Presence and the Unified User Experience (B-07)

David SchenkelSenior Technical Analyst

ADTRANThe cost savings and multi-device, location-agnostic access to communications services have thus far been the hallmark of VoIP and Unified Communications, allowing business users to increase productivity without a massive increase in human resources.

But, truly remarkable benefits from IP-based communications come from adding presence and a unified user experience into the business communications environment, truly allowing businesses to gain maximum value from their technology investments by enabling more precise communications and less wasted time. 

However, just as with most new technologies, presence and user experience are open to interpretation, and there exist vast variations between offering from various vendors. This session will explore the foundational elements of presence, why it matters, what to look for, and importantly, how to use it effectively. 

Who is ADTRAN?• Leading provider of UC, networking and 

communications equipment

– ADTRAN solutions enable UC, voice, data, video, and Internet communications

– Widely deployed by carriers, SMBs and enterprises worldwide

– Nearly every T1 in the nation delivered via ADTRAN equipment

– Market leadership position in IP Business Gateways and #2 in Branch Office Access Routers

• Over 25 years of experience building innovative solutions supporting next generation technologies

Fast Facts:• Founded in 1985• Publicly traded on NASDAQ: ADTN• 2009 revenue - $484 million• 1,700 employees worldwide• 50 countries • Broad portfolio – 1,700 products

Fast Facts:• Founded in 1985• Publicly traded on NASDAQ: ADTN• 2009 revenue - $484 million• 1,700 employees worldwide• 50 countries • Broad portfolio – 1,700 products

ADTRAN Headquarters, Huntsville, AL

What is Presence?• Availability and capability status of things, contacts or groups

– May have levels of timeliness from seconds to years– Various Components

• On the phone• On-line/Off-line, available, busy or other status• On vacation, in a meeting• Part of an On-call group• Part of an expertise or responsibility group• Present, not present, occupied, not occupied for things

– May indicate location, device in use, and available comm modes• Associated rules, permissions, and priorities may determine

– Who can see a resource’s presence information – Who can connect with a resource, when, and using what 

communications modes  

IM/Social Networks

Mobile

Tablet

Calendar

`

PC

LOB Database

Rosters

PBX

Sources of Presence 

IM/Social Networks

Mobile

Tablet

Calendar

`

PC

LOB Database

Rosters

PBX

IM/Social Networks

Mobile

Tablet

Calendar

`

PC

LOB Database

Rosters

PBX

Sources and Timeliness of PresenceSource Description Relationship Timeliness

PBX Phone Are you on the phone Individual Seconds

PC Desktop  Are you working on your PC, are you available

Individual Minutes

Mobile Device Are you available on your mobile, where are you

Individual Minutes

IM/Social Networking

Are you online in your account Individual Minutes

Calendar Are you in a meeting, on vacation, out of office

Individual Minutes-Years

LOB Database Is conference room available, is the taxi here

Things Minutes-Years

Duty Rosters Are you on call, who is on call, who is the backup

Group Days-Months

Groups Who has expertise, responsibility Group Weeks-Years

IM/Social Networks

Mobile

Tablet

Calendar

`

PC

LOB Database

Rosters

PBX

Why Do We Need Presence?• Increases the success and timeliness of reaching a needed resource

• Also referred to as Reducing Human Latency (the time delay in initiating and reaching a needed contact or resource)

• Get the right resource at the right time• Two General Uses:

– Collaboration: Allows workers to better reach co-workers, suppliers, partners, or customers.

– Service: Allows customers to reach service workers and get action faster

Why Presence Matters• Gives a return on investment (ROI) based on:

– Improving business processes, increases efficiency (Collaboration)

• Improves ability for workers to collaborate (lets you find the right person faster, enables ad-hoc meetings)

• Eliminates excuses for being un-contactable• Enables corporate policy (e.g. QOS), imposes discipline

– Improving customer intimacy (Service)• Reduced service times for customers (shorter resolution times, faster interaction, happier customers)

• Allows automation of call redirection, reduces staff requirements

What to Look for in Collaboration• UC Systems/Desktop Applications with:

– Open standards presence (e.g. XMPP) enables:• Presence aggregation and federation with other systems (e.g. 

telephony presence integrated with desktop/mobile presence)• Presence and IM with cloud based social networking, IM systems

– Multimodal Communications (IM, voice, conference, fax, video, email), ability to add other workers to the conversation and change modes (e.g. IM to voice to conference by adding co-workers) 

– API to enable presence and multimodal communications within Line of Business applications

– Access permissions for Workgroup/expertise groups– Built-in call re-direction capabilities based on presence and who 

is calling 

IM/Social Networking Examples

UC Client Examples

What to Look for in Service• UC/IVR Systems with presence aware application development environments that enable:– Easy custom development of call flows for Autoattendants/IVR Services/Personal Assistants

– Call flow behaviour based on presence and LOB database content, calendar, TOD/DOW, etc

– Out-calling capability for call forking, find-me-follow me, notifications, escalation, follow ups.

– Recognize calling party from Contacts, LOB databases, voice biometrics

– Multimodal Communications (voice, fax, email, IM, SMS)

– Presence aggregation from multiple sources

Examples of Presence Applications

• Some examples of how presence could be applied to some common communications problems.– One Number call routing

– After-Hours Access to Health Care

– Follow the Sun Around The World

1#

One Number call routing

1#

2. Attendant service

identifies call as fax or voice. If fax directs call to

fax server account. If voice, the service

identifies availability

based on presence.

1. Customer

calls Contact’s published One

Number

3. If available the

attendant service calls the contact’s available

phones

5. If not available

the attendant service forwards the call to a

backup identified available by presence

or to Unified Messaging if no

backup is available.

6. Backup

answers the

call

4. Contact

answers the

call

One Number call routing• Benefits

– ROI: approximately 4-16 months for 20 users or more by reducing cellular, roaming, fax line costs.

– Calls routed through the company’s infrastructure. Calls can be routed to the contact’s most cost effective device.

– Cell phone numbers remain private, calls still routed to company if contact leaves company

– Improves relationships by providing consistent access to the contact/backup to all callers

– Controls when contacts receive calls out of hours– Uses the same number for voice and fax    1#

After-Hours Access to Health Care

2. Attendant service

answers and records message or directs the

call to 911

1. Patient

calls clinic

hotline

4. Presence

indicates the on-duty doctor is In a call with

another patient

5. Call is redirected to a stand-

by doctor whose presence is available. Standby doctor hears

the message and transfers to patient. Attendant escalates the

call if standby doctor does not

answer.

3. Attendant

service identifieson-duty doctors from

Duty Roster and hunts

for on-duty doctor(s)

After-Hours Access to Health Care

• Benefits– ROI: approximately 2-4 months by eliminating outsourced answering service

– Reduces service times– Improves relationships by providing consistent service/experience for all patients

– Real time synchronized with duty roster in DB– Eliminates errors by answering service

Follow The Sun Around The World2. Attendant Service

consults roster to see which worldwide

corporate locations can handle the call at this time

and date. Determines which contacts could

handle the call in priority

order.

1. Customer

calls Worldwide

service hotline

3. Attendant

service determines availability of contacts

and hunts for an

available contact.

5. If no contacts are

available, the attendant Service

takes a message and starts hunting for a

contact on an

escalation list.

6. Escalation

contact answers the call, hears

the message and transfers to the

customer.

4. Contact

answers the

call

Follow The Sun Around The World• Benefits

– ROI: approximately 2-4 months for 10 locations worldwide.

– Use global resources to provide 24/365 service– Uses regional phone numbers to call into company infrastructure

– Calls can be routed to the contact’s most cost effective device

– Improves relationships by providing consistent service/experience for all customers

– Controls when contacts receive calls out of hours   

Thank you!

David SchenkelSenior Technical AnalystADTRANEnterprise Networks Divisiontel: +1 (256) 963-3614e: david.schenkel@adtran.comw: www.adtran.com