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Expanding business - improve phone efficiency

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  • 08-04-2015 9:26am
    #1
    xrp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 166 ✭✭


    So my business is expanding and we're getting more calls than ever. Currently, we have one landline (UPC), one mobile (eMobile) and one backup mobile (three). We get 50% of the calls to landline, 45% of calls to eMobile and just the odd call to the backup mobile.

    We're trying to encourage customers to use the online booking system. Soon we will charge extra to use the phone, but this won't be until next year at the earliest.

    What I have in mind is:
    - customer calls any of the three numbers
    - customer gets a very brief intro and a very brief blurb about booking online, app, etc. No more than 10 seconds. Regular customers know to dial '0' to get straight through
    - customer put in queue (if nobody's available) and is told what position they are on queue - we would like to use the voice of a familiar staff member
    - we always have one person available to answer phone. Sometimes 3 people available. This will be 4 from next month.
    - the boss gets highest priority. This changes to #2 in command when he's busy (happens a lot)
    - we should all have wireless headset - high quality, noise cancelling, long battery, high availability
    - flexibility to change messages, change priorities, etc.

    Is this possible to do for under 1000? Do I need a consultant? I know my way around Linux, app dev, Amazon EC2, etc.

    I envisage an admin area on our website where we can set headset priority, upload new audio file for the 10 intro blurb.


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    #2
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    http://www.asterisk.org/

    If you're technically minded yourself.


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    #3
    Mr. G
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 4,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. G


    ... or FreePBX Distro which is relatively simple to set up, and you have a GUI that will allow you to configure Asterisk. You would need to port your main number to another provider to allow simultaneous calls.


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    #4
    xrp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 166 ✭✭xrp


    Mr. G wrote: »
    ... or FreePBX Distro which is relatively simple to set up, and you have a GUI that will allow you to configure Asterisk. You would need to port your main number to another provider to allow simultaneous calls.

    Do you reckon I can do it "in the cloud" or would I need to buy hardware?


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    #5
    xrp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 166 ✭✭xrp


    ED E wrote: »
    http://www.asterisk.org/

    If you're technically minded yourself.

    Yes, O think Asterisk could work, but I would like a flexible software-only solution involving no hardware (not that I'm afraid of hardware).


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    #6
    Mr. G
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 4,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. G


    xrp wrote: »
    Yes, O think Asterisk could work, but I would like a flexible software-only solution involving no hardware (not that I'm afraid of hardware).

    You don't need a consultant.

    If hardware or redundancy is an issue, perhaps a hosted PBX solution would be the way to go. You can host your PBX on a VPS. If you have a handful of users you could use a Raspberry Pi or a small workstation which wouldn't use up a lot of space.

    Perhaps try Magnet, Imagine or Zen Telecom for a hosted pbx

    https://www.google.ie/#q=hosted+pbx+ireland

    Voicegrid are good if you would like it to be done by someone else with backup.


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    #7
    xrp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 166 ✭✭xrp


    Mr. G wrote: »
    You don't need a consultant.

    If hardware or redundancy is an issue, perhaps a hosted PBX solution would be the way to go. You can host your PBX on a VPS. If you have a handful of users you could use a Raspberry Pi or a small workstation which wouldn't use up a lot of space.

    Perhaps try Magnet, Imagine or Zen Telecom for a hosted pbx

    https://www.google.ie/#q=hosted+pbx+ireland

    Voicegrid are good if you would like it to be done by someone else with backup.

    I think "hosted PBX" is the phrase I'm looking for. That is useful for me!

    I'm going to give Magnet a call this morning. I have heard/seen some of their ads and they seem to be pushing cloud a lot lately.

    I'm guessing here, but I could fire up an Amazon EC2 instance (which is in Ireland and has excellent network connectivity, low latency), run Asterisk and plug in a few cloud phone numbers?

    I'm happy to go with a proprietary "hosted PBX" solution though.


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    #8
    Mr. G
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 4,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. G


    xrp wrote: »
    I think "hosted PBX" is the phrase I'm looking for. That is useful for me!

    I'm going to give Magnet a call this morning. I have heard/seen some of their ads and they seem to be pushing cloud a lot lately.

    I'm guessing here, but I could fire up an Amazon EC2 instance (which is in Ireland and has excellent network connectivity, low latency), run Asterisk and plug in a few cloud phone numbers?

    I'm happy to go with a proprietary "hosted PBX" solution though.

    You'll have a lot more flexibility with AWS and they know what they're at. Keep us updated though ;)


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    #9
    RDPF
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭RDPF


    Hello XRP,

    Just reading this thread and I'm sort of in the same position as you were bacj when you started the thread. Was wondering how you got on, did you use Magnet and if so what are they like to deal with?
    RDPF


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