OKI Delivers "CTstage® 5i" Call Center System to Keiwa Business
To serve as cornerstone for "Weicall", an interpreting system from Keiwa Business intended for Chinese tourists
TOKYO, January 20, 2011 -- OKI Networks, an OKI Group company that designs and manufactures telecommunication products, today announced the delivery of its "CTstage® 5i" call center system to Keiwa Business, an outsourcer in the field of various information processing services, including system development, data input, direct marketing and business forms printing. The system will be used for ®Weicall®, the mobile telephone interpretation system for Chinese tourist from Keiwa Business.
Weicall provides Chinese interpretation services for commercial facilities and tourist attractions via mobile phones, in response to the recent easing of visa requirements for Chinese tourists, which has boosted demand for such services. In November 2010, Keiwa Business launched a 40-seat call center to provide interpretation services which will expand to 100 seats in February 2011.
"The growing numbers of visitors to Japan in recent years have raised expectations for the availability of cost-effective interpretation services," says Hidetoshi Saigou, President of OKI Networks. "In response to this need in Hokkaido in northern Japan, Keiwa Business has developed a mobile phone interpreting business in partnership with SOFTBANK TELECOM. The high audio quality achieved between the two mobile phones and the call center, its flexibility when numbers of seats need to be expanded, and the ability to customize applications were all key points in selecting a call center system to serve as the foundations for this service. The company chose OKI’s CTstage 5i which meets these requirements and offers rapid, flexible deployment."
With this service, a set of two mobile phones will be installed at commercial facilities and tourist attractions in and around Sapporo city, a popular destination for foreign tourists, in other areas of Hokkaido and throughout Japan. When interpretation services are required, the attendant accesses the call center from the mobile phone which will be connected simultaneously through CTstage’s conferencing function(*1). The three-way communication gives the attendant and the tourist access to receive interpretation services through the operator.
In addition, the system enables customers to manage customer (store) information and billing information by linking CTstage to the "QuickCRM®" system from MIT System Research Institute. This system allows real-time status updates for each store by automatically adding mobile phone call duration information acquired through CTstage.
Keiwa Business is currently focusing on providing Chinese interpretation services, in response to the growing numbers of Chinese tourists in Hokkaido. Going forward, the company plans to expand both the number of languages for which interpretation services are provided and the areas in which these services are available.
As a specialist in call center systems and applications, OKI is dedicated to meeting customer needs and providing innovative solutions that help them create added value, and thereby ensuring their success.
Overview of Weicall service
- Name
- Weicall
- Description of the service
- Interpretation service using simultaneous interpretation based on two units of exclusive mobile phones. (Mobile phones require a contract with SOFTBANK TELECOM)
- Service area
- Commercial facilities and tourist attractions in Hokkaido and throughout Japan.
- Service start date
- November 15, 2010
About QuickCRM
Developed by MIT System Research, QuickCRM is a CRM system for designed for call centers. Operational screen and ledger sheets are easily customized and applications for various operations can be created rapidly at a low cost. Since its launch, the system has been introduced at over 50 companies.
About CTstage
OKI Networks launched CTstage in 1996 as a computer telephony integration (CTI) system for computer and telephony convergence. Since its launch, over 6,900 sets have been sold (as of March 2010). They are installed and deployed in various markets and currently hold the leading market share in Japan for call center systems. In November 2006, OKI launched CTstage 5i, which offers enhanced durability and expandability, offering customers the latest in technologies and capabilities through enhancements such as softphones and thin client functions. As part of efforts to provide customers with the latest systems and functionality, OKI Networks also offers CTstage Lite for small enterprises operating fewer than 50 seats as well as CTstage SaaS for SaaS-type service models. For more information, please visit:http://www.oki.com/en/ctstage/.
About OKI Networks
Established October 1, 2008, OKI Networks was spun off from OKI Electric Industry to focus on sales, marketing, product planning, and product development related to OKI's telecommunications products. Based in Tokyo, OKI Networks currently has approximately 590 employees.
Glossary
- *1 :Conferencing function
Function enabling simultaneous call connections for multiple users to a call center.
- The names of the companies and products mentioned in this document are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies and organizations.
- CTstage is a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. in Japan, China and other countries.
- QuickCRM is a registered trademark of MIT System Research Institute Co., Ltd.
- Press Contact:
- Public Relations Division
Phone: +81-3-5403-1247
- * Information in the press releases is current on the date of the press announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.