Why Customer are generally not very comfortable with Open Source solutions like Asterisk ?
Even Many times System Integrators who provide solutions based on Open Source are also not comfortable ?
Its undoubted that Asterisk and other Open Source Solutions provide state of the art technology, however, apart from technology there are some other aspects also.
The biggest problem is that any Open source solution is not out of the box solution for all requirements. It may be suitable for very normal requirements, but as soon as we bring in the complications of modern business processes, the limitations of Open Source come up. Open Source is a great friend of a Software Developer.
But when it comes to Clients or System Integrators, they have to be badly dependent on the person or team who is working the solution out. if that person does not turn up in time, then the client is help less. because the solution is not standard.
We can consider that Open Source solution is a set of tools or utilities which can be put to use and make sense, if you know how to use them. Now the problem is Client or System Integrator does not know the programming language or platform in which Asterisk or any other Open Source tools is made.
Firstly let us examine from the point of view of Customer / Client / End User:
- SI has provided some solution, based on asterisk.
- Customer has to call him for any kind of minor changes also, that may as minor as changing parameters of extension.
- If customer wants to add something more than basic, like FollowMe feature or IVR, then there is no chance that it can be done by even the most experienced admin.
- and if Customer wants to integrate some of his software with this telephony solution, he is almost at the mercy of this SI.
- Bigger problem comes when the SI himself is at the mercy of some person who may or may not be employed with him.
- Customer cannot change SI, and he feels that he is blackmailed, to shell out more money, just because he is not left with any choice.
- Most uncomfortable part is that when ever there is some problem, the solution is always cryptic, which done using lots of commands, which no one – other than the programmer understands.
- No one even comes to know – what was the problem, because the programmer will not disclose.
- Even if the solution was a single command, programmer would not disclose it, because he thinks that it is his trade secret.
- and since he is a programmer, he will never develop an easy way to solve that problem, otherwise his job is at stake.
What about System Integrators who provide Open Source Solutions.
(note : we are not talking here of full fledged developers, who have considerable size of team handling these technologies).
These SIs generally employ one or two person with the required skills or they tie up with some small team of developers who will provide them the solution based on Asterisk (generally this is one man team). But ultimately, the solution is depended on very very small and unstable team.
- Now, What if this person, if he gets offer from some MNC or a call from US ?
- How many minutes he is going to think about the SI or clients of SI.
- Also the entire team of SI has to bear all his doldrums FIXME, he has to be given undue treatment.
So, what is the solution:
What if COMPLETE CUSTOMISABLE solution is provided by some stable and reliable team, where all the customisation and configuration can be carried out by any engineer of SI.
All the configuration and implementation is done from a standard GUI, rather than backend programming.
- It provides a standard API which can be integrated with any standard application on any platform.
- The Support team is always present to solve the issues.
- Any kind of customisation can be implmented.
Enjay Synapse Server is a complete customisable, user friendly solution based on Asterisk.
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