Outside Call Centers

[Mike Hammett]

I'm evaluating a few ways to try to connect to an outside call center.

1) Can I have a trunk be a part of a queue? My observation says no.
2) Can I have a generic extension that a remote facility registers to me with that can handle many concurrent calls and be a part of a queue? My observation says no (because of the latter part).
3) Can I route a call in a digital receptionist to flow down a trunk? My observation says no.


All I'm left with is the call flow app, but I'm not versed in that enough to know if it'll work.

 

[leejor]

If you were able to connect to whatever it is at the far end, using a Bridge trunk, then it allows more possible call scenarios. These days, unless the other end is a 3CX PBX, then the use of a bridge trunk is discouraged, as people tend to end up with a number of issues, getting everything working, that they think should work.

One thing you could possibly do, is your point 2. You have the ability to allow a SIP device to register to 3CX, and become a queue agent. However....this will depend on the make/model of the phone (compatibility with 3CX) and whether or not it can be provisioned remotely (template available and far end network configuration). This is of course, unless you choose to provision it manually, which would probably not be recommended.

If you are considering a number of agents, at one location, an SBC could be installed there, making the setup of extensions, a lot easier.

Point 3...a call to a Digital receptionist can be directed to an extension (unregistered), with call forwarding directed to an outside number, if desired.

 

[Mike Hammett]

If you were able to connect to whatever it is at the far end, using a Bridge trunk, then it allows more possible call scenarios. These days, unless the other end is a 3CX PBX, then the use of a bridge trunk is discouraged, as people tend to end up with a number of issues, getting everything working, that they think should work.

One thing you could possibly do, is your point 2. You have the ability to allow a SIP device to register to 3CX, and become a queue agent. However....this will depend on the make/model of the phone (compatibility with 3CX) and whether or not it can be provisioned remotely (template available and far end network configuration). This is of course, unless you choose to provision it manually, which would probably not be recommended.

If you are considering a number of agents, at one location, an SBC could be installed there, making the setup of extensions, a lot easier.

Point 3...a call to a Digital receptionist can be directed to an extension (unregistered), with call forwarding directed to an outside number, if desired.

At the other end will be a full call center. Dozens if not hundreds of Agents. We are setting up an overflow for a customer support operations to go to a third party.

 

[leejor]

If you are transferring or routing the occasional call to the call centre, then that is probably do-able, but from the sounds of it, the bulk of callers should be dialing numbers routed directly to the call centre, not passing through 3CX. If the call centre were based on 3CX, then that would allow for more options.

 

[Mike Hammett]

If you are transferring or routing the occasional call to the call centre, then that is probably do-able, but from the sounds of it, the bulk of callers should be dialing numbers routed directly to the call centre, not passing through 3CX. If the call centre were based on 3CX, then that would allow for more options.

Hard to train people to call one number for support and a different number for everything else.

 

[leejor]

If people are used to dialing one number for everything, and seem incapable of learning, or simply refuse to do it correctly, then direct the call to an IVR, and force them to make a choice.

 

[Mike Hammett]

If people are used to dialing one number for everything, and seem incapable of learning, or simply refuse to do it correctly, then direct the call to an IVR, and force them to make a choice.

Right, which is what I do. Circling back to my original post.

 

[NickD_3CX]

Another idea would be do set up your 3CX Queue to have a "Destination if no Answer" to an External Number that would be of the External Call Center .

Also in your 3CX Queue you could set the "Maximum Callers in Queue" to a number after which the "overflow" calls could go to the Call Center.

So, in this setup you would have:

• If no agents are logged into the Queue --> Call goes to Destination No Answer --> External Call Center
• If Callers remains in the Queue for longer than the Max Queue Call time --> Call goes to Destination No Answer --> External Call Center
• Any Callers over the "Maximum Callers in Queue" that call in --> Call goes to Destination No Answer --> External Call Center

Now, how you route the calls to the External Call Center is another story. You could either route them over your SIP Trunk, mind you you would be being charged as your 3CX would still be "proxying" the calls.
Alternatively, you could setup a "direct SIP Trunk" with them if they offer this service, probably a Generic IP-based SIP trunk and send all calls over this trunk directly to their system, this would only cost you bandwidth.