Contact vs TAPIMaster

Contact is an on-premises Windows application for reception staff and owners of executive suites and business centers. It provides PC-based controls for answering, transferring, holding, and releasing calls. Incoming calls can be presented using DID information, Caller ID or CLID, or specific trunk routes. Before a ringing line is answered, screen pops can display caller information, a greeting, and call-handling instructions. Type-o-matic searches are also listed for call handling. The maker lists single-click call processing, integrated email features, and reporting capabilities. Contact is described as compatible with almost all major PBX platforms, with a separate compatibility page for the complete list. Cisco support includes TAPI drivers for Call Manager versions 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 7.1, and 8, plus Cisco CME. Setup lists Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, SQL Server, and Contact installation files. Requirements vary by Windows version: SQL 2000 for XP or 2000, SQL 2005 for Vista, and SQL 2008 for Windows 7 or later. Pricing is on request, and a free trial or demonstration is available.

TAPIMaster integrates telephony functions into company software through client-side or server-side interfaces. Its client/server product controls workplace phones connected to a central telephone system. A plugin can enable calls from employees’ programs and show notifications for incoming calls; interfaces may also support controls such as call forwarding and call pickup. Client interfaces place telephony functions in a program’s user interface, while server interfaces provide a central integration point. For web applications, the provider directs users to the TAPIMaster Server IP interface.

Tools include a line monitor for testing TAPI drivers and a TSP Emulator that installs a virtual telephone system on a PC. An executable TAPI driver can start programs or HTTP(S) calls through TAPI MakeCall, and TMConnect adds a Third Party TAPI interface to a phone system. The free small-business client/server plan costs nothing and is limited to four employees or one workstation, with at most four clients. It supports programming interfaces for one client and disables some server functions. Non-customers generally receive no support; installation and usage videos are available.