The Cisco ICM Web Option incorporates the routing of Web-initiated requests with the routing capability of the Cisco Intelligent Contact Management (ICM) software. The ICM product allows enterprises to distribute toll-free telephone calls among centers in different geographic locations. With this integration, the ICM Central Controller is able to route Web requests for contact as well.
Integral to the solution is Cisco Trailhead, an application that accepts Web requests and submits them to the Web Peripheral Gateway (Web PG), which in turn submits them to the ICM Central Controller for routing. The Web PG effectively translates incoming data from the Web into information that can be interpreted by the ICM Central Controller, which can then route Web requests to appropriate sites, just as it would a telephone call.
Trailhead also accepts output from the ICM script, ensuring that each location handles the Web request appropriately. Locations that handle Web requests can provide these types of responses:
Basic Callback--With Basic Callback, the caller who placed a Web request receives a phone call back from an agent.
Callback with Web Collaboration--Callback with Web Collaboration allows callers to interact and share information with agents over the Web. In addition to receiving a phone call back from an agent, the caller and agent can share Web pages, forms, or applications using a Web browser.
The following figure illustrates the components of a simple ICM Web Option configuration.
For help in deploying the ICM Web Option product, see the Cisco ICM Web Option Implementation Map included with this release.
CCS, Version 3.01, enables the World Wide Web as a point of contact between an enterprise and its customers. It allows a customer to interact with live call center agents using the Internet.
CTH, Version 4.0, translates incoming Web data into information that can be interpreted by the ICM software. Once the ICM script has routed the call, Trailhead also interprets ICM data and uses it to redirect the caller to the selected appropriate call center.
CMB, Version 4.0, enables the Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) to accept and handle Web-based requests, providing for blended Web Collaboration. Media Blender allows you to synchronize your Web-based and ACD-based call center systems by sharing Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) events among participating media. A typical blended configuration includes a Collaboration medium, an ACD medium, and a Trailhead medium.
ICM, Version 4.1.4, routes incoming Web-requests to the appropriate site and agent skill group. Routing logic is established in an ICM script, which returns a label that determines the final destination of the Web request.
The Web PG allows the Trailhead medium to communicate with the ICM system. The Web PG in the ICM Web Option configuration must be set up as the Routing Client. The Routing client requests a route from the ICM, receives a response, and delivers the call to the specified destination.
ECTI provides the computer telephony integration (CTI) interface that Media Blender can use to communicate with the ACD. Versions 3.1 and 4.0 of the Media Blender support only the ECTI driver.
The ACD provides queueing and agent selection for the call center. The following ACDs are supported for this release:
Aspect CallCenter, Versions 6.2 and 7.2
Lucenty Definity G3, Version 6.3
Nortel Meridian1, Version 24, SCCS 1.5
Nortel Symposium, Versions 1.5 and 3.0
NEC NEAX 2400, Version 4.12
Note that the Meridian, Symposium, and NEC switches do not support the predictive CTI strategy.
For more information about the Cisco ICM Web Option, see the ICM Web Option Overview, included with this release.