As you can tell from our video library and blogs, we are very excited supporters of the ShoreTel Contact Center!  You can not find a more feature rich or cost effective  solution to call routing, email routing  and web collaboration!    To be fair, however,  ShoreTel has always been ahead of the curve with "call center" like  functionality.    Out of the box, the ShoreTel IPBX has an amazing set of features that can fit just perfectly in the small "call center" model.   It may be easy to define the difference between a "call center" (i.e. phone calls only) and a "contact center" (i.e. voice, email and chat); but it is much harder to differentiate a "workgroup" from a true "call center.     ShoreTel clearly believes there is a definable difference and for that reason has always had an impressive call routing option humbly named the "Workgroup".    Not the "call center" but the "Workgroup"!   Going way beyond simple  "station hunting", the ShoreTel "Workgroup" enable scall queuing,  Agent  "log in" / "log out" ,  "wrap codes" and provides a rich set of easy to generate performance reports. ShoreTel has  recently introduced the "ShoreWare Workgroup Monitor".   This amazing  software package provides real-time, color-coded, graphical views of the the Workgroup and is an optional feature to the already powerful ShoreTel Workgroup feature set.   Compatible with Version 7.5 and up, this software enhancement enables call center management to both optimize and monitor call center performance. There are three software components:  an application that is loaded into the Shoreware Director or any of the distributed voice servers;  a client application that is loaded on the Supervisors desktop and any version of the ShoreTel Call Manager.    Key  features of this optional software package enable a Workgroup Supervisor to create a standard workspace display or "canvas".    This "canvas" could be displayed at the desktop or on a "wall board" and provides many of the real time characteristics of a full blown Call Center solution.   With this software you now have the ability to set color coded threshold displays and audible alerts.    We are particularly excited about the ability not only to see abandonded calls, but to click-to-callback!  (Now admit it! How kool is that)? Supervisors can drill down on the Workgroup of interest, with an easy <> window arrangement.   You can set the threshold alerts for the selected Workgroup to enable Yellow or Red alerts for Calls in Queue, Maximum Wait time and Average Wait time.   The "at a glance"  window gives you a snap shoot of each Workgroup,  indicating the number of calls with longest and average call holding times.   How about a "trend" analysis?  Yup, we got that!   For those spacial database managers with holistic mind sets, you can replace the rows of linear figures with a color pie chart to see Agent status! The ShoreTel Workgroup feature set,  built on the f the standard out of the box  ShoreTel IPBX,  when combined with the ShoreTel Workgroup Monitor software option is a powerful call center strategy.    It truly rivals any solution in the market at any price point.     (Full Disclosure: ShoreTel does not pay me a dime to write this blog and ShoreTel does not support this site in any way.    I really do believe this stuff).   Keep in mind, we are talking about a single server solution,  not multiple application servers and five acts of  vaudeville to get this call center functionality.  Just  ShoreTel.  Just simple. Send me a note  (DrVoIP@DrVoIP.com)  and we will get you set up with a free 30 day trail of the Shoreware  Workgroup Monitor!