The benefits of a hosted dialler

Chris Key of Hostcomm highlights the benefits of using a hosted dialler.

Hosted diallers have the same features that any other dialler has; such as multiple dialling modes, call blending, call recording, reporting and database integration.  The main elements that differentiate a hosted dialler are discussed below.

1. Low cost to set up and run

Hosted diallers are typically used on a pay-as-you-go basis.  In fact, some hosted diallers based on open-source software can be set up ready for use for around £300, with an ongoing cost as low as £225 per month for a small system capable of servicing up to seven agents.

BT line contracts are not always needed because calls can be terminated via business-grade uncompressed VoIP.  The call charges can be lower than normal because they can bypass the BT network on the first leg of the call. Expect to pay £0.01 for UK landline calls per minute.

2. Speed of deployment

A hosted dialler for up to 30 agents can be provisioned quickly, sometimes in as little as 24 hours if required. This is largely due to the provisioning efficiency of cloud-based servers these days. They can be switched on ready for use instantly with internet access. The application can then be installed following a tried and tested blueprint.

Open-source applications like Linux and asterisk have taken a large slice in their respective markets. This is mainly due to the lack of cost, reliability and speed of development. Hosted diallers based on open-source applications develop very quickly because of the sheer number of willing developers that contribute to the code. There are hundreds of thousands of contributors to these applications. This generally results in regular improvements, bug fixes, new features and good support.

3. Security

The host’s network will invariably be more secure than the end user’s network because it has more experience in dealing with threats. Security measures can cripple a VoIP-based communication system and cause it to be unstable. The trick is to find the ultimate blend of security and performance. In general terms, the dialler server will be in a purpose-built data centre with physical access restrictions, a firewall, access logs, SSL encryption on the web interface and IP address tracking.

4. Low risk

The risk with a hosted dialler is not high because the end user can be fully exposed to it for testing and familiarisation prior to any significant commercial and operational commitments. Furthermore, the application itself will be based on tried and tested open-source applications, such as a Linux operating system, asterisk PBX, apache web server and MySQL database.

5. No long-term commitments

A hosted predictive dialler can be acquired for a short-term contract – for example, for a minimum of 6 months, after which it can be terminated without penalty. In many cases an organisation may be unsure about whether a dialler will suit their business. A hosted dialler gives them an opportunity to find out without wasting money. Other organisations may experience seasonal increases / decreases in business and may wish to acquire extra dialler capacity for the busy times on a temporary basis.

6. Resilience and availability

The three main weak points for premises and hosted diallers are the outbound comms circuit, the server hard drives and the power supply. In the case of the premises-based auto dialler, the outbound comms circuit is an internet connection or an ISDN service. If either were to fail the dialler would become unusable for at least half a day. There would be no inbound or outbound calls.

With a hosted dialler the outbound circuit from the premises to the data centre is an internet connection, normally broadband. If this were to fail there would be some options because the hosted dialler is still operational:

• Agents can work from home or an alternative office.
• A reduced agent group can use any available landlines or even mobile phones to continue calling.
• Inbound calls can be re-routed to a landline circuit or mobile phone.

With regard to the server, they tend to perform more reliably in a cool climate with a steady, reliable power source. This is where the hosted dialler situated in a controlled data centre also has the edge.

Servers that have solid-state drives (SSDs) are diskless and hence more reliable than traditional servers. They can be very expensive to buy. However, in the case of a hosted dialler, the additional expense per month is almost negligible.

Power supplies in a data centre tend to have diverse routing with automated generator backup. It is unlikely that a typical office can really match this for fault tolerance.

Many organisations prefer to have their technology in house because they feel they are losing control by outsourcing. With a hosted dialler service the host is responsible for the support of the hardware and application but not the running of the contact centre. The UK hosting market is seeing rapid growth in cloud computing, which ultimately means better service and lower cost, and clearly there is an increasing demand. It is becoming hard to financially justify an on-premise dialler service.

For more information on Hostcomm visit http://www.hostcomm.co.uk  or phone 0808 168 4400