Automated Attendant / Greeter

[Mike]

Management wants to be able to do the following using some sort of automated attendant / greeter for the PBX operators (currently 4 total). Has anyone accomplished this with any type of device / application?


Call should be answered (with a pre ecorded message in the PBX Operator's own voice) with a business line specific message. While the message is being played, the operator should be on the line and able to hear the message being played as well as hear the customer (if they are talking @ the time.) Operator then would handle the call as requested by the customer.


Thanks in advance.
Mike

[Andi]

There is an possibilty with an Alcatel switch I think. If you have one ask the switch administrator for

Presentation Message

When an agent set receives an external call, an agentpresentation voice guide can be broadcast when the agent off hooks.

System management is required to implement the voice guide as defined in the agent's settings.

The agent must perform customized management on his UA 4035 set:

record the message(s) making up his presentation guide,

download the message/voice guide to broadcast,

check/uncheck broadcast of the voice guide for the agent set. Only this action is possible if the agent is logged on an analog or UA 4004 set.

Note: The agent can also listen to the message assigned to his presentation guide from his set.

Nonetheless, if the agent is not logged on, management of the agent welcome guide is possible on a UA 4035 station using a specific prefix (ACD + 92).

Management
Voice guide recording: the agent welcome guide recording procedure implements a RamCard on a GPA board. The recording is performed using a UA 4035 station.

A dynamic voice guide number No. 538 (agent welcome guide number) is associated to all the agents. This dynamic voice guide is associated, for each agent, to a voice message defined in the management function in the agent data area (a section containing 1000 voice messages is reserved [45005499]).

Each agent manages his voice message.

The agent can record his voice message in idle mode, wrapup mode (agent leaves wrapup mode at end of recording operation), pause mode (agent looses pause at end of recording operation), withdrawn or when not loggedon, using a specific prefix (ACD prefix + 92).

Downloading of voice guide: This procedure is used to select an new agent welcome guide among the VG files previously recorded by the agent.

This procedure is also used to deselect the previouslyselected guide. By this last operation, the agent welcome guide is disabled.

Voice guide listening: This procedure is used by the agent to listen to the selected agent welcome guide using a prefix which is activated in idle mode.

Voice guide enable/disable: This procedure is used to enable/disable broadcasting of the selected agent welcome guide to the external correspondent.

Voice guide broadcasting
The agent welcome guide is broadcast to the external correspondent and to the agent when the agent picks up. The guide identifying the agent is only broadcast on CCD calls (CCD Direct Calls and CCD Calls passing through CCD distribution).

Important: The agent welcome guide is also broadcast on the CCD calls which have been processed and which are routed to another agent subsequent to a transfer, an overflow, an interception or redistribution, following a false manoeuver, during consultation of a call placed on hold on an agent.

The agent welcome guide is not broadcast on the CCD calls which have been processed and which are routed to the same agent subsequent to a redistribution operation or after a false re ing manoeuver, or after a back and forth operation.

The agent, on a UA 4035 station, can interrupt broadcasting of his welcome guide using the specific EndGuide key. When the guide is interrupted, the agent is connected for conversation with the external correspondent.

[Dana]

We tested a device from dynametrics http://www.dynametric.com/cassetterecorderpatch.asp
called a tmp636. This device plugged into the phone where the headset/handset would plug in. The headset/handset plugs into the tmp636 device. The tmp636 device also has an input and output for the soundcard in a PC.

Using this device and our own softphone application, we played different tones when calls arrived so that representatives knew which types of calls they were receiving.

This device will let you play an audio file (wav, mp3, etc.) and both the representative and the customer can hear what is being played. This device could also be used for call recording.

For your particular situation, you could use the Sound Recorder that comes with Windows and have each Representative record their own greeting. When a call comes in, they could play back the recording. If you have your own softphone application, you could trigger this to play when you get an event established from the TServer.

Note: There were some problems that we experienced using the device. Any sound that is generated by any application that is directed to the sound card can be heard. We disabled all OS sounds and also had to disable Outlook meeting reminders. There may be other programs that you use that generate sounds and those may have to be disabled.

Good Luck.

[Mike]

Thanks for the reply. This device sounds very close to what they are looking for. I will investigate and pass the information along.

Thanks again!

[Mike]

Andi,

Thanks for the very detailed reply! Unfortunately, we are using a NORTEL PBX and this type of functionality isn't available.

Thanks again.
Mike

[Pelly]

Mike,

This sounds like the Agent Greeting functionality available on the Nortel Meridian. You may want to investigate this route.

Regards,

John