Simple callcenters with Skype

By Peeter P. Mõtsküla on May 9, 2006 in Developer Blog.

There's an easy way to set up a helpdesk, weather forecast service, horoscopes-on-demand or similar service using nothing but Skype (and a few smart people to answer the calls).

The trick is having all your operators use a single shared Skype Name. So when a call comes in, the Skype client of each operator starts to ring. As soon as the first of them picks up the call, the ringing stops for others too (they will see a "missed call" event, but more about this later).

Now when another call comes in while the first operator is still speaking, the Skype clients of all other operators start ringing, and stop as soon as the next operator answers the call. As before, everybody else including the first operator who was still busy with another call will get a "missed call" event.

The obvious question is "how does an operator differentiate between the 'missed calls' that were answered by another operator, and the ones that were actually missed?" The answer is that you've got to activate Skype Voicemail for this shared account: only the calls that ended up in voicemail have missed all operators and you'd be nice to call'em back.

Of course you can use Skype API to build a more sophisticated solution -- and share it with (or sell it to) other people -- but that might be enough for getting started.

P.S. Thanks to everybody for comments on Naked Skype. We're not rushing to create it (at least in immediate future) but I cannot get the idea out of my head and your continued feedback helps me polish it up for later.

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Comments

A very nice way to solve the issue and I may say just what I was looking for without going way into the API. However the problems was always how can a single user accept multiple calls, but this can be solved as well

We have a Skype call center with 20 people who work. I think that will be very important to implement a web system (like a PBX) to manage the incoming calls and to distribute them to the first free operator in the call center. The trick to use the same account for all the operators has some limitations and don't allow the use of a personalized account.
Another very important feature to implement is the call tranfer. I would be a very happy business user if i can transfer a received call to another skype user or skypeout number.

@dxdanny, This is the concept I am working on now, and hopefully I will be able to produce a proof of concept soon. I am trying to make a multi level call support system, with either multi users using a single Skype account, or a single master account forwarding calls to relevant users, SkypeOut numbers. However the forwarding part of the system is a harder thing to do, with the current set-up.

In this solution, every other call would get a busy signal???? We need a real skpe PBX solution, and soon. All our business' could benefit from it. If anyone develops one then please let me know... .

You could also try a solution by one of Skype's partners, Angel.com. They can connect an incoming Skype call to a true Call Queue, where calls can be routed to one agent at a time via round robin, least utilized, most idle, etc. Their call center product is called Virtual Call Center

(disclaimer: I work for angel.com)

Great solution for a simple call center, or you can check out www.zaplee.com for more sophisticated call center setup. This software not only distributes calls one agent at a time but also provides some data/call management capabilities as well.

ZiPCOM's SkyPBX can implement one skype account to distribute incoming call without ring all operators. SkyPBX integrates skype services to PBX system. The incoming call could reach the extension which they would like to call. It's an ideal product for enterprises. please see this website http://www.zipcom.com.tw , please read the features carefully.

I am working on a consulting assignment for SKY-click (http://www.sky-click.com). They have a very interesting Skype-based call center solution. No installations - all ASP and software based. They have most traditional call center functions that simple solutions as above don't have: queuing, analysis, etc. But in addition the integration with a company's website functions really well. I tested the free trial at:
http://www.sky-click.com/pages/subscribe_free.php

I tried this to set up a three person call centre, but the second call in to the SkypIn number goes straight to voicemail. Anyone know how to fix?

Now people can use PrettyMay Call Center for Skype(http://www.prettymay.net) which is a 100% software-based call center solution for Skype, it can serve multi-inbound calls from Skype or Skypein lines simultaneously without any extra hardware required.

This sounded like the easiest solution to allow us to see whether our customers wanted to use Skype to call us, but I came across a problem (maybe it's just me!). I logged into the same account on two computers, and a colleague called me. I answered the call on one PC, and left the call active. Another colleague then called me, but it only rang on the PC that had taken the first call - the second PC, still logged in to the account, didn't seem to register that their was a call queueing. What am I doing wrong?

Hey people..Well, firstly I've read all the blogs on here and I downloaded, installed and setup PrettyMay Call Center for Skype. It works brilliantly and it's easy to setup. Also they have the PrettyMay Voice which is basically when a call has been answered it can also be transfered again afterwards. Have a look..it's more than worthwile and EXTREMELY user friendsly and easy. Even a dummy can do it. However I also looked at Zaplee's solution to all this and I found it extremely confusing and not easy to understand at all.

Great software!
Yes,it's more than worthwile and EXTREMELY user friendsly and easy.But I also want to know how forward 800 phone calls to my SkypeIn number.
Thanks.

Hi, Please check out this url800-Number Customer Service.Hope this help.

You can take this simple call center a step further and try out OnState's Skype Call Center. While not free, it is very cost effective and can leverage the presence of all users logged in to the system to determine who is the best person to communicate with the customer at this point based on set skills, user state, and real-time business presence monitoring. Skype us to learn more.

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