M8X24 Call Extension Directly?

[daviddoria]

Normally when a caller calls our company, the receptionist answers and then connects the caller to the appropriate extension. Is there a way for the caller to do something like hit * to dial the extension they want directly? It seems silly for some callers who always call the same extension to bother the receptionist with the same annoying transfer over and over...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Dave

 

[bigindian65]

why not make the extension DID? If you want a menu or auto attendant, you need to go thru Call Pilot or Mermail

Mato' Was'aka

 

[daviddoria]

Please bear with me as I am very inexperienced with phone systems. I looked up DID, and it looks like you'd have to pay for a new outside line, no? I'd rather not change my existing plan with the phone company.

For the menu or auto attendant - that is what I am looking for, but I would like "default" callers to just ring the receptionist like normals, but "advanced" callers to be able to get to the menu before talking to the receptionist. Is that possible?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[daviddoria]

Any thoughts on this? Is this the appropriate forum for this question? I couldn't find any that were more specific to my hardware.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[allenmac]

If you have voice mail (star talk, or call pilot), then you can create an auto attendant and give callers the option of dialing an extension, or dial a name from the company directory.

 

[daviddoria]

allenmac - what I'm looking for is a way to make the autoattendant "off" unless the caller presses * or something.

Dave

 

[allenmac]

There is no facility to automatically distinguish between 'Advanced' and Dumb callers for a particular number.

You can set up an auto attendant that answers a defined telephone number for all calls, then allows the caller some level of autonomy in routing their call to the intended destination, or pressing 0 to reach a live attendant.

If you want the option of both live attendants and auto attendants, then you should set up each with a different DID (Direct Inward Dial) telephone number, or allow the auto attendant to answer calls intended for the live attendant after several rings - giving the live attendant a chance to answer the call first.