Hello
Im thinking of making a simple generic call centre application for businesses that do outbound calling and would presently use spreadsheets to manage customer data.
Im hoping to get a discussion going between some developers that have experience with such companies as to what are the basic features best included, what platform to use?
Goals
-Be Simple!
-Require very limited tech knowledge to use
-Be being able to export data back to excel format click of a button any time
-Robust multiuser access over any network (maybe not any but most)
It would allow a non tech manager to
-import a list of contacts (excel/csv format) with any amount of fields
-then to give fields properties such as
+ Type(address field / telephone field / displayfield / hidden field),
+ Editable(yes/no)
-to specify additional fields that are required to hold the information agents need to pick up on a call
-to enter a list of call status' that agents select from after each record is called to signify the call outcome
-to apportion all records into sets every morning so each agent that is to call will have their own bunch of records for that day
The client app agents use would
-allow them to record their name as the caller
-show one record at a time, displaying the fields accoring to the field properties discussed above
-allow input into the extra fields defined by manager above
-allow the selection of a status for each record to signify outcome
-have a button to call windows dialer to place a call to the customer shown
The client for reporting would
-show summary by agent for a specific day, how many of each status as set above
-display all records that meet certain requirements eg certain call outcome on certain date in both a 1 record per screen and flat file list
Microsoft Access would be great except multiuser access sucks on lousy networks - what platform would you advise? An Access Project front end, sql server back end? How easy is it to create a package that installs SQL server express edition / MSDE in a fashion that wont through a non techy person?
If i was to use sql server in thinking of creating a new database for each new calling project thats undertaken with the clients choosing which to connect to. Also keeping things pretty flat file
There is a lot missing - scheduled callbacks etc (agent would have to record ID and then search for it), but im thinking simple, easy, Excel replacement. (That may be for V2.)
Thanks for bearing with me so far... ive a feeling i may be lambasted lol
Gary
Im thinking of making a simple generic call centre application for businesses that do outbound calling and would presently use spreadsheets to manage customer data.
Im hoping to get a discussion going between some developers that have experience with such companies as to what are the basic features best included, what platform to use?
Goals
-Be Simple!
-Require very limited tech knowledge to use
-Be being able to export data back to excel format click of a button any time
-Robust multiuser access over any network (maybe not any but most)
It would allow a non tech manager to
-import a list of contacts (excel/csv format) with any amount of fields
-then to give fields properties such as
+ Type(address field / telephone field / displayfield / hidden field),
+ Editable(yes/no)
-to specify additional fields that are required to hold the information agents need to pick up on a call
-to enter a list of call status' that agents select from after each record is called to signify the call outcome
-to apportion all records into sets every morning so each agent that is to call will have their own bunch of records for that day
The client app agents use would
-allow them to record their name as the caller
-show one record at a time, displaying the fields accoring to the field properties discussed above
-allow input into the extra fields defined by manager above
-allow the selection of a status for each record to signify outcome
-have a button to call windows dialer to place a call to the customer shown
The client for reporting would
-show summary by agent for a specific day, how many of each status as set above
-display all records that meet certain requirements eg certain call outcome on certain date in both a 1 record per screen and flat file list
Microsoft Access would be great except multiuser access sucks on lousy networks - what platform would you advise? An Access Project front end, sql server back end? How easy is it to create a package that installs SQL server express edition / MSDE in a fashion that wont through a non techy person?
If i was to use sql server in thinking of creating a new database for each new calling project thats undertaken with the clients choosing which to connect to. Also keeping things pretty flat file
There is a lot missing - scheduled callbacks etc (agent would have to record ID and then search for it), but im thinking simple, easy, Excel replacement. (That may be for V2.)
Thanks for bearing with me so far... ive a feeling i may be lambasted lol
Gary