Alternative Phone Solutions?

[DanH]

I recently transferred to a store where we have a very outdated phone system. We are also in the process of remodeling and updating our phone system is not an option until after the remodeling has been done which is about a 6 month process if everything goes smoothly.

I'm trying to come up with an alternative, temporary phone solution that we can use until the remodeling is done and we can update to a proper digital phone system.

Any ideas? I thought about Skype, but I've heard there are security issues to consider. A call center would be horrendously expensive.

Has anyone else been in this position? What did you use and how would you handle it differently if you had to do it again?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[john.quinn]

How 'bout a Century Interactive (Century Interactive marketing analytics) program? Get yourself some toll-free numbers and direct them to your cell phones.

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

I second John!

 

[Eley Duke]

Great advice John. The purple tie rules.

Skype - no way, that would be a nightmare. Dan, have you spoke to your current phone systems provider about alternatives. When we went through our renovation we had the switchboard phone moved to an alternative location in the store. You need to have ability to transfer, put on hold, etc. There shouldn't be any reason to loose it all together.

 

[DanH]

How 'bout a Century Interactive (Century Interactive marketing analytics) program? Get yourself some toll-free numbers and direct them to your cell phones.

This was brought up in our meeting earlier this week, we are already set up with Callmeasurement so it wouldn't be hard to implement. I think it would probably work out okay, I just like to have more than one option whenever I take on something like this.

Great advice John. The purple tie rules.

Skype - no way, that would be a nightmare. Dan, have you spoke to your current phone systems provider about alternatives. When we went through our renovation we had the switchboard phone moved to an alternative location in the store. You need to have ability to transfer, put on hold, etc. There shouldn't be any reason to loose it all together.

The phone company has been out to the store numerous times and the problems persist. We have the ability to hold and transfer, the primary issue is that our system goes down randomly and calls from customers are completely lost. Obviously this is a major issue that we've inherited, and I'm trying to find the BEST solution to get around it. Since we've transferred to the store we have cleaned up Callmeasurement significantly and we have missed call alerts now that allow us to know when this happens and immediately call the customer back. However, it's still a soup sandwich.

I will probably fall back on using CM to forward to cell phones if I don't find another solution, but I'm leaning on it as a last resort solution.

Thanks for the input!

 

[ed.brooks]

A Google Voice number can be set up to ring to a number of phones - both cell and land lines. It might work well as a temporary solution. (and it's FREE)

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Both John and Ed said exactly what I would have said.

 

[john.quinn]

Great advice John. The purple tie rules.

Skype - no way, that would be a nightmare. Dan, have you spoke to your current phone systems provider about alternatives. When we went through our renovation we had the switchboard phone moved to an alternative location in the store. You need to have ability to transfer, put on hold, etc. There shouldn't be any reason to loose it all together.

Are you S$:!!:&g me???? (not the content...)

Eley, shouldn't you NOT be here?!?!?!

 

[Eley Duke]

Are you S$:!!:&g me???? (not the content...)

Eley, shouldn't you NOT be here?!?!?!

everything went great John! ( FYI: I had surgery this morning on my leg.) John, Dr said it went better than expected and I should be walking in 3 days! They did a nerve block son they didnt put me under as deep so things are much better and I feel great.

I screwed with the sales managers this afternoon, called them and said I was fine and I signed us up this afternoon for a staffed super sale the last week of the month with 300,000 key mailers giving away a Cadillac SRX. There was a long pause and a "na-uh".

 

[Patrick Elverum]

Dan, Sounds like there may be some issues with your carrier/in store hardware solution. Call Measurement will work with your local phone company to isolate the issue and route to alternative numbers in the mean time. Those customers are not lost. If they called in on a Call Measurement number, we have them and can help you follow up with them. Give me a call and we will get it worked out. 214-919-4126.

Best,

Patrick