1. How do I route my calls to you?
CallNet assigns every client their own 10-digit phone number which routes the call to their specific account within our system.
Routing to CallNet can be done through two different methods. For single phone lines or businesses with only a few lines, call forwarding can be purchased from your phone company, which lets you dial a code plus the 10-digit phone number that CallNet assigned to you. After that, all calls will be routed to CallNet. The next morning, you would dial another code and the call forwarding will be turned off. There are also additional versions of call forwarding, known as "call forward/busy" and "ring-no-answer." In those cases, if you are already on a call, all additional calls will get routed to CallNet, or if your phones ring more than four times in your office, the call will get rerouted to CallNet.
The other way to route calls to CallNet is for larger companies with more sophisticated phone systems to call CallNet on a second line and use their phone system to “tie” or “patch” the two calls together. This is typically done when all calls are routed through a menu tree and only some of the calls need to be routed to CallNet while the others stay at the company.
2. How is a call processed by your agents?
Once a call comes into CallNet, it is automatically routed to an available agent and the client's account script is automatically "popped" on the agents screen.
We work with each client to build a customized script. The agent talks through the script with the caller, collecting all the data fields required for the client to return the call or look up caller information, or whatever the client needs us to do. Depending on how the caller answers the previous question, the script can branch and go down a different line of questions, letting the agent handle many different types of calls.
3. How much do you charge?
CallNet charges per-minute of agent time they are on the phones or working for you. An inbound call, outbound dispatch, or responding to an email or text message are all considered billable minutes. We round in 15-second increments. We don’t charge for hold time or when we are not working for you. You only pay for what you use.
We often ask clients how many calls they expect to send to us, and how long their average call lasts. Based on that, we can work up a quote or proposal. You can estimate the costs at approximately $1.00 per minute.
4. How fast can I start service with you?
Once we get a signed service agreement and setup sheets returned to us, we can get a basic account up and running within 48-72 hours. Our programmer might call to ask a few additional questions as they are programming your account, but having done this for 20+ years, we understand how most calls will flow and will work with our clients to streamline their calls as much as possible. More complex accounts or accounts where we toggle out to the client’s website or do a database lookup take a bit longer to program. Speak with our sales or IT staff to get a more accurate time frame.
5. Do you require a contract?
Yes, we have a 30-day contract. Some clients prefer a longer term for service contract reasons and we are happy to accommodate. But they typically have a 30-day cancellation if needed.
6. Will I get a live answer every time? What happens if all your agents are already on a call?
CallNet strives to have an agent available whenever your line rings. However, if all our agents are already on a call, your caller will hear a customized greeting after the 4th ring letting the caller know they have reached XYZ-Company, that their call is important and to hold for the next agent. The caller will then hear hold-music before an agent picks up. The custom greeting can also list your office hours, new address if you recently moved, or web or email address for alternate ways to contact you.
7. Do you offer custom reports?
Yes, CallNet can create custom reports in addition to the daily recap we might send each morning. They are custom programmed so if you have an existing report you can share with us, we will do our best to replicate it. Programming costs vary depending on the complexity of the report.