looking for advice on communication software

[joadamwin]

I've looked at asterisk,vicidial,Linyx, other products free also buy program,and cloud products. Can anyone help. I'm setting up on my own in Spain.I will use same call list numbers everyday.To start maybe 100 numbers build up in month or so 200/300 numbers. I would ideally like multiple predictive call dialing maybe 5 at a time,I want to join in call if necessary,live monitoring calls.
calls outbound with a recorded message, options (2) by pressing key pad on phone. inboard calls recorded,intercepted if needed
I need VoIP company for calls checked a few out for prices,and system to do above.Or one product to do the lot I have windows 7 laptop good internet connection. Sorry not very technical,but would appreciate some advice. Everything I look at talks about managers call centers which I don't need.

[williamconley]

Advice:

Don't pay anyone any money. It's not necessary. If they ask for money, giggle and just get all the information from them that you can get. The only exception to this rule is that you will need to get a VOIP Carrier to make calls (there are A LOT of them out there!!!). Anything over 1.5 cents per minute (US domestic) is a ripoff (actually 1 cent if you will be spending at least $200US/month). I have no idea what the pricing in Spain is. Sorry. LOL

Next: Advice from someone I got many years ago when I got into all this ... I will now pass on with a few slight changes. IF you have an old workstation PC (anything with at least 2 cores 2Ghz or above will do, failing that get the cheapest computer from Walmart or an old laptop!), go to "Vicibox.com" and download the appropriate server .iso image (32 vs 64 bit, Standard vs Preload). If you don't know 32 vs 64 ... try installing from the 64 bit first and it will say "bite me" if you don't have a 64 bit processor. LOL I recommend Standard instead of Preload because it's not that much extra effort to use Standard and the questions it asks will help you understand what you are doing. But Standard is cool, too, there is no difference at this level in the final machine.

Use the PDF for installation of the Vicibox .iso from the Vicibox site. When you are done with that, proceed to "EFLO.net" and find/download the FREE version of the Vicidial Manager's manual. Start at page ONE. Do Not Skip Anything. I don't care how smart you are or how sure you are, skip nothing. (Notice I said that twice, right?) Eventually you will have (a) a complete server setup or (b) a problem. If you have the problem, bring us the page/line you are on (and a snippet) along with what you expected to see/hear/experience and what you Actually saw/heard/etc. Details! We'll walk you through getting it set up completely.

YES this can be set up in a virtual server (but only for One Agent, as a rule, excellent for training and development, though!). Do note that Vicidial is not an "application" that you install in Windows. Vicidial is a set of programs that control Asterisk and runs in Linux. If you install with Vicibox, it will wipe out everything on the hard drive and install OpenSuSE, then everything necessary for Vicidial ... and then Vicidial itself. In the end, you'll have a Linux Server with MySQL (Database) Apache (Web) Asterisk (Phone) and several other services running on it. You will need to have a keyboard and monitor for that machine (but no mouse) during installation. After that you will be controlling it from the web interface and/or remotely via "SSH" (with a tiny little program called Putty by Chiark).

And there are plenty of users here to help you. Just don't let anyone in your production system unless you trust them. Preferably because they are somewhere that you can sue them ... LOL

[joadamwin]

A big big thanks amazin,i will print off your reply and use it as my bible!lol...will put all in to action later. After reading your guide lines a few times. Cant thank you enough x

[joadamwin]

Ive looked first, at managers manual vicidial. As I want predictive dialer,it says in manual not to be used for less than two people.As it slows the dialer down. I am a one person team.
A lot of stuff in manual I don't need or want. All I want to do is phone the same numbers every day starting with say 100 hopefully progressing to 400 numbers a day with predictive dialer calling 5 numbers at same time.As the numbers have to be dialled in a short period. If I installed vicidial I also need Asterisk? I need to buy another computer min 2 core. Because if i was to install all this on my windows 7 laptop it would then become a linux computer?
I also have to download a VOIP carrier. Which is okay. Once I can clear up what I need. then I will decide which type of phone I need to use with voip. I have voip headphones but might decide on softphone. I cant do anything till i get the program I need to start my business.
Isent there just one simple package to download for a one person setup. I'm not a call center. I don't mind finding a VoIP provider apart,but i don't know why I need anything other than a predictive dialer program.Surely they have all I need.
Same calls dialed everyday at same time. I will monitor calls live if they want to speak live to me they can,or leave message. I will leave recorded message for all outgoing calls. They can inbound calls. I dont need a bpx system for muliple phones,agents.
Sorry if I sound to basic,any help would be appriaciated

[williamconley]

It's not that it "slows down the dialer", it's that the usefulness increases when you have multiple users sharing leads (ie: if you can dial 5 numbers for two people, this is much more efficient ... but with only ONE person, you can really only dial one number at a time ... to avoid dropping calls).

You cannot install this on a windows computer. The installation will "blow away" any software previously on the computer. So it may be windows when you start, but it will NOT be windows when you are done. LOL

For a single person use, however, you could get away with a virtual installation. If you have a spare computer, install it in that. If not, your laptop would need to be multiple core to support a virtual vicidial.

And to help you out with your terminology, you do not need a "Predictive" dialer. Predictive is reserved for multiple agents dialing multiple lines each on a complex system determining availability odds at any given moment so dialing can precede agent availability and "just in time" deliver a prospect to a freshly available Agent. You need an "autodialer" which is one of Vicidial's abilities as well. You just want it to dial for you when you're available and stop when you're not, right?

VOIP Carriers are not "downloaded". They are vendors who connect your calls through the internet. You pay them, create an account on their website, and then when your dialer makes a call they allow the call to pass through their system into the Public Telephone System (so you can talk to a person on a land line or mobile phone through your dialer). They provide that "link" via the internet. Also referred to as SIP Providers.

Now I get the impression you will want the dialer to play a recorded message to the people who answer? (reading your comments ... I get that impression ...)

[joadamwin]

Thanks again William.I will take your advice and buy a laptop.anything with at least 2 cores 2Ghz or more
get the virtual installation from vicidial with a autodialer,set the call list up to ring whole list without stopping.Hope it can dial say 5 numbers at a time or does this part depend on VoIP carrier? calls have to go through in as short as time possible.virtual installation dosent seem to be mentioned anywhere on vicidial website.unless you mean contact center suite can be virtual,and as you start the process it asks if you want it virtual or not
I will pick up on calls dialed and not answered and dial them again separately.Also pick up any messages that have been left. While the dialer is still dialing
I will choose a voip carrier for call costs
I still need Asterisk as this is vicidials server? Vicidial is a set of programs that control Asterisk and runs in Linux ( PDF for installation of the Vicibox .iso from the Vicibox site) do I still need all of this

[williamconley]

vicibox (the installer iso available from vicibox.com) will install everything. there is a pdf on the site. it is designed for "follow the instructions and you have a fully functional server when done".

after you have it installed, with the pdf, you then work through the vicidial manager's manual from eflo.net, which will help you configure it for use.

a standard server can normally dial over 200 lines at one time easily. but a virtual server is "hobbled" and 5 at a time may cause it to overload. you SHOULD be ok, though, depending on the power of the available system.