Centrex(SM)

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When customers call, they want and expect a single number to connect them to the right person. Sure your business may have multiple phones lines operating from multiple locations, but that doesn't mean your customers have to know. Let Sprint Centrex(SM) route calls and data transmissions to the appropriate extension—just as an on-site receptionist would.

Centrex (central office exchange) is a switching service that directs calls for business and residential customers through software and hardware located in a telecommunications provider's central office (CO). A part of the switching center equipment is reserved for each customer who subscribes to Centrex. With Sprint Centrex, you can choose from a comprehensive list of convenient features and create the feature package that best meets your business—specific needs. In addition, each Centrex user has a separate telephone number and can easily connect to users outside their own system.

Listed below are standard and advanced Centrex features. Advanced features typically require a Meridian Business Set (MBS) that you can lease or buy from Sprint.

Conferencing Features

These features will help you:

• Improve employee effectiveness. Let your employees meet regardless of time or location and deal with issues more quickly and efficiently.
• Reduce costs. Save travel costs that result from face-to-face meetings.

Its large selection of features means Centrex can support a wide range of applications for both voice and data—ranging from the most basic to the highly sophisticated. Check out this section for some of the most popular Centrex applications and examples of how they help businesses solve communication problems.

Multiple Location Connectivity

What is it?

Multiple location connectivity uses technology to tie various business locations together with a uniform, abbreviated dialing plan so that they appear to be a single location. Companies often use it to function seamlessly in their interactions with customers and suppliers.

What's an example?

A county government with six office buildings in different locations was having trouble processing the large number of calls it received daily from county residents. The calls dealt with a wide variety of issues such as property tax questions, court appearances, marriage licenses, and voter registration. Callers were becoming frustrated because they rarely reached the right department on the first call. The government's old key system prevented employees from transferring calls from one office building to another, so callers often had to dial three or four numbers before reaching the right one. With a new Centrex system, the government was able to connect all six locations in a single system without making a large up-front capital investment. Each department was able to get a direct line so callers could check the phone book for the department they needed and dial it directly. In addition, any incoming call that reached the wrong building could be easily transferred to the right one, ensuring that callers did not have to hang up and dial another number. With less time spent answering phones and transferring calls, the government was able to dramatically reduce the amount of time needed to process requests and paperwork.

Disaster Prevention

What is it?

Disaster prevention is a plan for protecting networks or telephone systems from catastrophes such as a power outage or earthquake.

What's an example?

A rapidly growing electrical equipment company was suffering substantial disaster losses. Lightning had struck the company's PBX three times in one year, knocking the system out, and leaving the company without voice, email, or Internet access. Because of the outage, the company was unable to contact suppliers or arrange for products to be shipped out and as a result lost two major customers. The company wanted to fix the problem, but they didn't have the money to invest in a new telephone system.

The company decided to run Centrex lines around its PBX system into crucial areas like the chairman's office, shipping, and receiving. Because the Centrex lines are connected to a central office (CO), they are extremely reliable. The CO operates on a giant battery that is continuously recharged by a commercial battery, and usually also has a diesel generator that kicks in if there is an outage. If the PBX system crashes, the company will still have the Centrex lines up and running, and crucial business functions can go on as usual.

Integrated Voicemail

What is it?

A voicemail system that is based in the central office instead of in equipment located on customer premises, such as a PBX, key system, or an answering machine.

What's an example?

A small, three-person consulting firm relied on voicemail to keep its constantly traveling partners in touch with the office and their clients. The machine frequently ran out of tape, and important messages were sometimes deleted by mistake. Also, the firm's partners found calling in and retrieving their messages a hassle because they had to punch in a series of codes.

With Centrex central office-based integrated voicemail, the consulting firm didn't have to worry about tape or lost messages. They could call in and retrieve their messages quickly and easily without codes, and were able to add several new features such as message forwarding.

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