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Applications
Its large selection of features means Centrex can support
a wide range of applications for both voice and data,
ranging from the most basic to the highly sophisticated.
Check out this section for some of the most popular
Centrex applications and examples of how they help businesses
solve communication problems.
Multiple Location Connectivity
Disaster Prevention
Integrated Voice Mail
Multiple Location
Connectivity
What is it?
Multiple location connectivity uses technology to tie
various business locations together with a uniform,
abbreviated dialing plan so that they appear like a
single location. Companies often use it to function
seamlessly in their interactions with customers and
suppliers.
What's an example?
A county government with six office buildings in different
locations was having trouble processing the large number
of calls it received daily from county residents. The
calls dealt with a wide variety of issues, such as property
tax questions, court appearances, marriage licenses
and voter registration. Callers were becoming frustrated
because they rarely reached the right department on
the first call. The government's old key system prevented
employees from transferring calls from one office building
to another, so callers often had to dial three or four
numbers before reaching the right one.
With a new Centrex system, the government was able
to connect all six locations in a single system without
making a large up-front capital investment. Each department
was able to get a direct line, so callers could check
the phone book for the department they needed and dial
it directly. In addition, any incoming call that reached
the wrong building could be easily transferred to the
right one, ensuring that callers did not have to hang
up and dial another number. With less time spent answering
phones and transferring calls, the government was able
to dramatically reduce the amount of time needed to
process requests and paperwork.
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Disaster Prevention
What is it?
Disaster prevention is a plan for protecting networks
or telephone systems from catastrophes such as a power
outage or earthquake.
What's an example?
A rapidly growing electrical equipment company was
suffering substantial losses from disasters. Three times
in one year lightning struck the company's PBX, knocking
the system out and leaving the company without voice,
e-mail or Internet access. Because of the outage, the
company was unable to contact suppliers or arrange for
products to be shipped out, and lost two major customers.
The company wanted to fix the problem, but didn't have
the money to invest in a new telephone system.
The company decided to run Centrex lines around its
PBX system into crucial areas, such as the chairman's
office, shipping and receiving. Because the Centrex
lines are connected to a central office (CO), they are
extremely reliable. The CO operates on a giant battery
that is continuously recharged by a commercial battery,
and usually also has a diesel generator that kicks in
if there is an outage. If the PBX system crashes, the
company will still have the Centrex lines up and running,
and crucial business functions can go on as usual.
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Integrated Voice Mail
What is it?
A voice mail system that is based in the central office
instead of in equipment located on customer premises,
such as PBX, Key system, or an answering machine.
What's an example?
A small, three-person consulting firm relied on voice
mail to keep its constantly travelling partners in touch
with the office and their clients. They were having
problems with their answering machine, as it frequently
ran out of tape, and important messages were sometimes
deleted by mistake. Also, the firm's partners found
calling in and retrieving their messages a hassle because
they had to punch in a series of codes.
With Centrex integrated voice mail based in the central
office, the consulting firm didn't have to worry about
tape or lost messages. They could call in and retrieve
their messages quickly and easily without codes, and
were able to add several features that they didn't have,
such as message forwarding.
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