[VoiceOps] Rephrased Question: 100+ seat MIGRATIONS to VoIP

[Jay Hennigan]

On 2/1/12 9:37 AM, Darren Schreiber wrote:

> We are working with a firm who is trying to move many high-volume (think
> lawyers offices, doctors offices, etc.) 100+ seat offices from KEY
> systems (BLFs, Line keys, All-set paging, Intercom, one-touch transfer,
> the works) to VoIP. We are trying to advise them on how to sell into
> their market the most effectively, but we are running into issues where
> the clients expect the new system to act like the old system. This
> ranges from quality to feature set. I'm trying to figure out how others
> have handled this.

All-set paging can be a tough one with the PBX remote opening 100+ audio
streams.  Many offices can do without it and actually find it to be a
more pleasant office without it.  Overhead speakers with a local
amplifier are one solution.  There are SIP-based paging speakers out
there and a couple of specialized vendors for local all-set paging, some
using multicast.  In one case we deployed a local Asterisk on a separate
button just for paging.

Intercom isn't a problem.  Same operation for intercom as calling
outside.  Minimal training.  In almost all cases we have dropped the "9
for outside" dialplan and gone with timeouts and the SEND button.
People are used to this now due to cell phones.

Reception console handles BLFs and gives much more.  After training the
receptionists love it.

The one call handling operation that key systems do well that PBXs don't
seems to be able to handle is in a warehouse or retail store type of
operation.  Take an auto parts store for example.  A call comes in on
line 3, caller wants to know if a part is in stock.  Employee answers
the call at the counter, puts it on hold, walks to the back of the
store, finds the part, walks to the phone in the back of the store and
pushes the blinking button to resume the call.

Yes, there is call park and the like but it's a major hassle in this
type of situation.  This is the one feature that is tough to get around
if you have a customer who uses it.  "I just want to put a call on hold
here and pick it up there!  What is so hard about that?  It's been a
common feature on every phone system we've had for the last 50 years!"

Things that they like, especially in larger offices, are individual DIDs
and the advanced messaging features.

--
Jay Hennigan - CCIE #7880 - Network Engineering - jay at impulse.net
Impulse Internet Service  -  http://www.impulse.net/
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