There is a thread "Is a2billing really a full featured telecom application?"
great comments... I hope the following will also help make A2B "THE" telecom app for asterisk.
My basis are simple: A good product or service, clear communication with the customer, good customer service, and reasonable prices will keep your customer, Every time I send an invoice to a customer I want it to have all the information he needs to pay the bill with no question asked. If he needs to call me to ask a question not only I did not do a good job, I am wasting my time and the customers time and most important delaying a payment.
The A2B invoicing in my opinion is so far from ideal, actually it is unusable as is. (At least in my business) but I don't see it to be too much different for anyone else.
A2B Invoice/Receipt got me a call from a great customer with the following questions: (actual questions) I have changed some of the actual numbers to make my point clear.
A couple relevant comments to keep in mind while you read this:
1- The only difference in a pre-paid and post-paid customer is that one has credit the other does not. the billing process should be the same.
Either way, every customer counts, and more yet if 1 accounts for 50% of your revenue.
2- An invoice or receipt MUST contain a clear description of all charges and every possible piece of information a customer may need to pay it on the spot or to buy it.
3- The data on invoice should be such and as simple to understand and as to never cast any doubt in the customer's mind he is paying for a worthwhile product or service.
The customer questions:
1- Why did you send me 25 emails yesterday, 25 the day before and 50 today all with the same data? ( he has 100 dids ) do you expect me to read every one? are you trying to P.$$ me off and waste my time?
10 minutes later another call.
2- I looked at my bill online and I see 100 charges of $x.00 what are they all about?
3- What was my balance the last month? I see a line "This invoice is for some charges unpaid since the last billing, and for the negative balance.;"
What is the "unpaid" and the negative balance amounts? where can I see them?
4- I see several receipts, do you expect me to write a check for each one of them?
5- I click on preview and I see
2009/12/31 Cost of calls between the 2009-12-01 12:00:02 and 2009-12-31 18:50:53
6- Are those incoming or outgoing?
7- How many minutes does that account for?
8- Where do I click to see a detailed list of all the calls made from my office so I can track the abuser here, please? OH! wait, better yet, please email me the list.
9- Are those local, long distance or my international calls?
can you separate them for me on that list please, I dont have time to be doing that.
10- I sent you $600.00 last month, I dont see it anywhere, how much credit did I have and how much do I have now? I can not make any calls this morning and I have 50 people here looking at each other.
11- What are all those 100 lines in there for?
2009-12-31 CHARGE : x.00
2009-12-31 CHARGE : x.00
"Charge: for what"???
10- What is this line in the invoice for?
2009/12/31 Amount for periode between the 1969-12-31 and 89.428060 8.25% 96.805875
Send me the info I will send someone with a check. But please turn this thing back on so I can get my people to work and be able to pay you.
Oh! almost forgot, how can I email that preview thing to me from the web page?
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I hope you can see some humor in all of this, some of the questions can be answered and the data is available at the Customer UI but not that easy. Lets keep in mind that the majority of customer does not have a clue about A2B and could care less how it works, all he wants is the easy, fast and intuitive way to get the information he is looking for to pay his bill.
This just happens to be my best customer, luckily also a good, loyal, understanding customer and a personal friend, nevertheless a "Customer", and perhaps those questions can help bring the solution and answer for those questions to a higher priority in the A2B TODO list.
For the developers:
I am well willing to sponsor some of the work, just tell me what it will take.
Happy New Year everyone.