Needed: Remote Install, Integration, Customization.

[spokanepcrepair]

I have a working call center. I would like to have automated dialing.

I am the IT guy. I created everything there so far. I would be working hand-in-hand with you to implement this, and integrate it into my existing calendar (easy, I would think.)

I don't know what all details here to list, so I will wait for questions.

Asterisk Version 1.4.17
Ubuntu Server

20 agents

509 280- 6106

[williamconley]

Your best bet (simplest solution with NO downtime for your existing systems) would be to add a small dialer (Core2Duo?) and allow your agents to log in through their phones on the existing Asterisk server (so Vicidial would dial their SIP extensions through your existing server).

This way, Vicidial would be standalone (disposable for that matter) and you can "implement" it painlessly with any number of agents for testing purposes at any speed.

Not that I've done this before. LOL

If you want, you can contact any one of the posters on this site for a little help with the setup, or just post on the site. If you want to be up in a couple days and testing, that's the way to go.

And don't let anyone tell you that you MUST get LOTS of bandwidth to test or pay someone LOTS of money (unless you are in a hurry!).

I have several HAPPY clients who grabbed a Spare P4, got Vicibox from Vicibox.com, used Broadband they already had, and tested with a couple agents for a few weeks before making any decisions.

Vicibox.com - installs from iso and it's free. Come here if you have need of assistance!

And buy the manual (not just to say "Thank you" to Matt for making this software available and free for all of us, but also because it will save you MORE than it costs in services from guys like ME! Seriously.)

[spokanepcrepair]

I got a dedicated quad core server to do this with.

I did install vicibox and all, but then got sortof confused where to go from there... i never successfully got it to dial...

[williamconley]

1) install vicibox

2) set up a soft phone and register to vicibox and then "log in" as an agent so it will call the soft phone to prove the silly thing can generate SOUND!

3) set up with a voip provider, enter that provider as a "carrier" and make a call (of course, you'll need to put in a List and a Campaign and load a few leads into the list so you have someone to call, like your cell phone)

[spokanepcrepair]

Indeed, I believe I can do this. Thing is, I have tried it a little before, and time is a limit to me currently. I could probably do this in under an hour, with someone there to answer a few questions as needed. I have all the hardware ready and the credentials and all. What I couldn't get, was that my sip phones (polycom's) are already registered to my current * server, and they auto-provision to that. Do I unregister them from there, and register them to Vici?

Edit:

Also, for the provider, I am unsure what to provide:

Currently, I have an asterisk PBX (PBX2) that interacts with another asterisk PBX (pbxin) - pbxin just has a sangoma card connected to a PRI, and the reason for doing this, was because PBX2 is virtualized, and Xen doesn't share hardware nicely, so PBXin is a physical machine dedicated to routing the calls, while PBX2 (virtualized( does the heavy lifting.

Would I tell Vicibox that pbxin is the provider, or do I put the sangoma card inside vicibox, and go from there?

[williamconley]

*I* would recommend leaving your existing system the way it is and "adding" the vicibox server to route calls through your existing setup. considering that each agent will only have ONE call (vicibox may have MANY)

I would leave the SIP Phones registered where they are and have vicibox call them through their existing servers UNLESS you want to try to set the vicibox system to call directly to their phones without them registering

tricky, but if you know asterisk the only thing that NEEDS to work: when an agent logs in with "phone" credentials, the dial plan number associated with that "phone" needs to ring the agent ... HOW is up to YOU.

vicidial will initiate a call from a meetme room to the agent. if the agent answers, the path to the agents isn't an issue (well, if it's stable it isn't an issue!)

after that, vicidial takes over and the rest is normal.

that being said: AFTER you've had it running for a while and gained an understanding of the system, you may (likely WILL) change it completely, but then again ... if it works and scales, you may not.

[spokanepcrepair]

yes, I'd much prefer to leave things alone and let vici be an addon to the current system, but that is the issue... I don't know vici enough to just "do" this, and I fear breaking the production system in attempting to learn vici in this manner. I would prefer to have someone knowledgeable with vici, to combine with someone knowledgeable about my system (me), to implement this. are you interested in helping me make the transition?

[williamconley]

here, free, when i'm available ... otherwise, of course, there's a fee involved.

but remember that as far as "dialing extension XXXX" to get to an agent who is actually on another box ... that's just asterisk. that CAN be "added on" after a fashion without "breaking" anything (i do, of course, understand your caution in this area!)

you may also look at (test run) using soft phones or re-registering one phone to prove the system before "making changes". of course.

[spokanepcrepair]

The fee, is why I posted in this section. I'm willing to pay for reliability

[williamconley]

seems fair. what's your "deadline" (or are you just going to "shoot at it this weekend" and see if you can get it online for testing next week?)

of course, you can also email me if you can guess my first name and see our website in my signature.

[spokanepcrepair]

I'd like to be online ASAP, but the end of the month, is the true deadline

[williamconley]

three weeks? wow. that's cool.

i love long deadlines.

[spokanepcrepair]

ah crap! wait, no! i meant this weekend!

.. you got any instant messengers?

[williamconley]

windows messenger for those who "pay" (i mean, it IS built into the OS)

[spokanepcrepair]

I'm willing to pay, but I'd like a quote

I don't know if you can do *everything* I am looking to do, or just the vici part.. or whatnot... can we chat about it somehow, and see about getting a quote?

to be perfectly clear, I have funds set aside for this project. I just need to know how much (approx) it will cost, and when it could be completed.

I read your rates on your website, but that still does not help me determine how many hours (approx) it will take.

[williamconley]

sure, shoot me a PM or an email and we can work it out.

i just finished my double install for the evening so I'm out, but we can discuss it at length tomorrow. If you can describe what you're goal is.

So far the ONLY time I have turned down any project is if it was simply too large (those we hand over to The Vicidial Group).

We can handle virtually any type of project, from AJAX to APIs and (if necessary) integration with Goldmine on a Windows 2000 server in MSSQL!

[spokanepcrepair]

PM sent

[spokanepcrepair]

I have been speaking with williamconley the last few days via EMail/Phone. He is very knowledgeable, and helped me get my Vicidial system up and working. I recommend anyone else looking for services to contact him/his company. I will be using him for future adventures in auto dialing.