Genesys Multicloud

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  • 1.  Advice for using Soft Phone

    Posted 04-30-2020 11:13
    Hi all

    We are using hard phones, but have managed to utilize Cisco soft phone for our remote agents. We're finding it often crashes (suspect conflict with USB headset and MS Teams all trying to use the same audio)
    We're wondering if using the Genesys soft phone would be a better choice? Here are my questions:

    - Do you use the Genesys soft phone?

    - What are the challenges using it?
     eg: How is it over VPN? Qos issues? 

    - Was it difficult to setup?
    Any tricks or hacks for deploying via SCCM?

    Anything else I should know?

    Thanks all for any insights
    Monique
    #SIP/VolP
    #Telephony

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    Monique Morel-Peseski
    System Administrator
    Messer Canada Inc.
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  • 2.  RE: Advice for using Soft Phone

    GENESYS
    Posted 05-02-2020 17:10
    Hi Monique,

    Here's my perspective as a Genesys Project Manager. I have implemented the Genesys SIP Softphone for multiple customers in North America where it has worked well.

    Regarding your crashing problem, the modification that we make to avoid conflicts with other Desktop applications is to set the software's connector port to something other than the default of 8000 so it's not vying for the same audio resources.  I can't say whether that will fix the Cisco issue but it's what works for us.

    The Genesys SIP Softphone integrates with Workspace Web Edition (WWE)/Agent Desktop and the Softphone is essentially hidden as you manage your calls through the Agent Desktop only; the users would just need a USB headset.  The installation is simple and includes options for both a manual installation or a silent installation that can be deployed using SCCM.  There is no additional configuration needed at the desktop level as the Softphone uses a Dynamic Connector that will get all its configuration information from Engage Cloud as the agent logs in.  

    We've deployed Softphone for a number of customers who currently use it over VPN.  The concern/challenge is the user's local internet connection to the customer's data center as there is no way to control internet bandwidth, congestion, latency, etc. and a VPN is just making a tunnel through that connection so if it's great internet then it works well but poor internet means you'll have audio issues.

    There are several tasks that must be accomplished to integrate the Genesys SIP Softphone into your solution: Network/Telecom Onboarding, CME/GAX/Platform Admin configurations, Agent Setup updates, etc.  If you have additional questions or you'd like to move forward and you currently have a Project Manager you're working with, start the conversation with them; if not, engage your Account Executive, Solution Consultant, or Genesys Advisor/CSM.  

    Thank you for being a Genesys customer!  Stay safe.

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    Paul Rapoza
    Genesys - Employees
    Professional Services Project Manager
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  • 3.  RE: Advice for using Soft Phone

    Posted 05-05-2020 20:21
    Hi Monique,

    We use the Genesys softphone almost exclusively and it works very well.  The installation is quite simple, we use the silent installation deployed using SCCM.  

    Since COVID our agents working from home are connecting to our facility with a VPN over their individual internet connections.  There has been the occasional hiccup (very few and random) but overall the call quality has not suffered, worked as well as if in the office, even with a slow home internet.  The only thing you need to ensure is that the softphone is running on the endpoint (PC or laptop) in the agents home.  A Citrix environment with all software running on a data center server will not work reliably.  We've experienced many dropped calls and voice issues when the agent had a thin-client with nothing running locally.  The end-point needs to have the softphone; Genesys does offer software to run on certain thin-clients, Windows or Unix, for Citrix so be sure to speak with them if you go this route.
     
    One drawback is the softphone software does not check or do its own updates.  We need to deploy updates across the board when there is important updates.  

    Good Luck.


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    Davide Giglio
    FCA US LLC
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  • 4.  RE: Advice for using Soft Phone

    Posted 05-06-2020 08:00
    Hi all

    Thanks for your responses. They were helpful and thanks for the tricks! This makes me feel like this may be our solution..

    Stay well all!

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    Monique Morel-Peseski
    System Administrator
    Messer Canada Inc.
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  • 5.  RE: Advice for using Soft Phone

    Posted 05-04-2020 11:58

    Hi Monique,

    We are running Genesys PureEngage cloud on Genesys softphone, we opted to have MPLS between Genesys and our company for the audio path for better call quality and call control is on WWE over the internet. Agents are connected via VPN to corporate network since the URL is only available from corporate network. 

    On the SCCM side, agents manually do the soft phone update and make sure to exit the softphone before doing the installation or this will break the installation. 



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    Vincent Sabolboro
    ATB Financial
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