Call accounting is a tool that has been around for years. And it continues to prove its worth for organizations who understand the value of having visibility over their networks, from end user calling patterns to utilization to fraud.
Yet there remain some inaccurate assumptions about the role of call accounting in today's companies, not the least of which is that call accounting is no longer needed because bandwidth has changed from one that is metered and measured to one that is either open or closed. While that may be true, to abdicate control over outbound usage and costs is a big mistake because it clouds visibility over the use of your network and eliminates your ability to organize it and optimum efficiency.
We used to say, "You can't measure what you can't see." Never has that been more important than today! Here are three key areas where you should still be using call accounting to keep control over your network:
- Employee productivity
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While there are many measurements for productivity, for employees who need to make and take calls, call accounting helps managers analyze and compare calling patterns of employees, eliminate abuse and misuse and improve sales efficiencies.
- Network optimization
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Call accounting can help companies analyze queue times and track abandoned calls, as well as help IT/telecom managers better evaluate their mix of trunk configurations to identify overused or underused lines to address issues and eliminate potential outages.
- Security, fraud detection
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Suspicious calling activity, if left unchecked, can impact more areas than you might think. Whether it comes from outside the organization or within, call accounting can help spotlight the kinds of calling patterns associated with fraud.
One of the benefits of a good call accounting system is that it can track and report on virtually any data contained in your network. That includes extensions, user names, departments and so on. It can save hundreds of hours of manually assembling reports and ensure that senior management is provided with only the key reports they need on a timely basis.
The bottom line is that there are many benefits to be gained in using call accounting, both operationally and financially. Let us know how you are using your call accounting system. We welcome you to
contact us if you need some assistance optimizing your reporting to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit from your call accounting.