multiple calls are accepted even if box is unchecked/busy status is ignored?

[nobody]

I have a pbx setup like this:
There is a designated receptionist extension, but, most of the time it is unoccupied, so, calls are forwarded to another extension (status availible, forward all calls after 1s to extension)
Now, the owner desires that, in case the person actually currently beeing the receptionist is busy with a call, all additional incoming calls shoud be redirected immediately to a mailbox/message which tells: currently all agents are busy, please call again at a later time. So, a kind of busy signal, but in human language.
My problem: I tried to forward all calls to a mailbox in case of busy but the call will only be forwarded after the timeout. I checked the settings for this extension where you can enable "accept multiple calls" and is is not set.

Why does this not work like I expect/what can I do to fix the problem?
the pbx is V15.5 standard 8SC, software/update current as of today.

 

[JohnS_3CX]

I'm not sure I understood you correctly from the description, but I think with the way you set things up you may be confusing the busy scenario of the primary extension with the secondary one.

 

[nobody]

I explain again:
incoming call ->extension1 ->(always)forward->extension2

if extension2 is busy with a call the call must be forwarded immediately to an iVR or mailbox which tells the caller "please call later".

If you think it will help to remove the designated receptionist extension completely, I can try that because it is rarely needed. However, the office frequently changes the destination for incoming calls. Then they would have to go into the properties of the trunk and then change the default destination. This cannot be done using the Windows Client.
Customer does not want an IVR which picks up the call automatically (IVR annoys callers, I can understand this.) or after a timeout, if it is already clear the the call cannot be answered in the near future, the caller should get a "busy" notification immediately.

 

[JohnS_3CX]

So what happens if you call extension 2 directly while it's already busy? You will continue to hear it ring until the 20 seconds timer expires and then go to voicemail?

And do both extensions have Accept Multiple Calls disabled?

 

[nobody]

It will take some time until I can test this, I will be away for a vacation. However, I guess I make a new internal call i will get the busy prompt immediately.
The designated reception extension has enabled "accept multiple calls". What will happen when I disable this?
If you have a better recipe for this call flow, please tell me.

 

[leejor]

I would put the reception extension, and the one it usually forwards to, in a ring group. Since it is "unoccupied most of the time", the second extension is going to take the call anyway. If there is someone there, then they can take the call first. You can even set up the ring group to ring the sets in sequence, rather than all at once. If no one answers after X seconds, then send to the mailbox of your choice.

 

[nobody]

Yes, that will work for the first call. However the second call will also ring 20seconds until it is forwarded to the mailbox. This is what the customer does not want. They demand if the receptionists phone is busy, the caller must be transferred immediately to the mailbox.
Well, this was not my idea (and I never promised this will work, someone else sold this pbx, and now I was engaged to fix things which work not like expected), so If this is not possible, they have to live with it like it is.

 

[leejor]

What about an appearance of the receptionists extension, on a key on the second phone. Both will ring on an incoming call, but if either is busy, call will go immediately to VM.

 

[JohnS_3CX]

@nobody we have replicated and confirmed the issue you reported, we expect this should be resolved in V16 but I cannot say for sure if it will be done in the initial release or an upcoming service pack.