Page 390 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

Network Management and Administration 3-181

• Real-Time Decisioning is a sophisticated data warehousing solution used for improving the
hit rates of targeted sales actions. The solution enables near-real-time browsing and analysis
of customer-specific historical data from databases such as the billing record store or CRM
contact history.
• The Contact Center product suite is designed to streamline multichannel (phone, e-mail, chat, and
Web) CRM interactions with customers. This solution includes script engines that guide agents
through various interactions (selling, up-selling, troubleshooting, complaints), tight integration
to billing and other databases, and measurement of agent efficiency. A principal component of the
suite is the Smart Agent Desktop solution, the application used by agents while interacting with
the customer.
• The Customer Service and Support product is the tool set used to build customer-centric prob-
lem resolution services, whether in the case of service centers or field services. This process is
facilitated by applications that allow operators to access their contracts, SLA commitments and
records, and spare parts inventories.
• Self-service is clearly a hot topic in customer management, given that it is a way to reduce cus-
tomer center operational costs and that, in many cases, customers prefer this alternative. Modules
in the Self-Service solution include e-billing presentment and payments, self-service support,
self-service reporting, and self-service service order. Self-service is not only about residential
lines: Some features (e.g., allocation of charges to various customer cost centers) are specifically
designed for enterprise customers. Targeted toward mobile operators, Personal Device Portal is a
Web-based simulation engine allowing customers to try out advanced devices and services, with
options for immediate purchase.
• Amdocs Sales is the key system through which the sale is actually made. Amdocs offers targeted
solutions that provide salespeople with all of the comprehensive information they need to sell effi-
ciently, including history of past interactions, pipeline management, forecasting, and so forth.
• Amdocs Ordering helps improve and speed up order processes by offering flow-through provi-
sioning and billing activation, management of orders in jeopardy because of technical issues, and
efficient management of service-specific procedures and knowledge bases.
Obviously, implementing and using these products efficiently is a challenge; however, this challenge is
alleviated by the Amdocs professional services available for all of the modules mentioned.
3.7.4.2.3 OSS Solutions
Amdocs OSS solutions are centered on the Cramer portfolio, through its Service and Resource
Management suite (Resource Manager and Service Manager), which is expected to provide a complete
and accurate view of services through regular synchronization and automatic discovery. On the basis of
this foundation, Amdocs offers:
• A complete Service and Resource Planner tool set that allows creation and simulation of planned
services and forecasts of future resource demands
• With respect to fulfillment and provisioning, a full order-to-activation solution including the
Service Catalog, order decomposition (Order Manager), and order activation (Activation Manager)
for a large number of network element and service platform types
• In terms of assurance and support, a Customer Service and Support solution (see above) attached
to the Amdocs SLA Manager, offering real-time views of SLA targets and results

3.7.4.2.4 Other Solutions from Amdocs
For the tasks of mobile and wireline service delivery and control, Amdocs also offers a service platform
solution that can be used to quickly create and provide intelligent Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), IN,
or Value Added Services (VAS) services for both prepaid and postpaid customers.