Of course, one of the most challenging questions I get is also "Do you know a solution for...?", because Avaya customers never seem to have the same set of business goals or issues.

But now, I've got an easy answer... "Go visit the DevConnect Marketplace!"

The DevConnect Marketplace [www.devconnectmarketplace.com] allows Avaya customers (and Avaya Connect channel partners) to discover, search and explore solutions offered by DevConnect Technology Partners.

Navigation options allow site visitors to do this by specific Avaya portfolio areas, specific solution types, even vertical market focus.

The DevConnect Marketplace also incorporates a lot more information on the solutions from our DevConnect Technology Partners, including case studies, overview videos, product images and screenshots, even feedback from other Avaya customers.

And the Marketplace will feature newly tested solutions each month (Did you know that DevConnect typically tests 30 to 40 new solutions each month?). This makes it easy for customers considering new or upgrade deployments of Avaya technology to feel comfortable that solutions from their current vendors will continue to inter-operate with the latest Avaya software releases.

We're also announcing some additional DevConnect Select Products this week. These new solutions join solutions from Xima, NMS Adaptive, CRI, Datel, VBrick, 911 Etc., Conveyant and IR/Prognosis, and will be featured in the DevConnect Marketplace as well:

• Advatel's InTouch for Avaya IP Office brings together various forms of communication, including desk and mobile phones, SMS or text messages, e-mail, Skype, instant messaging and more, into a single Outlook plug-in that is intuitive to use, easy to install and does not require a server. InTouch for IP Office is a productivity tool that improves the efficiency of unified communications with both internal and external contacts.
• AMC Technology's Contact Canvas software provides CRM integration with Avaya Aura Contact Center and several popular CRM software packages. Contact Canvas provides a corporate-wide platform for business process-enabled communications via Contact Canvas Agent. Agents can connect the voice channel to business applications and databases, including market-leading CRM applications from Microsoft, Oracle, salesforce.com and SAP.
• BBX Technologies suite of Vuesion® Contact Center applications for small to midsize enterprises using Avaya IP Office provides skills-based and intelligent routing, monitoring, multichannel queuing, call recording and outdial campaigns, all on one server and competitively priced for SMEs. Vuesion enhances the contact center experience for customers in the SME space and scales from five to 250 agents.
• INI EQuilibrium, an innovative and exclusive software product from INI, adds robust management of multiple application servers directly to the Avaya Voice Portal and Avaya Aura Experience Portal platforms. EQuilibrium creates an elegant, end-to-end uptime environment that meets a company's crucial needs for flexibility, reliability and scale. An Avaya portal with EQuilibrium creates a seamlessly integrated platform for both telephony ports and application server connections.

The DevConnect Marketplace is always evolving as new solutions are tested and new companies join the DevConnect Program. Remember to check back frequently, as you never know what solutions you'll find to help you take your business to the next level.

What are the Golden Rules
For as long as I can remember, I always felt surrounded by a set of "golden rules.". These were sometimes unwritten rules, yet clear rules that you knew you must abide by - or suffer the consequences. In the IT world we tend to want to over complicate things and inject so many layers of complexity and rules that override other rules - at the end of the day we lose the clarity around exactly what needs to happen.

Knowing that multi-vendor IT environments breed complexity and operational challenges, the objective of simplification and operational clarity is paramount. In a recent interview, Ed Nalbandian (VP for Avaya Operations Services) reminded us that SLAs (service level agreements) and other documentation are a key part of the foundation for ensuring a successful outsourcing engagement. There are a multitude of risks and dangers that can easily multiply when there are too many vendors in the management and oversight sandbox. Four of the key areas that Nalbandian points out as critical to a good outsourcing arrangement are: SLAs, costs, engagement length and termination arrangements.

Just like back in my school yard days and golden rules of behavior, my teacher would warn me that "finger pointing" was not an option that was looked upon kindly. Finger pointing within a mega outsourcing deal can lead to millions of dollars of wasted expense and loss of precious time. Although outsourcing arrangements can cut communication costs by as much as 20% and shift significant capital expenses to much more manageable operating expenses, the risks of finger pointing feuds can rapidly disintegrate savings.

Playing Smart and Safe in the Sandbox
Taking a quote from my 3 year old niece Amalia, "sandboxes are fun, but not when Josiah takes my sand bucket and shovel and I can't get anything done..."
IT managers can't afford vendors taking their "sand bucket and shovel" and leave them stranded and unable to accomplish the required operational tasks.

With the rise in the use of Managed Services (according to Nemertes Research, in 2011 40% of managed services users said they planned to add on more services), it's especially critical to ensure that clear governance rules are put in place.

Five Traits to Look For in a World Class Managed Services Provider
Here are some top elements for selecting a managed services provider in order to minimize your risks and ensure the most success. They are captured in our Avaya White Paper " Five Traits to Look for in a World Class Managed Services Provider"

1. A focus on customer performance and growth
2. Superior applications
3. Flexibility
4. Accountability
5. Standards Based Managed Services

How does your managed services provider measure up against these five traits? I'd like to hear about your top traits list and see what rises to the top of your list.

Follow me on Twitter @ Royer_Edge and at TelecomReseller

In many ways, going to the bank is kind of like travel, there is often a line. If you can safely and comfortably migrate to the cloud and/or the digital, that is switch that can save time and energy. The power of technology and collaboration tools can, and will, have the same disruptive effect on both of the industries.

Modern personal finance is slated to move towards the macro trend of Youbiquity. What is Youbiquity finance? Excellent question and one where it is helpful to start with the root words. You: a relationship built around each individual's preferences, goals and tools. Ubiquity: everywhere and anywhere. Combine the two and you get an individual based, always on and available infrastructure. Sounds great, right?

is characterised by the following changes in consumer behavior: - time pressure, meaning speed and simplicity - technology adoption, including smartphones, equipping consumers to be 'always on' for information and services - financial engagement, which involves consumers taking more interest in their money.

Youbiquity as Mobile
I wanted to zero in on one specific aspect of Youbiquity finance, that of the mobile as the next frontier. Do you use your phone or tablet to bank? Personally, I use those tools to check in as needed with my accounts and transactions, and do 99% of my transactions over the internet. Looking at the data below, this puts me in the minority.

The stats
• Mobile banking is very popular (24 percent have tried it), even given concerns about security
• 31 percent would feel comfortable making mobile payments, although concerns about security are significant - the cashless society could be here soon

The report was surprised with the rates of adoption in mobile - "persistency of usage is lower than expected. It is still very fragmented, with many initiatives and pilots involving mixes of banks, retailers, mobile network providers, handset providers, payment providers and alternative payment providers."

Mobile payments
On that last point, I wanted to build further on mobile payments, which have gotten more popular in the last couple of years. Still, only "ten percent of consumers say that they have used their credit cards/smartphone to make payments for low-value items by a contactless device in-store (figure rises to 17 percent for the 16-24 age group)". Living in San Francisco, I was surprised with the low adoption rate, since you see mobile payments at all sorts of pop up stores, farmer's markets and boutiques.

I remember the first time my wife and I bought something via a Square reader. It was a nearly frictionless experience, ideal for both sides of the transaction. It was a glimpse into the future, that will most assuredly continue to progress in adoption and availability. These transactions epitomize Youbiquity finance, as it right sizes to the needs of the consumer and can make literally anywhere a bank.

It must be noted that the full power of dematerialization, which I have written about extensively on this blog, appears to be quite far away in the banking sector. A strong majority of existing patrons see the branch as the keystone for their customer relationship with their bank. I predict that changes over time, but it will take quite awhile to get to the tipping point where Banks could materially reduce their physical footprint.

ANSWER:
"What is your state legislation for E911 regarding MLTS PBX systems?"

It is hard to believe that in this day and age, with 911 celebrating it's 44th birthday this past February 16th, that E911 in PBX systems is mandated in only 17 states. Despite the many tragic stories where the life of a worker may have been saved with even the most simplistic of technology, or worse yet, a vetted procedure to follow, year after year goes by with only minimal legislative action.

Even in the states that have legislation, the message is often unclear, and certainly not in sync with other areas around the county. 40,000 square foot resolution in Chicago, 22,500 square foot resolution in Massachusetts, even station level in other areas. 4 years ago NENA, the National Emergency Number Association, published the MLTS Model Legislation in an attempt to provide guidance to states undertaking legislative action. The document was well received, and various elements of it showed up in legislative works in Virginia, Massachusetts, Michigan, and even the PUC recommendations made to the State in California.

The model legislation covered an area that the work-group considered to be one of the biggest roadblocks for an enterprise, that being location reporting granularity. After many weeks of discussions, building fire alarm zones was suggested to be fair and representative of a solution that would solve the problem. This solution relied on the ability for the MLTS to send, and the PSAP to receive a specific caller ID or Emergency Location Identification Number (ELIN) based on the location of the caller. Pre provisioned ALI records could then exist in the ALI database, an indicate a zone within the building to the 911 call taker.

Where our committee stopped though, didn't take into consideration the implementation side of the network. While some carriers make this task a simple one to implement, others do not, and costly additional services are required to be activated in order to pass any station specific phone number to the PSAP.

In California, the argument was made that any specific caller ID can be passed by the PBX on a non-emergency call, and that number will be displayable to the called party. However, a call from that exact same station to 911 would be screened and removed at the central office, and have the main billing number attached.

ALJ Kimberly Kim of the CPUC, requested additional comments to be filed by the carriers highlighting any specific services that would be required to enable this functionality. In response to that request, all carriers except one responded that this specific functionality was available at no additional cost to the end-user customer. If you want to follow the California legislative process, the link to the CPUC is here.

One state that took the initiative to ensure this particular concern was covered in their administrative laws was Washington state. In WAC 480-120-450 , which covers the enhanced 911 obligations of the local exchange companies, multiline customers must have the ability to dial 911 with common signal protocols which permit the call and the callers ELIN to be transmitted to the E 911 selective router. This means, by law, they have to honor the caller ID sent by the PBX. Additionally, the LEC must permit the PBX customer to maintain their own E 911 database, as long as it's in a nationally accepted format, and the customers have a right to transmit updates to that database at no additional charge.

The initial work by the NENA MLTS committee in 2000 focused on reporting a device location within a large multistory or multi-building campus. Four years ago, the second round of that committee focused on the mobility that voice over IP provided to users, and how to track that mobility within the enterprise. The document was also moved from a TID (technical information document) to a TRD (technical requirements document). A companion Technical Information Document (06-502) was created to aid in educating policy officials, government agencies and users of MLTS systems specific to E9-1-1 obligations. The accompanying Technical Information Document and diagrams discuss many of the issues related to the location of individuals during emergencies in the MLTS environment. It further outlines the current suggested methods of dealing with the challenge as recommended by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) MLTS Policy Work Group.

Several weeks back while at 911 Goes to Washington, I ran into Mary Boyd from Intrado, who is also a NENA past president. We got into a discussion about MLTS and both concluded that once again technology has radically changed enough, that it's time once again to review the model legislation for MLTS systems.

Personally, I feel that it's important for NENA to stay current with the rapidly changing technology, the new methodologies, and operational functionality that modern MLTS and adjunct systems can provide, and keep the public safety industry moving forward at a pace that is comparable with the technology curves being deployed.

I'm encouraged by the rapid acceptance and accelerated deployment of NG 911 networks around the nation and the synergy that I witnessed with NG 112 networks in Europe at the European Union emergency services workshop sponsored by EENA in Riga.

Don't forget, coming up next week in Boston, is the IAUG Educational Conference. On Sunday may 20th,at 3:30, I will be hosting the "Great E 911 Debate" with panelists Nick Maier from RedSky, Bill Svien from 911 ETC, Tim Kenyon from Conveyant Systems, and Lev Dietch from 911 Enable. These vendors represent the most common implementation strategies for enterprise E 911, and I'm looking forward to a lively and informative discussion as each panelist positions their strategy for today, and their vision for tomorrow. Be sure to get the Boston in time for this session on Sunday.

Want more on E9-1-1?  E9-1-1 Talk Podcast
Subscribe to my weekly E9-1-1 Talk Podcast here

Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911

Having joined just over a year ago from Aspect, I'm especially excited to work with this team of highly experienced individuals. Avaya has an exceptional base of knowledge, expertise and innovation. And we pride ourselves on identifying and attracting to Avaya the right people with the right mix of enthusiasm and talent. A number of the recently added team members have joined our team in Santa Clara, CA, an Executive Briefing Center site and strategic location for our customers, sales teams, product management and R&D professionals. Other new hires will make their home office in our Basking Ridge, NJ site, home to Avaya Labs Research and another of our 18 Executive Briefing Centers around the world.

While every individual has slightly different reasons for wanting to join our team, our new hires tell us that some of their most compelling motivators are:
• They believe in our vision and know from experience that it resonates well with customers;
• They are energized by our focus on innovative products and solutions and convinced that we have a great base to build upon;
• They are excited by the Avaya people they meet in the course of their interviews and want to be part of a smart, collaborative team that makes a difference;
• They see opportunities at Avaya to have a personal impact on the business and the market, often beyond what they felt was possible in their previous companies;
• They recognize our significant installed base of blue chip customers and our robust portfolio of solutions. This combination of great products and services alongside outstanding customers is a strong motivator.

Avaya is in a dynamic industry and that means we - and everyone we hire - need to be extremely agile when it comes to meeting the needs of customers, from having the right management structure in place to continuously evolving our product lines to provide better solutions.

In a recent memo, Avaya President and CEO Kevin Kennedy said, "I have full confidence in our senior leadership team and believe that it will continue to grow stronger as current leaders build best-in-class organizations. I also have full confidence in our customers and the exciting potential of business collaboration and communications. Finally, I have faith in the commitment of Avaya's employee team."

Of particular interest is a keynote session focused on how consumer expectations are changing, and the dramatic impact those changes will have to the traditional contact center. Delivered by Laura Bassett of Avaya, the keynote "Emerging Technology Trends Impacting Customer Service" details four areas where businesses are putting their energies because of changing consumer expectations.

First of all, it's simply an expectation of consumers today that they will be able to contact a company in multiple ways - voice, email, web chat - essentially any time, any where they chose. If the company they're doing business with today doesn't meet these demands, a competitor offering similar products or service is typically just a mouse click away.

Secondly, video. The younger generation in particular demands video. Only a couple of years ago, a customer having a "face-to-face" conversation with an agent via video required walking up to a kiosk, perhaps in a branch office. Today, with the prevalence of video-enabled PCs, a consumer can connect to an agent with a single click from any browser-based device. That's a big difference.

Next, the social media phenomenon continues to gain traction. What is being said on Facebook, in Twitter, and in other forums that could skyrocket your company's brand recognition, cachet, and sales? Or, if your company has recently made a misstep, are those forums providing fertile ground for public relations nightmares? Either way, it behooves you to know what is happening in those forums, to filter out what is important, and proactively engage with your customers and/or potential customers.

And, last but not least, we are people on the move. As consumers, we are beginning to expect the same level of service on our mobile device. We want immediate notification of a delayed flight, and fast, easy options to reschedule a cancelled flight. Businesses can't afford to ignore their customers' need for mobility.

Really, the primary take away from this keynote is that wherever you start, it's about delivering a personalized and distinctive customer experience that wows your customers. That's how you create brand loyalty, and how you gain and keep a competitive advantage.

I'm interested in hearing how your company is planning to approach this new landscape. Send me your thoughts.

Apparently two Will County kindergartners decided to take a leave of absence, and walked off the school grounds. But instead of reaching the Lincolnway Public Safety Communications Center in Frankfurt, the call was routed to an emergency call center in Canada.

The immediate question was "How could this happen?", with the initial suspect being the new VoIP system installed last December by Broadvox. As usual, the press sees "E911 failure" and "Voice over IP" in the same sentence, and they immediately draw the conclusion that the two are related. Manhattan Police Chief Howard Martin responded, "it had nothing to do with us, it was a problem at the school."

Ultimately, the children were found, however it was reported that due to the Canadian routing, emergency response was delayed by 5 minutes. Additional comments made by the Sun-Times reported that after the Broadvox system was installed, it was checked and appeared fine, however after the incident, the system was corrected so that any future 911 calls would route locally.The initial knee-jerk response is "VoIP is not compatible with E911".

WRONG

The technology used by the person making the call, whether it's digital, analog, wireless, or VoIP, has little to no bearing on the network processing an E911 call.

What does matter, however, is how the system is interconnected with the PSTN. Even then, it's not as so much as how, but by who that connection is made. Traditional carriers delivering legacy circuits are well interconnected geographically with the E911 selective routers. As businesses flatten, consolidate, and extend, a VoIP solution becomes more and more attractive. Additionally, SIP trunking offers additional savings as well as consolidation benefits.

The problem with SIP trunking, is that it can be located anywhere. It's not bound by the geographical boundaries of the PSTN. This makes E911 more difficult to deal with, as the location of your trunks may not be local to the location of your users. This completely breaks the E911 model used today in North America. But fear not, there is a fix.

In the past, we have talked about VoIP Positioning Center's also known as VPC's. Think of the VPC as a new type of carrier that specifically deals with E911 call traffic. It's the VPC's responsibility to maintain connectivity to each E911 service area, and provide their customers with proper routing for emergency calls. Just like any network transporting any data, routing rules and instructions must be established. For VoIP emergency calls to a VPC, the calling number or ANI is used as a routing reference against a pre-provisioned database.

This routing mechanism is identical to the 911 selective router network, with the exception that it covers a much wider service area, typically all of North America. Based on this, we can shift the blame for this particular call incident to the VPC, right?

No, not really.

In today's legacy analog-based 911 routing, calls going to selective router make it there in some instances without the proper ANI. We know that it's a 911 call, we just can't confirm its origin. So, do we just not process the call? Of course not. The call is what is known as "default routed" to a designated PSAP where it is presented as either an ANI FAIL, or NO DATA call. This is a key indicator to the emergency call taker that they need to establish the location of the caller through a verbal inquiry.

Back to our friends in Manhattan Illinois. I'll speculate on what happened here, and openly admit that I don't have all the details. Most likely what occurred, based on the facts that we do have, is the call to 911 was presented to the VPC. For some reason, the ANI or caller ID did not exist in the VPC database, and the VPC default routed that call to an emergency call response center for manual handling. Although this did cause a delay in the emergency response, was the VPC at fault?

Again, most likely, the answer is no.

When you look at a implementation of the E911 services, there are several important steps that you must consider. The first, is how the system will operate; what exactly happens when a station dials 911, who was notified, and where the call terminates. The second, and just as important as the first, is what routing will take place within the carrier network you're presenting that call too. It doesn't matter if it's a legacy analog network, a digital PRI network, or a new modern VoIP network. If the carrier doesn't have routing instructions, the call cannot be completed, and therefore would be default routed, or even worse incorrectly routed based on invalid data.

So a step back and look at this, and you try to establish how and why this happened, based on the facts I'm not sure you can blame the school, Broadvox, or the VPC carrier. More than likely the implementation was at fault by either not testing properly, or not taking 911 into consideration at all. Keep this in mind when you're looking at your E911 solution for your enterprise. And when you're attending The Great E911 Debate, at IAUG in Boston, on Sunday may 20th. The technology exists to deal with today's highly mobile and nomadic workforce. The knowledge to implement properly is what is often in question. You don't have to become a 911 expert to purchase a 911 solution, just like you don't have to be a mechanic to purchase a car. You should know, however, how many wheels to expect of the car you're buying, and you probably should know how to drive.

I asked Bill Svien, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at 911, ETC, Inc. and a VPC provider himself what his thoughts were around this:

"The implementation process is key to the successful routing and delivery of a 911 call. Ensuring that numbers are properly provisioned within the VPC database is essential, and testing should be thoroughly completed before going live. The technology is available today to properly route 911 calls whether an organization is utilizing TDM or IP/SIP. It's the front-end provisioning of the solution that should be meticulously and professionally handled in order to avoid an outgoing 911 call with no location information attached."

So, as you can see, implementing E911 just takes a little common sense, and good testing and retesting of the implementation. Having the general knowledge of how E911 works, will help you dig through the "rhetorical technobabble" that's out there by those selling E911 to the enterprise based on Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Boston where we will do our part to dispell the FUD at the Great E911 Debate on Sunday May 20th, at 3:30PM. Be sure not to miss this important panel session that will include Avaya DevConnect Technology Partners, and Select Product Partners!

Listen to the Telecom Junkies Podcast covering the Great E911 Debate Prequel here
Or you can watch the YouTube version here,

For more information on IAUG, and how to become a member of this invaluable group, goto http://www.iaug.org and for information on Avaya DevConnect visit http://avaya.com/devconnect.

Want more on E9-1-1?  E9-1-1 Talk Podcast
Subscribe to my weekly E9-1-1 Talk Podcast here

Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911

I was at the airport when I became aware that U.S. money isn't designed well.  At a kiosk across the way I watched family arguing their way through a handful of American coins, trying to figure out which ones they needed to buy a bottle of water.

I started wondering what the fuss was about.   After all, I use money all the time, and it's easy!   I happened to have both Canadian and American change in my pockets, so I decided to compare them.  (Admittedly, a nerdy thing to do.)    Conclusion: Canadian coins are easier to use.

Here are the study results:

The Canadian coins are easier to use since Arabic numerals ("1", "2", ...) are almost universally recognized; however, the written words on American coins require a tourist to know English.  For example, the word "Dime" gives no hint about value.  And the words "Quarter Dollar" are unrecognizable without knowing English.

Designing for ease of use is both an art and a science.

Enthusiastic attention to usability is the reason the Avaya Flare™ experience feels fun and natural.  For example, the available options for reaching someone - voice call, IM or email -- light up the instant the user slides a contact card into the spotlight. And since this is a people-centric user experience, I can find folks via a single search window that spans different directories.  Also, connecting with someone is just a tap away, no matter where a person's name shows up. 

Designing the new Avaya experience was a multidisciplinary, iterative effort.    It went through several generations of mock-ups & prototypes that were tested against users.  It's nice to see this effort recognized as one of the 2011 Good Design award winners from The Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design.

Thoughtful designs make life easier, whether you're trying to buy a bottle of water or to close a major contract.   Take Avaya's Flare Experience out for a spin, and you'll see what I mean. http://www.avaya.com/usa/product/avaya-flare-experience.  

If you transition in-office agents to a work-at-home environment, chances are they're already fully trained. All you need to do is to make sure they're versed on equipment and connectivity, and are thoroughly familiar with the policies and procedures of your work-at-home program. But even if all your home agents started out in the office, you'll undoubtedly need to give them additional training at some point.

Most of the companies who presented at the Remote Agent Summit last month touched on the topic of training, as it's a critical area to a successful home agent deployment. Let's look at what they had to say.

One large financial services company who spoke at the conference asserted that virtual training can't consist of just PowerPoints. And, even their part-time workers are required to complete four weeks of full time training. This company retained a third party company to develop their training, and was very happy with the results - they said the engagement model was excellent. They cited one example of in-office versus virtually trained agents where a quiz question is "tell me what APR is". With the in-office group, two people raised their hand, compared to 20 out of 20 for the home agents. (Of course, this could be partially attributed to the fact that home agents typically have higher levels of education.)

A large rental car agency presented a "would do" and "would not do" list. On the "Would do" list, they listed a technical training lab. They also recommend tracking all metrics for premise versus home-based agents. On the "would not do again" list - they advised against delivering 100% of agent training on-line. They found that agents were completing the tests and even passing them, but found a higher rate of errors and a higher drop-out rate. Exit surveys revealed that training was an issue. This finding supports the financial services company's decision to use an outside company to develop their virtual training program!

A third company provides high-quality concierge service to high-end financial companies. They consider it essential to hire educated agents who are talented in working with their high-end customers. All 800 of their agents in NA and Europe are home-based, and 100% of their training is virtual. They use a learning management system, and have a blend of self-paced (~10%) and instructor-led training, and have no more than 15 students per instructor. Agents take assessments and when they are ready to go live, have a "soft launch". They take a couple of live calls, during which the instructor listens in and is available via chat. Then they go back into the "classroom". For this company, they feel instructor-led training is critical.

An agent staffing company who presented at the Remote Agent conference has put 25,000 agents into companies has also become an outsourcer at the request of some of their clients. This company has a 100% virtual training program.

The common thread I'm seeing here is companies can be successful using virtual training for their home agents - but having an instructor involved is rather important.

On a final note - I've found good information provided by FurstPerson, a company that helps contact centers hire and develop "the right employees." I recently downloaded a nice white paper from FurstPerson - "Going Home - Which Road Do You take". This paper provides well-thought-out pointers on talent assessment for remote agents.

What has worked for you? Let me know what you've learned and I'll share your experience.

Another source in the past has been accidental dialing of an emergency number from behind PBX. This commonly occurs with calls to an area code that start with 91, or international calls where the user dialed 11 instead of 011 after dialing nine for an access code.

The cellular industry has responded by eliminating the function of 'one touch' dialing of emergency number on the device itself. PBX manufacturers address the problem by implementing dialing plan functionality that can be programmed into the translation tables that can significantly reduce or eliminate the problem.

There is another source of silent calls, however, that isn't discussed too often, and the user community that is impacted by this is one that you might not be aware of, and may surprise you. The community I am referring to is those with speech or hearing disabilities.

From a 911 or 112 perspective, we have treated this community of users as second-class citizens, since video directly to 911 is not possible, they've been relegated to using Video Relay Services, or even worse a technology that is commonly referred to as TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) or TTY (teletypewriter). In most cases these devices require an analog line, or have an acoustic coupler that allow them to be used with most any desk telephone handset. They are typically the size of a small typewriter, and based on today's standards, a pretty clumsy box to carry around with you. Also their compatibility with cell phones can be challenging, as well as CODEC issues with VoIP. PHOTO CREDIT: http://nchearingloss.org

Because of the bulkiness and the reliance on having a handset to place in the acoustic coupler, these devices are only considered to be portable. Mobility is not really something they do well. With carriers advancing user technology every two years or so (the new every 2 syndrome), and the systemic technological stagnation of the emergency services networks worldwide, the feature gap between users and public safety widens every single day.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has been very vocal on this and has been quoted several times stating that "The unfortunate truth is that the capability of our emergency response communications has not kept pace with commercial innovation -- has not kept pace with what ordinary people now do every day with communications devices."

In the 70 page report that was issued by the FCC's EAAC, Recommendation T2.2 stated that "The EAAC recommends that the FCC remove the requirement for TTY (analog real-time text) support for new IP-based consumer devices that implement IP-based text communications that include, at a minimum, real time text or, in an LTE environment, IMS Multimedia Telephony that includes real-time text." But before we can remove that requirement, we need to make texting to emergency services a reality.

Several trials have been launched in cities around the United States. Black Hawk, Iowa, Durham, North Carolina, and most recently the state of Vermont have all implemented pilot programs that allow users to send text messages to the 911 centers.

Although this is encouraging, when you read the fine print, it's hard to determine what they're actually testing, and there seems to be quite a few restrictions that users should be aware of. For example, in the Vermont trial, users are cautioned that:

1.) Customers should use the texting option only when a voice call to 911 is not an option.

2.) Sending a text to 9-1-1 may take longer than a voice call because someone must enter the text, send it through the system and then the 911 call taker has to enter a text response and send it back. Time is critical in a life-threatening emergency, and customers should be aware of this difference.

3.) Providing location information and the nature of the emergency in the first message is imperative. The Williston PSAP will not be able to access the cell phone location or speak with the person who is sending the text, and will need to convey the texter's location to local first responders.

4.) Text abbreviations and slang should never be used so that the intent of the dialog can be as clear as possible.

5.) Customers must be in range of cell towers in Vermont. If customers are outside or near the edge of the state, the message may not reach the Williston PSAP.

6.) Texts to 911 have the same 160 character limit as other text messages.

7.) Verizon Wireless customers must have mobile phones that are capable of sending text messages. Text messages to 911 will count either against their messaging bundle or be charged at 20 cents per message.

The issue is not restricted to the United States though. At the recent European Union emergency services workshop sponsored by EENA, in Riga Latvia, several vendors were showing off product and concepts dealing with similar issues.

What exactly is the problem? Why is texting to 911 so difficult when we can text any other device in the world?

One difference is that the voice network, that can correlate location information, is not used when sending a text message. Texting is a data function, and location mechanisms simply don't exist in that environment. Although the originating device is aware of its location through various forms of discovery, it is unable to send that information or determine the actual destination address of the appropriate PSAP. It's like sending an e-mail to a friend of yours overseas, and addressing it to "London". There's just no way for your friend to get that message, or for the network to direct message to them.

This is why the trials that exist here in the US are limited. They use 911 as a pointer to a five digit short code that terminates at a specific PSAP. Location isn't sent, and there are questions as to if call back is even possible. They are typically restricted to a single PSAP, and a single carrier. So although I applaud the industry for trying to move the stake forward, at the same time I fear a false sense of security could be instilled in the general public who doesn't have the technical background to digest what's actually happening. I think we can all agree, sending a text message to a five digit short code works just fine. Haven't we proved that over the last decade of American Idol results?

This is where the App may be able to play an important role. We've talked before about FRESS, Share with 911, and Smart 911. These are all great ideas, but what they lack is a common infrastructure at the PSAP. In a way, they are all proprietary in their client to server communication. That makes me believe that maybe it's time for some redirection of effort. If the App truly solves the problem, and all three of those companies believe that it will, let's standardize the back-end so we don't accidentally create a proprietary pairing of software between the public user and public safety.

Last week, I added "Any Network" to the list of "Anywhere. Anytime. Any Device".

This week, I'll add another request. "Any App".

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911

Examples of pledges thus far from my colleagues, very inspiring!

- We recycle almost everything we use at home. We have the CFL and LED lights on 90% of the lights we use. I think I have only printed less than 10 documents in the year I have worked at Avaya, I never thought I would be able to do that, but it is easier than you think!
- We participate in every form of recycling available - paper, plastic, aluminum, composting, and using the CFL bulbs. The latest has been teaching my children to choose items that are not only environmentally safe but also use less packaging. I know nothing new to most of us but encouraging them to think about this every time they make a purchase is quite a challenge. Go Earth!
- We embarked on the "green" way about 4 years ago. We started with the low energy light bulbs, more loft insulation and other things. We then ensured that our waste is recycled where possible. Then we decided on an eco dryer and finally solar panels.....I now have effectively no energy bill. So I benefit, the planet takes a deep sigh of relief and hopefully future generations we benefit. We also try to grow some of our food, but I am still working on that.
- We have been conscious of recycling for some time. All of the above are great and most of them have been followed. We will pledge to do better.

Upon further reflection, thought it was appropriate to open the pledge up to all Avaya stakeholders. Encourage you to consider what actions you can take to make your life more efficient and greener, both at home and at the office. Everyone that signs the Green Pledge is eligible for a zip file with a number of nature scenes from around the world, including the image above from Nevada, for their desktop to provide a continual reminder of how beautiful nature can be. Email me directly at greenteam@avaya.com to get your copy.

Green Pledge This pledge is an affirmation of your commitment to personal environmental actions and policies. By electronically signing this pledge, you commit to taking (or continuing to take) concrete personal actions both in your personal and professional lives to make the world greener and more sustainable.

Sign your name below via a comment or even better, list at least one measure you have you taken or will you take to make the Earth better off.

Which of the following measures have you taken or will you take to make the Earth better off at home?
o Recycling at home
o Buying appliances (refrigerator, dish washer, computer, etc.) with your country approved energy efficiency rating, such as Energy Star in the United States
o Converting at least 50% of your house to compact florescent lightbulbs or LEDs
o Installing low flow water fixtures
o Adjusting your heating/cooling equipment to use less energy (higher temps in the summer and lower temps during the winter)
o Using environmentally friendly cleaning products throughout your house
o If available, purchasing renewable energy from your local utility company
o Composting your organic waste
o Aggressively using public transport

Which of the following measures have you taken or will you take to make the Earth better off at the office?
o Printing documents doubled sided, or better yet not printing if you don't have to
o Using your computer's sleep or hibernate function when you are not using it
o Taking advantage of recycling opportunities at the office, which can include paper, plastic, glass and e-waste
o Where business needs permit, using Avaya's collaboration tools to reduce business travel; for example using Avaya one-X®, AvayaLive™ Engage or Avaya Flare® as a substitute for face to face meetings

How many of the above actions do you pledge to make a new part of your life? 'Sign' the Pledge in the comments below.

, This past week, I had the great pleasure of attending the European Union Emergency Services Workshop 2012 in Riga, Latvia. In addition to being a tremendous opportunity to meet friends and colleagues from across the globe, it was an extreme honor to sit down with Europe's brightest minds in public safety communications. I can only imagine what it must of been like to be a close friend of Wilbur and Orville Wright as they sat down and designed something that would revolutionize the world.

And then to have a VIP seat during the first flight, where Orville Wright piloted the first airplane a mere 20 feet above a wind-swept beach in North Carolina. Although that flight lasted only 12 seconds and covered 120 feet, it was the dawn of a new age in technology. In contrast, the flight distance from JFK International Airport to Sheremetyevo International in Moscow was 4,661 miles, and lasted almost 10 hours. Putting that in perspective, that's over a 200,000% increase over 99 years or so.

We're all very aware that 911 is the universal number in the United States, in the EU 112 is recognized across all member states. Other countries typically have some level of emergency infrastructure, and in my opinion, it is the lack of mandated global compliance that has allowed countries to develop their own path. With the promulgation last June of NG911 and the NENA i3 08-003 standard, and the publication of the EENA NG112 LTD I think it is safe to say that Next Generation emergency communications has reached a state of globality.

As modern air travel has shortened the distance around the globe, modern broadband IP-based communications has pretty much eliminated it. Just a few years ago I needed a costly calling card, and a fat wallet just to call home and let folks know that I got there okay. Today, with a wireless broadband connection to the Internet, I can use applications like Facetime, and the Avaya OneX client to speak with those same people with incredible quality and no perceivable latency. Even though my iPhone was a brick on the PSTN network (because of it being CDMA and not GSM), I have full functionality and access to all my applications over Wi-Fi.

One evening while returning to my room, I tripped and fell and subsequently broke two ribs. The phone on the wall was only a few meters away, but there was no way that I was going to be reach it. My phone had no PSTN service, and wasn't even compatible with the cellular infrastructure, but I had a Wi-Fi connection. Still, my choices were limited. That's when I truly realized the need for the globality of emergency services. NENA preaches "Any time, Anywhere, Any device". As EENA develops their standards, I'd like them to add "Any network" to that list.

This is going to change the face and format of emergency communications as we know it today. We live in a world where the App is King. One of the main problems with 911, and 112, and 999 and whatever other number might be in use, is the number itself. Society has come too far for those numbers to change. The evidence of that fact is clear. In the US, 911 was the original emergency number, and is known by a high percentage of the population. This is strengthened through the educational efforts of NENA, and other organizations with our nations youth. On the other hand, Europe faces a population that has grown up with other numbers, and their efforts to change the number to 112 have only been 30% effective in many countries.

Going back to my incident, even if I had reached the phone, I'm not sure what 112 would have done. There were no instructions on the phone on what to dial or even where I was located, although I would've probably been able to vocalize that. Later that evening after being able to get back up and make it to my room, I noticed that device was clearly marked with instructions to dial 999 in the event of an emergency. The next day I discovered that the actual emergency numbers and country were 01, 02, 03 for police, fire, and medical emergencies. With 112 also work in country? I'm not sure. But what would have worked, is an app on my phone.

That app could examine my location based on many different technologies and then presented me with whatever choices were available. The next day, I ran into some folks from the FRESS Foundation (pronounced FRESH). In the recent months, there have been several attempts with apps for emergency situations. Some have received a positive response from public safety, like Share with 911 and Smart 911; and others like Crimepush have been developed in a vacuum with total disregard for public safety compliance. The FRESS Foundation app falls into the first category.

FRESS is 100% free to everyone, and allows you to utilize voice, video, photos and text anywhere in the world. In addition to public safety, FRESS can offer you other important numbers and information such as how to contact your embassy based on where you're from, and where you are. Based on this, FRESS is the first application to bring globality to emergency service applications. If you want more information, you can go to http://www.getfress.com and see where and how FRESS is available in your part of the world.

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911

In this highly competitive and challenging business environment, Avaya believes strongly that being lean and efficient is absolutely essential. With many ICT products, we see value in delivering energy efficient solutions that save resources, reduce waste and transform organizations. This value is extremely likely to become more important as resources become ever scarcer, with increased volatility in terms of availability and price.

Sustainability @ Avaya
The call to action for corporate sustainability at Avaya is clear. As a large global employer and a provider of enterprise-class collaboration solutions, we are well positioned to have a positive impact on both sustainability and energy reduction. Along with our broad base of customers, we have witnessed the increasing importance of corporate sustainability along economic, environmental and social dimensions. These topics are of utmost importance to many of you and we at Avaya ensure that our own stakeholders understand and participate in our sustainability journey.

This Earth Day, we are thankful for the below sustainability success from the past year, and we look forward to the rest of 2012 and beyond for continued progress on this journey.
• New Sustainability Policy
• Continued Carbon Footprint disclosure
• Avaya wins Inaugural Climate Leadership Award
• Customer wins: U.S. General Services Administration and the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi
• YouTube videos -The Power of We™, Fit for Purpose Networking Solutions, Powerful Technology for Business Collaboration and Reduce your carbon footprint

Avaya's green teams always want to hear your ideas for continuing the journey to make Avaya a greener company. If you have suggestions or feedback, e-mail greenteam@avaya.com. Be sure to also visit www.avaya.com/green microsite, bookmark the sustainability section of the Avaya Connected blog and follow Avaya green on Twitter at @greenavaya.

What have been your green successes, and challenges, this year? What is in store for the rest of 2012 and beyond? Look forward to hearing from you and hope you are able to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors this weekend.

Every once in a while, something new comes along that has the potential to change how we approach a particular task, or activity.  Occasionally, that something new starts a trend, or influences a particular industry in a profound way, usually unanticipated by the designers.  And very rarely, we are witness to the introduction of a new concept or product that fundamentally alters how millions of us live, work, or play.  Some examples from the dustbin of my personal memory include: the Ford Mustang; penny loafers; the Digital PDP-8 minicomputer; soft spike golf shoes; the aluminum baseball bat; fiberglass insulation; the Intel 8086; Ethernet; color television; the IBM PC; the Apple II; pre-washed denim; CNC milling machines; CCD cameras; Google; the Internet; the iPhone; Facebook.  You get the idea.

Okay, so maybe a new Ethernet routing switch from our network engineering team in Santa Clara isn't likely to have the impact of the Mustang.  But, taken as a whole, there are a number of innovations in the new ERS 3500 product family that will get the attention of network engineers and their management.  These innovative features have the potential to significantly impact how they think about deploying their networking infrastructure.  How can that be?

The best kind of network is...(fill in the blank).

Give up?  The best kind of network is the one that you don't see, aren't aware of, always works, never goes down.  It is invisible to what you want to do.  It is the oxygen of distributed computing.  But of course, we don't have such networks today. Yet.  But that's what many of us continually strive for.  Networks are complex, too much so, and complex systems become targets of simplification.  In enterprise networking, engineers are faced with deployment issues on several levels.  Anything that we can do to simplify the solutions to those deployment issues is worthwhile.

Setting up access points (APs) for 802.11 WiFi networks is a non-trivial task.  If we can eliminate one or two aspects of deploying APs, we have done a real service for the network engineer (and his/her users).  The new ERS 3500, for example, implements IEEE 802.3at Power-over-Ethernet-plus standard, delivers up to 32W of electrical energy to a high-power WiFi access point, a PTZ video surveillance camera, or the CEO's office desk phone.  WiFi access point and video surveillance cameras are placed where they are required for RF or optical coverage - not necessarily close to an AC power outlet, power supply, etc.  That may not sound like a high-tech innovation, but it is an important consideration in evaluating switch vendors by reducing the time to deployment of the AP or camera.

Similarly, setting up an office deskphone and its associated PBX software can be a complicated exercise.  But if the Ethernet switch were "smart" such that it detected that a VoIP phone had been connected to one of its switch ports, then the network engineer would not have to be concerned with setting port parameters such as QoS.  Again, by implementing another industry standard, IEEE 802.1ab (Link Layer Discovery Protocol - Media Endpont Discovery), the switch effectively eliminates the potential for configuration error.  For connecting to the server running the VoIP PBX software, like Avaya's IP Office, the ERS 3500 features a built-in configuration script that only requires the network engineer to issue a single command, "run ip office", and the ERS 3500's switch port parameters are properly set.

Subtle innovations?  Maybe.  Ask the guy who has to crawl into the ceiling space above a hospital operating theater or the floor of a Vegas casino.  Maybe he'll have a different answer.

I have only touched on a few of the innovations in the new ERS 3500 product suite.  There is a much longer list for you to check out on our website.

And we'll see how much impact these innovations have on deploying network infrastructure.  Imitations will inevitably follow the ERS 3500.  Who's going to introduce the Camaro equivalent?

In the European Union, the digits 112 have been recognized in all member states, and EENA, the European Emergency Number Association, is considered the sister organization to North American-based NENA.

This past week EENA released the first public version of the Next Generation 112 Long-Term Definition standard which is also known as the NG112 LTD. One of the key initiatives of EENA, to ensure global interoperability, was to reuse existing standards as much as possible. Particularly, the NG 911 work from NENA was adapted to be applicable to European Public Safety Answer Points, and to find a long-term architecture for European Emergency Services. Voluntarily, this document remains very close to the NENA i3 standard.

Hannes Tschofenig, who has been drafting the standard since 2004, and chairing the EENA NG112 Technical Committee since 2009, stated "this is undoubtedly a key milestone reached. Europe was lacking such a reference document and hence we are proud to be able to release the NG 112 LTD today". According to Christina Lumbreras, EENA Technical Director, the NG 112 LTD "is a crucial document for the future of our emergency services and for the safety of European citizens. We are grateful to our NG 112 committee members and to our friends at NENA".

Similar to NENA i3, the NG 112 LTD will be a living document that will be updated to include new standards and specifications as well as cope with the rapid emergence of technologies within public safety. This week in Riga, Latvia, during the EENA EU Emergency Services Workshop 2012, the NG 112 LTD standard will be presented and a hot topic.

I'll be getting a plane Sunday afternoon and flying over to Riga, with a short layover in Moscow, and barring any technical glitches I will be reporting back with some interviews and quotes from our Public Safety Associates abroad.

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911

If you've been following my recent Blogs, the conversations around mobility, BYOD( Bring Your Own Device) and frustrations across the user base and IT operations have been quite prominent.

The commentary and perspective that I'm sharing with you, from George, is a perspective that sheds light on the challenge of predictability and unpredictability within IT Operations.

IT is Struggling to Manage and Keep up

"We all know about the constant barrage of IT requests, upgrade management issues and daily quality control challenges which create a continuous swirl of mandates and pressure on IT departments. In the era of doing more with less, just to survive, you need to stay a few steps ahead of the demands."

"The answers don't lie within the acquisition of new technology or by just working harder to keep people happy. The real answers lie within taking the action of stepping back and understanding your full stream of business requirements.

"Not only do you need to look at technology requirements, you need to assess, your management tools, the training needs of your staff and your budget. Two key areas that get overlooked are the areas of staff expertise and the management tools that your staff requires to do their job. It's ironic because we know that people are our most valuable resources, but somehow they all too often get lost in the 'sauce.' When it all boils down, there isn't any secret sauce or magical formula. People, processes and planning are key."

What is the Real TCO?

"Most importantly, be careful when you're looking to assess the real TCO for any solution. Many vendors will only provide you with the cost of purchasing and implementing a solution. To really get your arms around total TCO, you need to consider the cost of the management tools, training for your resources and other supporting processes that you may have to put in place.

"Another interesting aspect is around the whole issue of disruption - disruption that can be caused by technology changes/technology adoption. The dynamic of introducing a major technology shift into a company can be daunting on many fronts. This goes back to my title - 'Predictability and Unpredictability within IT'. Successful l IT directors become masters of predicting and being prepared for the disruptions - which are inevitable. "

How to Master your Communications Domain?

"So, how do you become the master of your communications domain and head-off the disasters that can come from not being prepared? It's all about anticipating events, controlling outcomes and leading with a steady hand.

"In my white paper," Five Keys to Mastering Today's Communication Domain", I outline the key steps to getting prepared. The foundation is training and talent management. The next most important item is the need for monitoring and analysis tools. IT is more like a doctor who oversees not just the health of the organism at any one point in time, but also plans an effective preparation and growth path into the future.

"Check out my white paper Let me know how you're becoming the master of your communications domain."

Earlier this week, I got a note from Martha Buyer, a well known legal advisor in the industry, who asked me to provide a quote for her monthly article in the Journal of the Bar Association of Erie County New York. After doing so, she returned a copy of that article to me for my final approval, which I found it to be both well written, and very timely. No surprise there.

The article built on the location granularity topic I have been building on, and I thought that I would share her thoughts with you from the litigation side of the topic. With that, I present to you, Martha Buyer, PLLC:

As published in the Journal of the Bar Association of Erie County, NY

While New York has not yet taken steps to require specific obligations for managing emergency information, legislation or not, under OSHA and some other state and federal statutes as well, employers have an ongoing obligation to provide safe work environments for employees. It wouldn't take much for even a marginal litigator to prove that an employer's failure to plan for an emergency situation creates, among other things, a significant (read: expensive and potentially deadly) OSHA violation.

The bottom line of any emergency response program is its ability to find someone in need. In the "biz," this is called "location granularity," and it refers to the amount of specificity that is provided to the 911 center when someone picks up a phone and calls looking for help. When you call 911 from a landline at home, your street address, as well as the cross streets on either side are provided to the Public Safety Access Point person who answers the phone. When a call is made from behind an MLTS (translation: when a call is made from a desk in an MLTS environment), where the caller id may only show the main listed number, there's a problem, particularly when the office is large and not located either on a single floor or in a single building. As multi line telephone systems have become increasingly sophisticated, it has become much easier to manage the location granularity within the phone system. The bottom line is that the first responder (fire, paramedic, etc) must be able to find the person in need as quickly as possible.

While legal obligations for reporting in multiline telephone systems vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction (NY, at this time, imposes no such requirements), internal granularity--that is, having someone inside the company know from precisely where the call to 911 was made is both easy to manage and cost effective to implement. This is a marked contrast to keeping the same information current with the local carrier or another third party on the "outside" who needs to be in the loop every time a new employee starts or moves workspaces from one office location to another.

At the risk of getting a little technical (for those who are still with me), the only information that the phone system itself sends out when an emergency number is dialed is the phone number from which the call was made. That information is then run through a database that's external to the phone system managed at the Local Exchange Carrier (Verizon, Windstream, Time Warner among others)and matched with some sort of physical location information that can be provided in 20 characters or less (which isn't very much). For this reason ACCURATE CALLER ID information is critical. However, even location-specific information (in 20 characters or less) is useless unless the responder understands how to read the office map and understands the 20 character or less location identification information. What's critical is that relevant data that's already built in to the in-house network and is understandable beyond the network control center be sent promptly to public safety. In short, it says "I need help, I'm here, come get me!"

According to Mark Fletcher, perhaps the most knowledgeable and well-respected 911 professional in the business, (not only formerly an EMT and police dispatcher, but an Avaya employee as well) whether or not statutory obligations exist regarding emergency information notification, it's critical that within a specific building or facility that manageable response zones located within the building or specific location that provide location-based discovery and routing be created. This means that large spaces be divided into zones for easy identification when an emergency call is made. Secondly, internal databases must be updated in an ongoing and timely way. Thirdly, there must be a vehicle for notifying in-house personnel when a call is made so that when the ambulance shows up, the paramedics can be directed to the right location as quickly as possible. After all, internal first responders are best able to coordinate with public safety officials to ensure the quickest possible response when time is absolutely of the essence. Fletcher puts it this way, "Public safety dispatchers need to get responders to the right location. Telling them that the caller is in Cube 2C231 is the same as saying 'I'm having chest pains, and I'm wearing blue socks.' It's irrelevant information at that point in the emergency." Emergency responders responding to the scene need situational awareness, and that is best provided by staff on scene who understand what is going on and have taken steps to ensure door are unlocked, paths are clear, etc. Fletcher added, "First responders don't like to walk into a lobby of a building, only to be asked 'What are you guys doing here?' Internal awareness to emergent events can shave life saving minutes from the response time."

Finally, there are many sophisticated and cool products that can be secured to interact with a multi line telephone system to assist in the event of a 911 call. However, the best step to take first when considering these options is to make a call to the local police and/or fire and speak with them to determine what information they will find most useful in the event of an emergency. After all, they'll be the ones dispatched to address the problem, and it only makes sense that they should be consulted before any important, but potentially costly investment is made.

Martha can be reached via email at Martha@MarthaBuyer.com, or visit her on the web at http://MarthaBuyer.com

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Avaya CONNECTED Blog on E9-1-1, I value your opinions, so please feel free to comment below or if you prefer, you can email me privately.

Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fletch911


This Blog is available as a PodCast on Fletch TV


Or as a Video on YouTube

_________________________________

Who's afraid of Electronic Customer Service?

Earlier this year, I was talking to a friend and, he confessed to an exaggerated fear of talking to strangers, not only in person but over the telephone as well, especially when he needs to provide personal information to a stranger. Curious about this behavior, I did some research and found some studies that indicated that fear to relate and talk to strangers is the most common one out there and, for some people, it is regarded as the greatest fear.
This article caught my attention, since at that time I was involved in a project for the Humanization of electronic customer service, the voice portal, also known as IVR. During the research work, we analyzed the behavior and preferences of the customers of companies that have voice service and realized that, most of these customers prefer to speak directly to the human service.
Well, considering both surveys, it appears there's a conflict. One says that most people do not like to talk to a stranger and the other states just the opposite; that most people prefer a stranger rather than the electronic service. This is curious, to say the least. When reading the first research I would argue, surely, that talking to a "machine" would be perfect for these people.

I then decided to understand some more about what motivates people to prefer talking to a stranger instead of solving the problem in the electronic service; and I came to some very interesting conclusions:

 people generally believe that the information being transmitted through the Voice Portal (IVR) is not reliable or it is not up to date;
 people think that companies set up the Voice Portal to act as a machine just to keep them from speaking to an attendant;
 people find it difficult to locate the service they want without spending too much time.

However, even with this negative view of electronic customer service, when the client is exposed to a humanized IVR, then there's great acceptance. When we create a Voice Portal (IVR) scenario with reliable information and easily accessible services, most people say they would like to be served by the IVR, i.e., if the client receives the desired information through the electronic customer service or, if he/she can easily access the service they need, then he/she will probably not ask for human service.

Today we see companies increasingly investing in the evolution of customer care, whether electronic or human. However, investing without knowing what the customer really wants and expects, can often be a mistake. The above paragraphs clearly proves that; because there is no point in having many channels of service if the information provided therein is not clear, complete or useful. I think one of the first actions in an electronic services development project should be to focus on understanding the client, then if the behavior is proven, a Humanization of the Voice Portal just might be the true solution.
If well built, a Humanized IVR can bring compelling results to your business, not only with increased retention in Voice Portal, but also cost reduction and the customer's perception of a quality service, exceeding expectations.

Ricardo Pena
Advanced Solutions Architect
Avaya Professional Services-Brazil

Although I've personally been involved in the 9-1-1 industry for nearly the last decade, for one reason or another, I was never able to attend this particular event. I have to say that out of all of the industry events that I've participated in over the years, this is one of the most well run, and useful events that I've ever been to.

Many experts in the industry have been predicting that 2012 will be a banner year for 9-1-1 and the evolution to NG 9-1-1, as we continue to raise the awareness of this desperately needed technological refresh. I think we can safely say that we have the agreement from the technical side of the industry that NG 9-1-1 is achievable, and the right thing to do, although there are some technical interactions that still need to be worked out. Fortunately, I don't think any of these differences of opinion are showstoppers to the evolution of an IP-based emergency services network.

Enabling this fundamental shift in the way we deal with calls for assistance, is going to require support from many levels, including regulatory and legislative reinforcement. Getting our legislators to understand the problem, is as much of an issue as the problem itself, and left up to industry lobbyists, will only ensure that the one with the most cash will be the dominant player.

Fortunately our system of government in the United States is built on one simple statement:

Fortunately, YOU are We . . . the people;

I am We . . . the people;

We are all We . . . the people;

and as We . . . the people, we all have a basic right to speak with our elected officials to make them aware of our thoughts, desires and concerns.

I have to commend NENA on taking this particular topic to heart. Each and every year during the 9-1-1 Goes to Washington event, they provide their members with the tools they need to schedule appointments with their legislative officials in Congress and the U.S. Senate. Now, at first, you might think that getting in line for something like this would look like the line at the latest and greatest ride at your local amusement park. But there is a process, there is a protocol, and there are some basic tips that can get anyone in this country a meeting with their legislator, or a member of their staff, that are simple and easy-to-follow.

I took advantage of this while in Washington, and was able to successfully meet with representatives from both New Jersey Senators, as well as my Congressman. Being in the Hart Senate building, and sitting in my Senators offices, I was proud to see the telecommunications equipment, both old and new, sitting on the desk. It was also a pre-existing example that I used to explain how 9-1-1 works, as well as the importance of on-site notification in the event of an emergency. In case you were unaware, the Senate is served by a large CS 2100, and uses the Sentry 9-1-1 solution provided by one of our Select Product Partners.

I kept my message short, and to the point, and my time slot with each Legislative Assistant, I feel that they had a better understanding of the challenges behind E9-1-1 funding in the US, and the issue with the lack of legislation for MLTS and PBX 9-1-1 compliance.

I left two of the offices with one single request. I asked Sen. Menendez and Congressman Garrett for their support regarding E9-1-1 initiatives by joining New Jersey Sen. Lautenberg in the NG 9-1-1 Caucus. I feel confident that my message was clearly heard and understood and that I was considered part of We . . . the people.

My message to you in this blog is to make sure your voice is heard. If you have a message that has merit, I can assure you that you will stand out in a long line of people that are vying for their 15 minutes. So thank you to Ashley, Lexi, and John for providing me with my 15 minutes.

(Who am I kidding? When have I EVER shut up after 15 minutes?)

Thanks for the half-hour!

Personally, I have a renewed belief that our government works. Our elected officials, as well as their staff, take their job of providing a conduit from We . . . the people seriously.

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Public comments, suggestions, corrections and loose change is all graciously accepted ;-)
Until next week. . . dial carefully.

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These announcements are just the beginning of new opportunities for Avaya customers, channels and, of course, technology partners. Not only are we enabling our customers to use cloud services for their communication and collaboration needs, we are also enabling our customers and partners to build their own private-cloud and for-resale solutions, leveraging Avaya Aura, Avaya Networking and Avaya Communication Outsourcing Solutions.

The "built it" approach is actually just the beginning of a robust objective to bring a wide range of UC-as-a-Service (UCAAS) and Contact Center-as-a-Service (CCAAS) options to our customer, through selected partners or via private-cloud deployments.

This is enabled, in part, by one of Avaya's current DevConnect Technology Partners, Communications Resources, Inc (CRI).

CRI brings a rich expertise in virtualization to the table, enabling companies that wish to deploy their own cloud-based solutions to reduce their overall solution footprint, power costs, etc. (in line with the benefits of cloud-based computing that my peer, Wilson Korol, blogged about yesterday).

I'm particularly pleased to see CRI deeply involved in our cloud strategy, having worked with them for a number of years through the DevConnect Program to prove in several of their solutions.

I had a chance to speak with Paul Leatherman, CTO of CRI, and get his view of what these announcements meant for Avaya customers and channel partners. "Avaya is making a significant investment to cloud-based solutions," he said. "Customers have been looking for new ways to flexibly obtain and deploy increasingly advanced Unified communications and collaboration solutions, putting more capabilities into the hands of their employees in ways that won't be a drain on IT resources already stretched thin. With these cloud-based offers, Avaya is addressing the needs of both the customer, as well as expanding opportunities for channel partners to capitalize on these needs with new service-based offers."

He went on to add, "CRI's experience working with Avaya has shown a clear commitment to the 'Power of We', as we [CRI] were in effect an extension of Avaya's own R&D teams in collaborating to bring these new offers to market." I probably couldn't have said it better myself.

CRI is one of our initial DevConnect Select Product partners, for their Integrated Server-ACE (IS-ACE) offer, which makes it even easier for customers to acquire Avaya Aura and IS-ACE through Avaya sales and channel partners.

IS-ACE is a virtualized system configuration providing Avaya ACE Applications, the Avaya ACE core software and Avaya Aura Application Enablement Services in an easy-to-deploy package. With IS-ACE and an Avaya Aura infrastructure, companies can be developing and deploying new ACE-based applications for UC and Collaboration in no time at all. While our initial announcements didn't explicitly focus on Avaya ACE, it is certainly part of our UCAAS strategy to allow application developers to extend the value of our cloud-based solutions, and Avaya ACE will be a natural part in delivering that capability.

CRI is also working with my DevConnect team to help us deliver some in-depth, hands-on technical training for application developers during an Avaya ACE Codecamp we'll be running as a pre-conference event to the upcoming IAUG Global Education Conference in Boston. We're inviting select Avaya customers and other DevConnect partners to spend a weekend with us, getting deep into application development tricks, and creating prototype and proof-of-concept applications using Avaya ACE and Avaya Aura in real-time. I'm expecting to be able to talk about some really cool integrations that these developers come up with during the Codecamp in a later blog.

Until then, let's just say that my head is a bit in the clouds... at least for the moment.