How CentreVu Internet Solutions works for messaging 

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Scenario

The typical scenario for processing a message call involves a customer (the person who sends the message to your contact center) and an agent.

Process diagram

The following diagram illustrates the message handling flow process:

Typical scenario for a message call

1. A customer sends a message to the contact center by one of the following methods:

   • Sending a fax to a number that you have set up to receive and store the faxed messages in a POP3-compliant mailbox

   • Sending free-form email to a mailbox on your POP3-compliant server

   • Choosing the Write Us button on your Web site. In this case, a form appears, prompting the customer to compose a message and send it to your contact center.

     The information you request on the form can help specify the skill set needed to respond to the customer. When the customer chooses the Send button on the message form, your Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script uses the customer's choices (and/or other available information, such as the site where the customer found your Write Us button) to address the message to a POP3-compliant mailbox corresponding with the skill set needed.

   At the contact center, messages can also go through a commercial filtering and sorting utility, if desired, to ensure that they arrive in the most appropriate mailbox and receive the best service possible.

2. The messaging software detects the arriving message by polling an administered list of mailboxes every five minutes.

3. The messaging software copies the message into an Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) database, where it receives a tracking number, and removes it from the mailbox. The database record includes tracking information such as the time of arrival, the message originator, and the mailbox where it arrived.

   If so enabled, the messaging software automatically sends a preformatted acknowledgment to the customer, indicating that the message has arrived and provides the acknowledgment with a tracking number.

   If the message comes from an address on an administered list of undesirable addresses (for instance, known sources of junk mail or bulletins from internal post masters), the messaging software stops here and does not process the message for delivery to an agent.

4. The messaging software initiates a call to theDEFINITY ECS, using the VDN administered for the receiving mailbox. (If this message is a response concerning another message which the messaging software is currently handling, the messaging software links it to the call for that original message.)

   If incoming messages exceed the administered capacity, the messaging software holds the overflow messages. When resources become available, the messaging software initiates message calls for the overflowed messages.

5. CentreVu CMS begins tracking the message when the DEFINITY ECS launches the message call, using its assigned VDN. The DEFINITY ECS queues the message call just like a normal call, so CMS also sees it as a normal call and tracks standard call statistics such as queue times and �talk� time (meaning, the time the message call is active at the agent's phone), just as it would for traditional voice calls. CMS tracking continues for as long as the message call is active.

6. An agent logs into the messaging component and the DEFINITY ECS.

   Normally, the agent uses a workstation at the contact center, but the messaging component can also provide for remote agents. For further information on enabling remote agents to handle message calls, contact Professional Services at 1-877-927�6662.

7. The DEFINITY ECS selects an available agent according to the vector associated with the assigned VDN, and sends the message call to the agent's telephone. When the agent answers the telephone, CentreVu CT sends a message call-answered notification to the messaging software. Meanwhile, if the VDN so specifies, the agent hears an announcement stating that this is a message call.

8. When the messaging software receives the message call-answered notification, it delivers the message to the agent through a PagePop, a feature that automatically displays Web pages based on message call events.

   The messaging software supplies the agent's browser with the URL associated with the mailbox that received the customer's message. This URL calls a CGI script. The messaging software supplies parameters to the CGI script, specifying the message components to display. The script then accesses the ODBC database of messages, retrieves that set of components from the customer's message, and dynamically generates a Web page. This Web page presents the contents of the received message to the agent. The Web page also presents the tools necessary to compose a response.

   If the message includes attached files, such as a fax image, the messaging software lists the attachments. Helper applications administered in the agent's browser provide access to these files.

   The agent handles the message, using the controls supplied on the Web page that appears.

   Important!

   The contact center must provide the appropriate helper applications for each agent, based on the types of messages you expect that agent to receive. For instance, agents who process faxes must have a helper application for viewing and handling them.

9. The messaging software submits the agent's reply for delivery by a mail server, using SMTP. It also stores a copy of the reply in the message database, linked to the original incoming message.

10. The agent selects a closure code for the message. For instance:

    • Reply sent

    • Order processed

    • No action taken�junk mail

    The contact center determines closure codes according to business needs. The record for the processed message remains in the database so that you can include it in reports or look it up in the future.

11. The messaging software updates the message call.

12. The messaging software releases the message call.