Vectoring Vs Voicemail for Auto-Attendants

[JediBMC]

I am still rather new to the administration of my companies Difinity/AUDIX environment. Most recently I have been looking at a new automated attendant menu for our primary number.

I am trying to figure out if it is better to use vectors or an auto-attendant in our AUDIX. I am leaning more towards using vectors because it will keep the traffic all within the switch, leaving the AUDIX to do it's primary role of voicemail.

Any feedback from you all is greatly appreciated. Specifically, are there issues with using vectors that I am unaware of, which would effect my success? Is there any good reason to use the AUDIX over using the vectors?

Thanks in advance!

-Brian-
I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV.

 

[orypecos]

It is much better to use vectors than using the Audix. With the audix u are limited to the number of channels that go into the Audix and dependant on it being working. The uptime for a voice mail system is no where the 99.9% uptime for most pbx. Toll fraud is also easier to avoid with vectors than with voice mail.

 

[avayaman]

I agree. The only thing audix does better is dial by name. You can consider setting up 2 auto attendants, one in vectoring, one in audix & use the audix one when the premises is closed & port usage is not an issue.

Paul Beddows

Consulting, Avaya/EAS implementation, Training
Vancouver, Canada
E-mail use form on website at

http://www.vancouver.hm/email.html

 

[JediBMC]

Unfortunately, we are a hospital and run 24/7. You all have pretty much confirmed what I believed, thanks for the responses!

-Brian-
I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV.

 

[wmharris]

I would agree with the other comments that have been made but you will also need at least basic vectoring turned on to do much with queuing, playing music, annoucements, etc.

 

[avayaman]

If you need some help with it or want me to check out your vector, let me know. I'm around til June 5th, then I'm out of the country til september.

Paul Beddows

Consulting, Avaya/EAS implementation, Training
Vancouver, Canada
E-mail use form on website at

http://www.vancouver.hm/email1.html

 

[abacks]

STYLE TIP:

I agree that vectoring is better, but many times the basic courtesy announcements are forgotten in a vector wheras AUDIX does them automatically

Every switch where I write vectors, I ALWAYS record two quick announcements
"Invalid Entry, Please try again"
and
"One Moment Please" or "Please wait"

If a user makes an invalid entry in a vector I play the "Invalid Entry, Please try again" announcement before playing the main menu again.

Then "Please Wait" after a valid entry I think makes it more professional

ALSO - AUDIX will dump you automatically after making two errors. In a vector the caller gets sent automatically to a timeout destination after one error, or is in a perpetual loop of "Invalid Entry, Please try again" announcement before playing the main menu again. So if you want to dump the caller after two trips through the menu you need to actually write the auto-attendant twice in succession in the vector steps





Andy Backs
MVD Communications
andy.backs@mvdcommunications.com