The
use of computer
telephony applications
by businesses is
steadily on the rise. If
you're not sure what
these applications are,
here's a quick
explanation: they are
automated telephone
systems that integrate
computer software and
telephone hardware.
These systems can be
used to answer and
distribute calls
throughout a company,
and they can also be
used to make outbound
calls. The technology
has become so
sophisticated that some
applications actually
recognize voice commands
in addition to keypad
entries.
Not to get off track,
but for those of you who
are wondering why the
word "telephony" is
used, don't feel bad--I
didn't get it either at
first. It turns out that
it's just the tech world
version of turning the
noun "telephone" into an
adjective. Now back to
the subject at hand:
computer telephony
applications are used
for a number of
different business
tasks. A "tasks and
time" application, for
instance, works like a
time clock that can be
accessed via the
telephone. This means
that a construction
worker could phone into
a "tasks and time"
application from his or
her actual job site and
"clock in" for the day.
Another type of
application functions as
a notification system
for medical offices and
certain Human Resources
programs. Let's say, for
instance, that a busy
medical office wants to
reduce no-shows in order
to maximize its
physicians' (and
patients') schedules.
One way to do that is to
remind patients of their
appointments a day
before they are supposed
to come in. Using office
staff to make those
calls would be time
consuming and not cost
effective.
One
time-and-money-saving
answer to the patient
notification issue is an
automated telephony
application. This type
of system can be
programmed to
automatically dial
patients 24 hours before
their scheduled
appointments and confirm
them. The computer
software is what keeps
track of the office's
calendar, and the
telephony hardware is
the means by which the
notification system is
put into effect
