Customer Care Framework
Encyclopedia
Microsoft
Customer Care Framework (CCF) was a Microsoft .NET
desktop-based framework which was used to address issues faced by service provider
s caused by multiple line of business
(LOB) systems while interacting with their customers. It was discontinued though many of its core functions were moved to an add-in for the Microsoft Dynamics
CRM product.
The Customer Care Framework provided a core set of functions for customer support avenues including voice call via call center agents and Internet portals. The framework leveraged other Microsoft server products including the BizTalk Server, and SharePoint. CCF required the use of Microsoft SQL Server
and Microsoft IIS
for the server side, which it uses to provide a base core set of web services.
CCF is targeted at medium to large enterprises. CCF was originally developed for the large call center requirements of the telecommunication
industry.
CCF is different from most products from Microsoft in that it is not an 'out of the box' solution but requires development and configuration to build a working customer solution. The framework allows for a SOA
methodology on development on the server and agent desktop side, but this is not mandatory and non-SOA development can be done and is normally the case.
(UI) that presents data aggregated from various Line of business
(LOB) & OSS
/BSS application front ends and presents them in a unified view. CCF does not include an Agent Desktop application, rather samples including source code are provided as part of the framework.
Any version of Customer Care Framework before CCF 2009 SP1 QFE will break when upgrading to .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.
One is Jacada WorkSpace, which is a Java EE-based solution which is used to wrap applications and present a web UI to clients.
OpenSpan produces a product using .Net that can integrate with CCF or operate standalone to integrate applications. OpenSpan also provides an IDE tool to create the integrations.
Cicero Software likewise produces an application integration product with an IDE.
Corizon provides a platform for Enterprise Mashups that allows Composite applications to be created easily.
Microsoft has a free product called Composite UI Application Block
(CAB) which can be used to build composite applications. CAB is used within CCF. CAB does not provide telephone or call center specific integrations, but has tight integration with Visual Studio
and many samples including one for call centers. CAB on its own doesn't offer session management and multi-channel capability although the sample code does have some session features.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Customer Care Framework (CCF) was a Microsoft .NET
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...
desktop-based framework which was used to address issues faced by service provider
Service provider
A service provider is an entity that provides services to other entities. Usually, this refers to a business that provides subscription or web service to other businesses or individuals. Examples of these services include Internet access, Mobile phone operators, and web application hosting...
s caused by multiple line of business
Line of Business
Line of business is a general term which often refers to a set of one or more highly related products which service a particular customer transaction or business need....
(LOB) systems while interacting with their customers. It was discontinued though many of its core functions were moved to an add-in for the Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software applications developed by Microsoft. Microsoft Dynamics applications are delivered through a network of reselling partners who provide specialized services...
CRM product.
The Customer Care Framework provided a core set of functions for customer support avenues including voice call via call center agents and Internet portals. The framework leveraged other Microsoft server products including the BizTalk Server, and SharePoint. CCF required the use of Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, developed by Microsoft: It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network...
and Microsoft IIS
Internet Information Services
Internet Information Services – formerly called Internet Information Server – is a web server application and set of feature extension modules created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Windows. It is the most used web server after Apache HTTP Server. IIS 7.5 supports HTTP, HTTPS,...
for the server side, which it uses to provide a base core set of web services.
CCF is targeted at medium to large enterprises. CCF was originally developed for the large call center requirements of the telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
industry.
CCF is different from most products from Microsoft in that it is not an 'out of the box' solution but requires development and configuration to build a working customer solution. The framework allows for a SOA
Service-oriented architecture
In software engineering, a Service-Oriented Architecture is a set of principles and methodologies for designing and developing software in the form of interoperable services. These services are well-defined business functionalities that are built as software components that can be reused for...
methodology on development on the server and agent desktop side, but this is not mandatory and non-SOA development can be done and is normally the case.
Agent Desktop
The primary user interface for CCF is the agent desktop. This is a desktop-based user interfaceUser interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
(UI) that presents data aggregated from various Line of business
Line of Business
Line of business is a general term which often refers to a set of one or more highly related products which service a particular customer transaction or business need....
(LOB) & OSS
Operations support system
Operations support systems are computer systems used by telecommunications service providers. The term OSS most frequently describes "network systems" dealing with the telecom network itself, supporting processes such as maintaining network inventory, provisioning services, configuring network...
/BSS application front ends and presents them in a unified view. CCF does not include an Agent Desktop application, rather samples including source code are provided as part of the framework.
Application Integration Framework (AIF)
The AIF manages the loading of the applications, integration and event brokering. Through the use of adapters (see HAT below) applications can have custom integrations to account for both the technology of the hosted application as well as business processing.Hosted Application Toolkit (HAT)
HAT allows for the separation of the business rules and the method used to integrate with the application. HAT uses Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) to manage the business rules, Data Driven Adapters (DDAs) to manage the application directly, and Bindings written in XML to connect the two. CCF 2009 SP1 ships with 3 DDAs: Win32, Web, and Java (JDK 1.6). DDAs can be customized or extended for additional application types as needed.Releases
- Customer Care Framework 1.0: released early 2003
- Customer Care Framework 1.1: released 2004; uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 1.2: released 2004; uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2.0: released 2005; uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2005 (version 2.5.0): released Jan 2006, uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2005 (QFE 1, version 2.5.1): released April 2006, uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2005 (QFE 2, version 2.5.2): released 2006, uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2005 (QFE 3, version 2.5.3): released August 2006, uses .NET Framework 1.1
- Customer Care Framework 2005 for .NET Framework 2.0 (version 2.6): built on a modified 2.5.3 base; requires .NET Framework 2.0. Contains significant bug fixes to those base areas of CCF where the code is not available.
- Customer Care Framework 2008: released 21 September 2007, uses .NET Framework 3.0
- Customer Care Framework 2009: released 28 October 2008.
- Customer Care Framework 2009 Service Pack 1: released April 2009.
- Customer Care Framework 2009 Service Pack 1 QFE: released August 2009, adds support for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, IE8, dynamic positioning. Adds a shell API, which (amongst others) brings improved CTI support and possibility to develop WPF shells.
Any version of Customer Care Framework before CCF 2009 SP1 QFE will break when upgrading to .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.
Similar Products
There are a number of other products that are similar to CCF.One is Jacada WorkSpace, which is a Java EE-based solution which is used to wrap applications and present a web UI to clients.
OpenSpan produces a product using .Net that can integrate with CCF or operate standalone to integrate applications. OpenSpan also provides an IDE tool to create the integrations.
Cicero Software likewise produces an application integration product with an IDE.
Corizon provides a platform for Enterprise Mashups that allows Composite applications to be created easily.
Microsoft has a free product called Composite UI Application Block
Composite UI Application Block
The Composite UI Application Block is an addition to Microsoft's .NET Framework for creating complex user interfaces made of loosely coupled components. Developed by Microsoft's patterns & practices team, CAB is used exclusively for developing Windows Forms. A derivative version of CAB exists in...
(CAB) which can be used to build composite applications. CAB is used within CCF. CAB does not provide telephone or call center specific integrations, but has tight integration with Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment from Microsoft. It is used to develop console and graphical user interface applications along with Windows Forms applications, web sites, web applications, and web services in both native code together with managed code for all...
and many samples including one for call centers. CAB on its own doesn't offer session management and multi-channel capability although the sample code does have some session features.