Project Mgt

I am working on getting my pmp certification.  I was approved on 6/9/2008 with my application. I am presently studying for the exam.

Here’s just some of my “major” projects that I was involved in:

1. Conversion of all Microsoft’s Toll Free business from ATT to MCI:

This included over 1000 toll free numbers, porting them to MCI, building all the MCI Route Plans and associated IVR’s, installing/tracking all the new facilities orders. As well as building the “contingency plans” for each TF number. Finally, working with ATT to make sure all RESP org forms were filled out correctly to be able to move the TF numbers to begin with. This also included the design and implementation of a new product at MCI called the MCA (Max Calls Allowed) with a gui interface where Microsoft could throttle their calls.

 

2. Designing the Microsoft DARS Network:

This design consisted of using the first AS5400’s in the network (Telecom) by any carrier. I was the major lead in originally building and designing a redundant network for the “dial up” customers at home who didn’t have broad band to be able to register their software. This included VerizonBusiness/MCI also managing 14 devices in our network as well as at the MS Collocation Data Centers. This was also a network that had a Toll Free front end that callers would have their computers dial up and the associated route plans and designs were all done by me as well.

 

3. Microsoft One Call 1.0 and 2.0 Network Deployment:

Microsoft wanted to go to a call queuing network ability with a Cisco based solution. This meant all their existing VerizonBusiness IVR applications would have to be changed to be able to terminate to these new CVP’s located in San Jose and New Jersey. Each site would have 4 DS-3’s installed and 2 diverse trunk groups with load balancing routing between the two locations. These CVP’s would essentially take the call from the customer, terminate it to a new IVR application and then send the callers to the queuing/cloud at either site and then the Cisco PG’s via the NIC routing would determine which agents were available based on each of the individual scripts that were written per TF number. The 1.0 callers would NOT go to the NIC for treatment, it wasn’t until the 2.0 Cisco integration with their PG’s at all their locations and the VB implementation of the ICR-I messaging application did I get all this to work on the MS 2.0 network with the Cisco integration and massive testing with BT and VB and the MS lab sites.

 

4. TellMe integration with VerizonBusiness/MS One Call Network:

The original project started with a request for 4800 toll free numbers and Microsoft began to build a new network with new IVR’s that would encompass the Cisco Voice Portals (CVP) in their network to serve as their call queuing mechanism. This was instead of having the carrier managing the queuing in our own cloud. Lead team to design all their product and support Legacy systems to be migrated over to the One Call 1.0 platform. This involved extensive Lab testing and mock applications being built for testing as Microsoft had so many different PBX’s: Nortel, Avaya, I3, and Intacom to name a few, as well as Microsoft’s new CRM software. This required involving many engineering meetings, on site visits with visitors from our company to come out and help draw this out on the white board. The original 1.0 project with various versions/testing of the IVR systems within VB and the compatibility with the Cisco CVP’s was able to be worked out and a successful deployment was able to be reached. This 1.0 conversion took over a year to finish. On the heels of it was Microsoft’s request to deploy their One Call 2.0 platform in which they would use VB network for NIC routing. It was VB second customer to use the ICR-I product and required a ton of “one offs” to meet the requirements of the 5 or so PBX platforms and many, many hours of lab testing and coordinated testing with BT who was out of London. This project too was a success and is still the main platform that MS uses today for their Product and Support routing with call centers all over the world.

 

5. VerizonBusiness Dial Agreement: 

Responsible for leading Verizon team to acquire internet dial up business for Microsoft.  We gained 25% of Microsoft’s business ( 2 million hours per month) which was originally provided by Quest. This project included managing over 500 new lines from all across the country as well as “porting” some of the Qwest numbers over to VB’s network as well as the capacity and planning on the VB network to make sure that we could handle the traffic. In addition, VB had to port over 50 of its own numbers to L3’s network to balance the traffic mix. This was very customer impacting and had to be done quite a bit during the “off hours” so traffic would be least impacted.

 

6. Voice over ATM network for Call Centers to Banglor India:

Microsoft came to us and said that they wanted to be able to extend their present TNT (Take back and transfer) of the network to their call centers in Banglor. We had originally tried to do this with HP, however, that was a “switched” application. MS needed a dedicated solution. So, I gathered a team and we proceeded to come up with a new product within VB called “Voice over ATM” in which we used a partner called Reliance to extend the call into India. We dropped off the calls into their US Collo sites with VB in NY and LA. This took extensive testing with the One Call 1.0 and 2.0 labs as well as many, many coordinated meetings with BT in London to get this to work and not to mention the time difference to get the India folks involved as well.   Needless to say, the testing was a success. The other major hurdle was that VB had to figure out a way to bill this, as we had two rates to deal with. A domestic TF rate and then once the call was handed off to Reliance, an international rate. This took extensive meetings, test calls, billing/invoice reviews to finally design a “one off” billing solution that eventually worked.

 

 

 7. Microsoft Vista and XP new IVR Application:

Microsoft originally had come to VB with their Toll Free number that was with ATT and wanted it moved to MCI on its own new IVR. That new design was accomplished in a relatively short amount of time thanks to our engineers that I brought in to work directly with us on the project. Fast forward a few years and MS decides to launch Vista, BUT…they want to keep the same toll free number that the XP users already had out there. This required a brand new design of an IVR front end application. At the same time, MS also wanted to launch the Vistaproduct with different support hours that the XP customers had, this too required extensive testing/planning to make sure that when the product launched, we could handle the volume of calls. We had originally checked/forecasted the traffic amount and this was approved by our engineering/capacity planning group.

 

8. Microsoft Help Desk Application: 

Microsoft came to me and requested that their Help Desk be moved over the ICM (ICR-I) product within the VB network. However, this was to remain outside of their existing ICM (ICR-I) One Call 2.0 network. MS just wanted to use the NIC integration and functionality of the special routing requirements. They also needed to still be able to keep their portion of this help desk that went to another Indialocation via their outsourcing partner HP as part of this solution. We originally built 2 applications a front end menu application and then an ICR-I Cisco messaging application to make this entire thing work. As well as Microsoft had over 80 Toll free numbers from all their International locations that had to be moved onto this new IVR. This also required a new support vendor for MS to use called Unisys and they had their call center in Utahand this site WOULD use the ICR-I Cisco functionality when the finally got their PG installed at this site. The new messaging application would talk with their device and the new front end would provide the menu. This too was a success as we also developed a special new application for MS to provide “executive” support, granted it was really simple application-it served a purpose as MS’s present solution wasn’t working.

 

9. MCI Worldcom Ship Direct Program with Cisco to Supply Microsoft’s IT organization:

MCI was able to displace the previous vendor for Microsoft’s CPE/Cisco gear. I was responsible for managing all the ordering of new PO#’s that came from the Microsoft vendor. I was responsible for seeing that all pricing requests were processed. I also was in charge for the weekly status meetings on campus with the various groups as well as the point of escalation on “hot” orders that we had to go outside of Cisco and find a third party vendor that had the gear. Also responsible for tracking the shipments, due dates, inventory and set up MS access tracking for invoices to make sure that every PO # we got, we had an invoice number and MCI invoice to get payment. I used the MS invoice tool to not only acquire payments, but to also get confirmation that an order was ready via an approved PO# from Microsoft. This program lasted about 9 months and generated over 5 million in CPE/Cisco sales.

 

Other Notable Projects while at MCI Telecommunications:

 

1. MCI PrePaid Card design and deployment to Costco:

We had approached Costo via a third party called Anderson/Chambelin to come up with a Pre-Paid card that was rechargeable and cost competitive. We started from scratch to come up with a design/color/box/rate and rechargeable functionality to be able to get it on the Costco floor. The original design and deployment was a huge success. I had to track all the orders, design a billing solution using MS Excel and MS access as every Costco order was issued with it’s own PO# and had to have a separate invoice. This was a tremendous effort, and I actually had “zero” experience with MS access and somehow was able to come up with a way to import all the orders from MS Excel, manipulate them into MS access and spit out individual invoices referencing the associated Costco PO number. After a few months, Costco had a problem with theft of the cards as the original design/packaging/end cap display had the actual cards in them and the card boxes were too big and MS wanted a new color scheme. We went back to the drawing board, came up with a new end cap box, new smaller design for the packaging and this time the cards would be kept at the front desk. And, these cards had to be able to be recharged if the customer’s minutes ran out. We implemented a toll free number on the back that they could call and use their Mastercard/Visa to recharge their card and get the same rates/minutes as if they were buying a new card on the store. This recharge traffic grew to be over a million dollars a month within the first 6 months. Costco said it was one of their top 3 most successful product launches ever.

 

2. Attachmate Concert Network Deployment:

MCI Telecommunication and BT decided to form a partnership where MCI would give access to part of it’s network in exchange for the BT international network coverage. Hence, a new product was born from this partnership can it was called “Concert.”  This allowed MCI to offer frame relay services internationally. Attachmate’s network was the second largest network to get converted to this product. I was entirely responsible for the 25 international locations that we to be migrated over as well as the billing and trouble reporting procedures. We were able to offer a great promotional rate and they went with the product. It was a 6 month migration project, and Attachmate was thrilled with the results and increased capacity in their network.

 

3. MacZone/PC Zone, now called the Zone’s Toll Free Migration project from ATT

This project consisted of a complete migration of over 250 Toll free numbers with associated route plans from ATT to MCI. I was completely and fully responsible for the entire migration. This also included having to get every single Toll Free number submitted on a RESP Org form that had to be approved by ATT. Additionally, I had to build every single route plan and attend 2 weekends of after hours cut overs. The entire project was a huge success and the customer was completely satisfied as their were no out of service conditions.

Thanks,

Brian