CLIENT NAME:   THE CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK
SERVICE:   computer telephony

OVERVIEW
Since 1960, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) has used mass communications, especially television, film, the Internet and radio to present information from a Christian perspective. Programs on cable TV, such as The 700 Club reach viewers in over 180 countries. The Next Generation Call Center provides prayer, counseling, and literature to people who call in to CBN - the center's phones are staffed 24/7/365 by a staff of over 350 paid and volunteer workers and receives over 2.5 million calls a year.

BUSINESS NEED
CBN wanted to upgrade their inbound capabilities at the Next Generation Call Center, and merge the new system with their outbound campaigns. Some Partner Service Representatives (PSR's) required both inbound and outbound capabilities, and CBN required a centralized hardware configuration, even though PSR and station phones were spread across the campus. For recovery scenarios, CBN required a redundant hardware configuration. CBN also challenged Capernaum to develop an html-based tool that would call up partners' information on the PSRs' screens while they were on calls.

SOLUTION
In January 2002, Capernaum installed an automated switchover system for CBN's Next Generation Call Center. Using Interactive Intelligence's Customer Interaction Center (CIC) platform, Capernaum completely revamped all inbound and outbound operations. Incoming calls were configured and routed, based on DNIS and other information. Outbound calls are now automated with Interactive Intelligence's predictive dialer. For all calls, the PSR's use Capernaum's web interface that prompts them and provides personalized partner information for their reference. Navigating through the prompts, PSR's place product requests, provide prayer and counseling, and field calls during telethons for donations.

RESULTS
CBN's Next Generation Call Center now operates under one platform for all of its communication needs. With over 2.5 million calls connected last year, CBN expects over 3 million for 2002 using CIC. Capernaum's web interface for the PSR's has allowed CBN to become self sufficient in authoring the Next Generation Call Center's campaigns. We simplified call center operations while gaining functionality at the same time.

TECHNOLOGY
Using two pairs of redundant servers with tie lines to a third party PBX, Capernaum's engineers were able to implement a system architecture for CBN that ensured maximum uptime. Interactive Intelligence's CIC provides the ACD, IVR, voicemail, and predictive dialing functionality for the Next Generation Call Center, running on a Windows 2000 network. For call logging and partner information, CIC connects to CBN's ODBC-compliant databases.

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