ChaseData Agent Client: Twenty Arguments in Favor of Upgrading

Here we discuss why you should switch to the latest Call Center GUI as soon as possible if you’re still using the old Telemarketing GUI; we’re referring to the ChaseData CCaaS Agent Client app.

To put it into perspective, it’s an improved GUI, with simplified and rearranged menus and buttons, supporting all the latest features and improvements of ChaseData CCaaS; new features and improvements are only added to the Call Center GUI. Newer is better!

Before we go over detailed arguments, let’s summarize:

• The Telemarketing GUI is very good; the Call Center GUI is great
  
• We can argue in at least 20 ways about how much better the Call Center GUI is, as shown in this document; and this is not an exhaustive list by any means
  
• Switching Agents to the Call Center GUI is simple, easy, and quick
  
• The learning curve for using the Call Center GUI is minimal to none
  

As we go forward, only the Call Center GUI is to receive periodic updates and new features!

Certainly, the Telemarketing GUI you’re used to is good and you like it, but you’ll be amazed at the extra friendlier rearrangement and the completeness of the Call Center GUI; so, let’s take a look.

Let’s start with the following picture, which shows a typical Call Center GUI (for a Paused Agent) without any special window panels docked or custom items added.

As you can see, it is uncluttered and nicely structured.  The main window panel is used to display, in tabbed-fashion, Call Information, Script pages, Reports, or anything else defined for the active Campaign (what is displayed depends on the Agent status, e.g. if Paused, Waiting for Call, on an Active Call).

The left panel includes action buttons relevant to the current Agent status; as we’ll see later, it allows for customization (e.g. adding link buttons to access external applications).

The top area has access buttons for any tools relevant to the Agent Skill, active Campaign, Call state, and Agent status; it also includes access to all available Settings, including access to a Network Test. Refer to the following picture for a close-up view.

So, let’s revisit the older Telemarketing GUI. As you have probably noticed, the Call Center GUI shares with the Telemarketing GUI the concept of a main window panel with adjacent panels to access functions and tools. But they differ in paradigm; we’ll see that as we go over the differences.

Let’s revisit the Telemarketing GUI under the same conditions we presented previously for the Call Center GUI, that is, for a Paused Agent. We can see the main window panel, just like the Call Center GUI. On the left pane we have a list of actions and functions, and on the right, we have a tool panel (somewhat like the top area in the Call Center GUI). Refer to the following picture.

You’ll notice that the left panel of the Telemarketing GUI is scrollable list of static items; we’ll later see that the Call Center GUI provides a cleaner unclutter setup, with each button expanding into options when selected or hovered over, when applicable.

The right tool panel of the Telemarketing GUI can be expanded to see a description of each button, but otherwise it’s static and can’t be moved or customized.

Refer to the following pictures.

If you’d prefer, you could swap displaying the left panel of the Telemarketing GUI to the top area. Refer to the following picture.

Finally, the Settings menu (clock wheel) in the Telemarketing GUI is on the left (but not as extensive as the Call Center GUI). Refer to the following picture.

Now let’s compare the two GUIs. There are other elements and characteristics that are not shown in the previous pictures because, for now, we’re using a default setup and considered only the Agent’s Pause (Call Center) or Break (Telemarketing) status. We’ll expand on a few things as we go along, though.

First point of comparison is the left panel. Once again, let’s show both of them side by side; refer to the following picture.

I’m sure you agree that just looking at the left panel differences, the Call Center GUI provides a great improvement to access, structure, intuitiveness, and ease of use in general. We’ll go through details, not just the GUI aspect, but functional, as well.

So, let’s go over some of the arguments.

Basically, the Telemarketing GUI heavily packs almost everything on the left panel in a list-like scrollable set. It’s great that all of that is there, but the Call Center GUI takes a few steps forward, getting away from the list-like approach and presenting them (and a few more things) in a more graphical, structured, informative and intuitive manner.

Argument #1 – Whether if it’s shown in expanded mode or compact mode, the Call Center GUI left panel looks the same and provides the same intuitive access to actions and functions; the Telemarketing GUI requires a bit more digging. Refer to the previous picture.

Argument #2 – Whether in expanded mode or compact mode, the Call Center GUI left panel keeps displaying the Pause time (in a colorful and large font); the Telemarketing GUI doesn’t display the Time On Break in compact mode (and it’s a smaller font when it’s displayed in expanded mode). Refer to the previous picture.

Argument #3 – The Telemarketing GUI left panel requires scrolling and looking up for items (with a potential “huh… where is it?” effect for a newcomer); the Call Center GUI left panel doesn’t require scrolling, and all functions are visible and readily available. Refer to the previous picture.

Both the Call Center GUI and the Telemarketing GUI display the call status (Paused, Waiting For Call, Preview, On Call, …) on the top area, but there’s something that only the Call Center GUI does:

Argument #4 – Only the Call Center GUI shows the Agent state on the top of the left panel, via a color-coded button (that can include the Agent’s picture or pictograph), to easily identify whether the Agent is Available, Busy (or any busy sub-state), or Offline.

Argument #5 – Furthermore, the Agent state button expands when clicked to allow changing the Agent state. The Telemarketing GUI not only doesn’t show the Agent state, but you have to scroll, find and click on a state to change it.

Refer to the following picture.

Argument #6 – The Call Center GUI not only provides better and dial mode-sensitive information on the current call activity, but also integrates that information with easy to reach action buttons and keyboard shortcuts. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #7 – Making Manual Calls from the Call Center GUI is so much more natural, and with expanded control and options; a button is readily available on the left panel, and when clicked, it pops up the Dial Pad window (or changes focus to it, if custom-docked anywhere on the GUI). By contrast, the Telemarketing GUI just opens a basic non-dial pad window. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #8 – The Call Center GUI includes a Chat feature with Channel capabilities; the Telemarketing GUI doesn’t. Refer to the following picture.

Argument #9 – The Call Center GUI allows an Agent to be able to set Trainee mode in order to access and view a trainer screen (based on Skill settings); the Telemarketing GUI doesn’t. Refer to the following picture.

Argument #10 – The left panel of the Call Center GUI can be customized with icons (buttons) that link to external systems or applications.

This is on a per-Campaign basis (assigned in Campaign Settings using the Management Console app) and it’s specified as a Custom App Script of type Extern URL.

Refer to the following pictures.

Clicking on the icon/button for the external system or application causes a window to pop up for the URL that the configured link points to. Furthermore, the window can be pinned, or docked, to the main ChaseData window by clicking on the pin icon found on the title bar. Refer to the following pictures.

Most tools and commands in the Telemarketing GUI populate both the left and right panels in a list-like and one-dimensional setup. As we began noticing in the previous pictures, the Call Center GUI, instead, groups tools and functions for easy access to them, to unclutter the GUI and make it visually comfortable with a more efficient use of the screen.

Let’s go to the Call Center GUI’s top area and find the tool bar. Let’s look at that picture again.

Argument #11 – The Call Center GUI tool bar on the top is more accessible, and therefore items are easier to find; applicable items are displayed, while those that do not apply to the current mode or state are not. Refer to the previous picture.

Argument #12 –There’s more to the tool and feature re-distribution in the Call Center GUI; not only are relevant items moved to the top tool bar and Settings menu, but also some tools and features are moved to the Dial Pad, where they rightfully belong (we’ll get to that in a bit).

Argument #13 – With the Call Center GUI, not only the Scheduler button/icon is better positioned by moving it to the top tool bar, but the Scheduler window can be pinned/docked to the main window panel. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #14 – With the Call Center GUI, not only the Call History button/icon is better positioned by moving it to the top tool bar, but the Call History window can be pinned/docked to the main window panel. Also, the Call History window is automatically populated with the call history for the current day. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #15 – The Call Center GUI introduces the Agent Hub, which provides the Agent with notifications, current call status information, etc. The Agent Hub icon on the tool bar dynamically changes according to current activities and notifications, giving the Agent a visual cue; if clicked, it opens the Agent Hub panel with details and corresponding action buttons. Refer to the following picture.

Argument #16 – The Call Center GUI incorporates support for Dial List functionality, accessed using the Dial List icon on the tool bar; clicking on it brings up the Dial List panel and the corresponding capabilities. Refer to the following picture.

Argument #17 – The Call Center GUI provides access to Voice Media, which includes call recordings, manager notifications, and personal messages. The Voice Media icon on the tool bar provides access; after clicking on it the Voice Media window pops up, which can also be pinned/docked into the main window panel. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #18 – The Call Center GUI generously expands on the availability of general tools and settings that the Telemarketing GUI provides; they include Softphone device settings (device, volume, …), Notification settings, Dial Pad settings, a Calculator, and a Map, among others. Refer to the following pictures.

Argument #19 – The Call Center GUI includes a Network Test utility to help determine the quality of the network communication between your site and the ChaseData servers; this is a very important tool because network communications are often the cause of apparent glitches in the application, and therefore should be the first thing to check and correct, if necessary. Refer to the following pictures.

Now, let’s look at a very important set of improvements when going from the Telemarketing GUI to the Call Center GUI, the Dial Pad and the functions and actions placed there, making them more fluid and natural.

Argument #20 – The Call Center GUI’s Dial Pad is great!  It incorporates actions and functions that before where spread around the Telemarketing GUI, and much more. That includes a standard telephone-like Keypad where numbers can be dialed either by pressing each key or by typing or pasting a number. It includes smartphone-like keys presented in the context of a call or activity (and the Agent’s Skill and Campaign), such as Mute, Hold, Conference, Transfer, Record, and Hang-up; it also shows the Contact information and call timer. The Call tab provides call history and in-pad searching capabilities. The Contacts tab provides a list of relevant Agents and their status. Refer to the following pictures.

There is even more to the Call Center GUI, if we look closely and move from scenario to scenario, from call status to call status, from dial mode to dial mode, from skill to skill, from campaign to campaign, etc. It’s not the purpose of this write-up to provide a user guide, hence we won’t go through every possibility.

We just want to make sure that you’re aware of how much better off you will be if you upgrade from the Telemarketing GUI to the Call Center GUI. One argument is good enough to upgrade; twenty arguments are certainly more than enough; so, we’ll leave it there because we know that you want to take full advantage of the many benefits.