Import Outlook vCards

Posted on June 4, 2022 | By Voicent Support

I want to use a dialer to call from my Microsoft Outlook vcards. How can I do that with your software?

You can export all the vcards from outlook into a CSV file and then import the file to our software. Once the contacts are imported into our system, you can choose the various dialers, such as auto dialer, predictive dialer, power dialer, and preview dialer. You can also use simple click to call.

The following instructions are from Microsoft support regarding export cCards to a CSV file.

1. To start the export wizard, click File > Open & Export > Import/Export.

2. On the first page of the wizard, click Export to a file > Next.

3. On the next page, click Comma Separated Values > Next.

4. Choose either the Contacts folder or a subfolder you want to export, and click Next. Browse to where you want to save the file, and click OK.

5. Click Next. Make sure the box next to Export “Contacts” from folder Contacts (or the name of the subfolder) is checked.

6. Do one of the following:

To export all the default fields, click Finish.

To export only the fields you want and control the order of the fields in the .csv file, click Map Custom Fields and then do the following:

Click Clear Map. This removes all the fields from the right pane and lets you start with a clean slate.

In the left pane, click the “+” symbol next to the categories such as Name, Business Address, Home Address, and E-mail to see their individual fields.

Select fields one at a time and drag them to the right pane.

If you want, change the order of the fields in the right pane by dragging them up or down. This affects the order of the columns in the .csv file.

After you’re done adding fields and moving them around, click OK.

7. Click Finish.

Once exported, see the following article to import the contacts

Posted in Predictive Dialer, Tips & Tricks |

Blocked Call Time

Posted on May 17, 2022 | By Voicent Support

Sometimes a campaign displays the status as Blocked Call Time and also stops making new calls. The valid call time (applies to text messages also) is defined in the Call Control page, which can be accessed from the Setup, Account, Call Control menu. If a campaign cannot find any contacts to call during the valid call time, the campaign will pause automatically and will try to resume in the upcoming hour.

Auto adjustment for time zones

The allowed call time is defined based on the time on the server computer. For our cloud service, all servers are set to the Pacific Time. However, the dialer will automatically adjust the time based the area code of target phone numbers. For example, if the allowed call time is from 9 am to 6 pm, that time will be 9 to 6 on the east coast if a phone number is an east coast phone number.

Confusion may arise when you have a few phone numbers outside of your own time zone. For example, if you set 9 to 6 allowed call time and your campaign shows Blocked call time status at 9:45 am, you may wonder what is going on. The most likely cause is that you have phone numbers on the west coast that are too early to call.

Posted in Call Center Software, Tips & Tricks |

Build a remote sales team

Posted on April 21, 2022 | By Voicent Support

With the tread continues toward work from home even after COVID restrictions are relaxed, organizations need to adapt and be flexible in order to keep talents. More and more employees prefer not coming to the office, at least not on every workday. This poses challenges for IT infrastructure to support a sales team that may reside all over the places, even overseas. A sales team requires:

  • Access customer information, such as in a CRM system
  • Communicate with customers over phone, text messages, and email
  • View and manage team member activities in real time

It is difficult for traditional on-premise systems to satisfy such requirements for a team with local and remote workers. For example, by utilizing VPN, remote worker can login to their corporate network and access an in-house CRM. However, traditional PBX systems normally do not work well for remote workers.

The cloud offers a natural solution for supporting remote workers. Cloud based CRM, such as salesforce and Zoho, can be used anywhere in the world. Since data resides in the cloud, it does not matter where people work. Similarly, online VOIP phone services (and call center services) can be utilized. The difficulty with the cloud solution is system integration. Cloud companies normally offer a single solution and it is up to the customer to put them together.

Voicent offers a seamlessly integrated sales solutions with call center tools, CRM, and workflow automation. There is almost no ramp up time to use the service. Simply create an account and login to use it. There is no long term contract required. Customers can opt for a monthly subscription, choose number of users, and select desired features.

For an outbound calling campaign, a manager can upload a calling list, select agents (team members) to work on the campaign regardless where they are, and just hit the start button. The predictive dialer will automatically make all the calls. When a live person answers a call, the dialer software will automatically transfer the call to an agent that’s been idle for the longest time. On the agent’s computer, a screen pop will automatically be displayed with the customer’s CRM record, and optionally, a call script window. In terms of management, the manager can see all activities on the Manager Dashboard. He can listen on live phone calls or do whisper coaching. Manager also have access to full detailed call report and CRM report.

For inbound call centers, auto attendants can be set up to present callers with a menu. Calls then can be transferred to an agent (regardless where he works), a cell phone, or an automated IVR system.

Posted in Call Center Software, Use Case Scenario |