Using the Asterisk Monitor application is a great way to record your calls. Sometimes, though, you have specific requirements for how the recordings are mixed, processed, or otherwise handled. Asterisk does give you a way to do this. An example that came up recently was that the Q/A department needed to be able to distinguish the two sides of the call. By default, Monitor records both the inbound and outbound audio, then mixes the two channels together into a mono recording. If the caller and call center agent had similar voices, this was tough to do. If there were audio or voice problems, it would be hard to tell which side was having the issue. They were looking for a way to have their call center software for Asterisk do this. Continue reading “Mixing Your Recordings Your Way With Asterisk”
Saying Goodbye To MeetMe
MeetMe has been an invaluable tool for multiple purposes in Asterisk. Some call center software has traditionally used it for connecting agents to calls. More advanced call center systems have used it to manage things such as transfers, where you may have three participants (or more) in the same call. Certainly it has shown its worth in its intended purpose, voice conferencing. Continue reading “Saying Goodbye To MeetMe”
Picking the right Call Center software
Call center software is the most critical component of any contact center. It influences the choice of the telephony switch and determines the overall cost of the call center technology platform. In the long run, the right selection will influence the profitability of the call center. It is important to select a technology solution which will provide competitive edge for the call center. Telephony switch is a big cost item in the overall cost of the contact center infrastructure unless it is something like Asterisk. Asterisk is a leader in IP telephony and provides a complete PBX, an essential element of within any office or contact center. A call center software using Asterisk as the telephony platform, provides an instantaneous cost advantage.
There are a number of things to look for in a call center software. Feature-sets like predictive dialing, advanced ACD with Skills based routing and Queue prioritization, real-time and statistical reporting as well as quality monitoring are a must. A distributed architecture allowing home and remote agents with VoIP capability is essential for long term. Once you transcend the basic feature-set, it is time to look under the hood determine the level of sophistication for each of the feature listed above. There are white papers which provide functional overview of the call center software ACD.
A high level evaluation of the call center software should include,
- Functionality available within the call center software
- Cost per seat
- Level of technical support
There is a lot of material available on the web about various call center software available in the market. It is a question of doing your home work and asking the right questions. You will not go wrong with the selection Asterisk as your telephony platform. Once you have picked Asterisk, evaluate the available call center solutions for Asterisk and determine the most suitable call center software for your business.