Digital Receptionist - Question before possible setup

[PhoneEP]

Currently, our system is connected via multiple offices, with a live receptionist at each office. We are looking into the possibility of enabling the digital receptionist to let callers pick who they would like to speak with the automated system via ext or last name, so the physical person can work on other work related items instead of being stuck by the phone waiting on calls.

I've watched the videos on setup, and it seems pretty straight forward for the setup.

Question:
-Can the Receptionist "role" have the ability to turn the digital receptionist on or off when needed? For instance, we have days where we need to answer calls for the work we do and would like to quickly grab all calls coming in as they are time sensitive. Will the receptionist role easily be able to toggle the call flow or routing on and off or does the admin role need to do so? I do not want to constantly be the one to change everything in the system

Thank You

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

Can the Receptionist "role" have the ability to turn the digital receptionist on or off when needed?

No, however the way around this is to have a Queue answer then fail to digital receptionist. That way all they need to do is login or out of the queue.

 

[PhoneEP]

No, however the way around this is to have a Queue answer then fail to digital receptionist. That way all they need to do is login or out of the queue.

When you say login or out of the queue, who are you referring to?

Do you think the solution is a full time digital receptionist but have on the choices "if you need (department that needs calls asap) hit 1" and it goes to the receptionist? Then have an option for the directory?

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

If you setup your calls to go to the queue first, then fail to digital receptionist. The receptionist at the office can login to the queue to "Live Answer", or logout to have the call go right to the digital receptionist.

 

[PhoneEP]

If you setup your calls to go to the queue first, then fail to digital receptionist. The receptionist at the office can login to the queue to "Live Answer", or logout to have the call go right to the digital receptionist.

Interesting! I am just starting to look into the Digital receptionist and had not seen that mentioned yet, about logging into the queue. Thanks for the heads up! I signed up for a free account to do testing and setup a queue to see how everything will work.

Any other tips or suggestions in setup?

Thanks!

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

Any other tips or suggestions in setup?

Not at this time, however hit me up if you need any help

 

[jed]

@PhoneEP
@SnakeRiverWebDevelopment did actually come up with a great idea to solve your issue. Create A Receptionist Queue, Destination if no answer is a Welcome Receptionist IVR, with choices. This means, the receptionist will have all calls through the Queue, and handle these while logged into the Receptionist Queue. When The Receptionist logs out of the Queue, the call goes to the not human Receptionist IVR, where the caller can choose according to your settings.

-Can the Receptionist "role" have the ability to turn the digital receptionist on or off when needed?

To the Question No, this will not be possible..

 

[PhoneEP]

I am not seeing anything mentioned online about receptionist logging into a queue or I am looking right over it. I will need to look into what you mentioned @jed and see how it works. And guides out there of setup from start to finish and best way to test in an active phone system? I've been playing with a free account all morning and it's quite a bit of setup, where I would rather somehow test internally.

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

I am not seeing anything mentioned online about receptionist logging into a queue

I think what @jed was trying to say, is name the call queue "Receptionist", this will allow you to keep track of call flow better.

 

[PhoneEP]

Thank You both! I'll give this all a shot next week and see what happens.

 

[PhoneEP]

@PhoneEP
@SnakeRiverWebDevelopment did actually come up with a great idea to solve your issue. Create A Receptionist Queue, Destination if no answer is a Welcome Receptionist IVR, with choices. This means, the receptionist will have all calls through the Queue, and handle these while logged into the Receptionist Queue. When The Receptionist logs out of the Queue, the call goes to the not human Receptionist IVR, where the caller can choose according to your settings.

To the Question No, this will not be possible..

When you say " This means, the receptionist will have all calls through the Queue, and handle these while logged into the Receptionist Queue." Does Logged In mean as long as phone is NOT in dnd? Or do receptionist users need to log in and show they are active?

If I do what you mention above for days where calls are not #1 priority and can be automated, can steps above be done and still allow that front desk person to be a destination as "operator" if not logged in to pick up any calls from inbound callers not sure what to pick?

 

[SteveITS]

When you say " This means, the receptionist will have all calls through the Queue, and handle these while logged into the Receptionist Queue." Does Logged In mean as long as phone is NOT in dnd? Or do receptionist users need to log in and show they are active?

If I do what you mention above for days where calls are not #1 priority and can be automated, can steps above be done and still allow that front desk person to be a destination as "operator" if not logged in to pick up any calls from inbound callers not sure what to pick?

For a [call center] queue, extensions can log in and out, in order to participate/receive queue calls. If no one has logged in there is a “Destination if no answer" for the queue.

 

[PhoneEP]

Ahhh! Ok, I am following now. I will get tested out and see. Thanks everyone!

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

When dealing with a call Queue you have a choice of being login or logout, if the receptionist or other user is logged in, the calls would go to that Queue and all extensions in that Queue if not the calls will go to the "if not answered" and that would be a digital receptionist or other destination of what was setup, the end result is the call goes to the next inline