Alternative to dial by name directory

[jhogue1975]

I am running 3CX v16 and I have a Country Club customer that wants to use an alternative to the dial by name directory. What they are trying to do is list about 30 extensions by name and extension and have the outside caller be able to dial that extension once they hear the name. My thoughts were to use a digital reception and use one of the options (example: press 4 for a list of names and extensions) to play the message but how would the caller be able to dial the extension number when they are in the DR? Is there another way to accomplish this? The issue is that the caller may not know the persons name until they hear it so the dial by name directory is not working for the home owners in the association. The main issue is after hours when the calls are being directed to the digital reception immediately and there is no one to answer and transfer the call.

 

[leejor]

Unless the list of names is very short, the caller is going to be listening for quirte a while, and may just give up. If the callers don't even know the names, then obviously dial by name is not going to work for you. You might break the extensions down by department/area, and narrow it down to shorter lists of names that way.

 

[jhogue1975]

That's what I was thinking but even if I shorten the list how does the caller her the short list and then dial the extension when they hear it? If I have more that 9 options I can't use the IVR to accomplish this. Is there an alternative to the IVR for this?

 

[leejor]

You send them off to a second IVR, that has the short list for the selected department.

 

[Evolute IT]

You can also try the DTMF type IVR.