Questions, Questions, Questions

This morning we had a discussion with a prospective client and he had a few questions that I could not answer. Any help is appreciated:

1. How can we track marketing initiatives, using different phone numbers?
2. What is the support for web site integration, click to call?
3. Can all calls be recorded?
4. Can I leave a single voice mail for everyone at once?
5. Can I have a conference call with 17 people?
6. Can I have voice mail boxes for users who do not have a phone?
7. Can my field staff call into the office and then back out to reduce long distance and airtime charges?
8. Can I use a special phone number which is not located in the Calgary dialing area, but does have the same area code, what about long distance charges?
9. Can we send alerts to phones by using SMS that there is a new voice mail message?
10. Can I lockdown long distance?

Thank you for your help,
Rene Sloos.

Regarding your question: (2) What is the support for web site integration, click to call?

Several web-based companies provide "mashups" that can be embedded in your web page to provide click-to-call functionality. The small pop-up's or applets collect the callers phone number, then from their hosted telephony platform place a call to the phone number that the caller's input while at the same time calling the phone number you've designated in the application. Once both parties are connected the calls are bridged together.

Most of these are charged for by the minute at very low rates, pennies per minute without any minimum monthly committment.

I personally use one from www.ifbyphone.com. You can see the click to call application at public.ifbyphone.com/services/click-to-call .

Combined with the ifbyphone reporting or a special DID number, you can easily track these specific calls also. A specific DID would also allow you to treat those calls specially within Response Point.

Most of these services are incredibly easy to set-up and configure.

A quick google search for "click-to-call" will yeild lots of additional information.

You might also look at:

enterprise.jaduka.com/services
www.tropo.com (really good telephony services platform from Voxeo)
www.twilio.com

Feel free to give me a call, if you have any more questions about this.

Cheers,
Jeff Hopper
www.SpeechSelfService.com

Greetings Rene (I think it's Rene? Although your post says "posted by Harry"?) :

Answers are inline below (see ">>" ), and I'm assuming that you're asking about Microsoft Response Point, correct? (at least, that's my assumption).

Also, I encourage you to contact our team "live" at RiteTech by phone if you'd like further detail and/or assistance on several of the points. RiteTech sells RP equipment, including pre-configured RP systems to your specifications/requirements - and also provides remote support. We've sold/serviced systems to clients - including recommending VoIP providers - to clients and IT companies as far away as Canada, Florida, and California.

We're based in the Washington, DC area...

Cheers,

-- Dave Bainum (dbainum@ritetech.net)
RiteTech LLC / www.ritetech.net / +1 (703) 561-0607
Creators of the www.RPConnect.net suite of applications

**

1. How can we track marketing initiatives, using different phone numbers?

>> This depends on what exactly the definition of "track" is, and what the desired goals are of such "tracking". There is a basic system logging application built into RP SP2 via the RP Administrator. In addition, SP2 provides the CallerID-URL-Popup-Launcher option where you can use your own application (or someone else's) to provided enhanced functionality on incoming calls. RiteTech's developing two such applications and also has optional customization available for both - see www.RPConnect.net for further details.

2. What is the support for web site integration, click to call?

>> See #1. Also see technical white paper on the URL Popup Launcher, as well as RP documentation on "click to call".

3. Can all calls be recorded?

>> Not using native RP tools or software. It may be possible to do this using a third-party network-based appliance or sniffer. Haven't done it personally (yet)..

4. Can I leave a single voice mail for everyone at once?

>> While not directly within the Voice Mail system iteself, you CAN do this with some advance preparations using the VoiceMail-to-e-mail forwarding option. Here's how: A voicemail box can be created, such as x701, and label it "VM-Broadcast all" (or something to that affect). Then program that box to forward any incoming VM's to an e-mail distribution group that hits everyone's e-mail boxes. Whenever you want to leave a "group" VM, have someone call x701 and leave their message. It will then be forwarded as a .WAV attachment to that e-mail distribution group that you specified...

5. Can I have a conference call with 17 people?

>> Yes, using a third-party (carrier-provided) conferencing service (contact us for recommendations). But you can't using just RP, nor would you want to, even if it was technically supported. Using built-in conferencing features for large conference calls-=- as opposed to a third-party service which handles adding/dropping new callers, muting of lines, etc. for you - has got to be one of the most stressful things I think anyone could force upon themselves. Not to mention, it horribly ties up your own incoming lines needlessly - so you're still "paying" for it even if you do it in-house - both in staff time, headaches, and technical resources (lines/bandwidth) needed. This is much better left to the carriers... (Ok, I'll get off of my soapbox now)

6. Can I have voice mail boxes for users who do not have a phone?

>> Yes.

7. Can my field staff call into the office and then back out to reduce long distance and airtime charges?

>> I don't really understand the question. However if it is what I think it is, may be better accomplished using a carrier feature, or some sort of bundled calling plan - or possibly, a bundled plan of SIP trunks and mobile phone minutes.

8. Can I use a special phone number which is not located in the Calgary dialing area, but does have the same area code, what about long distance charges?

>> Depends on the provider and specific set-up requested (this is much better discussed "live" by phone or WebEx, ideally with a call flow or configuration diagram) - but yes, you can have phone numbers assigned that are "out" of your geographical area.

9. Can we send alerts to phones by using SMS that there is a new voice mail message?

>> Yes, using a third-party service. You can also even have voice mail messages automatically TRANSCRIBED as well, with the original recordings attached. Contact us for details, we do this all of the time for clients, and it's a huge productivity boost - particularly for those on the road a lot, or in many meetings.

10. Can I lockdown long distance?

>> This depends on the carrier used and specific requirements. Technically many have the ability to do so.

Whew, that was a lot of work... So Microsoft team, can you accept my answers as "credit" towards the RP Technical Certification exam?

Hope that helps...


Cheers,

-- Dave Bainum (dbainum@ritetech.net)
RiteTech LLC / www.ritetech.net / +1 (703) 561-0607
Creators of the www.RPConnect.net suite of applications

Regarding your question:

[quote]7. Can my field staff call into the office and then back out to reduce long distance and airtime charges?
quote]

Yes. You can configure RP to recognize field staff caller Id and give them external access to the phone system. When they login from their cell phone they then can make a call as if they are in the office.

Frank Shwaiki
Response Point SDET