Call accounting

Call accounting - "A mobile telephone programming and accounting system that includes an integrated hardware system interlinking a telephone unit, a telephone interlink receiver, and a central processing unit connected to the interlink receiver." The system also includes a receipt printer and a credit card reader. The telephone unit may be equipped with an internal real time clock and memory store to record the information of calls for reporting to the central processing unit to enable tracking and detailed accounting of calls .

Background of the invention

This disruption relates to a cellular telephone accounting system. It enable to track the location, the usage of cellular phones and to provide an automatic accounting system for centralized record keeping, audit or account statements. The cellular telephone accounting system is particularly useful for hiring cellular phones where mobility of the phone cause problems in customer billing and accounting for the location and possession of the telephone unit. Similarly, the accounting system is useful for organizations that have shared resources and equipment shared by employees, as in large private companies. In such organizations usage of mobile cellular telephones requires monitoring to insure appropriate usage of phones. In both situations call accounting systems can indicate where phones have been, what and when calls have been made, and who made the call. Additionally, the organizations may desire means for determining what general account such use, including any service charges from outside vendors, should be charged .

Benefits of call accounting systems

Benefits of usage call accounting systems:

1. Monitor telephone abuse; Call accounting tells you who and when made a call, so its easy to indicate when your employee use telephone in inappropriate way
2. Track telephone system hacking - What a call accounting system can make for internal abuse, it also can be applied in external abuse. Special system that are designed to track security breaches can alert you before you get your telephone bill
3. Correct telephone bills. Companies make mistakes. Having your own record is a weapon in against billing errors.
4. Analyze trunk use. Call accounting system can give you call totals by trunk.
5. Steamline charge-backs to customer or departments. Especially useful for tiny in - house call centers that bill back their services to other departments or divisions.
6. Quantify agent performance. The call accounting systems can provide an appropriate information about agent performance.

Author: Filip Fikas

Examples of Call accounting

• Call Accounting Software: This type of software is designed to track and analyze call data, including call duration, caller ID, callers’ phone numbers, and more. It allows businesses to track who’s calling, how long they’re on the line, and who they’re talking to. This can be used to monitor employee productivity, ensure accurate billing for services rendered, and optimize customer service.
• Automated Call Accounting System: This system is used by larger organizations to manage their telephone networks. It provides real-time monitoring of all incoming and outgoing calls, allowing network administrators to track the usage of their system, identify any potential issues, and ensure proper billing.
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Call Accounting System: This system is designed to track and record calls made over VoIP networks. It can be used to monitor the usage of VoIP services, measure the quality of calls, and track billing information.

Limitations of Call accounting

Call accounting systems have several limitations that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not it is the right solution for a particular business. These limitations include:

• Limited customization capabilities: Call accounting systems generally offer limited customization options for the user. This means it can be difficult to tailor the system to the needs of a particular business.
• Cost: Call accounting systems can be expensive to install and maintain. This can be a major factor for businesses with limited budgets.
• Security: Call accounting systems can be vulnerable to security breaches due to their reliance on the telephone network.
• Lack of integration: Call accounting systems are generally not integrated with other business systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or accounting software, which can limit the efficacy of the system.
• Complex installation: Installing a call accounting system can be a complex and time-consuming process, requiring technical expertise and knowledge.

Other approaches related to Call accounting

Call accounting is a mobile telephone programming and accounting system that includes an integrated hardware system interlinking a telephone unit, a telephone interlink receiver, and a central processing unit connected to the interlink receiver. Apart from this, there are other approaches that can be used to manage telephone calls within the organization, such as:

• Computer-telephony integration (CTI): CTI enables integration between the telephone system and the computer, allowing users to access contact information and initiate calls directly from the computer.
• Automatic call distribution (ACD): ACD is a system that distributes incoming calls to agents or teams with the aim of optimizing customer service.
• Interactive voice response (IVR): IVR is a system that allows customers to interact with the telephone system, providing access to information, services, and assistance.
• Call center software: This software is used to manage call center operations and facilitate customer service, including tracking customer interactions and providing analytics and reports.

In summary, call accounting is one of several ways to manage telephone calls within an organization. Other approaches include computer-telephony integration, automatic call distribution, interactive voice response, and call center software.

Footnotes

Call accounting — recommended articles

Integrated management system — Call system — Attendance management — Business process outsourcing — New technologies in management — Knowledge tree — Centralized purchasing — Information strategy — Positive pay

References

• K. Dawson, (2007), The call center handbook, "CRC Press"
• McGregor, Donald S., and Gregory M. McGregor, (1997) Mobile phone with internal call accounting controls. U.S. Patent No. 5,625,669.
• Sutton, Steve G. (2006) Enterprise systems and the re-shaping of accounting systems: A call for research. "International Journal of Accounting Information Systems 7.1".