Taxi Driver Online

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get a switchboard system in my office?

I currently have two phone lines, both not easy to remember numbers, and when one phone is busy and someone calls that number the phone comes up with the busy dial tone.

I worked at an office where they had two phone lines and only two phones but they were on a switchboard system, so that when someone was talking on a line and someone else called, the phone on the customers end would still ring and on the phone a light would flash to say there was another call waiting, also both phones could answer both phone lines without the operator having to move.

Can anyone tell me how to get a phone system like the one described above? I am going to try and get another phone number so is it best to go to BT or try to buy a second hand phone system from ebay?

Finally, what is the best combination of numbers, for example : 121212 or 123123?

Thanks.

It all depends on:

How much is in your budget?

How many jobs you are doing?

How many jobs you are losing?

There is a vast range of proper telephone systems based on Call Centre
protocal but you are a company only doing a small amount of jobs pro-rata to the size of your fleet.

Firstly, go and speak to BT. However, they are certainly not the best company to deal with. They are very big and can afford to pee off customers.

Then, do some research into local providers (they rent lines off BT) who are willing to give you a better service.

We use the Avaya switchboard provided by a local company. But then we are doing 40 / 50,000 jobs a week. However, any decent telephone provider should be able to recommend a system to suit your size.

And lastly, without doubt you need a company number that is easy to remember. And sometimes, how you get one is either by pure luck or at a price.

Thanks for the help Jeckle.

Firstly, we are still a very small company but I am thinking ahead as the present system is not great. Even with our small customer base I know we are losing a few jobs as customers have told me they have been unable to get through due to busy lines at peak times. My view is if I lose one then it is very hard to get them back.

As I am looking to the future, budget depends on what is out there as I am currently just pricing up options as when I have found the best system for us I will start saving for that system.

Thanks for the advice.

cant you add "caller waiting" on each line?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

You are absolutely correct in "looking to the future".

As with any such company, when a customer cannot get through there is always another "number" to try.

Do you have a computerised booking system? Because IVR with a booking system is a great leap forward which intergrated into the telephone system.

This means that all your regular customers only need to press a didgit on the phone and their cab is automatically booked.

The only trouble is that once you have a reliable Booking/Dispatch system, a proper telephone system (intergrated witht he Booking System), IVR and in car data-units you will have to expand because the work will come flooding in!

Joking aside. The best way to help you make up you mind is to visit various cab offices, but not in your area because they probably wouldnt want to entertain you.

Additionally, speak to the data dispatch providers. Auriga, Auto-Cab, Mercury and so on. I am not recommending any of them as a sales pitch as you would have to make up your own mind.

Tell then that you are looking to expand next year but you are doing your homework now. That way you wont be pressured.

If you are so small that none of the Data dispatch companies are interested then yo know where you stand.

I'm sure Bill from Datamaster will point you in the right direction of a decent company.

we have used the BT versatility V8 for a few years now, 4 lines on one number, customer gets a ringing tone if any line free. works for us. (25 car fleet) you may need a BT business line (not sure what difference) and it's very stable.

http://business.bt.com/phone-services/office-phones-and-systems/versatility

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

We're with a local company. I'm not sure of the set up but we are taking plenty of work for 68 cars and the local bod is the sole contact and repair man. He will turn out anytime of the day or night, weekends included.

We looked at BT again a couple of months ago but they were not very convincing when we pushed them about 24 hour maintenance cover. They would only offer us a very woolly 4 hour response time 'when system interrogation is exhausted.' That could go on for ever. If our system goes down, we all suffer out there.

Costings were marginal so we've decided to stay put.

If you’re thinking of computerising your office at some point, then don’t go for the Versatility, as it has no interface for a PC. My recommendation would be something like a Panasonic TDA 15 because it’s relatively cheap, has all the functionality you'll ever need and it’s the only one I know of that will do all that using standard analogue lines.

No system will solve your problem though if you only have one line for each number because anyone ringing the same number while you’re on the line will get an engaged tone. That’s a function of the main telephone exchange, irrespective of what you have in the office, so you’d be far better sticking to just one number and having two or more lines on it.

As for the service and support, you don’t have to stick with BT. Any number of companies will sell you a system and also offer to provide your lines and billing at a reduced cost. Personally, if it was me. I’d buy the system I want from a local supplier but I’d stay with BT for the lines even though it’s a few coopers more.

If you need any help then give me a call 01925 850717 its a whole lot quicker and less time consuming than keep posting everything here.