What Is Call Recording Software?
Call recording software is both a hardware and software solution. Depending on the type of lines being recorded, a physical recording card may be required. Typically, for analog lines or digital lines, a recording card is used. For calls over VoIP lines, there is no requirement for a physical recording board. However, a PC server is still required to actually hold the recorded audio files, and recording software is required to properly capture the audio packets and store them for later search and playback.
Call recording is used for:
- Quality control
- Liability protection
- Employee performance review
- Employee training
- Workforce management
How Does Call Recording Work?
If the lines are Analog or Digital, a recording card is installed in a PC Server, and the audio lines are split, one line continuing on to the phone (recording extension side) or PBX (recording trunk side), and the other split line continues to the recording server. The connection is a passive connection, nothing is injected into the line to distort or alter the audio.
VoIP (or voice over internet protocol) records by utilizing a SPAN/MIRROR port on a managed switch. This port is configured to copy all the audio traffic going through the switch and send it through this one port. This one port in turn is connected to the recorder PC. There are other was to record VoIP, but this method is the most common.
Once an active call is on the tapped line, the PC begins to record conversations and capture call details. If extension side, the information is captured right away, if trunk side, the information is captured after the call via SMDR with the PBX. Depending on the system or business requirements, you may choose to have all calls recorded, some lines to be recorded, or to have an opt-in method such as a key to press that will begin recording.
Modern call recording software, such as Versadial’s, is integrated into a computer, enabling a manager to monitor calls live. The software saves each call, enabling later search and playback. Many kinds of call recording software offer additional tools such as screen capture technology, detailed reports, and desktop tools.
What Are the Different Ways Call Recording Software can Record?
There are two primary flavors of call recording:
- Trunk side recording
- Extension Side Recording
The biggest difference is where the recording takes place. Trunk side is connected to the audio lines before they connect to the PBX (the phone system) and you record everything that happens on the external lines. It works by recording all inbound and outbound conversations.
Extension side recording, on the other hand, records after the PBX, so it records everything that happens on both inbound and outbound calls, but also extension to extension internal calls.
Who Uses Call Recording Software?
Call recording can be useful for many businesses. It is widely used by call centers and customer service centers for a variety of products and services. Call recording is also considered essential for many financial, insurance, public safety, healthcare, law, transportation, utility, government, and telecommunications services. Call recording enables these organizations to reduce liability, review employee performance, and improve customer satisfaction. Many companies use call recording as part of their employee training to continually enhance performance. It also provides them with a secure record of all agreements with customers, protecting them from potential liability issues.
Is Call Recording Legal?
Call recording is legal in the United States as long as it meets certain requirements. One of the most important stipulation is that there must be consent, although the kind of consent required varies by state and sometimes even by county. Federal law and some States require one party notification, meaning that only one party involved in the call must be aware that the call is being recorded. Other States require all party notification. This means that each person involved in the call must be notified that the call is being recorded. Notification can be given by a statement at the beginning of the call, by a written consent form, or by an audible beep tone repeated regularly throughout the call. Since all laws and regulation vary, this paragraph should not be deemed as legal advice and we highly encourage you to seek local legal counsel to inform you of the proper methods of utilizing call recording within your business.
The preceding info should provide a general basic understanding of call recording. Recording business lines is not a trivial matter, and a good understanding of your phone system, business environment, and goals plays a role into how the recorder is connected to your phones and utilized.
Last Updated on April 19, 2017