Spescom helps Coega achieve the African dream

The Coega development scheme can be described as one of the most ambitious and visionary projects ever embarked upon by the South African government.

The primary objective of the project is to attract and retain international investment interest specifically in previously underdeveloped regions.

Coega is the generic name for a development initiative within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, adjacent to the City of Port Elizabeth in SA, where a new deepwater port has been constructed on the Coega River.

The Coega Project has been at the forefront of the South African government's macro-economic development strategy through providing world-class, purpose-built infrastructure as an enabling platform to attract foreign investment and increase the country's competitive profile.

World-class communications systems and investor interaction vehicles are integral to the success of this ambitious project.

In this regard, Spescom DataFusion, the contact centre operation of the multinational technology development group, Spescom, won a significant government contract for the deployment of a turnkey solution to meet these needs.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) required a solution capable of supporting its customer and stakeholder service goals while simultaneously providing a back-office telephony system for non-call centre users.

According to Spescom DataFusion MD, Paul Fick, the CDC required a world-class, dynamic, virtual contact centre, with disaster recovery and sophisticated statistical reporting capabilities.

"Computer telephony integration with the CDC's current client server environment was needed. Basically, the solution had to enable the CDC to deliver quality service and achieve high productivity.

"Open architecture, in both the equipment and software, was imperative to allow for growth within the CDC and its other lines of business. Initial components included PBX/ACD, voice-enabled interactive voice response, call accounting systems, agent recording equipment, and Web-enabled calling. It was also a requirement that the system should operate in a PC LAN environment," says Fick.

Fick says the CDC highlighted a detailed set of requirements including:

* Workforce management tools for scheduling and forecasting of contact centre staff.

* Customer contact management scripting software, enabling online data capture regarding the call, caller, and information on whether the contact was completed at the time of the first call.

* User interfaces for real-time reporting and program modifications of interactive voice response paths, call paths, agent skill sets and contact (call) centre performance that would permit end-users to ensure that CDC goals are attained.

The technology had to be capable of catering to the various aspects of the Coega Development Corporation's business objectives.

"One of the goals was to build a database of skilled workers in the region. This required a sophisticated back-office support system, whereby the operator could feed this information back into the system and thereby build the register. Prospective employers can tap into this catalogue of skills available in the region, for a fee. This type of information is also invaluable for potential industrial development in the area," adds Fick.

He says the main business goal was to design a scaleable centre capable of dealing with the anticipated flood of investor enquiries following on the creation of the deepwater harbour near Port Elizabeth.

"The CDC is actively pursuing investment from heavy duty industry for this zoned region."

Fick notes that one of the longer term plans is the provision of contact centre facilities for tenants in the development zone, thereby essentially outsourcing the call centre to industrial occupants.

Spescom DataFusion deployed a complete call centre and communications platform that includes software and programming applications based on the Avaya Business Communication Server.

"We worked closely with the customer to understand their business objectives and ensure that the technology would meet their needs. We took particular note of the client's specifications on call flow and the management of queries," says Fick.

Voice recording technology was also required and this need was satisfied by the implementation of proprietary technology and products of sister company Spescom DataVoice.

"Recording is used for agent evaluations and quality control purposes and is an essential component of any call centre's ability to monitor service levels. A world-class installation was required by Coega, as the objective of the call centre was to provide a facility whereby the international business community, prospective investors, employers, or even employees could contact them in a structured manner," says Fick.

Spescom analysed the business process integration and back-office support requirements and implemented a scaleable technology solution that is capable of growing with the needs of the CDC.

"The system can handle incoming enquiries from four different channels, namely e-mail, fax, direct telephone calls, or act upon voice mails left after hours or on public holidays."

The solution was carefully devised and implemented and has proven to be the perfect fit for the customer's needs.

Spescom DataFusion carried out all training of operators, supervisors and relevant staff, all of whom are employed from previously disadvantaged communities in the area. The quality of the tuition was of the highest standard and it has resulted in a globally competitive call centre.

The result is the establishment of a contact centre that competes head on with any other in the world and fully meets the needs of this ambitious government-driven commercial initiative.

The CDC decided to give the call centre an appropriate Xhosa name, Qhakamshela, meaning, "get in touch".

Callers to the contact centre encounter the highest standard of professionally trained staff and a system capable of delivering round the clock service in the three regional languages: English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.