Route calls based on CallerID (and a few other ?'s)

[DerekR]

Is there built in functionality within PiaF to route calls to a specific inbound extension/ring group based on the incoming CallerID?

For example, Caller "A" has called in to our company and we've been out to visit them and provided them with a quote on our services; they then purchased our product. When Caller "A" calls back in, I would want them to go to a "Warranty & Services" department, where 3-5 agents are available to address their concerns.

I would like to have a bunch of these different scenarios, whether a call is being sent to a "Rehash" department, our "IT" department, or even to route incoming, known telemarketers that are trying to sell us their goods and services to a voicemail.

What would be the best way to go about this? The numbers would have to be easily entered (even if it is manually, as I imagine importing a .csv document would require some additional code). I just don't know where to start here, so a helpful point in the right direction would be wonderful.

I'm trying to avoid using an IVR because the owner of the company hates them -- but that would be so so so much easier...

I'll stick with this question for now as I feel it's loaded enough. Thanks again.

 

[dswartz]

No offense, but have you looked at the inbound routes screen?

 

[DerekR]

No offense, but have you looked at the inbound routes screen?

No offense taken. I just installed PiaF yesterday... We're trying to find someone to do all the grunt work of setting this thing up for us (and having difficulty, mind you). So if you know anybody who has some free time and wants to get paid... Sorry if it seems like I'm being stupid, but we all have to begin somewhere.

In any case, I'm the IT Manager for our company, but I know nothing about Asterisk. I'm trying to educate myself before we start getting prices, and see what things we can and can't do.

That said, I'm looking at it now. Would I need a separate inbound route for each individual number? We have around 600+ current customers under warranty and that would be a lot of inbound routes to reach the warranty department. Not seeing a way to list a bunch of numbers.

2nd Question: Any cell phone applications or integrations been released for Asterisk/PiaF? Something that could allow all the joys of an Asterisk server without being tied down to a PC/Internet connection? EDIT: And just to clarify, I don't mean just a "softphone" SIP client; something to allow transfers/conferences, etc.... I'm sure there's a way, through feature codes and whatnot, to accomplish these sort of things, but our sales reps/road-warriors can barely work e-mail, let alone remember all the codes to initiate a conference or transfer a call. I'd like to see if there's something out there a little more user friendly.

 

[jtjacobs]

Would I need a separate inbound route for each individual number? We have around 600+ current customers under warranty and that would be a lot of inbound routes to reach the warranty department. Not seeing a way to list a bunch of numbers.

Would providing a seperate DID or TFN number for your warranty department be an option? DID's can be had for just a few bucks and TFN's aren't much more...

 

[mainenotarynet]

I got 4 TFNs from Voip.ms @ $.99/each -- but you may run into this senario is that a service contract can expire - what do you do then? Change the TFN so it doesn't work anymore for the client? I serioously doubt that so his idea of checking CID against incoming would work but as OP said 600+ clients.

Is there a way then to put an sql statement (or check SugarCRM since it is in PiaF) in to check a table of current warranty customers and pass through the warranty call and others somewhere else. In this way the CID table can be built once and as expires happen - delete the row. Or as in a GV instance as has been going on here place the DID as the TFN and the CID as warranty-chk (incoming-gv) and have the database checked in the background and handle accordingly.

Just a thought and my $.02

What I would like to know is is there a way to put 3 DIDs on 1 inbound route (ie 888-xxx-xxxx; 207-GNU-MBER; 207-YYY-YYYY) as I have a multi-tenant schema going each with a TFN;GV Number;and a local did for each one = 12 inbound routes if not

 

[DerekR]

Would providing a seperate DID or TFN number for your warranty department be an option? DID's can be had for just a few bucks and TFN's aren't much more...

That's something we actually already have. The state requires we put our warranty number on the contract. They also require that we put our main customer service line on the contract as well. Although both are outlined accordingly as to the difference, customers kind of just call whatever line they want to (which coincidentally happens to be the customer service line 99% of the time).

Is there a way then to put an sql statement (or check SugarCRM since it is in PiaF) in to check a table of current warranty customers and pass through the warranty call and others somewhere else. In this way the CID table can be built once and as expires happen - delete the row. Or as in a GV instance as has been going on here place the DID as the TFN and the CID as warranty-chk (incoming-gv) and have the database checked in the background and handle accordingly.

This is exactly how I was imagining it would work. We currently use Microsoft Dynamics CRM, so exporting a list of "SOLD" customers' numbers to a .csv and importing them to an SQL table would be super simple. And since we have a 35 year warranty on our product, we wouldn't really have to worry about anything expiring and needing deleted.

What I would like to know is is there a way to put 3 DIDs on 1 inbound route (ie 888-xxx-xxxx; 207-GNU-MBER; 207-YYY-YYYY) as I have a multi-tenant schema going each with a TFN;GV Number;and a local did for each one = 12 inbound routes if not

This was the second way I was thinking it could be done; I currently don't have any way to test it out, and it certainly wouldn't be the cleanest way of doing it, but if it could be a temporary solution, at least it would work.

Thanks for the ideas -- it will at least give me something to talk about when the people we're getting a quote from come to our office. >_> I highly doubt they're going to have the capability to do something custom like the SQL option. They already tried suggesting a Trixbox server since it was, in their words, "the most stable version, and the easiest to set up". I gave them a big fat "No", so we'll see how that turns out.

PiaF is the best build I've seen thus far, and I really like it. We just have really specific things we want to do, which is where **** gets complicated and hits the fan, like the cell phone integration I mentioned above.

 

[wardmundy]

It would be fairly easy to build some dialplan code and a database that prompts the caller for their customer number and then routes the call or, if the caller picks a number that's not in the database, the call gets routed to the main customer service number. We actually do that kind of work for folks so, if you're interested, drop me a note.

 

[DerekR]

It would be fairly easy to build some dialplan code and a database that prompts the caller for their customer number and then routes the call or, if the caller picks a number that's not in the database, the call gets routed to the main customer service number. We actually do that kind of work for folks so, if you're interested, drop me a note.

I actually did drop you a note to your Gmail address on Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 11:06 AM. I figured it wasn't something you would be able to help us with so I decided to come here and see if I could get some additional information.

I'll take a look at a few more things and get a more specific outline of what we're looking for and re-email you.

 

[DerekR]

Ward - I emailed you using the contact form. Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[luckman212]

This thread is about a month old so sorry to bump it up again, but did you guys ever make anything happen with these requests? Not looking for a free handout but curious if you worked out an agreement to have Ward & Co develop something for you guys. I am looking for something quite similar (possibly even simpler) and maybe we can start some kind of pooled dev fund or bounty to make it more economical... that is if you haven't' already done it