[Asterisk-Users] Receptionist Phones

[John Novack]

Olivier Krief wrote:

> 2006/3/29, John Novack <jnovack at stromberg-carlson.org 
> <mailto:jnovack at stromberg-carlson.org>>:
>
>     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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