Less Handling

Because time equals money, the less time you are handling a phone call, the better. By combining an automated call answering solution with direct extension selection and voicemail, your receptionist or secretary isn't handling a lot of administration calls that they could otherwise do without.

Also have a look at the way calls are transferred. Asterisk systems allow a "follow me" to be set where your reception staff will only dial a single extension and the call can be forwarded to a mobile phone, another extension or even a cordless telephone if the person has left their desk. Alternatively, you can use call parking which is slightly different from the way calls are normally transferred. If you transfer calls by placing the caller on hold, ringing the person who the caller wishes to speak to, wait for them to answer and then complete the transfer you are consuming a lot of time. You could instead park the call, page the person (via audio, email, pager or mobile) and let them know what parking slot the call is in and they can pick the call up from anywhere on the telephone system.

You can also use direct inward dial numbers which can be programmed to ring at the specific persons extension rather than coming through reception. If you don't have ISDN or your ISDN service has already used all the DID numbers assigned, you can use a VoIP provider and bring those telephone calls in over the internet.

Efficient Message Handling

Using an Asterisk system, voicemail messages (and faxes where appropriate) can be emailed directly to the correct person. A second email can be sent to a mobile phone or pager alerting the person to the fact that they have a new voicemail message waiting for them.

Asterisk systems can be setup to allow staff who are outside of the office to either dial a unique telephone number or use an option at the IVR to access their voicemail. Remote access to voicemail is secure as staff are required to enter their extension number and password.

Automation

One of the great reasons to use Asterisk is that it can automate certain tasks for you without requiring a large investment. For example, do you need to verify membership numbers, account details or another number before the caller is connected to a support agent? If you already have this information in a database, Asterisk can be integrated to check user input against this information.

Time Based Routing

Asterisk is capable of routing calls based on the time of day. This enables you to establish a customer presence 24 hours a day without having to pay staff penalty rates.

Use Refurbished Equipment

If you are looking to replace an older telephone system or need some efficiencies that your existing telephone system isn't delivering, consider purchasing a refurbished server. For most companies, a Pentium 4 1U server is sufficient to run Asterisk to handle all of their call requirements. You can also purchase a new card (second hand is not recommended for telephony cards) to connect to an existing ISDN or POTS telephone line. Refurbished telephones are also available from time to time which can provide an additional saving.

Please note Asterisk is a registered trademark of Digium Incorporated.

Contact Us

Please feel free to send us an email, or give us a call, if you have any questions or are considering a telephony project. We would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate how Asterisk can solve your problem and deliver more than you ever expected.