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For those companies interested in testing on demand contact center options, the available services are at times limiting. Fortunately, Tikal Networks is offering a free trial of its CenterMeter contact center on demand service.

To get started using the contact center on demand service, users simply need to set up an SSL key to ensure that the connection with the interface is secure. Tikal will e-mail an SSL key, and then the certificate can be installed.

The contact center on demand solution allows both IP phones and softphones to be configured. Nearly every SIP-enabled phone is supported by the contact center on demand service offered by Tikal. Each phone needs to be configured.

First, the phone needs a server address, which can be the IP of the server or simply the DNS name. Then, the phone needs an extension number or a username, and the extension will need a password. Finally, the caller ID is set up to show others in the office the unique name of the phone extension.

CenterMeter uses CTI (News - Alert) installation, which will be installed on the agents’ desktop. This allows the agent to log in and out as well as set his or her status. The agent can log in to the contact center on demand interface and see that five agents have already been created as part of the free trial. Managers can set up new queues and manage the existing queue already created. Agents can log in using the CTI log in or use the phone interface.

An inbound call center will then be able to start taking calls, as will those who chose the outbound call center using the $20 credit Tikal allows with the free trial.

So what are the features of the inbound contact center on demand? CenterMeter offers seven different ring strategies, from all phones ringing at the same time to only the phone of the idlest agent.

Companies are able to hit their sales expectations with CenterMeter’s agent call flow scripting, which defines a series of questions on a worksheet that assist agents in more consistent conversations. The contact center on demand solution also includes music for on-hold calls and frequent announcements, which will help increase customer knowledge of the products being offered at the company.

Outbound call features include real-human detection, which helps to make agent time more efficient and lets the calls that go to voicemail or fax be filtered out. Also included is dynamic caller ID and power/automatic dialer. The caller ID routes the caller to the correct agent in callback situations, and the power/automatic dialer software allows the call list to be entered into the system and automatically dialed when the agent is ready for the next call.

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