Call centres not hung up on VoIP

VoIP does not deliver enough new functionality to encourage widespread adoption

Voice over IP (VoIP) technology is struggling to penetrate contact centres, despite its growing use in other departments, according to Wes Hayden, chief executive of contact centre software firm Genesys.

Genesys, a subsidiary of networking vendor Alcatel, provides contact centre applications for both IP and traditional infrastructures. But Hayden said VoIP does not deliver enough new functionality to encourage widespread adoption within contact centres.

"If I was building a contact centre from scratch I'd use IP, but if I had existing infrastructure in place it is the last place I'd deploy it," said Hayden. "The functionality VoIP brings [such as click-to-call] is already available in technologically-enabled contact centres."

But VoIP could help companies provide other staff with more capabilities. " IP makes it easier for [IT staff] to incorporate telephony-related functionality in the user interface," Hayden said.

In September, Genesys launched its Enterprise Telephony Software tools to appeal to departments beyond the contact centre. It works for IP and private branch exchange (PBX) networks, integrates with Microsoft's Live Communications Server and provides users with click-to- dial functionality, presence notification and call-triggered pop-ups.

Separately, the Office of Fair Trading has gained new powers to fine firms up to £50,000 for using call centre systems that result in silent phone calls.