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Introduction
When considering voice processing and communications
systems for a workgroup or an entire enterprise there are many issues
that should be evaluated. These include tangible items such as technology,
architecture and pricing, as well as intangible items such as usability,
support, product direction and future growth. This paper discusses
these issues and presents the advantages offered by Big Sky's Remark!
solutions.
Background
San Diego-based Big Sky Technologies pioneered the
integration of voice and telephony with IBM Lotus Notes and Domino
and has been delivering application solutions to the Notes community
since inception. Big Sky's focus is on solutions which enhance communications
within a workgroup or across the entire business enterprise. Founded
in 1995, Big Sky remains committed to the Domino/Notes marketplace
and to delivering value to its customers though innovative products
and services.
All of Big Sky's application solutions are built on
a network-based communications server, the Remark! Voice Server.
The Remark! Voice Server is capable of executing multiple applications
concurrently and runs non-stop as a Microsoft Windows service. It
supports voice interfaces from Intel/Dialogic, NMS Communications,
Cisco Call Manger, and, in the very near future, SIP and H.323-compliant
vendors. Additionally, the Remark! Voice Server supports Lotus Instant
Messaging and ScanSoft Text to Speech. The Remark! Voice Server
was first released in 1995, is field proven, and is now in its fourth
generation. The Remark! Voice Server executes voice applications
written in a higher level development language called Phone Notes.
Over the years many Phone Notes applications have
been developed by Big Sky, Big Sky's partners and customers using
the Remark! Software Developers Kit (SDK). Some examples are help
desks, sales and marketing hotlines, human resource benefits enrollment,
time and expense reporting, absence reporting, and sales force automation
applications. Sometimes telephone access is added to existing Notes
applications. In other cases entirely new Notes applications are
developed to support a telephone centric application.
Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant is an off-the-shelf
Phone Notes application which runs on the Remark! Voice Server.
MessagingAssistant is a robust call and message management system
that enables users to control and manage all of their message types
effectively using their familiar Notes mailbox. Remark! Unified
MessagingAssistant turns the Notes mailbox into the single repository
for voice, e-mail, fax, and pager messages. Messages can be retrieved
and handled efficiently from any telephone, Notes client or web
browser. Access is provided to important messages anytime, anywhere.
A full description of the features and functions of this product
can be found in the datasheet entitled "Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant".
In the following sections, "Remark!" is
used to describe Big Sky's Remark! products and technology including
the Remark! Voice Server, Remark! SDK and Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant.
Technical Issues
There are a number of technical areas that should
be evaluated when choosing a communications solution. These issues
are itemized below along with details on how Remark! supports each
item.
Prerequisites
Unified messaging systems, by their nature, must be
connected to several existing components within the enterprise including
the telephone system, the e-mail messaging system and the data network.
Each of these components is designed and developed independently,
and have their own platforms, operating system, and software release
cycles. When a unified messaging system has limited compatibility
with each component, it can affect the ability for a company to
make changes to one or more component. For example, updating the
e-mail messaging platform to a new operating system as part of a
server consolidation effort may not be possible if the unified messaging
solution does not support the new operating system.
The Remark! Voice Server runs on a Windows platform,
but it connects to and supports Domino servers running on any of
the platforms supported by Lotus and IBM. In addition, Remark! supports
Notes and Domino R4.6 and later, including mixed environments. This
allows companies to upgrade the Domino messaging system hardware,
operating systems and versions without impacting the Remark! Voice
Server.
Remark! also supports a long list of phone systems
including the latest VoIP based systems. Remark! integrates directly
to legacy systems from Avaya, Nortel, Siemens, Mitel and many other
manufacturers. Cisco Call Manager is supported directly without
special hardware, and SIP and H.323 based systems will be supported
in the near future. Remark! provides a wide range of telephony integration
options supporting almost any telephony environment.
Remark! can be configured to work with any TCP/IP
based network, including Microsoft networks with or without Active
Directory. No special domain accounts or setup is required.
Installation and Roll-out
First impressions of any product are important, and
the installation experience is usually the customer's first interaction
with the product. Due to the large number of communication interfaces
(i.e. the network, the PBX system, voice boards, etc.), unified
messaging installations present some interesting challenges.
Remark! is relatively easy to install because it is
a software based solution that takes advantage of popular standard
hardware platforms and telephony interfaces. No expensive proprietary
hardware is required, although Remark! can take advantage of high
availability options such as raid storage systems and multi-processor
systems.
Remark! software is installed on the computer designated
as the voice server. Remark! software is not required on the user's
desktop or the Domino server. Since there are no software components
installed at the user's desktop, Remark! can be rolled out very
quickly to a large number of users. By eliminating the need to install
unified messaging software on the Domino server, Remark! installations
aren't limited by the operating system or version level of the Domino
server software. The installation complexity of Remark! is significantly
reduced compared to other unified messaging solutions for Notes.
For smaller installations, Remark! can be installed
on an existing Windows-based Domino server to minimize the expense
of an additional server. Although this configuration is not recommended
for systems with over eight telephone ports, it is a viable alternative
for small companies or branch office locations.
Typically, well integrated Notes-based solutions include
Notes design elements that ensure tight integration with existing
administrative tools and mail user interfaces. Although the Notes
templates for the Domino Directory and mail databases are usually
modified as part of the Remark! installation in order to provide
usability enhancements for administrators and end users, these modifications
are not a requirement. Some companies choose not to modify their
standard database design templates, or don't want to make changes
to these database templates during an initial pilot period. Remark!
can be installed using a separate Remark! Directory and user mail
database modifications are not required.
Remark! can be rolled-out to a large number of users
very quickly. Since there is no software installation at the users
desktop, the IT department doesn't need to visit each desktop or
support a user-installable component.
Remark!'s voice messages are displayed as simple attachments.
Since users already know how to manage file attachments, no additional
training is required to launch the voice message and play it. Playback
uses the same Notes feature used to launch a word processing document
or spreadsheet. In addition, Remark!'s telephone user interface
is very similar to existing voice mail systems, further reducing
user training requirements.
System Maintenance
The benefits associated with a true unified messaging
system include the single message store and single directory. Switching
from two separate message stores and directories (voice mail and
e-mail) to one will reduce the costs associated with ongoing maintenance
and support. Some unified messaging vendors don't support a single
message store or directory, eliminating this important benefit,
and instead introduce complicated synchronization techniques between
the separate message stores which are difficult to maintain.
Remark! takes full advantage of the user's Domino
mail database for message storage and management. All of the standard
end user e-mail management tools are available for voice messages,
including folders and soft deletes. Since the voice message is stored
exclusively in the Notes mail database, no message synchronization
with a voice mail system is required.
System management of Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant
takes place in the Domino Directory. This allows system administrators
to go to one place to perform "adds, moves, and changes."
The Remark! auto-attendant is also configured from the Domino Directory,
with changes and updates taking place in real-time and without requiring
a system restart. Administrative training requirements are reduced
because administrators don't need to learn new tools to manage the
voice messaging features of Remark!
Advanced Features
All unified messaging systems include the ability
to record messages from outside callers and store the recorded message
in a user's mail box. Most systems also allow users to login to
the system from any telephone to retrieve messages, and have e-mail
messages played back with Text-to-Speech. A range of message management
options including reply, forward, delete, mark read, etc. are typically
included in all systems. Although these messaging features are more
or less standard in all unified messaging systems, Notes is much
more than just a messaging system. Notes-based unified messaging
systems must also support the advanced collaborative features built
into Notes and Domino.
Support for multiple applications
Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant is hosted on the
Remark! Voice Server, which is capable of supporting multiple voice
and telephony applications simultaneously. This allows companies
to host additional applications alongside Unified MessagingAssistant
that work directly with their Domino-based applications.
For example, most companies have an internal helpdesk
providing telephone access to helpdesk personnel. When there is
nobody available to answer the telephone, the call is usually forwarded
to a voice mailbox and the user can leave a message. With Remark!,
helpdesk calls could be answered by a helpdesk application running
on the Remark! Voice Server. The application can request specific
information from the caller to intelligently route the request,
and even notify the helpdesk agent with a chat message to let them
know that a call is being transferred to them.
Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant can be configured
to transfer control of a call to other Phone Notes applications
running on the same server. For example, an administrator may define
a menu option in the auto-attendant for a helpdesk application.
When the helpdesk option is selected by the caller, the helpdesk
application will automatically be started on the current phone line.
Administrators can also define menu options for authenticated callers
which will transfer the call to a Phone Notes application without
requiring a separate login operation. This is great for company
applications such as time and attendance reporting.
Instant Messaging
In addition to managing telephony resources such as
phone lines and text-to-speech, Remark! supports IBM's Lotus Instant
Messaging. Lotus Instant Messaging (LIM) has become an important
part of many customer's environments and now Remark! can use the
presence management and chat capabilities in LIM to notify users
with a chat message about waiting calls. Applications can also check
the on-line status (presence) of a user to make sure they are available
before sending a call to them.
In addition, Instant Messaging Bots (automatic agents)
can be created and hosted, allowing users to start a chat conversation
with an application. For example, Remark! Unified MessagingAssistant
includes a Bot application to allow users to change their personal
preferences for faxing, paging and availability. This feature can
be used by custom applications as well, allowing users to control
their applications by simply having a chat conversation with a Bot
application that is always available.
Remark!'s support for multiple applications and the
integration of instant messaging are good examples of how collaborative
capabilities can be integrated into unified messaging to take advantage
of the rich environment provided by Notes and Domino. These types
of features are not possible with unified messaging solutions that
support only the messaging capabilities of Notes and Domino.
Remark! CRM Framework
With the introduction of instant messaging functionality
in Remark!, Big Sky has also assembled a starter application for
use with Notes-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
Remark! CRM Framework is designed to manage incoming calls by connecting
callers to the right call center agents more efficiently and effectively.
Call center agents use their Lotus Instant Messaging
Connect client to set their availability status and to be notified
of incoming calls before taking the call. The call notification
also includes a link which can be clicked to to display the current
caller information within a Notes client or a web browser. In addition,
a LIM Bot is available to agents to schedule their on-line time
and set their personal preferences.
Remark! Value Proposition
Unified messaging offers many compelling features
that make it a logical choice when evaluating voice messaging alternatives.
But if the solution is too expensive to purchase and maintain, most
companies will elect not to experience these features and the overall
cost savings associated with them.
Remark! is not only technically advanced and field
proven, it is also very affordable. First, there is no per user
license required with Remark! Remark! is sold on a per port basis
(concurrent user model), allowing customers to tailor the size of
their system for their usage patterns. Second, Big Sky provides
a Small Business Edition (SBE) bundle with very affordable pricing
for small companies, or as a starter system for larger companies.
And finally, Remark!'s per port pricing is very competitive and
is even lower when volume discounts are applied.
Besides providing reduced up front licensing costs,
Remark! maximizes return on investment by delivering a single platform
for unified messaging and other telephone-based applications. With
other unified messaging solutions a separate solution must be purchased
and maintained to implement additional telephone-based applications.
Cost of ownership is also low with Remark! due to
the low installation, roll out, administrative and maintenance costs.
From an administrative point of view, Remark! is an extension of
Domino administration allowing the same personnel to easily manage
both systems. This reduces training and ongoing maintenance costs.
Remark!'s ongoing support for new technologies and
additional applications ensures that the investment in Remark! will
continue to build value after the initial purchase. As a customer's
needs change and grow, Remark! provides a robust platform to build
on.
Working with Big Sky
Big Sky has been designing, building and supporting
voice and telephony applications that integrate with Notes and Domino
for many years. We are focused on providing our customers with high
quality and high value products and support. Our relationship with
our customers and business partners doesn't stop when the system
is delivered and installed. We have many satisfied customers who
have been using Remark! for years.
With the advent of new technology options such as
VoIP, instant messaging and web-based conferencing, we are excited
by the opportunity to deliver enhanced solutions. There are many
options to choose from when implementing new technology. We feel
it is our responsibility to help our customers meet their goals
by selecting the technologies that address the problem and provide
the best solution.
Summary
The list of the items discussed in this paper should
be used as a checklist when evaluating alternative voice and telephony
solutions for Lotus Notes.
Technical Issues
Prerequisites - The solution should be compatible
with the broad range of software versions, platforms and operating
systems available for Lotus Notes and Domino. The solution should
be compatible with new telephony technology including VoIP based
PBX systems.
Installation and Rollout - The solution should be
easy to install and configure, with minimal installation components.
A desktop software component can be difficult to install and support
for a large number of end users.
System Maintenance - The solution should utilize a single directory
and message store to ensure that the system maintenance tasks are
quick and easy.
Advanced Features - The solution should support multiple
Notes and Domino applications hosted on the same voice server. The
solutions should also support the advanced collaboration features
of Notes and Domino including Instant Messaging chat and presence
management features.
Cost Issues
Initial Cost - The solution should be affordable and
provide a low barrier to entry. Pricing should be based on usage
rather than the number of enabled users.
Return on Investment - The solution should provide
a quick return on the initial investment by reducing the ongoing
costs associated with separate voice mail and e-mail systems. Providing
added value as a platform for multiple voice applications will also
reduce the time needed for the system to pay for itself.
Ongoing Cost of Ownership - The solution should provide
easy administration to ensure ongoing maintenance costs are low.
The solution should support open standards, and a variety of hardware
choices and telephony interfaces to ensure a wide range of options
for future growth.
Vendor Issues
Proven Track Record - The selected vendor should have
a proven track record with unified messaging and voice and telephony
applications in a Lotus Notes and Domino environment.
Easy to Work With - The selected vendor should have
knowledgeable support personnel available to answer questions and
provide support. Documentation should be written so Notes Administrators
can understand the system and perform administrative tasks.
Vision - The selected vendor should demonstrate the
ability to apply new technology as required to solve real world
problems with innovative solutions.
Hopefully this discussion has provided some items
to consider when selecting telephone-based solutions for Lotus Notes.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
© 2004 Big Sky Technologies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved
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