[cisco-voip] ARC and Cisco product

Mon Sep 28 16:39:57 EDT 2009

A very interesting question, and one that does come up from time to time. As you may know, I am known for writing wordy replies to queries such as this, so I apologize in advance for boring you!

Firstly, the most important thing to always remember is that Arc Solutions are a 100% Cisco UC Applications focused company, and will NEVER make an application that is competing with Cisco. This is our number one policy, and is why we are as successful as we are. In fact, the latest demonstration of our closeness is the fact that we've just relocated into Cisco's RTP campus (as per my signature below)!

The Arc product sets are designed in such a way to meet specific requirements (Customers, Partners & Cisco themselves) depending on the suite itself. I think its easier to list of the main differences as follows:

Cisco Unified Business/Department/Enterprise Attendant Consoles (CUxAC)
These are OEM products from Arc Solutions as you know. These superseded the old/free Cisco Attendant Console - there has been a separate thread over "why" this route was taken. These products meet the majority of customers requirements in a simple configuration, and importantly are designed to be simple to install, use and support. This "ease of use" is not just for our customers/partners - it has been critical that these applications are easier to support for the Cisco TAC folks - as with so many products its tricky for them to learn brand new product sets. For the most part this has been achieved, and of course there is now a defined roadmap for this product set moving forwards

Arc Enterprise S+
This is the basic Arc Enterprise product and is available via the Cisco Solutions Plus program ("S+"). This program is where Cisco take 3rd party products and put them on the Cisco Global Price List - so although this is orderable via Cisco, this is an ARC product - support is via Arc Solutions and not Cisco TAC. This product has more functionality than the OEM/CUxAC products, and therefore is slightly more complex from an installation standpoint - nevertheless this is endorsed and sold via Cisco

Arc Enterprise Premium
This is the top level of Attendant Console functionality for CUCM, and is only available via Arc or an Arc partner. The solution/products are fully endorsed by Cisco (IVT Certified etc), however they are not on the S+ program as the belief has been that this would become too complicated for the ordering/fulfillment (this is "one" of the reasons why it is not on the S+ program - not the only reason). Where customers require voice messaging, redundancy and reporting on the operator center, Arc Enterprise Premium is the likely fit

Arc Call Connect
As you rightly mentioned, Arc does also have a mini contact center product called Call Connect. This does NOT compete with IPCCx. For example, if a customer requires database dipping (i.e. looking up account numbers), or does not have a Call Center that is likely to change configuration often, then IPCCx with the scripting and powerful features is absolutely the right fit. However, there are scenarios where a customer requires some basic contact center functionality, and IPCCx is either too expensive, too cumbersome or too complicated for the requirement. A common scenario is where a customer requires a few "small" different CC functions - i.e. a 3 seat facilities team, 4 seat concierge service, 5 seat internal IT helpdesk etc, with centralized reporting and management. In this situation, Cisco would likely engage Arc to meet this requirement, while ensuring that everything else UC-wise remains as Cisco.  They are safe in the knowledge that if Arc Call Connect has been implemented, there is no risk that a different PBX/switch could be implemented later and Arc will remain functioning (making a transition easier) - there is also no risk of Arc attempting to displace any Cisco technologies anywhere - everything we do is complementary to Cisco ONLY - as per our mantra

XML/Phone Apps & Directory Services
Arc also have various options around directory services - with enhanced call routing, intelligent lookups, presence integration etc - as well as other applications for the Cisco IP Phones. A lot of the projects in this space are delivered via our Advanced Services team and are completely customized to the customers requirements. It is often in this area that the Arc team are used to really leverage the Cisco technology - so many customers have features or requirements that they would like to deliver on IP Phones, but is too bespoke to be offered by Cisco, and too complex to be offered by an integrator (as its more of a "product" than a "service"). We have a dedicated team at Arc that exist to create and support these applications - this group is often engaged by Cisco to help work as a differentiator in a competitive environment

As you can see, Arc certainly offer a lot - either via OEM, S+ or direct products. Those partners & Cisco folk who are educated in the offerings (we've trained most Cisco UC SE's in North America via WebEx now) appreciate which product is the right fit for each customer, and of course know when to engage Arc for more unique requirements. The key thing to bear in mind is to not try and "squeeze" a particular product into a customers environments because it's the cheapest or "sounds about right" - we have been involved in lot of instances across the world now where customers have been sold the incorrect product - often due to a lack of discovery process - and Arc have been engaged to implement the all encompassing solution later

Specifically around Contact Center, if you have a complex requirement that IPCCx is likely the way to go - and we (Arc) would certainly advise that. However, if this does not fit, there is a ready made option in Arc Call Connect that may get you what you need. There is some overlap around functionality, however this is minimal - Arc does the basic things very well (probably better than IPCC), however does not have the advanced functionality that many IPCC users want....

Needless to say, if there's anything specific you want to know feel free to drop me a line directly. I trust this note helps explain how everything fits together

Cheers

Bennie Grant
VP - Operations
Arc Solutions (International) Inc
Part of the Mettoni group | www.mettoni.com<http://www.mettoni.com/>

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NEW US HEADQUARTERS
We have moved offices! Arc Solutions are now based in the Cisco RTP campus in North Carolina. Please make a note of my new direct line number above.

From: cisco-voip-bounces at puck.nether.net [mailto:cisco-voip-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Tired Banchini
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 9:42 AM
To: cisco-voip at puck.nether.net
Subject: [cisco-voip] ARC and Cisco product

Chaps,

General question in terms of ARC and how Cisco position ARC's product set in comparison to their own. I am particularly interested in the Contact Centre product set/ functions....

ARC have a number of products, which seem to overlap somewhat with Cisco's CC product set and from my initial experience it would appear Cisco are happy to push some Cisco product set while pushing ARC for others, once such example is CU*AC.

Do Cisco push ARC solutions in the context of small scale CC, ala IPCCX....?

An example might be where you want to fragment the IPCCX functions, such IVR/ ACD etc. i.e. deploy IVR separately, while retaining the ACD on IPCCX. Does IPCCX become overkill and hence we have a slot for another Cisco Product or ARC for the ACD function...?

TB.

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