Executive SummaryAs Internet access and IP networks have become ubiquitous, customers are engaging with companies more often via online communications channels — including e-mail, Web chat, Web-voice, and Web-video. These channels provide customers with an easy, convenient, and intuitive experience; therefore, in order to achieve a higher level of customer service performance, more contact centers are starting to support these types of Web interactions with their customers.

Because of the substantial advancement of online customer interactions in recent years, Flash media has become a powerful technology to enable real-time communications over the Web. Today, Flash is already supported on over 98% of the world’s computers, and no additional software is needed for customers to use Flash for communications. Just as with the other channels, customers are poised to increase their use of Flash technology to contact enterprises who are enabled for Flash voice and video calls.

With standards-based Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Genesys SIP enables Flash communications via seamless SIP interoperability with third-party Flash solutions, which allows contact centers to take advantage of full-fledged Flash communications over the Web.

Flash Technology for Dynamic Customer EngagementSince its introduction in 1996, Flash has become a popular method of adding animation and interactivity to Web pages. More recently, Flash is also being used for full duplex real-time communications like voice and video calls. Today, Flash is widely supported by major browsers including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera Browsers, etc. Such ubiquitous support makes Flash a powerful communication tool.

There are several ways to support Flash communications. Just like popular Flash animation and streaming video, the Flash voice or video call widget can be placed on a Web site, an e-mail, and in various forms of documents such as .PDF, .ppt, .doc, and .xls. This means that any HTTP link can initiate a voice or video call via Flash. In the case of the Web approach, the Flash call access can be offered to the general public (for proactive contact or customer surveys, for example) or to restricted groups such as VIP customers, specific product users, or partners.

Enabling Flash Contact with Genesys SIP

December 2009

Business White Paper

Table of ContentsExecutive Summary ............................. 1

Flash Technology for Dynamic Customer Engagement ........................ 1

Genesys SIP Supports Flash Calling

through IP Ecosystem Partnership.... 3

Conclusion ............................................ 4

The call widget is often shown as an icon, a button, or a small window on a Web page so one can click the widget to launch a voice or video call. Depending upon the design, a pop-up window can be displayed on the customer’s computer that provides the customer with call status, video display, and options to manage the call. This presents a very convenient, quick, and intuitive user experience since the caller does not need to make the effort to call on a different device with a separate calling number, which not only saves the customer time, but also encourages the customer to initiate the call while browsing the company or product Web page. This instant access lowers customer interaction barriers and is perfect for revenue generating uses or high touch customer service applications.

Similarly, the Flash call widget in the e-mail or embedded in various forms of documents (such as marketing brochures, manuals, data sheets, etc.) allows a reader to launch a call directly while viewing the document on their computer screen (an Internet connection is required). This is a very powerful tool — particularly for product/service offerings, event registration, or information inquiries and surveys — as such intuitive user experiences enable and encourage customers to call companies in a very natural way.

Besides a basic two-way call function, certain Flash servers provide rich features such as conference, call forwarding, call status display, image/graphics posting, customer profiling, and address book integration. Contact centers can utilize the Flash call technology to improve customer service performance and even to generate new business opportunities. For example, companies can place the Flash call widget of a new product or an upgrade program on a partner’s Web page, in a PDF user manual, or in an e-mail containing the monthly billing statement.

Similarly, companies can also put the Flash call widget in an online advertisement banner, and this easier contact method can greatly increase the cross-sell and up-sell opportunities to existing customers. In addition, it can give contact centers a strong competitive advantage over traditional TDM voice-only call services.

With the Flash call technology, contact centers reap the following benefits:

Figure 1: Flash Voice and Video Call Widget on a Web Page

A Business White Paper: Enabling Flash Contact with Genesys SIP | page 2

A Business White Paper: Enabling Flash Contact with Genesys SIP | page 3

Superb click-to-call customer >experiences while viewing Web pages or documents online. Such Flash voice and video call experiences can be provided to any customers who have a PC and high speed Internet connection.

A unified user experience when >combining instant messaging (IM), streaming/animation, voice call, and video call on the same computer screen.

No new software or setup required at >customer site, as Flash is ubiquitously supported. Unlike some soft IP phone clients, Flash does not require configuration by the customer, and only requires access to a microphone and/or Web cam when initiating a call.

Less complex setup for NAT/firewall >traversal as the Flash call is common HTTP traffic.

Cost savings as no toll charges by >carriers, and no toll-free phone numbers are required.

Figure 2: Flash Conference Call on FaceBook Page

Figure 3: Flash Video Call with Instant Messaging

Genesys SIP Supports Flash Calling through IP Ecosystem Partnership With standards-based SIP, Genesys SIP enables Flash communications through seamless SIP interoperability with a partner’s Flash solution for contact centers. Such Flash integration provides customer contact via another media, expanding on the customer contact channels that are already supported. Because the communications are via Genesys SIP, companies can blend Flash voice/video calls with other VoIP calls within a single queue for dynamic customer call routing.

Figure 4 shows the high level architecture for a 3rd party Flash gateway interop-erated with Genesys SIP. This gateway converts the flash traffic into SIP signaling and Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) media. It connects with customers using the standard flash protocols — Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), RTMPT (HTTP tunneling for complete firewall traversal), and RTMPTS (over HTTPS for maximum security). The RTMP over TCP manages the two-way connection and allows the gateway to send and receive voice, video, and data between the customer and the gateway. Through the SIP interface with the Flash gateway, Genesys SIP then connects the customer Flash voice and video call with an agent in the contact center.

DYNAMIC CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

CIM

WWWWWW

Cross-ChannelConversations

EnterpriseResourceOptimization

EnterpriseApplicationEnablers

ServiceDeliveryOptimization

OperationalPerformanceManagement

A Business White Paper: Enabling Flash Contact with Genesys SIP | page 4

The Flash call solution is tightly integrated with Genesys SIP Server and the Genesys Customer Interaction Management (CIM) platform, enabling comprehensive and dynamic customer interactions. As shown in Figure 5, all types of calls are managed seamlessly by the same CIM platform, which provides the customer with a blended customer interaction queue, so there is no need to assign a dedicated team to only handle the Web Flash calls. Agents are able to work on incoming calls from other networks (PSTN, 3G, etc.) besides the Flash calls, with no decline in agent productivity.

ConclusionFlash-based Web voice and video calls enable intuitive and convenient communications for customers to engage with companies, which reap the benefits of higher customer satisfac-tion, better response rates, and lower communication costs. Through the standards-based Genesys SIP Server solution interoperability with partner’s Flash call application function, companies now can greatly capitalize on business opportunities from online customer interactions.

Web/IP Network

SIP

RTMP/T HTTP

Flash Call/Video

SIP SIP

GenesysSIP Server

Softswitch

3rd PartyFlash Gateway

Customer

Figure 4: SIP Server Integration with Flash Gateway

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