Swyx your business

Case Study: Citec AG

When Citec AG was founded about 10 months ago, the executive Marko Brandt and his colleagues had to decide on the most important communication question: should they try Voice-over-IP or rather stick to a traditional system?

As their business focus is on call centers, they knew that any new PBX must have CTI functionality. They had to equip ten users with telephony functions, six in normal offices and four call center places. One possibility would have been to take the existing Lucent PBX and make it CTI compatible. This would have cost round about 50,000 DeutschMark. Finally, they decided for a Voice-over-IP solution. »We wanted to benefit from the IP-telephony advantages from the beginning«, says Brandt, »as we believe that VoIP is the telephony of the future.« The Bavarians decided to take SwyxWare, the solution from Swyx Communications, headquartered in Dortmund. »It was no problem to fulfil the requirements for VoIP", knows Thomas Beisler, IT manager at Citec.

Apart from their CAT5 cabeling, he was indicating their server equipment. The company is equipped with Standard PCs for Windows 2000 (Pentium III with 800 MHz and 256 MB memory) and their servers are all Windows 2000-based. Citec is running different applications on three servers. Telephony is managed by a RAID5 SCSI server, databases are run on a RAID1 server and there is another server, managing file and print procedures.

Easy installation

»Installing this software-based IP-solution went extremely fast«, says Brandt. The only thing that had to be considered was to avoid bottle necks within the system which could cause problems. »If I am operating a 'normal' network and I put ten users with a great amount of graphical works on a 10 MB hub, this could be problematic«, knows Brandt. But he dealt with this investment like he always does: »Think first - then implement.« As his company was one of the first VoIP pioneers, they had to fight some problems in the early stages. Interferences like bothering noise or sounds were abolished relatively fast. Today, Brandt comments: »The first version was a system with basic functionalities; version 2.0, available since December, is a functioning PBX.« At the beginning of the project, the company was indeed very careful. For the VoIP solution, no new phone numbers or extensions were installed; all calls were rerouted by the existing Lucent PBX to the new system. For the worst case scenario - which didn't occur - the system could have been changed back to the old PBX. This formerly existing PBX now only deals as a nice accessory.

Presently, the only thing missing, is an ACD function over IP for inbound calls in the call center. When this function is available, the existing PBX will be removed. As Citec is a growing enterprise, their personnel staff is extending as well. Here, the VoIP system proves its strength: »The system can be extended to an open-end, which is fantastic«, says Thomas Beisler delighted, »I can now do without vast quantities of components when I want to implement three new extension numbers.

Additionally, he interprets SwyxServer as very positive from a technical point of view. As SwyxServer only switches and controls the status of the extensions, all resources of the network are prevented from too much damage and process work.

Further applications

As a contact management system in their call center, Citec uses the "Call Center Suite" via TAPI interface by AG Grutzeck. SwyxServer connects to Tobit's »Faxware« on the fax server via CAPI sharing. All extension numbers which are unidentified by the VoIP system, are then rerouted to the faxware. All applications are controlled over one single user interface. Faxes, e-mails and voicemails arrive at MS Outlook and can be send from there.

An additional application is their enterprise resource planning and financial accounting system »Navision«, which enables everyone to have access to the customer data base. Every user has his own working environment at Citec: headsets, handsets and IP desk phones are in use. As most employees use notebooks, there was a necessity to take advantage of IP desk phone to ensure good voice quality. Version 2.0 now contains two sound drivers which ensure good voice quality when using a headset.

Functional applications

The wide range of functions of this new software makes Marko Brandt happy: "I would have never thought of all the possibilities of rerouting." With the so-called "Call Routing Manager" calls can be handled individually. The PC user can define whether the caller should be rerouted to the voicemail or to the mobile phone. The IP-PBX identifies the caller by his own phone number and reroutes his call accordingly. If he leaves a message, this is sent to the user as an attachment via e-mail.

"Furthermore, we can do without an operator's place", comments Brandt, "as the operator's skin is available to every user." No matter on whose PC one logs on - everyone has his 'own' telephony environment with all name keys, functions and caller lists available. This system also enables Citec's call center to save time and money, as numbers are dialed in one single step. There is no possibility to misdial as the phone number is not being typed manually, but instead is selected via mouse click. Looking back, Brandt and Beisler know, that deciding for this telephony was worth it. It only cost one fifth of th amount which they would have paid for reconstructing their existing PBX. When SwyxWare supports ACD functionality, Citec will get rid of the old Lucent system and will make phone calls over IP only.

Installation in Detail

Special features:

  • Coupling with AG Grutzeck "Call Center Suite" via TAPI
  • Coupling with Tobit FaxWare via CAPI sharing

Users and accessories:

  • PCs with Microsoft Windows 2000
  • SwyxIt! Handset
  • SwyxIt! Headset
  • SwyxPhone L420

Installation/Administration:

  • By internal IT department