Key benefits • Improv es co ntact center effici ency by automating routine requests and freeing agents for more complex inquiries • Delive rs fr iendlier self-s ervice and more personalized customer experience through robust, multi-language advanced speech capabilities • Exten ds your Web a ppli catio ns to c aller s by utilizing VoiceXML, Java, and otherInternet technologies • Integr ates ea sily into your exist ing inf ra- structure without costly re-engineering, by supporting a wide variety of networking and computing protocols • Suppor ts a hybr id envi ronment oftraditional and VoIP telephony protocols that enables smooth transition to VoIPwithout costly hardware upgrades • Expa nds siz e and capab ility easil y so you can buy what you need today, accommodate future growth, and protect your investment• Strea mlines system config urati on a nd management with intuitive browser-based toolset to reduce operating costs “The Web sparked a self-service frenzy. But the phone remains the channel ofchoice for many consumer interactions.” † Any busin ess that receives significan t volumes of customer calls must have an effective way of handling those callers quickly and completely. In today’s busyworld, c allers appr eciate b eing able to do business with you when it is convenient for them. More and more, callers prefer the immediacy of self-service to waiting in a queue to speak to an agent. Advancements in technologies such as speech recognition, V oice over IP , and VoiceXML have reinvented self-service. Y our cus tomers c an now access y our W eb pages from a cell phone, or conduct secure financial transactions without the need for passwords or PIN numbers. Interaction with aut omated s ystems is now mu ch more efficient and user friendly—even conversa- tional, improving customer acceptance and Nortel Networks Media Processing Server 500 Set new standards for superior customer service Product Briefopening up new application possibilities. By taking advantage of new self-service innovations, you can provide exceptional, personalized customer service while reserving your contact center agents for complex inquiries. And for large co ntact c enters, fa st, friendly, and responsive customer service is essential to profitability. Strengthen your competi- tive advantage by offering superior self- service through advanced speech technologies. Your customers will find it easier to do business with you and will come back again and again. Customer loyalty is the competitive advant age in business today, and Nortel Networks versatile, comprehensive Media ProcessingServer 500 (MPS 500) self-service solution provides a vital component for the success of your business-critical contact center.
by automating routine requests and freeingagents for more complex inquiries
• Delivers friendlier self-service and
more personalized customer experiencethrough robust, multi-language advanced speech capabilities
• Extends your Web applications to callersby utilizing VoiceXML, Java, and other Internet technologies
• Integrates easily into your existing infra- structure without costly re-engineering,by supporting a wide variety of networkingand computing protocols
• Supports a hybrid environment of traditional and VoIP telephony protocolsthat enables smooth transition to VoIP without costly hardware upgrades
• Expands size and capability easily so you can buy what you need today,accommodate future growth, andprotect your investment
• Streamlines system configuration andmanagement with intuitive browser-basedtoolset to reduce operating costs
“The Web sparked a self-service frenzy.But the phone remains the channel of choice for many consumer interactions.”†
Any business that receives signicantvolumes of customer calls must have an
effective way of handling those callersquickly and completely. In today’s busy world, callers appreciate being able to dobusiness with you when it is convenientfor them. More and more, callers preferthe immediacy of self-service to waitingin a queue to speak to an agent.
Advancements in technologies such asspeech recognition, Voice over IP, andVoiceXML have reinvented self-service.
Your customers can now access your Webpages from a cell phone, or conduct securenancial transactions without the need forpasswords or PIN numbers. Interaction with automated systems is now much moreefcient and user friendly—even conversa-tional, improving customer acceptance and
Nortel Networks Media Processing Server 500Set new standards for superior customer service
Product Brief
opening up new application possibilities.By taking advantage of new self-serviceinnovations, you can provide exceptional,personalized customer service whilereserving your contact center agents for
complex inquiries.
And for large contact centers, fast, friendlyand responsive customer service is essentito protability. Strengthen your competi-tive advantage by offering superior self-service through advanced speechtechnologies. Your customers will nd iteasier to do business with you and willcome back again and again. Customerloyalty is the competitive advantage in
business today, and Nortel Networksversatile, comprehensive Media ProcessinServer 500 (MPS 500) self-service solutioprovides a vital component for the successof your business-critical contact center.
As your business continues to change,increasing demands are continually being placed on your contact center. To maintaina competitive advantage, you need a platform that can:
• Serve your customers more effectively
with exceptional reliability and func-tionality to meet ever-increasing customer demands, and
• Support new service offerings,ensuring the viability of yourhardware investment.
MPS 500 answers both of these challenges,providing a wide range of effective, innova-tive capabilities that make it the ideal plat-form for businesses that are implementing self-service applications. Evolved from thesame technology as the larger, carrier-gradeMPS 1000 platform, MPS 500 is a comprehensive self-service solution formedium to large businesses, or smallservice providers who need a cost-effective,robust solution that ts your prioritiestoday while positioning you well—andprotecting your investment well intothe future.
Your company gets just one opportunityto make a rst impression. For many of your customers, that opportunity comes when they call your toll-free number forCustomer Service and are greeted byan automated system. How does yourIntegrated Voice Response (IVR) systemcommunicate with your customers? Dothey get a sense of appreciation for theirbusiness and the message that you aretrying to build a loyal and supportive rela-
tionship? You need to ensure that every customer touch point has a unied look and feel, and a personality that bestprojects the corporate brand.
Speech-enabled self-service solutions canpromote your brand and provide yourcallers with the same friendly customerexperience that they would expect whendealing with a human agent.
With Advanced Speech Recognition,you can reduce the number of calls yourcustomer representatives handle, increaseoverall system operating efciency, anddramatically enhance customer offeringsby linking customers directly to your busi-ness. Communicating using speech ratherthan touch-tone input creates a naturalow for users and can often increase theirlevel of comfort. And, the easier and fasterself-service is, the more people will use it,
reducing your operating costs since lessagent time is required and average calllength is shorter.
Nortel Networks Advanced SpeechProcessing capabilities help you create theright solution.
Large Vocabulary Recognition (LVR) —Recognizes tens of thousands of words with high accuracy. LVR allows theautomation of many different types of transactions, eliminating the need forcomplex and confusing navigation.
The ability of LVR to recognize naturalnumbers, money amounts, dates, andtimes can further reduce transaction time.
Natural Language Understanding (NLU)—In stepping through an IVR menu, it is more intuitive for yourcustomers to use their own phrasing toanswer a menu prompt. With the conver-sational interaction that Natural LanguageUnderstanding provides, your customers
can say what they want directly, use alter-nate expressions for menu selections, andprovide multiple pieces of information in single phrase. This enables your business tautomate certain revenue-generating callsthat are too complex for touch-tone input.
Speaker Verication —Utilizes biometrictechnology to verify a caller's identity based on the unique characteristics of hisor her vocal patterns. It lets your businesscompare live speech samples to storedvoice prints to quickly and accurately authenticate the caller, complementing orreplacing other authentication methods,such as touch-tone PINs or passwords.
Text to Speech (TTS) —Converts ordi-nary text into intelligible speech. Thistechnology communicates information tocustomers when possible selections includlarge numbers of items from databases tha
Best in US— Speech Technology Portfolio from Nortel NetworksBest in Americas— Speech Technology Portfolio from Nortel NetworksBest in EMEA— Speech Technology Portfolio from Nortel Networks
ContactCenterWorld.com—Annual Members’ Choice Awards, Feb 2003
must be spoken to callers, or when a list of selections changes regularly. For example,this technology would be effective for anorganization that needs to conrm streetaddresses of callers and whose databasecontains many thousands of differentaddresses.
VoiceXML extends the value of your investment in Web serversand Business Logic
Businesses today have tremendous invest-ment in data and Web infrastructures inorder to interact with their customersthrough personal computers, PDAs, andother hand-held devices. VoiceXML isan industry-standard method for writing touch tone and voice recognition scriptsand enables the telephone to becomeanother device that can access those same Web applications. You can create IVR applications using the same technologiesthat you use for creating Web sites andintroduce new services for customers who
do business with you over the phone.VoiceXML scripts can be dynamically generated for quick customization so youcan adapt your voice menus for each callerand provide the optimum level of customerservice. For example, if a customer calls a nance company to increase their line of credit, but that customer does not have a mortgage with the same institution, themenu option for mortgages would not
be played to that caller.
MPS 500 is designed to offer a choiceof options for writing self-serviceapplications:
• The intuitive, graphical developmentenvironment of PeriProducer
• The text-based markup languageof VoiceXML
Nortel Networks PeriProducer is the inte-grated application development tool usedacross our entire portfolio of MPS andVPS solutions. PeriProducer applicationsare constructed using visual icons, making
it easy to understand how they work, andeasy to change them. If you already havean installed base of Nortel NetworksPeriphonics VPS/is systems, you canextend your existing software applicationsto the MPS platforms. Interoperability between the two platforms eliminates theneed to rewrite applications, shortening the deployment process and increasing overall protability. Nortel NetworksPeriphonics VPS/is and MPS systemseasily integrate to create a cohesive,enterprise-wide IVR solution.
MPS 500 incorporates a VoiceXMLbrowser which can be used to executevoice dialogs rendered by Web servers.The Nortel Networks VoiceXML browseris a client-tier component that runs onNortel Networks MPS 500 platform.
PeriProducer also provides capabilities
that the VoiceXML specication currently doesn’t address, such as pre-answerprocessing and integrating with SS7/C7.On the other hand, developers familiar with XML-based markup languages may nd VoiceXML more comfortable, espe-cially if the data to support transactionscomes from Web servers.
VoiceXML applications can invokePeriProducer applications, and vice versa.
This integration strategy provides yourcustomers with investment protection anda migration path from one environmentto the other, if and when required.
Nortel Networks implementation of VoiceXML complies with version 2.0of the VoiceXML specication. Forcustomers who are committed to Javafor their Business Logic, the MPS 500provides a Java Services Bridge (JSB)as a message interface between NortelNetworks self-service applications created with PeriProducer and any Java facility accessible through a Java API.
Integrate seamlessly into your environment
A powerful and exible solution, the MPS500 is easily congured to meet yourspecic needs. You can choose either a Solaris or Windows operating system— whichever ts best with your businessstrategy. The system can connect to serverand databases on various networks, usinga wide variety of open communicationprotocols, including Voice over IP—bothH.323 and SIP protocols. This adapt-ability ensures interoperability in thetypical, diverse enterprise or serviceprovider network. As a result, you savemoney by not having to re-engineer oroverhaul your existing infrastructure or worry about integration with third-party products in the network.
With open access to multiple databases,the MPS 500 can simultaneously accessdifferent types of information required tohandle an inquiry—for example, drawingon customer relationship management(CRM) systems, nancial databases, and warranty information—use that informa-tion to recognize preferred customers, anddeliver prioritized services to these individuals for optimum customer care.
Invest in technology thatgrows and adapts as your business evolves
MPS 500 is the right solution formedium-sized companies seeking basicself-service, as well as call centers withexisting IVR systems in need of moresophisticated alternatives to traditionalIVR. This exible solution is also ideal forsmaller service providers that need the richfunctionality of a carrier-grade platform ina scaled down architecture. You can provi-sion only what you need today, accommo-
date future growth, and protect yourhardware investment.
You can start with an entry-level congu-ration that supports up to 24 channelson a single T1 span, or up to 30 channelson an E1 span or 30 VoIP channels. Asneeded, MPS 500 can grow to supportup to 192 channels (eight T1 spans) or upto 240 channels (eight E1 spans) or 240VoIP channels. You can also network
multiple MPS 500 systems together toincrease port capacity. These platformscan be geographically dispersed to meetspecic networking requirements andenhance reliability and fault resilience.
With support for traditional and IPtelephony, the MPS 500 works in today’shybrid networks and enables a phasedmigration to Voice over IP that ts yourbusiness strategy. You can minimize capital
expense and operating expense by unifying voice and data communications onto onemultiservice IP network. With the MPS500, you can support self-service applica-tions on private or public IP networks as well as traditional telephony networks. You don’t need any special custom applica-tions or modications to existing applica-tions to run Voice over IP services.
You can offer callers all the same featuresand capabilities over either type of network. A caller connected to the systemvia the Voice over IP interface can interact with the self-service application in thesame manner as a caller connected viathe public switched telephone network.
With support for both digital and IP voiceprotocols, your self-service infrastructurecan transition gracefully to Voice over IP,if that evolution is in your plans. On a timetable that makes business sense, youcan gradually replace expensive leased lines with more cost-effective IP telephony solutions, without expensive hardwareupgrades.
MPS 500 supports both H.323 and SIPprotocols.
Streamline system configurationand management
Nortel Networks MPS 500 provides anintegrated Web-based suite of tools for
system management and administrationand to manipulate and view network activity. PeriView’s browser-based systemmanagement and administration screensmake it easy to set up, manage, andadminister your systems whether stand-alone or in a networked environment.PeriView monitors and manages systemalarms, applications, and system activity,and controls user privileges. PeriView runsas a stand-alone Java client application orin a common, industry standard Webbrowser window. You can take advantageof sophisticated tools such as PeriStudio—a software package used for creating,managing, and editing menu prompts andspeech elements, and PeriReporter—a toolfor collecting and maintaining statisticaldata for reports, without huge capitalinvestment.
Interface with PBXand call-managementsystems from many vendors
Working with Nortel Networks integra-tion packages and native interfaces, theMPS 500 seamlessly integrates withthird-party systems. For example,the MPS 500 can:
• Pass information to Genesys T-Server,Cisco ICM platforms, and Avaya’sDenity G3 PBX systems for fast,intelligent call routing and superiorcustomer experience.
• Receive automatic number identi-cation (ANI/DNIS) from a NortelNetworks Meridian 1 PBX, and usethat information to perform digital calltransfers and port activation, for moreefcient utilization of IVR and switchresources—saving seconds per calland reducing network costs.
• Pass caller-entered data to a Symposium* Call Center Server toroute calls to the most appropriateagents, help agents provide morepersonalized service, and deliverspecialized caller care.
• Pass caller-entered data to a TAPI Serveto populate agent screen pops, whichhelps agents avoid redundant questionsprocess requests more efciently, andprovide better service.
You don’t need any costly custom inter-faces to do this. Standard, “out-of-the-box” integration packages acceleratedeployment, simplify system integration,and deliver faster return on investmentfor you.
Our Professional Servicesteam is ready to help
For assistance in implementing MPS 500and creating a custom solution, you cancall on our highly skilled ProfessionalServices team. Around the globe, we cancomplement your in-house experts withNortel Networks professionals who havethe in-depth technical knowledge andpractical experience to turn your broadstrategies into specic implementations.
We are ready to assist you with every facetof customization, planning, and projectmanagement. Our business consulting services include needs analysis; assessmentof current processes and technologies;identication of management goals; step-by-step implementation plans; and calcu-lation of your investment payback. We canalso help with application developmentand system integration, as well asmanaging implementation throughvarious milestones, including quality control, nal testing, and administrativetraining.
Whatever the scope of your require-ments—telephone or on-site assistance;a traditional maintenance program;a customized test plan; or comprehensivesystem design and integration services—our Professional Services team has theresources to provide a complete, highly customized solution.
MPS 500 is part of the broad range of Customer Contact and Self-ServiceSolutions that Nortel Networks hasdesigned to help your business increasecustomer loyalty and improve protability.These innovative solutions reect a broader-based, fully integrated approachaimed at helping customers do business—anywhere, anyway, and anytime.
Having established more than 35,000contact centers worldwide, NortelNetworks has the business and techno-logical expertise within our CustomerContact and Self-Service Solutions teamto create a scalable, exible, and resilientsolution that will grow and change withyour organization. By offering a completeportfolio, we can help you achieve yourbusiness objectives quickly and effectively. We can also help you better integratecontact center strategies into your
company’s overall operations by giving you the tools to manage and understandcustomer relationships more effectively,and to maximize your return on thoserelationships. And backed by ourCustomer Contact and Self-ServiceSolutions team’s global reputation forquality and reliability, we offer a single,responsive point of contact for all ofyour sales and service needs.
About Us
Nortel Networks Customer Contact andSelf-Service Solutions reect the deep an wide-ranging experience gained during many years as a global leader in businesscommunications, multimedia contactcenters, VoIP, wireless, and high-perform-ance Internet solutions. You can counton Nortel Networks solutions to deliversuperior service across all touch points inyour business, helping you set new benchmarks for productive and rewarding customer relationships.
local reseller or sales representative, or call1-800-4 NORTEL, or visit our Web site at:
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Nortel Networks is an industry leader and innovator focused on transforming how the worldcommunicates and exchanges information. The company is supplying its service provider andenterprise customers with communications technology and infrastructure to enable value-addedIP data, voice and multimedia services spanning Wireless Networks, Wireline Networks, EnterpriseNetworks, and Optical Networks. As a global company, Nortel Networks does business in more than150 countries. More information about Nortel Networks can be found on the Web at:
