console goes round and round

[SUSANVV]

We have a Merlin Magic 3. The console is set to ring 9 times to give our receptionist time to answer all calls during work hours. After 9 rings the system answers and says that you are being transferred to the operator. At which point the call rings indefinately back at the console. Can we set the the console so that after 9 or more rings the call goes to a different extension so that eventually the call can be answered by the system? To the best of my knowledge there is no way to change the voicemail rings so that after 9 rings it would go to the console voicemail box. If I can, that would be the better answer. I did not personally set up this part of the system, hence the questions.

TIA for any help.

Sue Van

 

[merlinman]

This sounds like the Console has no Voice Mail Box, but it is in the coverage group to go to Voice Mail.

Thus, when a call rings to it and eventually times out to go to cover, Voice Mail knows not what to do with it, so it sends it to the Operator, thus becoming a call with no coverage.

So, the easy way to do this is to set up a Voice Mail box for the Extension involved, and when the cover time is met, the caller will go to the operator's voice mail box.

If what I think is happening is not really the case, we will probably have to do some printing of things to figure out what really is happening.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Check the Call Answer Service Operator. Is it the actual extension number of the operator? Or is it 768?

If it is 768, it is an "invalid destination", and transfers to the 1st logical ID, which happens to be your operator. This type of transfer does NOT cover.

If this is the case, try changing the CASO setting, or change the 0/timeout from CASO to the operator's extension number.

 

[SUSANVV]

Hi Merlinman,
Nice talking to you again. It is my understanding that you cannot set the rings for voicemail to answer beyond 4 so that anything over that number of rings never goes to voicemail. There is a general mailbox that calls are transferred to on the weekends by default, but our console extension number, 2200, does not have a mailbox. Would it go to the voicemail box on the return trip after 9 rings?

Thanks,

Sue

 

[merlinman]

Yes it would go there if it has a mail box.


And, I do not know where you got this info:


"you cannot set the rings for voicemail to answer beyond 4 so that anything over that number of rings never goes to voicemail."[/color blue]

But it is not true.

 

[SUSANVV]

Thanks again for the answers. I can change the number of rings that a phone rings but it will not go to voicemail if it is more than 4. How do I change the voicemail pickup number of rings?

Thanks.

Sue

 

[merlinman]

OH, I think I see what you are saying:

Under OPTIONS, Transfer, RETURN TIME, you will want to increase that number.

 

[SUSANVV]

Are we talking about the VMS Transfer Return Interval? As nearly as I can tell it is set to 4, and I think that is for the 2200 extension. I'm going to sound dumb, but if that is it, where do I change it and can it be changed on a per extension basis or is that just for the console?

Thanks again

sue

 

[merlinman]

Really & Truley, as I said:

Under OPTIONS, Transfer, RETURN TIME, you will want to increase that number.
That's where I think you need to change it.

Not VMS cover, unless the settings I propose do not work.

 

[SUSANVV]

Sorry it took this long to get back to you. That setting is at 9 now for our system. That is how many times our main number rings before it is "transferred to the operator" if the call is not answered and round it goes. We do not want the incoming to go to voicemail after 4 rings-that is not enough. What I think I need to change is where the call goes after the 9 rings. I do not want it to go back to the operator. Maybe another extension? There is one along side the console. That way the operator would know when a call went to voicemail. Can I do that with the setup we now have? Or am I still on the wrong track?

Thanks for all of your help.

Sue

 

[merlinman]

OK, PLAN B.

FIRST, IN THE MAGIX, Let's set up a calling group with all the LINES. (can we use 775?)

Next, IN VOICE MAIL, let's set up a MAIL BOX, with AA Class of service (or tell VM that 775 is an AA) Depending if you have Merlin Mail or Merlin Messaging.

Of course, you will want to set up an Auto Attnedant to do what you need when calls land there. (You may or may not already have one.)

NEXT, IN THE MAGIX, Let's steer the OVERFLOW for that group to the VOICE MAIL calling group.

NOW, you will have 3 choices:

NUMBER BASED,

TIME BASED,
-and-
PROMPT BASED

First, populate NUMBER BASED WITH 99. (Trust me, that's what you want.)

Second, populate TIME BASED with the number of seconds you want the calls to ring BEFORE they go to the AUTO ATTENDANT.

(Here's the deal, COVERAGE for an EXTENSION is based on NUMBER OF RINGS, but OVERFLOW for a GROUP is based on SECONDS)

SO, NOW, you can massage that value to meet your needs.

Let us know how this works out.

 

[SUSANVV]

We have pretty much the setup that you are talking about already with an AA, a cover group and an overflow group. I am referring to one extension--the QCC console. We have the number of rings on the phone itself set to 9. All of our other extensions are set to 4 rings and then they go to voicemail. We do not want to change any thing about any other extension except the console.

AFter 9 rings a system message states that the call is being transferred. It comes right back to the operator (the display says RETURN). We would like when it goes to the system message that it transfer out to maybe a different extension where it would go to voicemail. The console does NOT have a mailbox. Would having a mailbox for the console extension help?

Thanks again for your help.

Sue

 

[merlinman]

Yes, that would stop the round & round.

The call would end up in that mailbox.

As it is now, you have it set to COVER to VOICE MAIL, but when Voice Mail gets the call, it does not have a Mail Box for it, thus it sends it to the Operator.

 

[SUSANVV]

Thanks Merlinman. That works. Sometimes the simplest answer is the most elusive. Thank you for all of your help. I'm sure we will be talking again. Have a good night.

Sue