Amdocs Introduces Smart Agent Desktop

Amdocs (NYSE: DOX) has rolled out Smart Agent Desktop, a new product that gives contact center agents visibility into back-end applications and provides guidance on decision making processes related to calls.

It is the combination of both factors in one product that makes this rollout unique in the industry, Hollie Halpin, senior product marketing manager for Amdocs, told CRM Buyer.

"Improving agent interactions is the driver behind all of these features," she said. "Agents deal with multiple applications on the desktop. This product minimizes how many he or she has to deal with. It also provides guidance for agents as to what action they might need to take with a particular call or interaction."

Multiple Apps

The application specifically targets high-volume, high-attrition call centers that use multiple customer management applications. It runs on Amdocs Smart Client Framework, a lightweight Java client that provides a single user interface for all front- and back-office employee desktop applications, centralizes the management of contact center applications, and minimizes system wait time, the company explained.

For the end user -- the agent -- it means the ability to connect with all back-office or third-party systems with minimal mouse clicks, Halpin said.

Smart Framework

"It can even integrate into a mainframe," Halpin added.

The system provides visibility into the back end in two ways: one, by launching different applications as they're required in the context of a call; and two, by providing them simultaneously on a single screen.

T-Mobile Austria has deployed a prototype of the new Smart Client Framework, according to Amdocs. The company found that because it complies with the service-oriented architecture (SOA) concept and standards, it was easy to integrate it with T-Mobile's system infrastructure, as well as with other external systems, according to Peter Weiss, executive vice president of customer care for T-Mobile Austria.

Besides the unified desktop and agent guidance features, Smart Agent Desktop also offers interaction process monitoring and analysis. By using customer intelligence, this feature can personalize each interaction.