Standard features
Series includes the following features:
- Programmable Voice Menus.
- Queue Agents.
- Unlimited voice mailboxes.
- Call transfer.
- Call Parking.
- Conference.
- Videoconferencing.
- Messaging.
- Directory Services.
- Call divert.
- Call waiting and call hold.
- Music while waiting.
- Call monitoring and recording.
- Answering machine detection (AMD).
- Integration with TTS engine (speech synthesis).
- Integration of telephone systems.
- Integration with computer.
- Statistics via the Web according to customer needs.
Hardware
The system is installed on generic server hardware with possible harwdare upgrades/additions depending on the hardware. At least 1 GB RAM (depending on rated load). 64 bit is recommended (AMD Opteron recommended, the more cores the better, although two would be the minimum). We recommend a machine with a streamlined management of interruptions (phone cards give around 1000 interrupts per second). This involves choosing a good motherboard.
Can handle three PRI (ISDN Primary) in the same machine without problems (60 digital lines in Europe) but we do exhaustive parameterization which ensures maximum utilization of hardware resources.
Autodialer
The auto dialer is a program that connects to the Asterisk PBX, taking every call management feature of the latter . Specifically, it makes extensive use of the conference call, with each user logged into a conference room and connecting the calls that are assigned to that room. This allows all the phone's functionality to be managedby Gandía Integra. Since Asterisk is a thoroughly tested, widely used software, it is a very robust platform and very well maintained, simplifying the functionality that managed by the auto dialer, making it very stable and reliable.
Autodialer calls prediction has three modes:
- Specific prediction calls (calls made over the number of agents logged in).
- Specific predictivity rate (percentage of calls over the number of agents).
- Mode progress: management begins the next call to the operator at a certain display of the survey.
The auto dialer will simultaneously connect all outstanding numbers to the caller, discarding those that are not answered, engaged, etc, intelligently connecting only when there is contact.
If Integra is installed on Linux, it can be installed on the same machine as the dialer and the switchboard.
Detection of answering machines
The answering machine detection process analyzes the beginning of the response of a telephone conversation, which relays the time delay (usually about 2.5 seconds) and the pitch of the call to the agent. An answering machine is detected by the number of words you hear when you answer the contact, and the frequency of them. This method, which is commonly applied to other products, is not 100% accurate, so some companies decide to turn it off and leave this work to the interviewer. The detection, besides being able to be activated or deactivated at any time, is highly configurable, so it can be adjusted depending on the type of lines the platform has, along with the quality etc.
Hardware requirements
It is necessary to connect the lines to be used directly to the server either via IP, conventional analog telephone or digital telephone, which in the last two cases involves the procurement of suitable hardware. This can vary depending on the characteristics of the current phone company. The same goes for phones, which can be connected via IP telephony (IP phones directly, using conventional phone adapters). This infrastructure will vary according to each particular case.
The phone software can be used with headphones connected directly to your computer's USB ports or to the PC sound card of the interviewer.
Benefits of Integra on Linux compared to Integra on Windows
Robustness and reliability
Linux-based systems are much more robust and reliable than Windows systems. A Windows system loses speed and gets corrupted as time goes by from when it was first installed, whereas with Linux, 10 years after installation, the system stays as exactly as it was when it was first installed.
In addition, GNU / Linux does not hang, crash for no reason and has much more frequent updates of bug fixes (there are often daily updates), so they tend to evolve faster and be much more stable.
Configurability
The Linux kernel and the programs that run on it are usually free software, which allows a much more refined level of parameterization than proprietary systems like Windows. Therefore, a Linux-based installation can be tuned much more than a Windows-based system. The Linux system can be adapted to perform better in certain circumstances that are known to be more common than others would not on the same machine.
Unused features can be disabled to have a system that does not waste time on tasks that are not necessary.
The Linux kernel can be adapted to the hardware to get maximum performance, which can not be done with Windows.
Linux has a far superior speed and load capacity
Linux systems are much faster than Windows, even if both were installed with the default as standard. This means that a generic Integra setup assumes a lot more load carrying capacity in Linux than in Windows, even without tuning the system. However, Eurogaran makes all the necessary adjustments to optimize the system for specific hardware, increasing performance. We have not yet found a Linux server that has crashed for lack of resources. We have documented cases in which a web server was receiving 700 concurrent connections at any one timer without problems or reduction in speed towards the interviewer.
We have simulated benchmarks of more than 1,000 respondents on a modest machine with no problems.
Security
Linux-based systems are designed with safety as one of the main points. Therefore, standard Linux contains mechanisms that prevent the spread of viruses, making it very difficult to infect. In addition, the viruses that were written (very few and experimental) only worked on one particular version of Linux, and the problem was solved with a simple upgrade. Windows, instead, on security issues has been poorly designed, making it vulnerable to all kinds of threats, and forces the use of protection programs to be installed which are more or less reliable, but never get to make a fairly safe environment, plus they add an additional burden to the system, which use as much as 30% of the system capacity simply by installing a firewall or antivirus.
Update
Debian GNU / Linux usually makes corrections and updates daily, allowing you to have an updated system easily. On the other hand there are thousands of developers constantly working on improvement, error correction and fault monitoring and security, while hundreds of thousands of power users are reporting problems and sending patches. The update program ensures that the Eurogaran server is regularly updated by our technicians when necessary, and that such updates are made so as to provide minimal impact on client work (avoidance of service stops and schedule the most critical updates for the time slots most appropriate for each company).
In addition, the upgrade of Debian GNU / Linux is very powerful, and allows upgrades without stopping the services the vast majority of the time. Critical updates or need to restart are advised before starting, so you have great control over the process. Eurogas therefore makes a low cost maintenance includes updates.
Adjustment
GNU / Linux systems are mainly based on open source software, which allows access to the source code of the programs and keeping pace anywhere in the system for a particular case.
Variety of software
Debian GNU / Linux stable currently has over 26,000 software packages, making it much more complete than Windows. There are programs for all types of tasks and has a very easy installation / upgrade system which autommatically downloads the software from the Internet, which makes this software easy to use and affordable.
