Tokyo, August 31, 2000 --- Fujitsu Limited today announced the release of BroadChannelTM Connector, a fully IP-based software solution that provides scalable and flexible customer contact center functions, enabling enterprises to quickly and easily develop efficient CRM systems. Leveraging Fujitsu's development and systems integration strengths, the solution combines the latest advances in IP, voice management and media management from world-leading technology providers Dialogic Corporation (an Intel company), Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products NV, and ANIMO Ltd. The result is a much-needed integration of Internet-based and traditional customer service contact management methods that aim to be the ideal CRM platform in the e-business space.
Today's organizations, facing increasing investment costs for servicing existing customers, are seeking to leverage the potential benefits and cost savings of the Internet. At the same time, they must continue to interact with customers and prospects in many different ways, from personal contact, telephone calls, fax, email and the Web to call centers and through partners. As many of these relationship methods reflect entrenched customer preferences, it may not be possible for organizations to limit the number and type of channels being employed. Instead, what is needed is a way to integrate emerging Internet and mobile channels with traditional contact methods to provide customers with seamless, transparent and satisfying experiences.
Fujitsu's new BroadChannel Connector solution meets this requirement by supplying a platform that integrates and provides cross channel functionality and access through a range of leading technologies, in particular, media management and the capability to seamlessly mix automated and manual connections.
The solution offers simplicity and scalability in the ability to build a contact center with services such as PBX, IVR, ACD and CTI on one or more Windows NT-based servers. Both the servers and the operators of the service can be distributed anywhere on the IP network, and services can be accessed via a range of media, including PSTN, ISDN, Internet, FAX, and cellular phone (WAP). Cost savings are delivered by the replacement of traditional phones with Voice over IP (VoIP) phones. Incorporating such innovations as enhanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) with Speech Recognition, Text To Speech (TTS) and Voiceprint Identification, the BroadChannel Connector's sophisticated customer profiling, authentication, and system access authorization functions empower contact center operators by allowing them to initiate high-level response processes quickly and accurately.
The totally IP-based BroadChannel Connector can be flexibly deployed in a wide array of industries and operational environments, from SOHO and dot-com operations to dispersed environments of offices and warehouses - all the way up to Application Service Provider (ASP) implementations. The new solution also provides easy integration with important existing front office applications, such as Clarify, and it comes with a range of customizable management functions and access log reporting features.
"Our new CRM solution, BroadChannel Connector, is designed to meet the needs of business organizations facing severe competition and needing to rapidly adapt to changing market and customer requirements," said Takashi Shimada, general manager of the CRM Business Development & Promotion Division, Fujitsu Limited. "PBX (Private Branch Exchange) technology has been heading in two directions -- PC-PBX (PBX software on PC) and IP-PBX -- and now our BroadChannel Connector product covers both technologies. Integrating our advanced technology with that of our partners, Dialogic, L&H, and ANIMO, enables us to globally offer and promote a very efficient one-to-one marketing environment."
"We are pleased that Fujitsu selected Intel's Dialogic CT Media platform and key media, VoIP and PSTN products as part of their CRM solution," said John Miner, vice president and general manager of the Communications Products Group at Intel Corporation. "Intel's strategy is to provide building blocks for the development of Internet solutions and this is an excellent match with Fujitsu's Internet focused goals. Fujitsu is a leading solution provider with excellent consulting skills and a good understanding of the requirements of customer systems. Our intention is to work with OEMs like Fujitsu to meet the communications needs of a variety of customers; from small dot-coms to large enterprises."
"We welcome Fujitsu's utilization of L&H's multilingual ASR1500 telephony speech recognition and TTS3000 text to speech technology within BroadChannel Connector," commented John Duerden, President & CEO of Lernout & Hauspie. "We are glad to work with Fujitsu, a leading, international, system integrator and solution provider, to integrate L&H's speech technology into its mission critical, enterprise solutions."
"We are pleased that Fujitsu utilized ANIMO's Voiceprint identification technology for their CRM solution, BroadChannel Connector," said Ichiro Hattori, President & CEO of ANIMO, Ltd., sound solution provider and a Fujitsu venture company. "ANIMO provides the best voice-based self-authentication technology and contributes to the development of security infrastructure required in today's E-Commerce. We are excited to collaborate with a global solution provider like Fujitsu and together provide a new solution to the global market."
Over the next three years, Fujitsu and its group companies expect to make 1,000 BroadChannel Connector installations worldwide, together with providing PRIMERGY Windows NT-based servers, consultation, systems integration, and implementation services.
Main functions of the new BroadChannel Connector solution include:
Media Integration
Users can access the service using the most appropriate means at the time, including phone (PSTN, ISDN), fax, VoIP phone, video phone, web browser, e-mail, text chat, and mobile phone.
Auto / Human Agent
The system provides both human and automated response services as agent functions. That means both types of function can be seamlessly tied together to provide the right level of response for a given situation.
Intelligent Routing
Responses are distributed to the most appropriate agent by following pre-defined rules set up in a 'Routing Manager.' Routing Manager in turn manages the connection between users and agents, as well as referencing routing rules to find the most appropriate agents. Routing rules can be parameter driven and based on call profile information, ensuring that the most appropriate agent is presented for a particular customer.
Secure Management
System operations are managed easily and securely. Sessions, calls, agents and incidents can all be monitored. Customer contact records can also be managed in the same way that the system is monitored.
Natural Voice Interface
Speech recognition software recognizes and converts users' voice input into text data format. Text to Speech software converts text into voice for playback with voice synthesis. Natural voice playback is achieved with rhythm and by managing phonemes for word/sentence units. Speaker identification is also possible by use of voiceprint software. A 'Barge In' feature recognizes users' voices even over the top of service messages. This function allows users to cut in and lets the server recognize their voices so they can move on to the next step.
Distributed Call Center
This allows an integrated service to be distributed across a range of servers. Fujitsu's advanced network agent technology always searches for the most appropriate resource on the network. It also supports operators working from home and in satellite office/SoHo environments.
About Fujitsu
Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) is a leading provider of Internet-
based information technology solutions for the global marketplace.
Comprising over 500 group companies and affiliates worldwide --
including ICL, Amdahl and DMR Consulting -- it had consolidated
revenues of 5.26 trillion yen (US$49.6 billion) in the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2000. Fujitsu's pace-setting technologies, world-
class computing and telecommunications platforms, and global corps
of over 60,000 systems and services experts make it uniquely
positioned to unleash the infinite possibilities of the Internet
to help its customers succeed. Altogether, the Fujitsu Group has
188,000 employees and operations in over 100 countries.
Internet: http://www.fujitsu.com/
Fujitsu: The Possibilities Are Infinite
Further information about this product can be found at
http://www.fujitsu.co.jp/hypertext/globalsoft/broad_channel/
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