Is anyone actively using FreePBX for a call center?
What are your thoughts? Ups/downs?
What modules of 3rd party programs are you using?
We are going to replace our old digital PBX after over 10 years and I am just wondering if FreePBX works will for a call center
I’ve been using it since 2003-ish, so I’m pretty sure it will work for you, depending on your installation size and inbound/outbound pipe. I use mine on-premise and use VOIP Innovations for outbound calling - no inbound. I wrote the customer support module that handles the hands-off direct dialing (no predictive dialing).
There is a whole commercial module suite for call centers that (if you’re a decent human being and want to support the project) you should consider buying.
If you want predictive dialing, there may be better solutions. One of the commercial modules may handle this for you - outside my experience.
There is a SangomaCRM module that connects to several CRM systems, so if you are using one of the supported platforms, you can direct call-to-screen integration. Of course, the module is extensible if your CRM system supports some reasonably simple requirements (sales can give you more info).
I too am using FreePBX in a call centre with around 300 agents. I don’t use anything too fancy with the exception of fop2
Yes, there are tons of people using FreePBX/Asterisk for their call center(s)
For the size you mentioned, you’ll definitely need some commercial and third party modules, such as Queue Callback, Queue Reports, Queue Dashboard and likely CRM integration.
FreePBX offers a commercial version of the queue module which gives you additional features, such as virtual queues etc.
See Wiki: Sangoma Documentation
FreePBX also offers a commercial Queue Callback module, See Wiki: Sangoma Documentation
CRM integration module: Sangoma Documentation
To be honest, Queues Pro and CRM module, we never really used it so I cannot provide any feedback on that.
(Queues Pro we used once to send post queue calls to a survey, CRM we did the integration on our own)
The Queue Callback module we had some real trouble with high call volume and we went through hell with support. But for the past year or so it appears to be stable tho.
Unfortunately, FreePBX does not have yet a good Queue Dashboard or queue reporting solution that beats Asternic.
Queue dashboard: fop2.com
Queue reporting: asternic.biz
The ups are, that Asterisk/FreePBX, if configured properly, can handle a ton of calls on little resources. Also, a lot of people are using Asterisk which means that you have a bigger community support, finally, you can easily integrate and build whatever application you want using ARI/AMI.
The downs, you’ll likely need to use third party and commercial applications, and like any CRITICAL software application you run in production. You either need to know it fairly well to be able to solve problems immediately, or have a good support contract.
This topic was automatically closed 7 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.