Hi Edlondre,
Latisha here. The Ipiphony system is a system that is meant for VOIP but with a little different configuration, you can put a PRI and dial tone, which is what my customer needed. My customer had actually purchased a "flex" circuit from Telepacific that carries data and voice in one circuit. When voice isn't using the pipe, it's all dedicated to data. This speeded up their network. This system plugs right into their network. It's all software driven. Each station user can log right into their station locally by using a local IP address or external IP address. They can use the external from anywhere in the world. All 21 station users can choose to have their desk phone ring simultaneously to their smart phone. Or, they can have a delayed ring to their smart phone. ($10 license each) (The service and sales guys loved this feature) Also, they can download a 3rd party app (like Bria), configure the soft phone on their smart phone and make calls from their smart phone as if they are sitting at their desk. (This way customers will never have their personal cell numbers). The General Manager has access to the whole system to monitor calls in, calls out, missed calls and etc. He can clearly see who has messages, who doesn't, who's listened to them, who hasn't etc. This was a must have for the GM. He runs a tight ship. They are automated and on a schedule as far as what lines ring and at what times. Service lines are active and incoming early in the morning. Sales lines a little later and stay active and incoming later. Parts is clearly 9 to 5. As is accounting. The GM likes to record a 60 second spot on a monthly basis and he uploads it himself easily from his PC to his music on hold every month. The voice mail is a no brainer for everybody, can be accessed from their phone, from another office phone, or from outside the office. It shows up as a wave file on their email as well.
Now, the headaches: Ipiphony engineers programmed the whole system for me before they shipped it out. ($6 per extension) I set up the system at my customer's prem in advance of the cutover date. (System, Netgear POE, Phones all up and running) I showed up on the evening of the cutover along with my customer's IT guy, and the Telepacific cutover tech. Two hours later we all left. I showed up bright and early the next day and sat with the receptionist to show her how to use the phone. I also set up training with an Ipiphony tech that trains everyone else via a conference call at my customers convenience. Ipiphony charges $125 per session (about an hour each session). I had purchased 2 sessions ahead of time so that different groups (sales, service, etc) could choose convenient times. In hindsight, next time I will schedule training BEFORE the system is cutover. (The first day was a little hectic for me because of this.) After this initial set up and training, I had to go back to set up their overhead paging. Ipiphony had sent me a link sys fxo. On the phone with an Ipiphony tech while I was onsite, they told me how to connect it. They took it over remotely, configured it, and programmed the ring group. They called me back when it was done, and together with the customer we tested it.
Since then, there have been a couple of prog changes and so forth. I just call Ipiphony and they handle it. All with no extra charges ever. Ipiphony is easy to get a hold of on demand.
The biggest learning curve for me was learning about POE. It took about 5 minutes to figure it out. Oh, and ports and protocols. But I just had the IT guy handle that. I've taken notes so some of the stuff that needs changing I can do myself remotely. Its been months now. The customer is happy. I was glad that I was able to give them what they needed, at a price within their budget. (Telepacific carried the financing and cut me a check for the full amount about a week after cutover)
The free support from Ipiphony is awesome.
Let me know if you have any questions Edlondre.
Latisha
