Siemens Announces SIP-Based Open Virtualized Contact Center Solution for the Enterprise

Siemens Communications, Inc. (NYSE: SI) today introduced its Open Virtualized Contact Center, addressing the traditional limitations of the hardware intensive site-based contact center. Siemens’ groundbreaking overlay software approach makes it easier and faster for organizations to distribute expanded functionality to agents in any location equipped with no more than headsets and minimally configured desktops. The new solution integrates two of its most popular and award-winning products: Siemens® HiPath® ProCenter® Enterprise contact center solution and Siemens HiPath 8000 SIP-based enterprise softswitch. The new blended solution supports environments from as few as two attendants to up to 5,000 concurrent agents and provides a platform to enhance customer interactions across every segment of an enterprise, on virtually any existing communication or network infrastructure.



Well-suited to hosting in a data center, this solution provides centralized administration while delivering global enterprise-based or outsourced contact center functionality as an on-demand service anywhere that secure IP network access is available, unconstrained by legacy PBX or Centrex infrastructure. It delivers scalable, strategic communications coordination and intelligent load sharing by linking multiple Siemens HiPath ProCenter systems on a single HiPath 8000. Furthermore, HiPath ProCenter CRM-Ready IT integration and Software Development Kit tools facilitate incorporation of contact center capabilities directly into communications-enabled business processes and applications.



“Siemens’ large-scale virtualization of the enterprise contact center represents the next step in business extending its capability beyond traditional office-bound agents and effectively leveraging the knowledge of expert resources throughout the organization,” said Joe Outlaw, Principal Analyst of Contact Center Solutions with Current Analysis. “It can be a much more effective way to deploy agents when and where they’re needed, with the potential to lower costs.”



The Open Virtualized Contact Center leverages the open SIP capabilities native to the HiPath 8000 and the presence-enabled multimedia application services in ProCenter. Going beyond Siemens’ industry-first presence and collaboration agent desktop capabilities, new presence services empower contact center agents to confirm the presence and availability of the best support resources among all HiPath 8000 users in the enterprise. With one mouse click, agents can then initiate collaboration that enhances resolution of customer issues during the first contact. In addition, Siemens extends this presence and connectivity to mobile users with Voice over Wireless LAN solutions.



“The Open Virtualized Contact Center extends the Siemens Open Communications strategy to the large enterprise customer,” said Eve Aretakis, CEO, Siemens Communications, Inc. “It offers tremendous flexibility across almost any network, client, device or IT environment, along with business process integration and highly effective agent tools. It can help agents resolve many more customer issues the first time around, boosting overall contact center performance and providing companies the opportunity to lower costs and enhance customer service.”



Siemens’ Open Virtualized Contact Center solution is now available globally through direct sales channels and value-added resellers.