hold/pickup on multiple appearance coverage buttons 2

[nydavid]

There was some discussion of this in March with the title of "On Hold Light Blink" but my users want to have their cake and eat it too!

I have a similar situation, and I understand from the docs that the system is working as designed. I'd like to find an alternative configuration that will be easier for the users to deal with.

Here's the setup:

Merlin Legend R7 in key mode with Merlin Messaging 1.1. All phones, except console, are MLX-20D. All inbound calls go to AA which supplies prompts for departments.

Four extensions want to get calls for customer service, but, (here is the problem), they want all 4 extensions to ring. Magix, I believe, has group ring, but Legend does not.

I have set this up as follows: AA routes cust svc calls to adjunct ext. 715. All four cust. svc extensions have a primary coverage button for extension 715. So, when a caller requests cus. svc, the calls goes to 'phantom' ext. 715 and all 4 phones ring on the coverage button. A voice mailbox on ext 715 handles the case where no agents pickup due to being busy or away.

This part works just fine. The problem arises when cust. svc agent A want to give the call to agent B because B is the expert on this subject. They sit next to each other. "A" puts the call on hold by hitting the hold button and says "hey B, pick up the call on hold.". B presses the coverage button (NOT the line button) and now has the call, but, as the previous thread noted, and as the Avaya docs detail, the call continues to flash on A's coverage button and A's phone beeps every 60 seconds.

Yes, I've told them to transfer the call instead of putting it on hold in these situations, but that takes several steps vs. just hitting the hold button.

Park and pickup I guess would work, but that takes more key presses for the agents.

Note that the cust svc agents also get direct extension transfers from the AA and also need to make outside calls, for which they use their line appearances.

Can someone suggest an alternative setup that would meet their needs?

 

[cvrbob]

try with makeing bridge apperance ,of station 715 ,but you cannot have coverage button also

 

[merlinman]

An alternative would be a LOOP AROUND!

Very tricky, but it would involve a PHANTOM COVER, and a SET of PHANTOM LINES created from the Station being covered.

I can give you details, but we must know about your System Configuration in order to be sure this can be done.

What modules do you have?

Once we know that, we may be able to suggest an ALTERNATIVE.

 

[nydavid]

Well Merlinman, I'm not afraid of a little tricky business!

Four inbound lines are on an 800 GS/LS. So, we have four spare inbound ports, if that's what you were getting at.

Extensions are on an 008 MLX. I have a full spare 008-MLX, so 8 more spare extension jacks to play with.

Unfortunately, I have no T/R modules. I assume that's what you had in mind to complete this tricky arrangement, but I'm guessing here.

Even if I'm short a T/R module to make it work, I'd like to hear the plan. I can always add another module, if needed. I have 1 spare slot right now.

I'm sure others will be interested in hearing your ideas. I always do a full search before posting a question. There's lots of great ideas on these forums.

 

[cwc3]

very easy loop a an analog ext to a co port
and make them appear and ring on the four cs phones
used to do this on older equipment to make 0 ring
@ more than one location!!

 

[merlinman]

cwcc3 is right on.

That's it in a nutshell.

I use that when I can't do an ALL RING Calling Group.

 

[nydavid]

Thanks for the solution! Now I just need to buy an analog board. They show up on ebay from time to time, but they get bid up rather high. The 008-MLX are much cheaper. I guess I'll have to pay the bucks and get one.

Too bad there's no way to do this with configuration.

 

[cvrbob]

if you have the buttons avalibe on the agents phone use bridge apperance from 715
on 715 add another sys acc. on the agents phone go to central programing add shared sys access for button 1 button 2 and button 3 from 715,

 

[nydavid]

crvbob, thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in the original post, this system is operating in Key mode, so there are no SA buttons to share.

They want key mode so they don't have to dial '9' before making outside calls, which they do often. They just about never make inside calls, except to get their voice mail.
They also like the idea that everyone can see how many lines are in use just by looking at the status lights on the line buttons.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

You could go to PBX/Hybrid mode, but take the lines out of pool 70 and reassign them to the phones as "private" lines. This keeps individual lines AND SA buttons on the phones, lets you have SSA buttons for 715 on your tech assistance phones.

 

[nydavid]

Well, TTTommy, that's in interesting alternative. I assume I can still have the merlin messaging AA answering those 4 incoming lines, even though they are 'private' on the 4 extensions. I'll just set the private lines on the extensions to no ring, as they are now in key mode.

Can I get the extensions to default to grabbing the first available private line when they go off hook, or will they always get an SA line?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

If you want immediate answer by the auto attendant, just assign the lines to the voice mail calling group.

To set the order of the lines that are accessed when lifting the handset, use "Auto Line Select". Either through WinSPM, or at the set, go into program mode, press ANY line, dial *14, press the lines in the order that you want them to be accessed, then **14