Have you ever wondered what makes your calls to our community call centers work? What technology makes the 959 or 910 numbers always available?
We recently had the opportunity to gain some insight into the technology and challenges around the platform enabling our call centers, as we aimed to update the infrastructure to its latest version, packed with new capabilities to enhance your user experience.
Firstly, what is the KAUST Contact Center anyway?
It is the modern equivalent of a call center, providing a service that deals with a high volume of calls from the community and the agents. The technology that supports it enables the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or otherwise known as "that voice in the line” asking you to dial some numbers leading to get a reaction; while you patiently wait for an agent to speak with you and assist you. Meanwhile, several other additional background functions, integration, and systems communications are happening to ensure the agent has all the required information available to better support you.
What services are supported by it?
The Contact Center service enables you, as part of the KAUST community, to reach out and get support and consultation, it acts as an initial point of contact before diverting your request to the services you are looking for. Such Services include: Facility Management (FM), Information Technology (IT), and Health Services (KH).
Our three main contact centers host a total of 40 agents serving more than 20,000 incoming calls every month! If you have ever dialed 959, 910 or 940 then you have counted as one!
How was the service upgraded?
To keep serving the ever-growing KAUST Community with the best modern technology supporting a smooth and intelligent channel to reach different supporting departments at KAUST, a full system upgrade to the KAUST Contact Center had to be taken place. This effort was led by the hardworking collaboration of different teams within IT. The IT Network Team, IT Services Team, and the IT Project Management Office came together and immaculately delivered this service's important milestone.
How do you benefit?
The KAUST Contact Center infrastructure operates with the Cisco Unified Communication Express (UCCE) platform and consists of 17 applications clustered over a high performing compute environment connected to the KAUST network. This provides you with a high quality, resilient and secure interactive voice service, while also facilitating backend services, and helping contact center agents by controlling queuing, information exchange and integration with a variety of university information and ticketing systems.
KAUST Information Technology Department
it.kaust.edu.sa
We make IT happen!
