Answering Calls From Computer

[arba7ak]

Dear Sir,

 

My system is just a computer with analog external fax/modem connected to one telephone line.

 

I want to let voice guide answer all incoming calls and gives a menu of multiple choice and when customer choose to talk to customer support personnel I need some notification from the voice guide software to our customer support person who should be sitting on the same computer and be able to talk to the customer through a microphone and speakers connected to the computer.

 

When I connect an external telephone handset to the same line to do the same I found that voice guide stop listening to the modem port and no longer answering incoming calls.

 

I need to know how from my script to tell customer support personnel that he should answer the call right now and let him use the mic and speakers to communicate with the caller.

 

Thanks

[SupportTeam]

I need to know how from my script to tell customer support personnel that he should answer the call right now

Playing a sound file over the PCs speakers is the usual approach.

Use VoiceGuide's Run Program module to run a program which will do the playing.

 

See "Example 3" in VoiceGuide Help file's entry on the Run program module.

 

From http://www.voiceguide.com/vghelp/source/html/modrunprogram.htm :

Example 3:

 

Sound Recorder application specifying that it should play the specified sound file and then close afterwards using this command line:

 

sndrec32 /play /close c:\test.wav

 

The Media Player application can also be used for this purpose:

 

mplayer /play /close c:\test.wav

 

If you are finding that the program does not run as VoiceGuide cannot find it then try specifying the full path to where your program is on your system. For example, the Media Player program on some systems is actually in:

 

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\mplayer2.exe

 

which would make the actual command line required to be used in the Run Module:

 

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\mplayer2.exe /play /close c:\test.wav

 

But doubt that you will be able to do this:

and be able to talk to the customer through a microphone and speakers connected to the computer.

Best to have the telephone line split - going to modem and to telephone handset at the same time (turn off the telephone handsets ring sound).

When PC plays a sound then just pick up the handset.

[arba7ak]

Thank you very much for your helpful reply.

 

The problem when connecting both handset and and computer modem using a splitter, voice guide gives a message (unavailable) and stop picking up incoming phone calls. how to solve this issue?

[SupportTeam]

The problem when connecting both handset and and computer modem using a splitter, voice guide gives a message (unavailable) and stop picking up incoming phone calls.

Would not expect that to happen, not sure what would be causing this.

Would expect the modem to operate the same regardless of what else is connected in parallel to the incoming phone line.

 

Can you try using another modem?

[arba7ak]

Thanks for the info

 

I will get another modem today and come back with the result.

 

Regards

[arba7ak]

Hello Sir,

 

I have replaced the modem card yesterday and it worked fine now with both VG and handset connected in parallel to the same line.

 

Now I face another problem which is sometimes when I lift the handset to make a call VG starts as if there is an incoming call. This is happening frequently and randomly not at the beginning of the call but sometime during it for example during about 10 minutes call from the handset VG opened and I heard the system messages three times. Could you suggest a solution for this please?

 

I also need to do a new step in my script, I know now how to play a sound file from script to notify me to lift the handset. I want also a feedback to the script to know if I have lifted the handset and talked to the caller or not. I'm currently saving all incoming calls in a database with which I want to include also on each call if the call have been answered or not.

 

I want also to record the voice conversation between the customer and the person who answering it. How to do so?

 

Regards

[SupportTeam]

Now I face another problem which is sometimes when I lift the handset to make a call VG starts as if there is an incoming call.

We've heard that this happens with some modems. But usually at instant the handset is picked up. We have not heard of this happening midway through call before.

The only solution really would be to disconnect the modem when you are using the line to make your own calls.

There is no way to set how the modem detects the incoming calls. The modem just does, and when it reports that to VoiceGuide then VoiceGuide answers the call.

 

want also a feedback to the script to know if I have lifted the handset and talked to the caller or not.

This is not possible. Modems cannot detect if some other device attached in parallel to the telephone line has been 'picked up'.

 

The usual approach with these setups is to route call to Voicemail after some time after the sound file has been played.

 

I want also to record the voice conversation between the customer and the person who answering it. How to do so?

It could be done by having the script start a 'Record' module, but as the modem cannot detect handset pickup then this is not feasible to implement.

 

The better approach would be to get a Dialogic card that can do the 2-line recording (D/41JCT), and a cheap PBX.

You can then do "Dial and Conference"/"Trombone" transfers of callers to PBX extension, and get positive confirmation of handset pickup, and have the call recorded.