How to Use CallNow in VoipNow 3

Why use it

CallNow provides enhanced versatility for Phone Terminal extensions. This functionality allows such extensions to be used for part-time free support, marketing or sales channels.

VoipNow users can configure a Phone Terminal extension as a selective toll-free number. This number is made available as a hyperlink that clients can access in order to inform a particular business that they want to be contacted.

Use cases

For instance, a small company may assign a single employee with answering the phone and contacting existing customers free of charge to offer them technical support. The company publishes on their website a hyperlink that leads to the CallNow interface. That is where clients enter their names and phone numbers and are called back by the employee.

In some cases, a sales person can have their CallNow URL included in their email signature. That way, clients or other recipients will be a click away from getting professional advice.

Setup

The Phone Terminal extension you want to use in the CallNow interface can be customized in terms of availability, privacy, security, and user interface.

Incoming call requests can be accepted automatically or confirmed individually, depending on the caller's phone number and/or name.

Start the setup by accessing the Quick Links area in the management page of the Phone Terminal extension. Click the CallNow icon, enable the Allow people to call me option and and fill in the form taking into consideration the explanations below. You can read more about it here.

• The CallNow ID is associated to the extension. It can be a default alphanumeric value or you can it set it to a unique user-friendly name that identifies the extension.
• I am available only in time interval allows the extension owner to specify a time interval during which they are available for calls via CallNow. Default value: Anytime.
• Confirmation required before connecting me to caller is an option that allows the extension owner to decide whether they want to take a CallNow request or not.
• Show my name on the public CallNow interface ensures the extension owner's privacy. 
• Ask for the name of the caller allows operators to refuse anonymous calls.
• Use image validation on the public interface refers to a random validation security image that the caller will need to read before being connected to the VoipNow system.
• Language. The extension owner can set the language in which they want the CallNow interface to be displayed. They can choose between default or user choice, which means that it's up to the user to decide for an interface language.
• Message on the public interface allows extension owners to enter a Welcome message that will be displayed on the public interface of the extension.

Once the CallNow preferences are set up and confirmed, the system generates a CallNow URL. This is set up on the VoipNow server and can be used by external users to contact the extension and request a call.

The URL can have take any of the following formats:

<VoipNow_URL>/callnow/<unique_id>

or

<VoipNow_URL>/callnow/index.php?call=<unique_id>

How it works

When CallNow is enabled on a VoipNow Phone Terminal extension, a CallNow ID is allocated to that extension. This ID allows anyone to initiate call requests to the VoipNow extension over the Internet. If the request is accepted, the VoipNow server calls the person who made the request at the VoipNow client's expense.

When a caller makes a CallNow request and the call is picked up by the VoipNow Phone Terminal extension, the server establishes a connection between the caller and the callee. The Phone Terminal extension owner cannot receive CallNow requests from callers that belong to the public telephony network unless the CallNow feature is enabled and UnifiedAPI access is provided.

The callee can see who wants to contact them and decide whether they want to call back or not.

Example

Suppose John has a Phone Terminal extension on the VoipNow server.

The extension has one number allocated internally 001*002 and another one externally 555-555-0000. John activates his CallNow feature using john_doe for a CallNow ID.

His personal CallNow URL will look as shown below and he will be able to send it to anyone he wants to have access to his CallNow account.

<VoipNow_URL>/callnow/john_doe

Mary's phone number is 555-555-5555.

She wants John to call her, therefore, she visits John's CallNow interface at <VoipNow_URL>/callnow/john_doe (or <VoipNow_URL>/callnow/index.php?call=john_doe) and enters her name and phone number as specified (without dashes or any other separator).

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