Telephony

DASH Telephony is an optional add-on module to the DASH core package. It provides an interface between DASH operations and commercial telephony systems via the Asterisk open source telephony package. Click here for Telephony Licence pricing.

Adding a telephony solution to a research operation is an investment with a quick payback. The increase in interviewer productivity through the faster and more accurate dialing of outbound calls means an immediate reduction in field costs. Recordings of full and partial interviews give new options for servicing clients as well as managing field work. In sum, the integration of telephony with CATI provides a significant range of new options to improve both the working environment and the bottom line.

DASH Telephony Implementation
Asterisk Telephony System
  • open source telephony engine, tool kit
  • free download from web site
  • runs on standard Linux PC
  • supported by a range of vendors
  • cost-effective even for small operations
  • details at www.asterisk.org
DASH Telephony Interface
  • all call management controls provided by DASH
  • option to mix manual and dialer use on each project
  • local and remote users both supported
  • built-in dialer simulator for no-cost evaluation
DASH Form Integration with Telephony
  • commands anywhere in forms to initiate telephony functions
  • flexible formats for telephone number
  • full range of DASH filters for applying commands to subsamples
DASH Menu Integration with Telephony
  • supervisor menu assignment of staff to dialer
  • interviewer menu functions for dial options
  • supervisor menu display of interviewer dialing status
Outbound Dialing
Continuous Automatic Dialing
  • interviewer initiates first call
  • misdials eliminated, dial speed maximized
  • only voice connections delivered to interviewers
  • busies, no answers handled automatically
  • company-controlled ring time per call
  • company-controlled status codes for non-connects
Preview Dialing
  • interviewer opens each case
  • for: manual entry of phone number
  • for: selection from multiple phone numbers
  • for: review of case data before dial
  • command controls and/or pop-down menu to initiate dial
Mid-Case Dialing
  • interviewer initiates dial from anywhere in case
  • for: re-dial when phone line disconnected during interview
  • for: entry of temporary alternate phone number to be dialed
  • for: initiation of validation calls by supervisor
Live Call Monitoring
  • any number of simultaneous monitors
  • monitor locally or remotely
  • individual user controls on interviewers accessible for monitoring
  • easy volume adjustments
  • integrated with case monitoring
Recording
Full Interviews to Single Questions
  • command controls to start/stop anywhere in interview
  • automatic erasure if respondent withholds consent
  • any number of segments, including overlapping ones
  • interviewer-initiated recordings for emergency or special uses
  • supervisor-initiated recordings while monitoring
  • post-interview analysis of recorded interview for monitoring
  • model interviews useful in marketing, staff reviews, training
Playback
  • standard .wav format files for playback in any software
  • automatic file names have specific identifiers of content to aid selection
  • option for full conversation or respondent answers only
  • files can be emailed to client or posted on secure-access web site
Sound Clips
Operation
  • digital quality
  • any number per form/interview
  • initiated by commands
  • filters for playing respondent-specific audio file (e.g. by language)
Applications
  • ad jingles and audio tracks
  • music passages
  • text messages and speech excerpts
  • standardized company message for voice mail calls