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

[Todd Wolf]

Key system mode is pretty east to do on Broadworks...use series completion

-----Original Message-----
From: voiceops-bounces at voiceops.org [mailto:voiceops-bounces at voiceops.org] On Behalf Of Jay Hennigan
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:25 PM
To: voiceops at voiceops.org
Subject: Re: [VoiceOps] Rephrased Question: 100+ seat MIGRATIONS to VoIP

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/ Your local telephone and internet company - 805 884-6323 - WB6RDV _______________________________________________
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