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How to let my callers dial an extension


I would like my callers to be able to dial the extension of their choice. What am I missing? 

For example, we created an extension for each state we do business in. “To reach your regional account manager, please dial the two-digit state from which you are calling.” (Arizona = AZ = 29) 

I cannot figure out how to let my callers dial Extension 29! I can’t figure it out : ( 

The IVR menu only goes 1-9. And once you’re in a Queue, you can’t dial an extension?? WHAT? HELP 

Best answer by Problem Solver

I think an external caller can dial any extension while they are hearing the greeting or while they are hearing the Audio while connecting.

You can assign your customer facing number to an Announcement only extension. External caller hears 
“To reach your regional account manager, please dial the two-digit state from which you are calling.”
Caller presses 29 - they get connected to ext. 29 whatever that is - user ext.? call queue?

To be honest you can assign your customer facing number to a lot of things and have the same end result. You could use:
1. Autoreceptionist > Company Greeting
2. an Announcement only extension
3. a user ext. without a license
4. a call queue.

All of these work and it doesn’t matter too much which one you use. 

You said:
“And once you’re in a Queue, you can’t dial an extension?”
That’s not true. You can dial an ext. while you are waiting in a queue.


Tip: this is probably obvious, but when you are recording the greeting, give the callers time to enter a key. I would do something like Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause.

If you are using an announcement only extension it would work like this:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - if caller enters no action, disconnect

If you are using a user ext. without a license or a call queue it would work like:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - whatever you set for missed calls.
 

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2 replies

Problem Solver
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  • July 25, 2024

I think an external caller can dial any extension while they are hearing the greeting or while they are hearing the Audio while connecting.

You can assign your customer facing number to an Announcement only extension. External caller hears 
“To reach your regional account manager, please dial the two-digit state from which you are calling.”
Caller presses 29 - they get connected to ext. 29 whatever that is - user ext.? call queue?

To be honest you can assign your customer facing number to a lot of things and have the same end result. You could use:
1. Autoreceptionist > Company Greeting
2. an Announcement only extension
3. a user ext. without a license
4. a call queue.

All of these work and it doesn’t matter too much which one you use. 

You said:
“And once you’re in a Queue, you can’t dial an extension?”
That’s not true. You can dial an ext. while you are waiting in a queue.


Tip: this is probably obvious, but when you are recording the greeting, give the callers time to enter a key. I would do something like Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause.

If you are using an announcement only extension it would work like this:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - if caller enters no action, disconnect

If you are using a user ext. without a license or a call queue it would work like:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - whatever you set for missed calls.
 


Thanks, I 

Problem Solver wrote:

I think an external caller can dial any extension while they are hearing the greeting or while they are hearing the Audio while connecting.

You can assign your customer facing number to an Announcement only extension. External caller hears 
“To reach your regional account manager, please dial the two-digit state from which you are calling.”
Caller presses 29 - they get connected to ext. 29 whatever that is - user ext.? call queue?

To be honest you can assign your customer facing number to a lot of things and have the same end result. You could use:
1. Autoreceptionist > Company Greeting
2. an Announcement only extension
3. a user ext. without a license
4. a call queue.

All of these work and it doesn’t matter too much which one you use. 

You said:
“And once you’re in a Queue, you can’t dial an extension?”
That’s not true. You can dial an ext. while you are waiting in a queue.


Tip: this is probably obvious, but when you are recording the greeting, give the callers time to enter a key. I would do something like Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause.

If you are using an announcement only extension it would work like this:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - if caller enters no action, disconnect

If you are using a user ext. without a license or a call queue it would work like:
Greeting  - short pause - repeat Greeting - short pause - whatever you set for missed calls.
 

Thanks, I FINALLY got through to tech support. And they said that during the standard company greeting (no IVR) you can instruct the caller to enter the Ext. But.. the company greeting has to be recorded live, which is really dumb. You can’t upload an audio file. So I will try the “announcement only” ext and see how that goes. 


Thank you


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