Open-Ended Database Design

One of Telescript's most powerful innovations is its open database design. Where most other call center systems are built upon a single database platform (often proprietary), Telescript enables the customer to select from a number of database types and does not confine them to a specific database. Telescript not only stores and retrieves information from a user-selectable database, but actually constructs its native database tables as part of the customer database.

External Database Link - screen shot

Use Your Database
Native Database
How It Works
Scripting Links

Use Your Database!

Telescript eliminates the need for a separate proprietary or specific database by acting as and integrating with ODBC compliant databases, producing several key competitive advantages.

During project setup, Telescript provides a list of available database options to choose from, rather than automatically working with the software’s internal, proprietary choice. Corporations invest significant resources in selecting an internal database management system and prefer software that operates within the same system. By employing the same database system used for other applications, customers avoid the significant time and effort necessary to properly learn and manage two separate databases.

Additionally, companies are able to continue using existing reporting systems and utilize consistent reporting techniques to generate reports from the Telescript data, without retraining and learning a new system. Companies can also generate and modify reports with the same consistent "look and feel" as other corporate reports.

Finally, customers do not need to establish new cost and management controls for a separate database system. Existing management techniques, structures and routines can be extended to cover tables and databases that Telescript creates and utilizes. Customers can also apply the specific database utilities and programs that it had previously purchased or written.

Native Database

Telescript divides the database functions into two distinctive segments. First, Telescript connects to a database for storing and retrieving basic information for inbound and outbound calls and for recording call results. This database is known as the Telescript ‘native’ database. Telescript 5.x currently supports three native database systems: Microsoft Access® (Access 97 or Access 2000), SQL Server® 6.5 or 7.0, and Oracle® 8.x.

Secondly, Telescript can read and write information between scripts and databases. This type of link supports nearly any database, including FoxPro®, Paradox®, Access®, SQL Server®, Oracle® and most other ODBC compliant databases.

How it Works

Telescript’s database structure easily connects to most customers’ databases, automatically creating a Call History table and a Telescript table for each project. These tables track call results, as well as manage callbacks and call prioritization. They link to each other and to the customer’s data using a single unique link field that Telescript automatically generates. If data tables and data structures are required, they can be created and can connect to Telescript via this link. Telescript reads and writes data directly to the customer database tables and seamlessly brings that information into each agent’s script.

Telescript also uses a visual design to automatically create the database tables for you. Using Telescript’s database view option, the customer selects the type and size of each database field and then positions the layout of the fields on the screen. Telescript analyzes the view, generates all data tables and automatically connects the data to the view.

Furthermore, Telescript creates additional tables within the native database which are used to manage functions such as form letters, fulfillment and phone queues for outbound dialing campaigns.

Scripting Links

Telescript’s second type of database function is performed within a script, to read and write ‘ancillary’ database information relevant to a call. For example, ancillary links can deliver product data tables, pricing information, tax tables, and other details directly to the agent during a call. Furthermore, ancillary links enable the agent to be linked to nearly any type of information, creating a more effective call.

Real-time links to external databases enable information from database tables to be pulled into a script and displayed real-time, without requiring importing and exporting. Depending on the exact nature of the link, Telescript commands can copy data from the external database into the script; write data from the script to the external database and even add and delete data from the external database.

Telescript supports various types of links. Read links extract information from external databases, but do not write back to them. Edit links both read and write information. Table links are used to display tables of information in a window, such as a list of all the Congressmen from the state of Florida. Add links can add a new record to an existing table. Telescript also contains commands to delete records from an external table, and to immediately update, lock and increment/decrement tables.

Telescript supports relational links, as it can read and write information to multiple tables in one database, or in multiple databases, virtually simultaneously. It supports one-to-many links using the ‘Grid’ field type. Telescript’s grid is predicated upon a SQL statement to populate the grid, and to select records from the database. It can be used to display information such as order history, inventory, or any table linked to the underlying customer record. Grids can be designed to simply display data, or alternatively to edit or add new rows to the grid. Finally, Telescript allows for the transfer of rows from the grid directly into the script, where they can be modified and updated in the database.

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For more information about Digisoft and the call center software, CRM solutions, and predictive dialers we provide, please call us at 866-338-0678, fill out our contact form, or email us at sales@touchstar.com.

Digisoft (a TouchStar Software company)
9 East 40th Street • New York, NY 10016
Phone: 866-338-0678 • Fax: 303-338-5236

Developing call center software, CRM solutions, telemarketing software and predictive dialers for more than a decade.

Telescript