Inbound Call Routing

[jmyers]

I have a client that wants calls to come into one extension and doesn't want it to roll to vm if that extension is in use. They would like it to basically show up like the old school lines and the receptionist be able to see it and put call 1 on hold to answer call 2. I currently have the trunk coming into a ring group with just the receptionist in it and going to her. Even if I change that and have the trunk coming straight to the receptionist user, it just sends the second call to VM. That IS what it is set to do under the user's call forwarding settings. On "busy" or "not registered" forward to VM. The problem is that I don't really see any other viable options in that drop down.

Thoughts? Is there a way to do this?

 

[fxbastler]

If the receptionist is the only participant in the call group: then yes, that is the expected behavior.
We would use a call queue instead. You can also activate the option Accept multiple calls for the secretary, but that is annoying.

 

[jmyers]

Thanks,
I do have the option for multiple calls enabled on that extension but it does not seem to actually do it. If I set it to call queue, what happens to caller number 2? Does it just ring on their end until the receptionist answers the call?

 

[fxbastler]

If I set it to call queue, what happens to caller number 2? Does it just ring on their end until the receptionist answers the call?

The second caller hears the queue hold music.
https://www.3cx.com/docs/manual/call-center-queues/

 

[jmyers]

They really want the option of putting caller 1 on hold and answering caller 2 and then transferring or answering questions or whatever from there with each caller but it doesn't sound like that is an option. Thanks for the info.

 

[fxbastler]

If you want a ring group to ring endlessly, you need a dummy extension in it that is always logged on but does not answer. This could be a free line of an ATA that does not have a telephone connected to it. It rings and rings and rings.

The receptionist does not automatically receive the second and subsequent calls in the ring group when she has finished her call. She has to get it, e.g. with *20*

 

[fxbastler]

They really want the option of putting caller 1 on hold and answering caller 2

Use shared parking.
Shared Parking (SP0, SP1 etc.) is the equivalent to the old line keys.

 

[jmyers]

we could, IF we knew the second call was coming in. Call 2 goes straight to VM. Multi call is enable on that extension and that is what it is set to do IF the line is busy. So the receptionist never knows there is a second call coming in and then just receives a vm. We would do the call park part, if the phone would show us in some way that a second call was there.

 

[fxbastler]

Then almost only the endless ring group with the dummy extension remains. The dummy extension is put on a BLF button. This way the receptionist can see if there are further calls waiting there. She ends the first call or puts in a park slot via another BLF. Then she can take the next call from the dummy extension, etc.

 

[fxbastler]

We have something similar for a customer because that's what they wanted. All incoming calls go to an old analogue DECT phone that stands in the hallway and rings. There is no permanent receptionist and no ring group that automatically forwards the call to someone.
The people in the offices pick up the calls from this phone because they hear it or see it on a BLF button.

They then either end their call or temporarily put it in an SP park slot on a BLF button and handle other calls while callers wait in the park slots. It's a bit strange but they're coping well with it.

They didn't want a call queue either and don't want to handle it as a queue manager.