Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Telecom Solution Required for Home Secretarial Service

Options
  • 20-06-2006 1:56pm
    #1
    rash
    Registered Users Posts: 305 ✭✭


    A friend is thinking of a few work from home business ideas (just to have ready in case she's made redundant)

    I'm not sure what idea she has in mind at the moment, but she has asked me if a telecom solution exists for following:

    She would have a number of clients that she will work for, and she will take calls at home from their customers (something like a secretarial service). What she requires is some solution where she can identify that an incoming call is from a customer of Client A, so that she can answer the phone as an employee of company A.

    While I know that such solutions do probably exist for large companies, this will be a one man operation and therefore cost will be a factor.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    That's a very good question. Certainly it should be possible to get your hands on a small PBX. Included in most PBXs would be incoming number ID - i.e. displaying the ringing line on the phone display. I'm sure it wouldn't be a massive leap to have a largeish switchboard phone with a separate button for each line.

    Of course, if she wants to use one line, and have the companies involved divert their lines to hers, I'm not sure what kind of information she'll be able to get a hold of.

    I arranged a PBX for a small company a short while ago. I think it came to about €5k, including installation, 5/6 handsets and a reception handset/switchboard.


  • Options
    #3
    Foxwood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭Foxwood


    rash wrote:
    A friend is thinking of a few work from home business ideas (just to have ready in case she's made redundant)

    I'm not sure what idea she has in mind at the moment, but she has asked me if a telecom solution exists for following:

    She would have a number of clients that she will work for, and she will take calls at home from their customers (something like a secretarial service). What she requires is some solution where she can identify that an incoming call is from a customer of Client A, so that she can answer the phone as an employee of company A.

    While I know that such solutions do probably exist for large companies, this will be a one man operation and therefore cost will be a factor.
    Have a look at the VoIP forum. There are a number of Voice over IP providers in Ireland that will provide you with mutiple phone numbers, and the equipment required to handle multiple numbers (with different rings, voicemail, etc) is quite inexpensive - you're talking hundreds, not thousands of euro. In fact, you can get started with a microphone/headset that costs €15.

    (A PC and a broadband connection is a pre-requisite, obviously).


  • Options
    #4
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    asterisk@home its called , works out of the can


  • Options
    #5
    dahamsta
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,659 ✭✭✭✭dahamsta


    What SpongeBob said. If in doubt, ask in the Unix forum or one of the Linux.ie usergroups for help. If they can't help you directly, one of them will be able to set it up for you, for a fee obviously.

    adam


  • Options
    #6
    NutJob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭NutJob


    Ill vote asterisk.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    rash
    Registered Users Posts: 305 ✭✭rash


    Thanks for the replies.

    Is there a service available where you can give out an access number to customers (So give ClientA access number xxxxxx01, ClientB xxxxxx02......) and have call forwarding on this number to an ISDN line (2 lines). When the call comes into the secretarial service, the caller ID displays the Access number that the Client dialed, rather than the callers own CLI.

    I know Eircom have a Personal Number service, where a 0700 number can be forwarded to a landline/mobile, but I'm not sure what way the CLI is displayed on the receivers phone (plus there's the drawback the the receiver of the calls, is charged for the cost of the forwarded section of the communication)


  • Options
    #8
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    rash wrote:
    Thanks for the replies.

    Is there a service available where you can give out an access number to customers (So give ClientA access number xxxxxx01, ClientB xxxxxx02......) and have call forwarding on this number to an ISDN line (2 lines). When the call comes into the secretarial service, the caller ID displays the Access number that the Client dialed, rather than the callers own CLI.

    yes, the number that was called (not the callers number) comes in on ISDN. Its called a DDI number typically. Eircom will give you up to 5 of them on an ISDN line.
    I know Eircom have a Personal Number service, where a 0700 number can be forwarded to a landline/mobile, but I'm not sure what way the CLI is displayed on the receivers phone (plus there's the drawback the the receiver of the calls, is charged for the cost of the forwarded section of the communication)

    Its cack. I'm not sure they offer it any more either and nor does anyone else.

    Most have gone to 0818 number instead, far cheaper.


Advertisement