Website to Landline VoIP(ish) service

Does any know of a commercial grade service that allows visitors to a website establish a call from their PC (without the explicit need to install a specific client) that terminates as one given landline number?

Scenario:-
Visitors to my employers website having looked through the information we have and then wish to contact our customer services team. The idea would be to click a link and the be connected to a person at the other end (who is on a landline) but the visitor is talking through the Mic and Speakers on his/her PC.

I know this can be achieved using skype, a skype-in number and redirection of that to another number but I have 2 problems with this:
1) User need the Skype client
2) Skype, in my opinion, isn't commercial grade.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Paul

Originally posted by p17blo
Does any know of a commercial grade service that allows visitors to a website establish a call from their PC (without the explicit need to install a specific client) that terminates as one given landline number?

Hi Paul.

To get this functionality you'd need a java app capable of voice which shouldn't be a problem.

HOWEVER, whilst you assumed correctly that skype would need certain requirements, I think your assumption of having headphones and mic (and having them setup for the user) is just as big an assumption.

What I would suggest, however, is having a click to dial type service.

The user types in their phone number and clicks okay, and their phone rings with an agent on the other end of the phone....

There are many companys that do this (ebay have this functionality if there is fraud on your acount, as do amazon).

It's simple to install on a web page, works with ANY browser and should be reletively cheap to use.

Regards

Paul

[Pete]

Originally posted by p17blo

I know this can be achieved using skype, a skype-in number and redirection of that to another number but I have 2 problems with this:
1) User need the Skype client
2) Skype, in my opinion, isn't commercial grade.

Without some kind of client-side software, I doubt you'd ever be able to achieve point 2. As Woggledog suggested, a Java app may possibly give you some functionality, but you're going to get into compatibility problems there (and, built in mic / headphones is a large assumption - using the built in speakers isn't a good idea, because the mic would be able to hear the speakers, and that gives you feedback/echo problems).

Phone 2 Phone web initiated calling isn't an option in this scenario. The marketing peeps have already done their job and have been through the 'What is required' and have dropped out the requirement to me.

I understand that some client side software would be needed and an activex or java applet or similar will be fine. What we don't want it to insist the user has to download and install something like skype or MSN.

I have found one supplier which I will post here to show you what we are looking for in more detail.

URL=http://www.web-marketing.co.uk/talkbyweb/

But thanks very much for the input so far, I do appreciate you taking the effort to assist.

Paul

[Pete]

Out of the Java or ActiveX options, Java has a better chance of running on more of your customers browsers, but you're going to havesome interesting challenges talking to various audio input/output devices.

The one thing to remember, is never let marketing make important technical decisions!

Originally posted by pixuk
The one thing to remember, is never let marketing make important technical decisions!

Shudder!!!!