Call accounting software is a system that records, translates and reports on telephone call activity. The software is used by most corporations to control expenses, allocate cost and increase productivity. Call accounting generally recieves Station Message Detail Records (SMDR) or Call Detail Records (CDR) from a telephone system through any of various protocls including serial, IP and file transfer.

SMDR is a feature that is available for most telephone systems and IP PBXs. The data is generally a system log of call traffic which includes call direction, date and time of the call, length of call, extension and trunk or line. There are various other pieces of information such as authorization code and account code that may be optionally available depending on the capability of the hardware. The raw or unprocessed SMDR output of the telephone system is often too volumous and difficult to read.

A call accounting software packages utilizes SMDR data and translate the information into a simplified database format for further analysis. The data is often presented in graphical, detailed or summary reports by extension, departments or other corporate levels.

The cost of a telephone call has been steadily decreasing with the introduction of peer to peer free calling, flat rate plans and bundled services. Call accounting software packages that historically focused on telephone tracking and expense management have transformed themselves into comprehensive communication management systems (CMS). These systems include extension, line, operator, auto attendant, ACD, IVR, voice mail and other facility traffic.

The ability to track call duration, call distribution, ring time, hold time and call queues has allowed leading communication management systems to analyze and measure productivity.

Toll fraud analysis remains a component of most major CMS systems. However, there now exist new threats in bandwidth hacking which can result in poor performance for VoIP traffic, security breach and network shutdown. New CMS systems pinpoint irregularities, bottlenecks and network overflows and suggest recommended corrective action.

Author: Rito Salomone

Rito Salomone is President of Resource Software International Ltd.(RSI). To contact the author, please email rsalomone@telecost.com

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rito_Salomone

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Call center software and call accounting software monitors all telephone activity and creates a database of reports. This type of software is utilized by many corporations to reduce expenses, and increase productivity. Call accounting generally recieves Station Message Detail Records (SMDR) or Call Detail Records (CDR) from a telephone system through any of various protocls including serial, IP and file transfer.

SMDR is a feature that is available for most telephone systems and IP PBXs. The data is generally a system log of call traffic which includes call direction, date and time of the call, length of call, extension and trunk or line. There are various other pieces of information such as authorization code and account code that may be optionally available depending on the capability of the hardware. The raw or unprocessed SMDR output of the telephone system is often too volumous and difficult to read.

A call accounting software packages utilizes SMDR data and translate the information into a simplified database format for further analysis. The data is often presented in graphical, detailed or summary reports by extension, departments or other corporate levels.

The cost of a telephone call has been steadily decreasing with the introduction of peer to peer free calling, flat rate plans and bundled services. Call accounting software packages that historically focused on telephone tracking and expense management have transformed themselves into comprehensive communication management systems (CMS). These systems include extension, line, operator, auto attendant, ACD, IVR, voice mail and other facility traffic.

The ability to track call duration, call distribution, ring time, hold time and call queues has allowed leading communication management systems to analyze and measure productivity.

Toll fraud analysis remains a component of most major CMS systems. However, there now exist new threats in bandwidth hacking which can result in poor performance for VoIP traffic, security breach and network shutdown. New CMS systems pinpoint irregularities, bottlenecks and network overflows and suggest recommended corrective action.
Author: Rito Salomone

Rito Salomone is President of Resource Software International Ltd.(RSI). To contact the author, please email rsalomone@telecost.com

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rito_Salomone

Technorati Tags: business call, Call accounting, call monitoring, center, office telephone, software, tracking

Why is a call centre software solution needed?

Call center software solutions essentially are strategies that intend to cut down the investment made on money and time. Most of the call centers now seek to provide an effective solution so as to have a competitive advantage over their counterparts. Though in the recent past it was kind of a situation where when one call center provided better solutions, it put other call centers in a back seat. But nowadays different call centers provide different solutions that could be adopted according to the situation in hand, thereby which one call center’s achievement has bleak possibilities of affecting the others. The solutions offered broadly fall in one of the classes below:

• Support for Clientele
• Telecommerce
• Proficient Support
• Directory Service
• Solicitation
• Marketplace research

1. Clientele support

The clientele support is a win - win situation where both the call centre that provides the solution and the customer who makes use of the solution are benefited. If the call center provides a good solution, the client maintains his contact with the organization and the client himself is satisfied with the solution he is provided with. Further, if the client is rendered a solution that delights him, it is likely that he spreads the reputation of the call center by recommending the people who stick around him to buy a solution from that particular organization. Three factors that facilitate a good relationship with the client are:

• Constant client interaction
• Copious allocation of resources
• Eminent Quality Of Service (QOS)

2. Telecommerce

Since there are more than hundred calls that are handled per hour, it is important that there is a good dialing technology employed so as to make sure that there is no loss in the lead and the call rates are optimized. Even the additional features such as voice recording, call tracing, reporting and other customer related management techniques are to be employed. The solutions in this field must include

• Improvement of quality of service
• Having the agents supplied with rich information
• Process refinement

3. Proficient support

Proficient support is a vital part of the help desk assistance and is widely required in industries that are based on technologies. Such areas include the automobile industry, electronics industry and the telecommunication industry. The solutions for technical support are to address the following issues:

• Attending the customers as promptly as possible
• Handling the information efficaciously
• Organizing the data
• Optimizing the mechanisms involved in call routing
• Effective management of the personnel department

4. Directory service

The basic idea in deploying the directory services is that the customers are to be supplied with a robust structure that facilitates them to retrieve solutions and other services in a convenient and efficacious fashion. With the help of these directory services will provide help in tracing the information and maximizing the call rates by attracting more and more customers.

5. Solicitation

The heart of all organizations is the debt and defrayment collections. Be it an automobile industry or an electronics industry, there is definitely a financial department that performs the solicitation. The solution strategies include

• Steps to maximize the solicitations
• Refinement of the procedures
• Handling the personnel effectively

Such strategies must adhere to the organization’s policy and abidance to the responsibilities.

6. Marketplace research

Having an abundant information and knowledge about the current trends in the market place helps organizations have a competitive advantage over their counterparts. The solutions offered in this area must aim at

• Easier and simpler tracing of information
• Deploying all the available features

These call center software solutions must be designed in such a fashion that they are free from any sort of complexity and are easy to be used by the clients. In addition, it is mandatory that such solutions are to be scalable, pliable and maintainable.

Technorati Tags: call center management software, call center software, inbound call center software, outbound call center software, solutions

The role of the telephone has changed over recent years but today it remains a vital instrument in any successful modern business. Whilst there may be alternative methods of communication available none has the reliability nor guaranteed response that the telephone provides. How would you choose to contact the emergency services for instance?

The telephone provides an immediate connection with a real time response. It is due to the mounting pressure for immediate response that has driven everyone who may at any time be away from their office to carry a mobile phone. The mobile telephone however has its downsides, for example how many times do you find yourself in an area with no coverage or call someone on their mobile and not get an answer?

The telephone in the office is always reliable and inevitably your backup to your mobile phone ‘…for urgent enquires please call my office on…’.

The telephone today is used for enquiries requiring an immediate answer therefore effective use of the phone is mission critical if you are not to lose your customers to a competitor. If you are selling a product and they cannot find out if product X has feature Y they will find your competitor and ask the same of them, the result being that a sale is lost. After sales care is just as important if you have a customer with one of your products that has a problem and they can not get an answer from you when they call, you can expect no repeat business from them especially if this is their first experience of your level of customer support.

When a customer calls you for whatever reason they expect an immediate answer to their enquiry. It is therefore extremely important that you handle the call efficiently. There are a number of problems that you need to overcome to do this. The first is to know who is calling so you can have any relevant information about the customer available. You may know this from their Caller ID however you can not know what the enquiry is regarding and this presents another problem. You must answer the call quickly and find out what the caller needs from your organization. However, statistically more than 70% of calls can not be handled at the first point of contact and need to be held for more than 45 seconds before being connected*, so the chances are that you are going to hold the caller while you find someone able to help. If you dump the call into a telephonic abyss of silence callers have been shown to hang up typically within 45 seconds so you will lose the call. With a competitive commercial market in today’s business environment losing calls is something which is vital to avoid. The solution to these logistical problems is to provide music on hold on your business telephone system as this will reassure the caller that they have not been cut off and to keep them on the line while you try to find someone to help. This may be a member of staff on their mobile but due to the foibles of mobile phones this may not be successful, for example if they are in an area of poor coverage or have their phone switched off because they are with a client. For guaranteed availability and speed of response it is better to transfer the call to someone in the office where at all possible.
Until we have a technology as reliable and robust as the telephone it will remain a mission critical part of today’s successful modern business.

For more information visit our website

*Source: Network Magazine December 2006

By: T Paul White

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

www.phonemusiconhold.com

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Technorati Tags: business phones, office phone, phone system, telephone, telephone systems

It’s not at all uncommon for businesses on the rise to quickly outgrow their existing phone systems. For those businesses that on the slow path toward growth, however, the point at which a new system seems eminent brings up a dilemma. Should they attempt to expand their existing system or take the plunge and purchase something new. Fortunately, there are a number of affordable options in most cases, whether buying new or trying to make the most of an old system.

Keyless systems, which most small to mid sized businesses start out with, are usually expandable to up to 50 handsets. Some manufacturers and aftermarket manufacturers offer products to make keyless systems in the 30 to 40 handset maximum range able to handle additional lines. Before thinking about a PBX, it’s worthwhile for businesses to see how far they can expand with their current keyless system. For those with outdated keyless systems which can handle only 25 lines or less, a newer, used keyless system will likely double those capabilities and still be substantially more affordable than going with a PBX system.

For small businesses using KSU’s, moving to a keyless system may not be necessary. Newer KSU’s are as inexpensive as ever, and many can handle far more handsets than their immediate predecessors. A business that needs only one or two extra stations and doesn’t anticipate expansion beyond a total of two lines and ten total extensions would do well to price newer models on the market. As always, KSU’s are an exceptional value as the jump to keyless can be a major investment for small businesses.

If the move to a PBX is something that simply can’t be avoided, it’s going to cost quite a bit more than the KSU or keyless system it’s replacing. Still, compared to the PBX of yesteryear, newer systems are more affordable than ever and no longer require a cabinet full of phone equipment.

The latest PBX systems work with analog telephones as well as VoIP. VoIP systems take advantage of existing office Internet connections to provide affordable phone service. The downside of VoIP, especially for businesses who rely on telephone interaction with customers, suppliers, distributors and other businesses, is that reliability is tied in with Internet access. Many late model PBX systems are capable of handling both.

By: Kingston J. Amadan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

For more information about www.ineedtelephones.com/voip/voipintro.htm“> VoIP telephone systems, visit our VoIP section For more on www.ineedtelephones.com/avaya.htm“> Avaya, Lucent and AT&T phone systems , visit our Avaya section. For more on www.ineedtelephones.com/index.htm“> small business telephone systems and business phone systems , visit INeedTelephones.com.

Technorati Tags: business phone service, Business Phone Systems, business phones, business telephone, phone pbx, talkswitch, telephone systems, voip phone system

Importance Of Telephone Systems In Business World

One of the greatest inventions of the modern age is the invention of the telephone. This invention completely revolutionized the way people communicated with each other. It got completely changed and this invention continued to influence the farther developments made in the field of communication technology. In the present age, telephones have almost become indispensable for any person whether for personal or professional use. Nowadays, nobody can think of doing business without a telephone system providing assistance. In fact, business telephone systems have become the main means of communication amongst different companies and organizations.

Much depends upon the telephone system for a business to run its operations smoothly. In fact, these telephone systems have become the lifeblood of every business, whether large or small. To survive in today’s fast-paced business world, it would be very difficult for any business to survive unless it adopts the latest innovations of the communication technology. An effective business telephone system facilitates proper communication among the staff of a company as well as with its customers, which is undertaken in a highly professional way.

Business telephone systems are generally more complex and have more features than the phones used for personal communication. Although, both of these systems look similar, these business phone systems deliver much higher performance as regards business operation is concerned. But, the operational requirement would differ from business to business and would cater towards specific needs of an organization. These business telephone systems are available in different sizes catering to the needs of all types of enterprise, whether large or small. There are consultants available to assess the exact needs of an organization as far as its communication needs are concerned.

Present day business telephone systems have many advanced features that enable the business to improve its operational efficiency. For example, the facility of call forwarding enables any organization to manage all customer calls that come everyday efficiently and dealing with each of these calls quite effectively.

Business telephone systems are now available in wide variety. This variety enables every business to select a telephone system that is perfectly suited for that specific business. After a Telephone System has been selected, farther research should be carried out so that you could select the features that are suitable for your specific business.

Ultimately, the overall performance of any employee of any business would depend a lot on the kind of telephone system used in the organization.

All these discussion emphasizes the role of a good telephone system towards the success of any business

By: JessicaThomson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

For more insights and further information about Business Telephonesvisit our site www.infinititelecommunications.com.au

Technorati Tags: business phone service, business telephone, business telephone systems, small business phone

Advantages of using VoIP are more than one. The organizations going in for this change can see a marked increase in their productivity. There is a streamlining of infrastructure and concomitant reduction in operating costs. However, technical skills- or the absence of the same- could prove to be a deterrent. This is where the service providers come in and the importance of managed VoIP services can be fully comprehended.

The providers of managed VoIP services can take on many things. They run the VoIP networks for the enterprises going in for the change. The enterprises do not require specialized resources for a proper implementation process. Further, they do not need to recruit professionals having the requisite expertise in this domain. The service providers are there to take care of all these and more. Most importantly, the providers ensure that the quality of the calls are up to established industry standards.

In managed partitioning service, the equipment, software, and other support are delivered to the users. The facilitating enterprises can make the most of the network operation centers with technical resources thrown in for good measure. The costs are reasonable and would depend on specific situations.

Consequently, in managed network partitioning, the quality of voice is quite impressive. The providers of these services ensure that the networks are managed well; this is done to avoid network congestion and ensure a free flow of voice, data, and other forms of traffic over the network paths. In such services, the parameters that reflect the quality of the voice are monitored on a 24 x 7 basis, and so, the clients availing the managed network partitioning can be assured of the best and the most satisfying experience while catering to their communication needs.

However, the companies going in for the change need to exercise some caution while choosing a provider of managed VoIP service. The provider should have the necessary expertise in deploying and managing networks. They should be able to keep the traffic under control and route the voice in an efficient manner. Last but not the least, they should ensure that the voice quality is not hampered by packet loss and latency.

Some checks that the corporate users should consider before going in for the managed network partitioning services include:

1.Availability of solutions in real time and across geographical domains

2.Restriction of jitter, latency and packet loss to their minimum possible levels

3.Comprehensive nature of the solutions, wherein the enterprises can depend on the provider to cater to a multitude of their needs in communications.

Given these three criteria, the corporate clients can be assured of some of the best options in managed VoIP services.

Technorati Tags: accounting, call, phone, services, systems, tracking, Voip, voip rfp

TAPIT EX - CALL ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
Key Features

Interfaces with any phone system, which provides SMDR stream or file.
Unlimited extensions, trunks, departments, account codes and call records
Voice Over IP Reporting – 2 addresses
Drill Down reporting with Web Report Viewer
Ring times/hold times/abandoned calls
Automatic Report Scheduler sent to screen, file, printer or Email address
Transferred calls and station to station reporting
DNIS Reporting
Three Levels of departmental hierarchy
Flexible pricing by type of call, type of trunk, number dialed and incoming
Remote Manager polling of data several times per day
Caller ID Name and Number
Reporting for Client and Matter Codes
Reporting for User Authorization Codes
Export in ASCII, spreadsheets and Time and Billing Packages (law firms)
Multiple extensions per user
Fraud Alert Detection included
Report Designer with double sort capability, 60 standard reports, 8  graph    reports   
SMDR Alarm-alerts you if smdr data is not being received into the Tapit PC*
Web-Enabled Tapit- allows viewing of over 80 reports over the  Internet*
Number dialed alarm, for 911 and other numbers *

————————————————————————————————————–
    Minimum System Requirements:
    Non-Dedicated Pentium II based PC, 128 MB Ram, 250 MB Free disk space
    1 dedicated RS232 (serial) port for the PBX SMDR connection
    Windows 98, 2000 Professional, XP Professional or NT operating system
—————————————————————————————————————-
 *  Tapit multi-user version required for these features
** Tapit EX will provide reporting on all of the information above when the SMDR data stream from the telephone system provides this information

Technorati Tags: Call accounting software, call records, phone systems, reporting, station, Voice over IP

Wireless VoIP combines VoIP with Internet wireless (802.11b and successors) networks. And its potential for businesses and individuals will see huge growth over the next few years and this article will explain what wireless VoIP could do for you.

Two combinations of hardware and software make this work:
laptops with wireless connections and VoIP soft phones, or handheld computers, again with wireless connections and soft phones.

The deployment of wireless VoIP looks set for huge growth over the coming years, for the following reasons:

1. Cost

The advantage of Wireless VoIP over cellular connections has driven the majority of interest in this method of communication so far.

Reduced costs for calls combined with higher-bandwidth data transfers are two obvious advantages. These however not the only reasons to adopt Wireless VoIP systems.

2. Deployment

WiFi networks cost a fraction of the deployment of traditional cell tower technology and implementation is quick as the extensive site reviews required to install traditional radio towers is not required ensuring deployment is cost effective and quick.

3. Call Quality

Wireless VoIP can also dramatically improve call quality, especially in residential areas such as office blocks; basements etc where traditional mobile network coverage is can be patchy. The advantage of having reliable wireless VoIP systems with excellent coverage are obvious, staff can be in touch in more areas more often.

4. Working practices

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages from a corporate point of view is the way wireless VoIP changes working patterns once all employees have access to wireless VoIP soft phones, laptops and hand held computers.

As the workforce moves to be more flexible and geographically spread out, VoIP employees can move from mobile networks to WiFi-based home and office networks, meaning they can be in touch wherever they are. This means companies can have employees working from a range of places including from
home, or even another country where labour costs are cheaper. The 21st century is already seeing a move to more flexible working practices in companies and wireless VoIP will be major contributor to this revolution.

5.Management

Wireless VoIP offers potential savings by allowing companies to change the way they manage their phone systems. For example, instead of having voicemail, caller ID and e-mail separately, wireless VoIP will allow customers to retrieve all of their messages in one place, alleviating the problem of having different operators for different services.

Employees can also download, enabling them to turn their phones into portable computers, track information, or log onto the company’s internet connection.

There are obvious time and cost savings as all communications are standardized in single VoIP telephone system. This means greater flexibility, reduced billing and tracking complexity.

Fact is, wireless VoIP saves time and money leading to simpler management and greater operational efficiency.

Major Growth Expected In mobile VoIP

Of course, at the moment, wireless VoIP is in its infancy and soft phones are only available for desktops and laptops.

Once reliable, roaming-friendly networks are rolled out and WiFi enabled handset technology becomes more advanced, prices fall and connections are as easy to make as with standard cell phones, the wireless VoIP market will grow drastically in size.

Wireless VoIP is already being deployed by forward thinking companies and within ten years it is anticipated that wireless VoIP will be deployed by more and more companies attracted by the cost, flexibility and efficiency advantages.

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Technorati Tags: business voip phone, communications, internet, software, solutions, system, Voip, voip business, voip phone, wireless voip

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP for business has now become very popular, and will eventually take over from traditional telephone systems. There are still numerous problems that are being worked out by VOIP developers and VOIP Providers, but it truly is a revolutionary communications method.

Voice over IP (VoIP) technology for business provides many advantages to companies and individuals over both traditional telephone services and traditional IP communications. But, like other technologies, it also brings with it the potential for abuse.

Voice quality, or Quality of Service, refers to the clarity of your phone call over a business or domestic network. The "how good do I sound" approach to measuring the VoIP network.

Under normal circumstances, when using a Broadband connection, the quality of a conversation using VoIP will be indistinguishable from a conventional telephone service. If you have a VoIP service, you might be limited only to other subscribers to the service, or you may be able to call any phone number, anywhere in the world.

The government just recently ordered that all VoIP providers make 911 available. Up to this point, people who did switch from a landline to VoIP were not able to call 911 for emergency services.

Businesses are reducing costs using VoIP for business, improving customer service while gaining access to features and applications that increase worker productivity. The best business phone systems can stand the test of time and grow with your business needs. Businesses simply send all of their information over their Broadband Internet connection whether it be Internet data from PCs or voice calls from their employees. It all shares the same pipe, which could be DSL or Cable High Speed connection for Small Offices or T1/T3 cables for medium to larger sized businesses.

Any phone system made can take advantage of VoIP lines. You do not need an IP based (IP PBX) or even IP compatible phone system. An ever growing number of Internet connections around the world that let VoIP which turns Internet infrastructure to a giant global telephone network. For the VoIP user, VXI headset solutions enhance the overall experience with VoIP by providing premium sound quality, ergonomic comfort, and long lasting durability.

VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the internet then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. VoIP for business is here to stay, and is one of today’s fastest growing technologies. VOIP and VOIP telephones have opened a whole new realm of possibilities for businesses and individuals across the globe.

VoIP is employed in telephony applications, from analog phones to next-generation IP phones and wireless headsets, and in desktop voice chat services, from web-based party-line chat services (like Yahoo! Chat) to the well-known Skype desktop voice-calling service. VoIP business carriers are already attempting to fix this problem by implementing a technical work-around. Finally, it will be very difficult to integrate VoIP on a massive scale, because while the standard Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) has a common standard, VoIP does not. VoIP PR News is a portal service, providing up to date articles related to the VoIP industry. VoIP headlines are provided by their 24-7 Press Release Service , from the VoIP for Business category of this web site.

VoIP is the transmission of voice over packet-switched networks. If you’re on the internet with a fast enough connection, you can speak to another party without incurring any call charges whatsoever, as long as the other party is using a VOIP for business device compatible with yours. For the moment VoIP is a compliment to your traditional phone line, rather than a replacement. The low cost in processing VOIP data has meant that there are now growing number Voip service providers who can compete with the large Telco’s.

By: Steve Evans

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Steve Evans is a techno-geek, who is also an early adopter making him an expert in VoIP articles . Visit his web site for the best analyses of fact VoIP, and make up a VoIP requirements list.

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Technorati Tags: office phone systems, telephones office, voice over internet protocol, voip phone system, voip systems, voip telephone

There was once a time when there were no telephones, facsimile machines, personal devices, computers or the Internet. Today most people cannot phantom such a primitive existence. Communication is the link that allows our world to function at its torrid pace. Business must continually adopt modern technology to successfully compete in a world that demands instantaneous results. The proper management of communication infrastructure is crucial in the success of any organization.

The entry points into every organization usually include a combination of auto attendant, custom call routing (CCR), voice mail, interactive voice response (IVR), automated call distribution (ACD), wireless and countless other devices. Many organizations are turning to communication servers over conventional PBX systems to deploy VoIP based pipelines that reduce cost and maximize flexibility. Voice and data communication can now co-exist and flow freely through the same bandwidth. Calls can easily be configured to simultaneously ring multiple devices, hunt to wireless or home phones, route to voice mail or forward to another call center.

Communication management is now a multi-pronged approach that combines statistics from various facilities to identify billing irregularities, misuse, bottlenecks, inactivity, productivity or workforce expense.

Billing reconciliation is often overlooked since carriers always bill based on contracted tariff plans, right? According to analysts at Gartner, ‘Organizations can routinely save more than 10% of their annual telecommunications expenses by systematically checking their carrier bills against equipment and services in use.’ But it is no longer effective to look exclusively at your traditional telephone invoices and compare them to the call accounting system in the back room.

The old adage rings true today ‘you cannot manage what you cannot measure’. Call accounting is no longer the killer application of current times but it is certainly a necessary component. Leading edge communication management systems now collect system logs, Internet usage reports, router statistics, voice mail logs, CCR, hunt group information and various device-dependent logs as well as traditional call detail records (CDR).

Have you ever called your favorite electronics store to inquire about the latest digital cameras but got trapped in a series of never-ending prompts about store hours, hard drive specials and video games? Many companies are taking advantage of communication management systems (CMS) that study activity from automated attendant and custom call routing trees. These reports help pinpoint whether calls are being prematurely dropped, abandoned or misdirected. It is imperative that customers are quickly and efficiently routed to their desired destination. The customer experience with your communication facilities will dictate whether they return.

Cost allocation to various corporate levels has been a basic functionality of most robust call accounting system for years. The downward trend of long distance expenses due to falling carrier rates, bundled services and VoIP competition has lessened the importance of this feature. This has resulted in the misconception that call accounting is no longer relevant. However many companies forget that there are many hidden costs that can be highlighted through proper use of call accounting or communication management software.

If Jimmy in sales spends half his time talking on the phone, management might be thrilled at his dedication. However if Jimmy is spending half his time talking to his girlfriend, perhaps management should take a second look. Call Accounting can be a key indicator of misuse and employee productivity. Employee productivity recovery is one of the primary reasons to own a system today!

Often fraudulent calls may be routed through corporate facilities without the knowledge of the company. Hackers can find faults in improperly designed networks, infrequently used extensions, voice mail ports and tandem trunks. A call accounting watchdog should always be monitoring activity for irregular patterns. Modern call management systems utilize SMS, pager, email and web interfaces for instantaneous reporting.

Communication management is imperative in providing the proper metrics for migrating to IP. Most companies do not even have a proper migration strategy. Call accounting can help ease the transition by highlighting traffic volumes, peak hours, grade of service, abandoned calls, blocked calls, calls to reception and various other peg counts. These statistics will help determine the bandwidth needs and requirements for auto attendant, wireless, IVR and other services.

Some communication management systems have been established interoperability with major manufacturers such as Nortel, Cisco and Avaya. These systems often provide more tight knit integration through third party call control. These solutions often enhance the hardware by adding such features as: forced and verified account codes, call trace, set locking and real time emergency notification.

Often companies forget about the need for pinpointing the source of a telephone call in case of an emergency. Many call accounting systems have built-in real time alarm triggers that will alert authorized personnel of an emergency call. This feature is crucial when seconds could mean life or death.

Call accounting has definitely evolved and matured into communication management. The need for this software is more important than ever.

References:
Call Accounting for Every Enterprise (http://ezinearticles.com/?id=86399), Rito Salomone, October 2005
Better Management of Telecom Expenses, March 15, 2005
Additional Reference: What Great Telecom Managers Know, Roger Yang

Call Accounting and billing for Asterisk Resellers SPOTLIGHT ON FINANCE: The Critical Need for Call Accounting 

  Avotus and AOTMP Cite Best Practices for Call Accounting in a VoIP

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Our Commitment To Your Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available on our homepage and at every point where personally identifiable information may be requested.

Our Commitment To Data Security

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Our Commitment To Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of the very young is especially important. For that reason, we never collect or maintain information at our website from those we actually know are under 18, and no part of our website is structured to attract anyone under 18. Under our Terms of Service, children under 18 are no allowed to access our service.

Collection of Personal Information

On visiting this site, the IP address used to access the site will be logged along with the dates and times of access. This information is purely used to analyse trends, administer the site, track user’s movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. Importantly, IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Links to third party websites

We have included links on this site for your reference. We are not responsible for the privacy policies on these websites.

lterations to this Privacy Statement

The content of this statement may be altered at any time.

Have a question? Just contact me at support@tapitsoftware.com

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If you have any questions regarding the content in this website, about the products that are mentioned, or just any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me at the following address. I’d also love to hear any feedback on the site if you’ve found it helpful or have some ideas about how I can improve the site in some way.

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Tapit Software is dedicated to providing useful information about the best call monitoring and call accounting software solutions for your business. In these web pages you will find helpful reviews, informative information and tips and much more. This site gets up-dated regularly, so that each time I post new information, it will come to the top of the front page. This means that you can check back here frequently to see new updates to the information found here.

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