Tech Bulletin for Call Accounting

How to create DNIS reports using Ultimate Call Accounting version 10:

 For Toshiba Phone systems only (others are set up in other ways)

1. Enter the level 3 password in Security-->Enter Password.

2. Enable "Replace Account Code with D.N.I.S. Number" in Maintenance-->Settings-->General.

3. In Maintenance-->Database, assign names to D.N.I.S. numbers in the Account Code tab, if desired.

4. In Reports-->Template Reports, use Account Code reports (numbers 3 and 4) to view reports sorted by D.N.I.S. number.

below is a mock-up of some of the data D.N.I.S. can provide you - it is not from the call accounting it is from our marketing brochure - same data different format.

Please note that this solution precludes the use of account codes in reports and assumes D.N.I.S. data is delivered to the SMDR or CDR datastream.

For the entire article from the BizTimes.com use the link below!

BizTimes: Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin Business News | BizTimes

Bob Sodemann, co-founder of DataComm Plus, an information technology and telecommunications systems firm and data center based in Franklin, is combining existing technologies in innovative ways to help nurses reach patients requiring immediate attention quicker and more fluidly. 

Sodemann developed the Ultimate Caregiver,(Cloud ReAction) which merges pull cord technology with the power of cloud computing and mobile devices to allow for wireless paging and generated staff response reports. The integration of these technologies is especially useful for nursing facilities and elderly care homes, where nursing staffs are constantly on the go, attending to a number of patients.

"We're applying these technologies in new and creative ways," Sodemann said. The development behind the collaboration of these technologies has been an evolving process over the past five years with cloud computing introduced to the collaboration earlier this year. The Ultimate Caregiver (Cloud ReAction) connects a pull cord system, either wired or wireless, in a nursing facility with a cloud hosted at a data center. When a patient pulls a pull cord, it triggers a light to turn on. A light sensor sees the automatic light and sends the pull cord information to the data center over the Internet. The data center then transmits the information to pagers and mobile devices to alert nursing staffs about where the pull cord call is coming from. Alerts can be sent through texts, e-mails, pages and phone calls. The data center also tracks pull cord calls and generates reports detailing the amount of time staff takes to respond to a particular call. According to Sodemann, the Ultimate Caregiver's most significant strengths are that all computing involved takes place in the cloud which is more reliable than other servers, and the cloud can be connected to existing nurse call systems so that facilities do not have to invest in costly new technology. 

DataComm Plus has connected these capabilities using the cloud with four facilities, including two in the greater Milwaukee area, one in Nebraska and one in Iowa. One of the facilities, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi convent in St. Francis, has been relying on the Ultimate Caregiver (Cloud ReAction) since July so that its nursing staff can better identify nuns in need of urgent help. The convent is home to 40 sisters who receive 24-hour care. Another building on the convent's campus, Clare Hall, houses about 70 sisters who have two shifts of care available to them daily.

Convent administrator John Schmitt said the organization needed to update its technology to better accommodate elderly nuns with exceedingly demanding health needs. "The sisters are aging in place, and we wanted to improve the quality of care and reduce the response time," Schmitt said. "We wanted to make sure that as their need for care increases, we could adapt to it to take care of them," he said. Originally, Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi had a wired nurse call system connected to a panel of lights. When a nun pulled a pull cord in her room, a light would come on in the hallway right outside her room door. The panel of lights would also light up and sound a tone to alert staff which room the pull cord had been pulled in. The system was limited in that it required a staff member to be at the panel as much as possible. Otherwise, caregivers would have to explore the hallways when hearing the alert tone to find which light outside which room was signaling the patient in need. The Ultimate Caregiver (Cloud ReAction)  technology enables staff alerts via pagers using the same pull cord system......
For the balance of the story.... ( BizTimes: Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin Business News | BizTimes )

How to move Ultimate Call Accounting Version 10 to a new PC

How to move Ultimate Call Accounting version 10 to a new PC:

1. Install the software.  Install Ultimate Call Accounting 10.x on the new PC from the "Download Call Accounting 10.x.x" link on the following page.  Make sure you are not downloading from the link labeled "UPGRADE" or "latest .exe."

http://ultcom.com/?page_id=942

2. Copy your data.  Close Ultimate Call Accounting on the old PC and copy the contents of the Ultimate folder from the old PC to the Ultimate folder on the new PC.  The Ultimate folder is usually found in C:\ on the old PC, as well as on the new PC.  Replace any files with the same name.  You can copy the files directly over the network or via other media such as CD-RW, DVD-RW, thumb drive, etc.  If you use a CD-R or DVD-R, the files may be copied as read-only files.  If this happens, you must remove the read-only restriction on the files after copying.

3. Activate the software.  Start Call Accounting on the old PC and on the new PC.  Enter the level 3 password (level3 by default) and go to Security-->Software Activation on both systems.  Call Ultimate to receive the deactivation code for the old system and the activation code for the new system.

4. Move the call data (CDR) feed.  If your call data comes to the PC via a serial cable, you must disconnect that cable from the old PC, connect it to a serial port on the new PC, and make sure that the correct serial port is selected as the source for SMDR in Maintenance-->Settings-->General.  Then move the serial cable to the new PC.  If your call data comes to the PC over the network from a Toshiba CIX system, make sure that the IP address of the new PC matches the IP address of the old PC and remove the old PC from the network.

Jim Hahn -- Ultimate Software Products -- 262-789-9609

Easier Money Details

Easier Money Details

Who: Dealers and sales staff can sell any of our products and we can assist with installation, training, and direct support as needed. When we started, the business model required direct support of the dealer in almost all cases for Call Accounting, OnTime4Class and many of our other products. Now with remote access to customer computers, within seconds we can offer more services as an option.

What: The new technology and changing economy forced us to expand our business model. When the economy stumbled, many of our dealers retired or went out of business. End-users would call us and needed help. At first we tried to find a new dealer but found we could serve them better and faster via a direct internet connection so we began to charge for the service and support.

When: We created a reasonable price for training and annual service - we began to offer it to the dealer as an option with any of our products over the last few years.

Why: The majority of the dealers did not use us for help unless the customer was a long distance away or they were unable to resolve the customer's issue. Other dealers lost a tech or two and needed the extra help. Needs differed with each dealer, so we changed our sales and support philosophy. You do the billing for your customers, but we'll provide the support. 

Where: If the computer that has our software has internet access, we can help via remote desktop connection. If that's not possible we may be able to help by phone and email.

Can you give us an example? Ten years ago if we sold a Centralized Call Accounting system with four remote sites and the main location, our bid would include the software and installation assistance. Now,  dealers can purchase a service bundle for just 10% more, and then the customer is trained by our staff, the installation is done with our programmers, and first year's end user questions and tech support are handled directly by us. This is available with Call Accounting, OnTime4Class, InnService and Spark. It is required for Smoke Signal, AppointmentReminder Software and Doctor Reminder Software.

We can send you an order form detailing dealer cost and options, as well as MSRP suggestions that can be a guideline for pricing. (We consider these minimum markup amounts.)

How: None of this could be done when we started selling call accounting twenty years ago. We built a network of dealers by selling software and supporting the installation team by phone, then later with pcAnywhere for difficult problems. We still need a local contact for technical support but now the dealer does not need to do more than telephone programming in most cases. He can then turn over the software implementation, training of customers and tech support to us if needed. Everyone concentrates on their own specific areas of expertise!

Two ways UP - (like 2 ways up a hill or in this case 2 ways up in business)

I am sending this note to owners and executive managers only. As owners and managers we are looking for opportunities to diversify with related business that has a high chance of success and low amount of risk. If that sounds like you, consider the following:

The Problem – “The interconnect business model is dying …” I was stunned hearing this statement a couple months ago. Ultimate is not an interconnect but 90% of our dealer base is in the telephone business. I have been asking a number of questions to dealers since then, questions like:

1. What are you selling on a monthly basis? 
2.  What new services are you pursuing? 
3.  Are you adding people? What kind of staff (sales, trainers, tech's)?

Most are waiting to add staff until after the election and surviving on any deal that comes along, but not selling many phones systems. They are moving toward cabling, data-services, and looking for the “Next Opportunity.” Sadly some are just putting “time in” and looking to retire. Sobering …

Two Ultimate Solutions

      

      We saw the “next opportunity” as a sign. Last year I pushed Doctor Reminder Software and some of the dealers responded, but orders were slower than I hoped. As I look back we were not at the right price point and we were a year early – now the calls are coming from all over! Another opportunity is our Cloud Response system. We have been in the emergency response business for over ten years, offering applications for nursing homes, assisted living centers, senior apartments and schools. You’d think there would be lots of competition, but we have a niche that is unique and pricing that seems to trigger sales. We also have recurring revenue, installations that interconnects are trained for, and an open market to target. The market consists of existing facilities with nurse call systems in place. Their problem is that they have no mechanism for creating reports, no wireless communication and rising occupancy rates. 

• We can generate the needed reports! We are Ultimate, remember!
•  They can upgrade without replacing the in-place wired system – your techs can cross-connect the low voltage nurse call system to our system and add features.
• The new features attract new residents – the competition for residents is fierce because seniors can’t easily sell their homes. So any resident in the market is a target for every senior center. Senior centers are trying to impress these prospects with current technology and reports, which increase safety for residents.

Your Resources 

Sales people need wins and focus. You can have one marketing manager call all your medical clinics and sell Doctor Reminder Software. Our strength is:    

•  Integration with their existing scheduling software 
•  Our voice messages don’t sound like a computer 
•  Clinics like that our software and the data stay in-house (HIPAA) 
•  You sell and bill and we install, train and service

Your techs can install Cloud Response.  Direct another sales person to call your base for nursing homes and offer to enhance the in-place system.

• Recurring revenue 
• Profitable Installations 
• Recurring sales – because of common ownership and management in healthcare service & these  administrators love regional user groups - you can join one them for leads and learning about this service market!
• And this is a virgin market – for now! (our niche remember?)

·        The Risk

• Minimal risk with Doctor Reminder Software. We’ll do the demos, help with configuration, install, train and support. You sell, markup and bill the customer.
• Minor risk with Cloud Response. The client keeps the current system they have been using for years. We just add to it without replacing it. Your tech must cross-connect, install our Cloud Response kit and test the endpoints. We’ll program, maintain and support.

The Reward

• Doctor Reminder Software is hot, priced right and just requires you to write up the order - you can even customize the MSRP order form to the profit you want. 
• Figure on a two day installation for Cloud Response and pocketing a nice profit and monthly income. But hurry, someone is going to get this business if it is not you.

The Decision

You have a business with payroll every couple weeks, and you know (in the back of your mind) that the telephone market is slowly disappearing as smart phones keep getting smarter. You want to keep your staff and income moving forward and if you don’t change course you know the future holds more changes. It is time to catch the next wave!  
Tell me or show me more

The Missing Link – for National Accounts has been discovered!

I got a call from a dealer that has a national account of retail stores. They sell small systems with 6 lines and 13 phones. The corporate office would like reports on the number of calls in and out especially when they have a national advertising campaign. They would also like to track contests for the sales people making calls to current customers.

The problem is call accounting on a per system basis is expensive if you have a computer, SMDR data card, and a local administrator. Having centralized call accounting would be great but every system has an extension 200 and lines one through six.

Ultimate has the Answer!

With Centralized Call Accounting we can accept IP data from the internet, create a unique store code for extension 200 in Tulsa, Sacramento, or New York City, adjust the time for each location and give this traffic studies to boot!

Imagine one computer, one administrator and management reports for every store automatically. Call Roy Catron to review your national or regional account application today. 262-789-9654

For TOSHIBA IPedge & CIX™ Systems Only

 

Should our Call Accounting Software be called “Telephone Management Resource” instead? Wikipedia says, “A resource is a source or supply from which an organization gains profit.” That is a fair question because most our sales in Call Accounting and Centralized Call Accounting software are for the management of people and equipment.

 

What do we offer on TOSHIBA IP edge & CIX™ that we don't offer on other systems?

Trial of Transfer reports (this shows an incoming call being transferred from ext. 501 to 520 and finally 535 and how long each extension talked with the  caller from 263-6315 or ABC Carpet)

Account code 124563

Date  Time   Account   Ext.    Type    # Dialed St City       Length    Name (Caller ID)__

06/20 11:23a 00000023  501     LOCAL   263-6315 WI MILWAUKEE  0:00:15   ABC CARPET & FL

06/20 11:24a 00000023  520     LOCAL   263-6315 WI MILWAUKEE  0:01:05   ABC CARPET & FL

06/20 11:26a 00000023  535     LOCAL   263-6315 WI MILWAUKEE  0:01:20   ABC CARPET & FL 

AdTracker Reports Ultimate! AdTracker helps you make wise decisions as consumers respond to new trends (e.g., internet,

cable programming and Facebook, Google). Ultimate! helps keep your finger on the pulse of the public. In the brochure example at the link above if you spend $500.00 per month for a Yellow Page ad, the cost per response is $125.00. If the City Bus ads cost $1,000.00 per month then the cost per response is about $26.00 with 39 calls that month. This is the data you need to set priorities for your advertising budget.

Centralized Call Accounting using one computer manage multiple sites that are using StrataNet® or NOT (like national accounts that have small squared systems - the corporate office would like reports but cannot justify a separate computer, and administrator for 100+ systems We have the Ultimate answer!

Free Trial - full reporting for 20 days and data collection forever. Toshiba has an IP data connection is built in to release 4.0 + software and so a basic install takes minutes and as long as the computer is running data is saved. Buying the software just turns on the reporting tool and we can now allow a 20 day trial period. 

 Free Trial informational link

Plus release 10.0 adds new features  expands the automation and customized reports dramatically.

ER…More Than a TV Show

ER…More Than a TV Show

Emergency Response at the New Orleans Children’s Hospital means lives can be saved if the medical staff is in place. It must be the right medical team, and they must be ready when the ambulance or helicopter arrives. Ultimate Smoke Signal software is used by the dispatch team to call, page, text, and email the team for an incoming emergency.

The dispatcher communicates with the ambulance by radio while drivers head to the Children’s Hospital. While talking they can press one of three touch screen buttons for Team A, Team B, or Team C. That is all they need to do -the Smoke Signal software calls the chosen team members’ cell phone, direct phone or even home phone and delivers an audio alert message. At the same time text and email messages are sent the team members to increase the chance of reaching them in a timely fashion. Something like, “Incoming ambulance to ER now for Team B. Report now for an emergency in route. Please reply that you received the message and are coming to the ER.” Finally, because cell phones don’t always receive calls or text messages inside the hospital the medical teams have in-house pagers that get the message too. Dispatchers get visual response on the screen as the team replies that they are coming to the ER.

The Children’s Hospital started with the three local teams then liked the results so much they added ten city buttons for the Flight for Life helicopter for the largest metro areas in Louisiana. They are now adding Smoke Signal in another department for internal communications to staff and departments. Smoke Signals have gone digital and lives are being saved because messages are getting out. Ultimate has placed Smoke Signal software in prisons, schools, utility companies, municipalities, and large companies for enhanced communications and reminders for deliveries and appointments.

Ultimate Tools change the rules of what can be done with your telephone and computer system!  Call Roy Catron at 262-789-9654 - If we can’t do it we may know someone who can help.

My Odd Job Man - Marketing Genius

We have a guy called James who comes round to our house and offers to do odd jobs every now and then. Youngish guy, big grin, looks like he's had an interesting life.When he came round last week it struck me that in many ways he's a great role model for marketing.We first met James a year or so ago when he knocked on our door offering to clean our gutters for £20.Now we didn't know him from Adam at the time. But the gutters really did need doing, it's a tricky job getting up on ladders to do it yourself, and for only £20 - what did we have to lose?So we said yes.He set off to clean them, and as it was a pretty sunny day, he chatted to us as he did it. When he'd finished, as we were paying him, he said:

"You know, your decking could do with a bit of wood preserver on it". He was right, it could. But it's a big job - we have a lot of decking surrounding the extension to the house we built a few years ago. So he quoted us a very reasonable price ... 


(not that we checked or got any competitive quotes - but it seemed cheap for the amount of work) and we agreed for him to do it.A couple of days later he was back to do the decking. He worked like a dog for 2 days - sanding the decking down and hand painting it all with the wood preserver.As we paid him, he said:"You know, if you've got any other jobs need doing - painting, repairs, anything, just give me a call". And as it happens, we'd been thinking about getting the main room in the extension and the hallway painted. So guess what? James ended up doing that too.So from what started out as a £20 job to clean out our gutters, he ended up with a small 4 figure sum.Not a bad bit of business development work really! What were James's "secrets"? 


Well, firstly, he had a low cost, low risk entry level offer.When we first met him, we didn't know if he could do a good job or whether we could trust him. But for £20 it wasn't much of a risk. When he did a good job, and when he chatted to us as he did it, he built his credibility and his relationship with us. Next, he used his eyes, ears and common sense to spot something else we needed doing - the decking. By working flat out on it and charging a good value price, he built his credibility and relationship further. Having built his credibility, he'd earned the right to ask if there was anything else that he could help with. And there was.Now here's the thing. James is "just" an odd job man.

But how many of us highly qualified professionals have that low cost, low risk entry level offer where we can prove ourselves?  Not many. How many of us professionals keep our heads up and our eyes and ears open to spot other areas we can help our clients in - rather than just knuckling down, doing the work and getting out? Not many. And how many of us have the confidence in our own capabilities to know that after having done good work, offering to help in other areas is not being pushy or salesy - it's actually appreciated by our clients who need that help. Once again, not many.

2012 is probably going to be a tough year for many professional firms. But I suspect James is going to do OK.

"if you'd like more ideas and tips on marketing from Ian Brodie, you can grab a free copy of his Pain Free Marketing Blueprint here:

Best Regards,

Ian Brodie

Tech bulletin for Ultimate Call Accounting version 10 Step-by-step Setup of Call Accounting:

1.    Obtain a PC.  The customer will need a PC running Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, or Server 2003 or later.   The PC must always be on and logged in to Windows.  It does not need to be dedicated, but does need Internet access in order to download the software.  RAM and hard drive requirements are modest and should not be an issue.

2.    Equip the telephone system for SMDR with the needed serial card or IP license.  SMDR over IP is often included with the phone system.

3.    Download and install the software.  Go to www.ultcom.com and select Downloads from the menu across the top of the page.  Then click on the link for Download Call Accounting 10.0+.  When asked whether to save or run, choose run.  Your browser may give you one or more warnings about downloading software at this point.  Press Run or Yes to continue.  Press Unzip, then OK to begin the installation.  Press OK again to proceed.  Press the large button to install the software to the indicated folder.  Setup asks you to enter the program groups where the software will be added.  Press Continue to both of these prompts.  Acknowledge the “completed successfully” box by pressing OK.

4.    Start Ultimate Call Accounting using the Windows start button.  You will find it in All Programs-->Ultimate.

5.    Fill out the Pricing Wizard with the desired rates for 7-digit local and 1+ long distance calls.  If you do not know the rates the customer wants, you may set local calls to free and enter 0 for the long distance rates.  You may go back to the Pricing Wizard once you know the rates.  The rates must be entered as dollars and cents.  For instance, if you want 3 cents, enter .03, not 3.  The Centrex 9 box should not be checked, except in rare cases (talk to us first).  Enter the customer’s home area code and click OK.

6.    Complete the Initial Setup form.  Fill in the company name and select the phone system from the drop down list.  Under SMDR Configuration, select a COM port if the SMDR will be received on a serial port.  This will usually be COM1 for a built-in serial port, or some higher number like COM3 for an external serial adapter.  You can then set the baud rate and settings for the serial port.  If, instead, the SMDR is provided on a TCP/IP connection from the phone system, choose TCP/IP Client (for most phone systems) or TCP/IP Server (for Toshiba phone systems).  You can then set the Node Name/IP address for the phone system (if using the Client setting) and TCP port.  The TCP port must match the port the phone system uses.  Press the Connect button to initiate TCP/IP communication.  You should leave all other settings at their defaults for now.  Press Continue.  If a Windows Firewall alert is shown, select Allow Access.

7.    Enter the default password (level3) in Security-->Enter Password to gain access to program features.

8.    Make a test phone call to see if call data is being processed.  You should see data in the second (Last Processed Data) box.   If not, check the COM port or IP address, baud rate or TCP port , and phone system type in Maintenance->Settings-->General.  If these look correct, but there is still no data in the Last Processed Data box, send an e-mail to support@uspnet.com.  Ultimate Dealers can call the dealer tech support number.

9.    Activate the software.  Click the flashing red message at the bottom of the call accounting main window, “Activation needed – click here.”  If this is a purchased copy of Call Accounting, call the number shown and be ready to provide the Ultimate order number (if you have one), the two 10-digit numbers on the left, your name, your company name, and the name of the site.