Cisco® TelePresence Expert on Demand is a next-generation collaboration solution that transforms the way organizations deliver high-touch customer and point-of-sale services. Integrating Cisco Unified Communications and Cisco Unified Contact Center, the solution takes advantage of the immersive "in-person" experience of Cisco TelePresence so organizations can create customer experiences with unprecedented intimacy and differentiation far beyond traditional methods.
Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand, which encompasses Cisco TelePresence Virtual Agent, enables organizations to transform existing service business models and deliver tailored "on-demand" customer experiences. At the touch of a button, a customer can connect with a subject-matter expert who is ready to provide tailored, in-person service. Alternatively, an organization can offer a selection of service menu options and route the customer to an appropriate subject-matter expert.
Q. What is Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand can help your organization provide a uniquely tailored customer service experience. You can deploy the solution in two ways:
• As a virtual agent where consumers or shoppers can connect face to face and on demand with subject-matter experts -- for example, bankers, technology experts, or hotel concierges -- through Cisco TelePresence
• For in-meeting usage where Cisco TelePresence meeting participants can summon on demand the assistance of a subject-matter expert, such as corporate legal counsel to facilitate a strategy-mapping discussion
Your organization can configure Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand with a direct assistance number, a hunt group, or your Cisco Unified Contact Center deployment. In the latter case, users are connected to an appropriate agent through skills-based routing.
Q. What are the business benefits of Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand provides several customer intimacy benefits, including:
• Tailored on-demand customer service, particularly for high-touch critical personal relationships or customer intimacy interactions
• The ability to easily bring in real-time in-meeting professional assistance and services during Cisco TelePresence meetings
• Maximized use of service capabilities in geographically dispersed locations
• Simple, direct access through "one-button-to-push" interface capabilities (no complicated service menu navigation) for meaningful expert service
• Maximized use of existing investments in Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Unified Contact Center to deliver a new, high-touch customer service capability
Q. Who or what kind of organization can benefit from Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. Any organization that values quality service for either internal or external customers can benefit. Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand can help your company take full advantage of geographically dispersed subject-matter expertise, cope with customer volume fluctuation, and ensure a transparent Cisco TelePresence in-meeting assistance experience.
Q. What are some examples of how I can integrate Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand into my business operations?
A. Your organization can integrate Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand into your business in many ways. Some examples follow:
• A bank provides mortgage or insurance experts to all branch offices through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand so expert advice is always available to customers in all branch-office locations.
• A retail chain offers its own or manufacturer expert service through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand to guide customers through product comparison and purchase decision-making processes.
• A hotel franchise provides consistent and seasoned concierge services through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand to patrons in any location around the world.
• During a Cisco TelePresence meeting with partners around the globe, a decision maker brings in an attorney through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand for on-the-spot legal advice.
• During a Cisco TelePresence meeting, a product research-and-development panel brings in a supplier engineer through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand to provide insight on component compatibility.
Q. How can Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand help my organization scale tailored customer experience?
A. You can outfit a centrally located group of subject-matter experts with Cisco TelePresence endpoints to provide in-person support to geographically dispersed customers connecting through local Cisco TelePresence endpoints. In this way your organization can take full advantage of scarce resources and scale tailored customer experience, while at the same time creating differentiation around customer intimacy and high-touch service.
Q. How do users interact through Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. In a virtual-agent scenario, a customer at a Cisco TelePresence endpoint presses the desired softkey on the IP phone interface -- for example, the customer selects "Home Loans" from an on-screen menu choice of Home Loans, Auto Loans, and Insurance. The Cisco TelePresence call is then queued to an agent who specializes in home loans.
In an in-meeting Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand example, a decision maker can make an impromptu decision to bring in legal counsel to facilitate a decision. To do this, the decision maker presses a softkey on the IP phone to put the current Cisco TelePresence meeting on hold and bring the legal counsel assistance into the room virtually.
Q. When will Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand be available?
A. The Cisco TelePresence Virtual Agent feature, which is a subset of Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand, is already available. Access to Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand during a meeting through a softkey will be available at the end of 2008.
Q. How does Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand integrate with my existing Cisco TelePresence deployment?
A. Access to Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand requires a software upgrade to Cisco TelePresence Solution software, which enables customers to offer in-meeting assistance through softkeys on the Cisco IP Phone. Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand does not require incremental additional bandwidth.
Q. What is the cost of ownership for Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. It depends on your endpoint installation requirements and software service contracts.
Q. What implementation and operate services are available with Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand?
A. Existing Cisco TelePresence installation and operate services through partners or Cisco cover Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand deployments. No specific service for Cisco TelePresence Expert on Demand is planned at this time.
