Customer Contact Centers (Call Centers)

A customer contact center (previously referred to as a call center) is a feature that allows a department to handle a large volume of telephone calls in an efficient and effective manner. A customer contact center directs incoming calls to an available agent, much like you see during fund raisers or telethons.

A customer contact center is designed for work groups or departments, such as help desks, registrar's office, admissions office, reservation desks, customer service, ticket sales, or desktop support.

Initially, call centers were designed to process telephone calls. They have now evolved to become customer contact centers, processing all types of media transactions, not just telephone calls. The customer contact center is often viewed as the core of a business due to its critical role in maximizing customer satisfaction while at the same time realizing efficiency.

Integral parts of a customer contact center include:

• representatives (called agents) who handle customer requests
• a supervisor who manages the service
• technology for the routing, treatment, and fulfillment of the request

Goals of a customer contact center include:

• deliver customer satisfaction through prompt, professional, transaction handling
• control costs by using resources and technology more efficiently
• help staff work more productively
• increase profitability

Applications Available at U-M

Customer contact center applications that are available through ITS include:

• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)

  Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) is a software feature for the electronic telephone. This feature distributes incoming calls equally to a predetermined group of ACD agents (department employees). It holds calls in a queue if all agents are helping other customers. Music and announcements can be provided for customers waiting in the queue. Daily statistics of calls received, calls answered, and calls abandoned before reaching an operator are available.

  For ACD rates see ACD Line Rates and ACD Features Rates

• Legacy Call Center Server (formerly Symposium)

  Based on ACD, the Legacy Call Center Server offers a complete, internet enabled communication solution for handling customer contacts. Features include:

  • Round the clock reliability
  • Powerful, skill-based routing
  • Adaptable call handling
  • Total call tracking
  • Customized reports
  • Real time displays

  The Legacy Call Center Server can integrate a wide range of multimedia capabilities for call handling, including voice messaging, interactive voice response, outbound calling, and fax.

  For Legacy Call Center Rates see ACD Line Rates and ACD/Legacy Call Center Server Features Rates

• Call Prompter/Voice Menu Service

  Call Prompter and Voice Menu Service can transfer a caller to a department, specific employee, or recorded information using one digit commands issued from the caller's touch tone telephones. Rather than funneling all callers through one point, the prompt allows callers to route themselves to several distribution points. Call Prompter and Voice Menu Service can be used with other technologies such as ACD and hunt groups.

  For Call Prompter and Voice Menu Service Rats see Standard Line Rates and Features Rates

• IP Contact Center

  An IP Contact Center offers the most advanced contact center features. See IP Contact Center for details.

Additional Information

You can call Customer Service at 763-2000 or e-mail contact.centers@umich.edu for additional information about customer contact centers.