Add calling abilities to Java program

Hi, we are a small software restaurant point of sale company looking to integrate some calling abilities into our software.

Some examples:
1) Panic button to notify police in case of robberies.
2) Auto call back when take out orders are ready.

I saw you have a java api. Would I have to buy a copy for every installation?

Yes and No . It depends on how your software is installed and whether you want to host Voicent software for calling also.
Distribute Voicent Application on Each Installation

The biggest advantage is that each site has its own caller ID and you do not have to manage the calling for your clients. Since the call is originated from your client’s site, the caller ID will be number of their location not yours. So for panic dialing 911 automatically will have the correct locations shown to police. The correct caller ID is also desirable for automatic phone calls for take out order notification.

If you do choose this route, please sign up as Voicent Reseller, which entitles you to some decent discount.

Host Voicent Application

You could also host Voicent application for your clients. Any call request will then be forwarded from your software to Voicent software.

Posted in Developer, General |

Autodialer autosave option

Question #1 — If I set the “Auto save call list” feature to a higher number what is the potential risk exposure?

Scenario A — I have a call list of 100 ph# and set the Auto Save at 50 calls, what happens if I get an error message and have to stop the Broadcast after it’s sent out just 40 calls? When I restart the Broadcast will it remember what ph# it’s already called and which still need to be done if it never got up to the 50th call?

Scenario B — I have a call list of only 40 ph# but the Auto Save feature is set at 50. After Voicent is done sending calls to the entire list and I close the Broadcast, will it remember each call’s final status even if an “auto save” was never performed?

If you only have a 100 # in the call list, then do not worry about the auto save. Set it to “1″, which saves the status after each call. Setting to a larger number only when you have a call list that takes more than 1 second to save any change.

Now assume you have a large call list, like a list with 50,000 phone numbers. The “risk” of not saving the call status for 50 calls is that you may lose these status if there is a crash (computer, software, hard disk etc). For normal operations, there is no risk. For example, in your scenario A and B, the software knows the call list is not saved and it will ask you to save the call list before exiting. So the autosave option is not a risky option in general. It is also recommended not to use a large call list if possible.

Question #2 — If I check the “No edit during Broadcast” would I still be able to stop and re-start the broadcast after it’s begun? What “editing” would I NOT be able to do if I check this box?

Yes, you should be able to start and stop the broadcast. The editing refers to operations like add more phone numbers, change phone numbers, move rows, insert columns, etc.

Posted in Auto Dialer |

Appointment Reminder call transfer

I am looking into purchasing the appointment reminder system but I am concerned about the Call transfer part of the message designer. If am I looking at the documentation correctly it can only be transferred to a single number? I cannot setup individual numbers for example 0-transfers to billing department (123)456-7890, 1-human resources (098)765-4321

Yes and no. The default reminder message or messages designed by the built-in Message Designer, calls are transferred to a single number. This number is set in Voicent Gateway. For many installations, this is enough.

To set up call transfer to different phone number, you need to use Voicent IVR Studio, which is fully integrated with AutoReminder. By using IVR Studio, you can design almost any reminder message you can think of. For example, appointment reminder message can support multiple languages, multiple questions and answered, transfer to multiple phone numbers, sending emails, submit to website forms, etc.

Posted in Appointment Reminder |