Auto Attendent- Delayed answer day, immediately at night?

[phoneguyjr]

How do I make the Auto Attendant answer incoming calls immediately at night or after 1 or 2 rings, when the Voice mail system is set for "Delayed Call handling" at 4 rings(20 seconds)

 

[tdaugirdas]

It depends how you have delayed call handling set up - using the "delayed answer" option in voicemail admin - which is not recommended - or using an overflow group instead. Also - you need to setup Night Service - if you want calls to flow to the AA immediately when Night Service is activated at the operator's phone. You also need to program a "Night" menu for the autoattendant - which would play instead of the "Day" menu - when Night Service is activated.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[phoneguyjr]

Ok, here's more info. Delayed call handling IS throught an overflow group. & night schedule is not controlled by a night button at console, its programed in VM 7:30-4:30 mon-fri, closed Sat & Sun. Night menu (sel codes & prompt) are programmed in AA1 (night).
Book Refers to "Night Service Only". indicating that if I program night service it will ignore previous Delayed day call handling set up.??
matt

 

[1043]

Check out the FAQ's.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Do you have "Night Service" programmed in the system? My guess is you do not. To do so: Press menu, system programnming, start, night service, group assign, calling group, operator phone ext#, enter, 770 (or whatever your voicemail calling group # is), enter. Then go back and program all of the lines that will have night service coverage: menu, system programming, start, night service, group assign, lines, operator phone ext#, enter, 801 enter, 802 enter, etc. - until all the lines getting night service coverage are entered - then exit out. Now when night service is active - the AA will answer immediately.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[greshamnyc]

Tom,
Incredibly helpful information you posted on 21 Aug 06 14:13.
When someone calls into the office and nightservice has been activated, I tested this and pressed an extension 109. This extension rang, but the voicemail for extension did not pickup, it got returned to 100, the operator. Do you know why this happened and how to fix it. Thanks for your help.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Check to see that extention 109 is in Cover Group 30 and that it has a valid mail box. Is this the only extention where voicemail does not pick up? Does it pick up during the day? Is this extention for some reason in the "Night Service" exclusion list?

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[greshamnyc]

Tom,
How do I go about checking to see if ext 109 is in group 30? And if it is not, how do I get it there?

 

[tdaugirdas]

If voicemail does not pick up for ext 109 - either during the day or at night - then the extention may not be in the cover group for voicemail - or it may not have a mail box - or it may be on the night service exclusion list.

To see if it is in then cover group for voicemail (assuming group 30 is being used): press menu, system programming, start, extentions, more arrow, group cover, 30 enter - and press the inspect key to see a list of extentions in cover group 30. If 109 is missing, backup a step - choose group cover, 30 enter, 109 enter - then press inspect to make sure it is there - then exit out.

To see if the extention has a mailbox - depends on the voicemail module you have - what is it?

To see if it is in the night service exclusion list - press menu, system programming, start, night service, Exclude List, and now press inspect. If it is there - backup a step, press Exclude List, 109 delete - and reinspect. If it is gone press exit.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[greshamnyc]

Tom,
I appreciate your help. I squared away the other issues we were having with the voicemail and it works beautifully.

The last question (I promise) for you is when I hit the Night Service Button, I would like more than 1 ring before it goes to Auto Attendant, how do I do this.

Thanks,

 

[tdaugirdas]

The purpose of night service - is to have calls immediately flow to the autoattendant for coverage bypassing the daytime delay - instead of wasting the caller's time before the AA picks up. So having a ring delay for night service - kind of defeats the purpose of night service.

So you could eliminate using night service and just use the day menu or designate an extention or two to take after-hours calls by putting them on the night service exclusion list - and mentioning in the night AA menu for callers to try ringing one of those extention numbers after hours.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[greshamnyc]

Tom,
Thanks and sorry for hijacking this thread.