VoIP: Recording Calls

The ability to record calls is an important tool for many types of businesses, and a necessary requirement for others. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a service that turns standard communications systems into digital voice, allowing people to communicate – at a mere fraction of the cost – over a high-speed Internet connection. Rapidly becoming the streamlined path for businesses across the U.S., Jive works with VoIP hosted systems to help increase productivity and boost a company’s bottom-line.

Many customer call centers are rapidly including call recording technology. It serves two vital functions: providing proof of calls and helping meet today’s legal requirements. Meticulous recordkeeping is necessary in today’s business world, helping to avoid fines, audits and keeping businesses run smoothly.

Call recording can help train new employees and also serves as an effective form of supervising, training and generating vital sales leads. Audio recordings, often referred to as audio evidence, are important, allowing managers to review and evaluate an employee’s calls. For example, financial traders are required by law to record all calls that involve training orders. Many times these programs are silently integrated into existing platforms and VoIP business systems make this possible.

On the flip side of call recording, it can also help managers quickly determine which employees provide excellent customer service and salesmanship. Calls that do not fall into this category provide an excellent training tool so trainers can point out shortfalls and areas to avoid when communicating with customers.

Sometimes employees choose to record a certain call, based on foreseeing problem, etc. In such circumstances it is easy for an employee to record a call on his/her PC.

1. On a PC, a recording will default to .WMA format, playable in Windows Media Player.
2. From the Windows menu, select “Start.”
3. Enter “Sound Recorder” in the search box.
4. From the searched entries, select “Sound Recorder.”
5. Open the VoIP client, placing a test call to ensure the speakers and microphone are properly functioning. Volume levels should be adjusted according to software instructions.
6. Upon placing the call, click “Start Recording” in the Sound Recorder program. A green meter, which indicates volume, will fall and rise as it detects the call’s audio.
7. When the call is complete, click “End Call,” followed by “Stop Recording.”
8. Windows will automatically pop up a “Save” window. Enter the name, file and location.
9. Finally, click “Save” to permanently have a record of the call.

Businesses should keep in mind that some states require mutual consent of both parties prior to recording a telephone call. Additionally, wearing a headset during the recording is highly recommended or a loud echo may result, making the taped conversation difficult to hear. Hosted VoIP systems provide a wide range of features, helping benefit businesses.