Overview

• Visually Integrated Phone — Integrates with ESI 48-Key Feature Phone (Digital or IP) and Microsoft® Outlook® 2000, 2002, 2003, or 2007.
• Uses familiar Windows®/Outlook interface — Reduces or eliminates need for training.
• Available in two configurations — Basic VIP and the more fully featured VIP Professional.

Call-handling

• Call Control window (shown) — Its Call Display provides ESI Feature Phone functions on-screen. And the Quick Contact^™ list makes it easy to dial those whom you call most often (see “Contact management”). Color-coded text shows you stations’ status, the same way your ESI Feature Phone’s tri-color feature keys do.
  In VIP Professional, as shown here, phone and memo icons give you quick access to editing contact information and either e-mailing your contacts or — if there are other users in-house of VIP Professional-compatible software** — sending text messages to them. VIP Professional also adds a “sliding” volume control bar that lets you set the loudness of your handset or speakerphone, depending on which you’re using at the time.
• Customizable function buttons — The top four are fixed, but you can easily set up to 12 more (or 16 more on VIP Professional) so that each of your most frequently used functions is just a click away.
• Simplifies setup of conference calls — Build the list of participants on-screen in advance, saving time for all; then just click to start the conference call. On-screen Caller ID display makes it clear who’s connected and when.
• Provides TAPI support for use with not only Outlook but also other TAPI-compliant software for outbound dialing, “screen pops” and more.

Unified messaging

• Manages voice mail, e-mail, and faxes from the same Outlook Inbox:
   
  
• Synchronizes automatically with ESI phone system’s voice mail — Regardless of whether you use the phone keys or the VIP interface to handle a voice message, the voice mail display in Outlook provides a continually updated indication of new, old, and deleted messages.
• Shows Caller ID data for each message — Just as ESI Phones typically show Caller ID information, VIP displays that information in the Subject line in the Outlook Inbox for each message.
• Plays back through phone — Some unified messaging products cause all messages to be played back through the PC audio system. However, VIP uses the audio capabilities in the ESI Feature Phone, so the user can still pick up the handset to hear messages privately. This also keeps you from having to use a headset with the PC.
• Saves voice messages as .WAV files, but only when desired — Unlike less intelligent unified messaging solutions, VIP gives you a choice of whether to save a message as a .WAV file. This spares your network the burden of moving large .WAV files every time someone in your office gets a message.
• Text-messaging — As an alternative communications method that’s exclusive to VIP Professional users, text-messaging allows quick, unobtrusive exchanges between employees and ends the need for intrusive background announcements and “whisper-paging.” There are even built-in, one-click Quick Responses to simplify and speed up communication between users. Moreover, this text-messaging is safe because it functions on only your phone system, protecting your organization from the viruses, “spIM,” and other hazards of Internet-based instant messaging.
   
  

• Auto-record — Select VIP Professional users may take advantage of this optional capability. With it enabled for you, you need never again miss recording an important call because the system records your every outside-line call, whether incoming or outgoing. Then, at the end of each call, VIP Professional gives you the choice (below) the choice of whether to keep the recording. It’s just that simple — and requires absolutely no third-party hardware.
  

Call-logging

• Call Log — Tracks all calls coming into and from your station:
   
  
   
• Missed Calls Log — Shows when callers hang up without leaving a message, so you can call back even those reluctant to use voice mail.
• Recycle Bin — Keeps up to 10 of your most recently deleted voice messages — any of which you can restore quickly if you deleted it by accident.

Contact management

• Works with Outlook contacts — Keeps all your contacts in one place.
• Synchronizes with ESI phone system’s speed-dial lists (“Dexes”) — The phone system’s Esi-Dex lists are a valuable source of contact information. Whenever a contact is added to or deleted from the phone system list, VIP automatically makes the change in the appropriate VIP list — Company Speed Dial, Station, or Remote Location.
• Quick Contact list — Part of the Call Control window. Drag-and-drop preferred Outlook contacts here for easy double-click dialing.

Station programming

• Familiar Windows interface — Simplifies programming of ESI Feature Phone station features. Manage external message notification (shown, below), personal greetings, programmable feature keys, and more.