Hosted 3CX Recommended Configuration

[caden]

PREVIOUS SETUP:

We currently have a unique client configuration or at least seems that way to me. They are migrating from an Avaya IP Office 500. Previously the font desk person/operator would screen all calls coming in. In the previous system we had 4 Call Parks setup. If she was on a call and her phone rang, she would ask the person she was currently on the phone with to hold, put them in one of the park spots, take the second call and ask them to hold, put them into another park spot and return to the previous caller. Sometimes the call volume is so great she can't get to all the calls so we had a roll over Automated Attendant that would list the employees and someone could connect directly to anyone else they were looking for in the office.

She also sometimes has to leave the front desk to go to the copy room or file room, both of which have phones as well. We had two BLF keys setup to roll the incoming calls to either phone.

We also have 6 total Auto Attendants setup because this is a multilingual attorney's office. Main and Spanish Main, Lunch and Spanish lunch, After hours and Spanish after hours.

3CX HOSTED SETUP:

The system is running the most up to date version with a Pro license and 8 channels. We have 11 extensions running on Yealink T46S.

We've got 4 DID's configured to go to a Ring Group. We've got the operator as the only extension in the ring group. To handle the Lunch digital receptionist automatically, we've got custom Open hours and brake hours in her extension. We've got the Away status set to forward to the Lunch digital receptionist. The After hours digital receptionist is configured through the DID's using global hours. The Main digital receptionist during business hours is configured through the operator extension's Available forwarding through External calls for both after timeout and busy or unregistered.

One of the biggest issues we are having currently is her phone doesn't ring while she is on a call like the Avaya did. I've read some of the forum posts about editing the PBX config but don't want to do that.

The other issue I'm trying to figure out is how to give her the ability to forward the Ring Group calls to the Copier room or File room as done on the previous system. The only way I'm rectified that currently is adding those 2 extensions to the ring group so all 3 phones ring at the same time.

ALL FEEDBACK WELCOME:

I'd like any feedback on the current way we've got it configured both good and bad.

I'm also open to changing the setup entirely if someone has a better idea on the best way top handle this scenario.

 

[Evolute IT]

The only way I'm rectified that currently is adding those 2 extensions to the ring group so all 3 phones ring at the same time.

That's probably the best way to do it. Note that ring groups only allow 1 call at a time tho, unless you enable an unsupported (but usually working) parameter.

 

[caden]

That's probably the best way to do it. Note that ring groups only allow 1 call at a time tho, unless you enable an unsupported (but usually working) parameter.

By one call at a time are you referring to the extension not ringing once a call has been answered from the ring group or are you saying that when one call is incoming on the ring group, not others will ring the group simultaneously?

We have noted that the operators phone isn't able to ring after she answers a call which is problematic.

 

[Evolute IT]

By one call at a time are you referring to the extension not ringing once a call has been answered from the ring group or are you saying that when one call is incoming on the ring group, not others will ring the group simultaneously?

We have noted that the operators phone isn't able to ring after she answers a call which is problematic.

Exactly. This is how ring groups/queues work on 3CX. Only 1 call at a time, per group member. So if there's 3 extensions in there and she's already on a call, only the two others will ring for the second incoming call.

There's a parameter you can enable to bypass that but it has been known to create issues sometimes.

 

[caden]

Anyone have any suggestions for a better way to handle these calls with only one receptionist?

 

[Alphabetic]

Anyone have any suggestions for a better way to handle these calls with only one receptionist?

Yes, buy pro and queue calls.

 

[KonnectCraft]

Anyone have any suggestions for a better way to handle these calls with only one receptionist?

If the operator is the only extension on the Ring Group, it would make sense to have the call sent to her extension directly instead of the Ring Group. This along with 'Accept multiple calls' under Forwarding rules should get you the results you're looking for without modifying the system parameters.

Also, although updating the system parameter for this might sound daunting at first but we've used that multiple clients and haven't had any issues.