raw data directly from UCN's database. The final application, Tracker,is simply a very basic CRM tool.
The pricing model for inContact is a la cartcustomers simply pay for the applications they usebut port traffic is a variable. If a customer decides to pay for the agent, voice, chat and e-mail applications, which are delivered through the MyAgent interface, a $60 fixed seat fee is assessed. The seat fee does not vary, but the port fee does between voice and non-voice ports. For example, in a 100-seat customer care department, if a client uses inContact for non-voice communication and e-mail, it will cost $35 with an additional 20 percent port capacity.
UCN's four-tier channel program is called inContract and is built around commissions and bonuses derived from user contracts. Entry level VARs are UCN Partners and earn a 5 percent commission on UCN Intelligent-T, long distance or data services sold to end customers. There also is an ongoing revenue element for the life of the signed contract. The next level is Referral Sales Partner (RSP). RSPs benefit from an increase in scale to a commission rate of 10 percent.
VARs that reach the third level, Authorized Sales Partner (ASP), enjoy commissions of 15 percent but are required to attend a two-day inContact Sales Partner Training course, provide the initial customer contact, qualify the customer as a good inContact candidate and act as a resource during the sales and installation process. ASP VARs also must provide the initial inContact introduction to customer and finalize the pricing with the customer.
UCN's top tier in the channel program is the inContact Elite Partner (IEP). IEP VARs earn an additional 5 percent on top of the 15 percent commission. IEP VARs also earn consulting fees and ongoing revenue. Requirements include a four-day IEP training course, an IEP Assessment with a score of 90 percent or higher and the IEP must sign a Non-Exclusive Sales Partner Agreement. IEP Vars must also attend quarterly IEP update Webinars and accurately complete quarterly update exercises.
Although some of the requirements may be difficult to meet, the company provides ample incentives for those VARs willing to participate. The real hook is the ongoing revenue capability offered by the company.