What are Call Detail Records and Why are They Invaluable to Your Business?

Whether using a legacy PBX (public branch exchange) system or a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system, most telephone networks generate call detail records (CDR). Usually these come at the end of the call, but with modern developments, this data is now available during the call. Information generated by Call Detail Records includes time, date, call duration, number dialed, caller ID information, extension, line/trunk location, cost, call completion status and more.

Knowing this data can be invaluable to a business providing insight into phone use, employees, sales and traffic trends, and so much more.

Call records produced by the PBX are transmitted via serial port to a buffer, where they are temporarily stored until retrieved by call accounting software. Since they provide a reliable method of safely transferring information to call accounting or telemanagement systems, call record buffers have long been broadly accepted as the preferred storage device as a safeguard against cases of delayed call collection or communication failure.

The greatest benefit of CDR is perhaps in telecom expense management. Call detail records, both local and long distance, can be used for usage verification, billing reconciliation, network management and to monitor telephone usage to determine volume of phone usage, as well as abuse of your company's telephone system. CDR's are an asset in managing long distance telephone costs and aid in the planning for future telecommunications needs.

Identifying seasonal call traffic can be invaluable for staffing purposes, marketing efforts, and the records themselves can be beneficial in call verification if a caller is harassing staff over some dispute.

Once you have a call accounting system in place, review all the CDR's for accuracy. Those records can then be used to verify costs and usage; resolve discrepancies with vendors; disconnect unused service; terminate leases on unused equipment; deter or detect toll fraud of long distance services; and negotiate the most cost-effective call routing.

By choosing a secure call accounting system, CDRs can be collected for processing at a centralized corporate site for any sized network from both legacy and VoIP phone systems in real-time.

CDR collection can be accomplished via the corporate LAN or over the Internet using encryption technology. Encrypted CDR collection via IP enables real-time processing of call data enterprise wide.