Auto Attendant Administrative Guide - Cincinnati Bell

Auto AttendantAdministrative GuideConnected Office VoicePremium

Business SolutionsAuto Attendant OverviewThe Auto Attendant is an automated receptionist who greets and routes calls on the main receptionline, as well as, the phone extension of various departments in a company. It may be used in place of areceptionist greeting, or use for overflow calls. Special greeting prompts can be customized andrecorded for the company and individual departments. Your company may have one or many AutoAttendants. They may be set up with Dial by Name or Dial by Number directories.The Auto Attendant is assigned a telephone number and an extension. Each Auto Attendant includesbusiness hours and after hours greetings for recording. You may record the greetings through TheCompany’s Voice Portal or by uploading a .wav file via the web interface. The Menu items arecustomized and may be viewed and changed via our web interface. Various options may beprogrammed for: Time of dayDay of weekHoliday SchedulesModifying Auto Attendant SettingsStep122ActionClick on Auto Attendant from the Group Services ScreenFrom your list of Auto Attendants select the one you wish to modify, Click Edit.

Business Solutions3Click on ProfileAuto Attendant Modify ScreenFrom the Auto Attendant Modify screen you may perform the following: Change the Name of your Auto Attendant Assign a different Calling Line ID Select a Department assigned to the Auto Attendant Alter the Business and After Hours Menu OptionsThe Auto Attendant Modify Screen is shown below.Note: All fields that are marked with an asterisk (*) are required.3

Business SolutionsOptionDescriptionNameThe name identifies the Auto Attendant and is found in the list of AutoAttendant(s). You may rename the Auto Attendant by typing a newname in the Auto Attendant Name text box.Calling Line ID FirstName and LastNameThe Calling Line ID Names reflect the To: and From: displayed whencalling the Auto Attendant number or extension. To change the Callingline ID of the Auto Attendant, simply type in the new name or numberin the Calling Line ID First and last name Test box , can bealphanumeric.In order to select a Department, one must have been created whenyour service was configured.DepartmentNote: To create a department, please call customer service to set upnew departments and assign users to your department.4Extension DialingThis determines whether the Auto Attendant can redirect callers byextension to any user in its Enterprise, Group or department.Name DialingThe option determines if the Auto Attendant can redirect callers byname to any user in its Enterprise, Group, or departmentName DialingEntriesChange how callers find users from your Dial by Name Directory, bysearching first and last name entries.*Groups may also be assigned byyour service provider and are generally applicable as a way to identifymulti-locations

Business SolutionsAuto Attendant: Business and After Hours MenuTo modify or add to your current Business and After Hours items. Click on the Business Hours or AfterHours Menu. Once new items are added to the menu, the greeting must be changed to reflect the newadditions for listening and selection.To set up/review access Auto Attendant Business Hours MenuBusiness Hours ScreenBusiness Hours GreetingTo personalize your Business Hours greeting, follow the instructions to record your greeting by callinginto the voice portal or, follow the instructions to upload .wav audio files. *The Auto Attendant exampleabove reflects a .wav file uploaded into the system.5

Business SolutionsMenu OptionsEnabling First level Extension Dialing box allows callers to enter the extension of the party they want toreach without selecting a menu option first. Enabling this feature makes the Auto Attendant moreconvenient for callers who already know the extension of the person they are trying to reach.*Reminder: When recording your Auto Attendant message, make sure you state Extension Dialing is anoption in your recording. Example: “If you know your party’s extension, you may dial it at any time.”Menu ListingsTo modify your menu listings type in the desired menu listing under the Description column. Then selectthe desired “action” from the drop-down lists, the Action control offers the following choices.Choice6DescriptionTransfer with promptPlays the message, “ Your call is being transferred, please hold”, andtransfers the call to the specified numberTransfer without PromptTransfers to the specified number without playing a prompt

Business SolutionsTransfer to OperatorName DialingExtension DialingRepeat MenuExitPlays the message, “Please stay on the line while your call is transferredto the operator”. The call is then transferred to the specified operatornumberBrings the caller into the automated name directoryPrompts the caller for an extension, and transfers the userReplays the Auto Attendant greetingTerminates the callNote: When any “Transfer Action” is selected, a phone number text box will appear under the PhoneNumber column. Click the Ok button to retain changes.Creating a Time ScheduleSetting up a Time Schedule for an Auto AttendantAfter the menu items for the Business and After Hours are modified or created, time schedules can beset up for when the Business Hours and After hours menus selections are available and greetings areplayed.Every Day All Day is the default setting and will play the same greeting 24/7, unless, a Time Schedulehas been created. Once the Time Schedule(s) have been created, they will be listed as a selection inthe Business hours drop down box.To Create a Time Schedule for your Auto Attendant, follow the steps below.Step7Action1Access Main Menu Profile2Select Schedule3Click the Add button in the Schedule Screen

Business Solutions84Enter Time Schedule Name and select if it is a Holiday or Time Schedule. Select OK5Click on the Schedule to edit.6Click Add

Business Solutions7Enter Event Name8aDaily Schedule: Start Date & End Date should be same dayStart time & End time should reflect your business hoursUnder the Recurrence Pattern select Daily9

Business Solutions8bWeekly Schedule: Start Date & End Date should be same dayStart time & End time should reflect your business hoursUnder the Recurrence Pattern select WeeklyCheck all days that apply to Start Time & End Time10

Business Solutions8cMonthly Schedule: Start Date & End Date sould be same dayStart time & End time should reflect your business hoursUnder the Recurrence Pattern select MonthlyEnter Month date or weekday8dYearly Schedule: Start Date & End Date Should be same dayStart time & End time should reflect your business hoursUnder the Recurrence Pattern select YearlyEnter Month and Date or Month and weekday11

Business Solutions910Once your Time Schedule is set up select OKGo back to the Auto Attendant to modify screenSelect the new business hours schedule from the business hours drop down box.Click OKAfter Hours MenuYou can make available different menu items for callers after normal business hours by creating anAfter Hours MenuNote: If you use a Business Hours Schedule, be sure to record your After Hours greeting through theVoice Portal, or upload a file. It is not necessary to create a Time Schedule for the After Hours as thegreeting and menu items will automatically be played and available to the caller, after the BusinessHour Time Schedule has been created.Creating a Holiday ScheduleDuring Holiday’s your office may operate with different business hours requiring a different scheduleand greeting. For Holiday’s, you may set up a separate Auto Attendant only for Holidays use, or, useyour existing Auto Attendant and change your greeting to reflect the times your company will beunavailable during a Holiday.Setting up your Holiday ScheduleStep12Action

Business Solutions1Access Main Profile Page Schedule2Click the Add button located at the bottom or top of the screen313Enter the name of the Holiday in the Schedule Name and select Holiday for theSchedule Type. Select OK

Business Solutions144Select Holiday Schedule to Edit5Select Add

Business Solutions6Enter the dates and name of your Holiday’s. You may decide to create a separateHoliday schedule for each holiday; in that case, only one holiday would beentered per schedule.The Holiday Schedule is created and ready to be selected in the Auto Attendant.7Thanksgiving Example: Enter the Thanksgiving Start & End DateMark as an All Day Event if closed for both daysRecurrence Pattern should be YearlySet criteria for the 4th Thursday in November15

Business Solutions8Christmas Example: Enter the Christmas Start & End DateMark as All Day Event if closed for multiple daysRecurrence Pattern Should be YearlyEnter the Day & Month of recurrence9In order to set up Holiday Schedule to work in the Auto Attendant:Go back to the Auto Attendant Modify Screen. In the Holiday Screen Text Box,use the Drop down arrow and select the Holiday Schedule you created. Bychanging the Business Hours to “Every Day All Day” it will play your Holiday Greeting24/7. Next, record or load the After Hours Greeting to play for the Holiday ScheduleThe holiday schedule will play the After Hours menu options and greeting.To remove the holiday greeting, select “none” on the holiday drop down list and revert back to theprevious settings. The After Hours greeting will need to be re-recorded or loaded with the previous afterhours greeting.Record/Change an Auto Attendant GreetingThere are two greetings you can record for your Auto Attendant using the Voice Portal; the Business Hours andAfter Hours greetings.To Record or Change an Auto Attendant GreetingThe Auto Attendant may be accessed from any IP phone in your network or, from any outside phone.You will need your Voice Portal Number or extension to access the Auto Attendant.16

Business SolutionsFrom any IP phone in Company NetworkStepAction1Dial the extension of the Voice Portal Number2Press the * Key3When Prompted for the Mailbox ID, enter the extension of your Voice PortalNumber4Enter your passcode followed by the # Key5Press 1 to Change an Auto Attendant Greeting6If you have more than one Auto Attendant, enter the extension of the AutoAttendant you are changing7Press 1 to change the Business Hours Greeting8Press 2 to change the After Hours GreetingBusiness Hour Menu Press 1 to Change Business Hours GreetingPress 1 to Record Business Hours GreetingPress 2 to Listen to current Business Hours GreetingAttendant Greeting If you have more than 1 Auto Attendant, enter the extension of the Attendant you are changing.Press 1 to change the Business Hours GreetingPress 2 to change the After Hours GreetingNote: If there are multiple Auto Attendants to manage and record, you will be assigned an extension orID for each auto attendantAfter Hour Menu Press 2 to Change After Hours GreetingPress 1 to Record After Hours GreetingPress 2 to Listen After Hours GreetingNote: If you are looking for the extensions of the Auto Attendants, please print or refer to your EnterpriseDirectory. (Select a user within your group once in their profile select Utilities Within Utilities selectEnterprise Directory Select Enterprise Directory Summary)17

Business SolutionsFrom Outside Your NetworkWhen accessing your auto Attendant from an outside phone you will need your Voice Portal Number.StepAction1Dial the Voice Portal Number2When prompted for the Mailbox ID, enter the extension of your VoicePortal followed by the # Key34Enter your passcode followed by the # KeyPress 1 to change an Auto Attendant GreetingIf you have more than 1 Auto Attendant, enter the extension of the AutoAttendant you are changing. Press 1 to change the Business Greeting Press 2 to change the After Hours GreetingNote: If there are multiple Auto Attendants to manage and record, you will be assigned an extension for eachAuto Attendant.18

Auto Attendant: Business and After Hours Menu . To modify or add to your current Business and After Hours items. Click on the Business Hours or After Hours Menu. Once new items are added to the menu, the greeting must be changed to reflect the new additions for listening and selection. To set up/review access . Auto Attendant Business Hours Menu