Olivier Krief wrote:
2006/3/29, John Novack <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
The
reality is, of course, that telephone systems have provided this
function for many years. A DSS/BLF is available on MANY so called legacy
systems, so until this function is readily available , customers that
require a receptionist will continue to go elsewhere.
Perhaps it is time to rethink the way data is exchanged between the CPU
and the DSS/BLF?
As someone said a very long time ago:
Results, not excuses.
With user count growing, I think receptionist could evolve from
hardware to hardware-software combination the same as receptionist job
changes from assisting call transfers (check if someone is available
before transfer) to blind call transfering (forward anyway and take the
call back if nobody answers).
If my understanding is correct, in the later case, a receptionist
doesn't really need BLF : he or she simply forward the call.
He or she mainly needs a directory application helping him or her to
find the right person within the organisation. And I don't think anyone
could have the patience to harphone BLF labels every 2 weeks to keep up
large site permanent user moves, adds and changes.
So the perfect receptionist application hardware-software combination
should include a mix between directory application and softphone, and
provide comfortable hardware to support these.
My opinion is I don't think market trends are at works now to make this
perfect combination happen anytime soon :
- from my point of view, it could take years to gather inputs from
receptionist around the world to provide them an effective
software-hardware combination.
- no one around the world really targets receptionist tools market (is
it a market ?) : some companies sell headphones or hardphones but
receptionnist account for such a tiny part of sales that these
companies cannot really hear receptionists demands and design specific
products.
- even if someone ever decide to focus on this, it would be difficult
for someone to convince companies to improve receptionist tools once
receptionist are trained and used.
Maybe, a standard PC+headphone + a couple of software would be the best
way to go ?
Even on that, obstacles remain such as :
- how do you monitor legacy PBX users along Asterisk users ?
- how do you monitor a distant Asterisk server whitout any Data link
between both locations ?
Regards
>From a sales perspective, one needs a system that is capable of many
different configurations. a small business wants shared line
appearances, since that has been proven to work for them. Our of an
office, imagine a retail store, where everyone on the floor needs to be
able to answer, redirect a call, not know if another station is busy or
not, be able to do an all call page, or an off hook voice announce, to
name a few features. Square hybrid works well here.
In a larger establishment that has a receptionist who is used to a
DSS/BLF, before the sale there is a good chance he/she will be
consulted, and reject anything that requires a great deal of change.
Soft BLF, as someone else pointed out, can be a real problem when the
desktop is busy, has crashed, or the BLF window closed accidently
Trying to jam someone into an IP system WILL meet with resistance.
There are too many good systems out there that long ago overcame these
problems, and many of them are NOT that expensive.
Use the correct tool for the job. There are many places where Asterisk
works, and many where it is a square peg in a round hole
JMO
John Novack
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