From: rbeck@mordor.dseg.ti.com (Ron Beck)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.multi-media
Subject: HELP!  Need a phone system
Date: 2 Sep 92 16:05:55 GMT
Reply-To: rbeck@mordor.dseg.ti.com
Organization: When I get time...

Okay, I need some assistance and this looked like a good place to start. 
First, my problem:

	We are an internal computer support group for the
	defense portion of Texas Instruments (ya know, the
	laser guided munitions for Desert Storm...parts were
	ours!) and as such support a wide variety of engineers
	on various computer platforms.  Naturally we answer
	the phone several times a day.  We used to have a 
	group that would field the calls should we not be at
	our desk.  They would take a message and electronically
	(via our internal IBM MSG system...yuck!) provide us
	with the message.   WELL... in an effort to consolidate
	resources, those folks were absorbed by the corporate
	support group.  Because of this they stopped taking our
	messages.

	SO... my boss said "Put something in place to answer
	the phones and take messages".  A PC based product
	called "The Complete Answering Machine" was used.  It
	does *okay* but seems to have several problems.  And
	I was foolish enough to admit that I was PC literate
	so *I* am the one who gets to take all the complaints.

Now, my mission:

	I am looking for a system that will do the following:

	1. Answer the phone & allow the caller to select a mailbox
	   for the engineer & leave a message.

	2. Permit multiple lines for incoming calls.

	3. Have a central mailbox file that is accessed by
	   all phone lines (the CAM mentioned above only permits
	   one line per mailbox structure)

	4. Have a means of notifying the engineer that a message
	   has been taken by one of several methods
		a. E-mail the engineer that a message has arrived
		b. Page the engineer with a special code indicating
		   that a message has arrived.
		c. Forward the mail as a .AU file for review on
		   the engineer's terminal.

	5. Have some means of use analysis (ex. # of calls per 
	   hour, # of calls/wk per mailbox, etc...)

	6. Something that will keep working so I don't have
	   irate engineers pounding on my door with their 
	   petty phone problems while I'm trying to work!

I've just started researching this (because I got 3 more complaints today!)
and don't really have any idea where to start.  I'm not tied to any
specific platform for this type of system but I also don't want to spend
too much money (more than $1500.00 requires jumping through hoops around
here).  Please respond by E-mail and I will compile the results if I can
get my Mailtool utility figured out in the next few days.  This
sparcstation is *not* a VAX!  Ah...the pains of education.

Thanks for any & all response.

Ron Beck

-- 
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Ronald J. Beck           | IP rbeck@mordor.dseg.ti.com |Do now what others
Member, Group Tech Staff | MaBell (214) 952-4566       |won't so you can do
Texas Instruments        |                             |later what others
McKinney, Texas          |                             |can't
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