Converged solutions provider Fused Group was approached by a customer to provide a call recording solution for its outbound call centre, in order to meet FSA regulations. With only 2 months to turn the project around, CTI Group’s UK office stepped up to the challenge with SmartRecord IP.
CTI Group’s SmartRecord IP is a white labelled carrier grade call recording platform that, using patented technology, tightly integrates into a hosted voice over IP (VoIP) service provider’s network. As the SmartRecord IP software sits on the Service Provider’s hardware Fused Group was able to provide a sophisticated call recording facility that carried no upfront costs or device installation for the customer. Furthermore, it provided Fused Group with a call recording platform that could then be added to their converged technology portfolio, providing them with additional customer services and a new revenue stream.
The first challenge for CTI Group was to integrate SmartRecord IP with Fused Group’s Asterisk server. Since Asterisk is based on Open Source software, each Asterisk installation is unique and Fused Group’s server was an unusually complex example. Also the server was ‘live’ and actively used by customers during call centre hours. CTI Group’s solution was to deploy its expert IP team from the US to work out of hours and provide an extra level of service. The team worked closely with Fused Group to personalise the software in order for it to function effectively with the server.
CTI Group’s SmartRecord IP provided a number of clear benefits to the end-user over competitor offerings. Its call recording solution does not use ‘packet-sniffing technologies’, whereby all calls must be recorded and the administrator must isolate any recording they wish to listen to. Instead, SmartRecord IP only records the calls that are required, for example customer service desks, dealing desks etc. Calls are recorded in real-time allowing supervisors to listen in, whisper to their agent, or barge in to talk to both parties. This is very beneficial for real-time training, as well as identifying and tackling issues immediately. Access to the system is via a web browser.
Andy Wilson, CTI Group’s VP Sales and Marketing comments; “This technology has been delivered by CTI Group’s Indianapolis head office in the US for some 18 months and is very new to Europe, so we are thrilled to be working with Fused Group to provide their customers with our IP call recording solution.”
Ian Westlake, Operations Director at Fused Group adds; “SmartRecord IP is not only the perfect solution for end-users but also for Fused Group and our reseller partners. 90% of our business is done through resellers and the ‘tenant administrator’ structure of CTI Group’s call recording solution allows our partners to have their own log-in, as well as each individual end-user, from any number of sites.”