Examples
The following examples may be useful in helping you understand what Hosted PBX Automated Attendant can do for you.
Call Routing Example (Menus)
Your Hosted PBX Automated Attendant can direct your callers to any phone number, outgoing message, additional Menu, or group of phone numbers. You set up a Menu of choices, and the caller selects the appropriate choice, for example:
""Hello, you have reached Apex Industries: To reach our sales department touch 1, to reach customer service touch 2, to reach our accounting department touch 3, to hear our hours of operations touch 4. If you know the name of the person you wish to reach, touch 5. To reach our receptionist touch 6, or hold the line to have this message repeated.""In this example:
- Menu option 1 routes to a separate Menu that lists all of the sales people by region. The caller selects the appropriate sales person and is connected to that sales person's phone number.
- Menu option 2 routes to a Hunt Group that rings all of the customer service agents until one of them picks up.
- Menu option 3 routes to the phone number of the accountant.
- Menu option 4 routes to a Bulletin that plays a recording of the address and business hours.
- Menu option 5 asks the caller to enter the first few letters of the last name of the person they wish to reach. Upon finding a match, the caller is transferred to that person.
- Menu option 6 routes the caller to the phone number of the receptionist.
- If the caller does nothing, the Menu options are repeated.
Outgoing Messages Example (Bulletins)
Your Hosted PBX Automated Attendant has the capability to provide your callers with outgoing information (Bulletins). You create and record these Bulletins, which are then played to callers in association with specific Menu choices that voice the recordings. Here's an example:
""Hello, you've reached Apex Real Estate:. To hear about our Eastside property of the week touch 1, to hear about our Westside property of the week touch 2, to be connected to our offices touch 3, otherwise hold the line to have your options repeated. The caller touches 1 and hears: ""Our Eastside property of the week is a 2-story colonial… please hold the line to reach the listing agent for this house, or touch # to return to the main Menu.""In this example:
Callers who touch 1 or 2 will hear a recording describing the property of the week. After the recording plays, the callers are given the option of returning to the main Menu or contacting the listing agent.
Hunt Group Example (Ordered and Simultaneous)
Hunt Groups are ideal for delivering calls to a group of phone number either at the same time, or in a specific order. In an Ordered Hunt Group, a caller is placed on hold with music while the system rings the numbers for phones that are in a list one at a time, in a specified order. The first person to answer a ringing phone is connected with the caller. A simultaneous Hunt Group places the caller on hold with music and rings all the phones in a specified list of numbers at the same time. The first person to answer any of the phones is connected with the caller.
Here's an example
""Hello, you have reached Apex Industries: To reach our customer service department touch 1, to reach our sales department touch 2…""In this example:
If the caller touches 1, he or she will be placed on hold. All members of the customer service group specified in the Hunt Group will receive a call at the same time. The first agent to pick up and accept the call will be connected to the caller. If the caller touches 2, he or she will be placed on hold. Each member of the sales Hunt Group will be called in a specified order until someone picks up or the system times out.
Dial by Name Example
Dial by Name is ideal for helping callers reach specific people within your company, providing the caller knows the last name of the person they wish to reach.
An example would be:
""Hello, you have reached ACME Plumbing. If you know the name of the person you wish to reach touch 1, if you would like to reach our sales department touch 2…""In this example:
If the caller touches 1, he or she will be asked to use the phone keypad to enter the first few letters of the last name of the person he or she wishes to reach. If there is only one match, the system will transfer the caller immediately to the Extension for that person. If there is more than one match, the system will play back the names that match the caller's entry, and allow the caller to select the desired person. If there are too many matches for the system to play back, the system will ask the caller to enter more letters.
Dial by Extension Example
Dial by Extension is ideal for helping callers reach specific people within your company, providing the callers know the Extension of the person they wish to reach.
An example would be:
""Hello, you have reached Johnson Big and Tall. If you know the Extension of the person you wish to reach touch 1. If you would like to reach our sales department touch 2…""In this example:
If the caller touches 1, he or she will be asked to use the phone keypad to enter the Extension number of the person he or she wishes to reach. Providing a match is found, the system will transfer the caller immediate to that Extension. If no match is found, the caller will be asked to reenter the Extension number.
Weekly Schedule Example
The Weekly Schedule allows you to automatically activate specific Menus at predetermined times and days. You may want to present one Menu during business hours, and a different one after hours and on weekends. The Weekly Schedule will automatically activate the Menus you specify at the time and day of the week given for each Menu.
For example, during business hours, Jones Pluming presents this Menu:
""Hello, you have reached Jones Plumbing. To reach our service desk touch 1, to reach our accounting department touch 2, to reach our contractor sales office touch 4, or hold the line to reach our receptionist.In this example:
After hours and during weekends, callers hear: Hello, you have reached Jones Plumbing. Our normal business hours are from 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. You have called us outside normal business hours. If this is a plumbing emergency, touch 1 to be connected to our on-call plumber, or hold the line to leave a voicemail message.""
The after-hours Menu automatically activates after 5 PM on weekdays and during the weekend. Callers who call after hours and touch 1 are placed on hold. The system dials the numbers of all of the plumbers, and the one who picks up is connected with the caller.