RingCentral system modifications - Existing User

Can you let us know what it is that you are trying to do - leave out any private details - but the more information as to menuing, extension set up/forwarding, IVR’s etc.  - ‘’we” can see if we can help!

I know of at least three of us on the boards are considered pretty advanced when it comes to bending RC to our will.  ;)

Thank you!!!

We are small - 9 employees.

We do not have a receptionist - there are a few people who answer the “main line”.  We always want a human to answer when possible and not go immediately into a voice prompt.  We have Ring Groups instead of Call Queue.  We use IVR menus and key prompts to have the calls routed appropriately when we cannot answer.  We just added our 9th employee and will be adding out 10th within a few months so we are out of key presses.  Hence the entirely new set up that I cannot seem to get sorted out.

Below is how it works now: 

Call comes in to our main line.  It is routed to a specific user which happens to be a “fake” user/extension 9999.  Ext 9999 is answered by a few people in the ring group.  If we cannot answer it goes into our On Hours IVR.  There are Key Presses, 1 for each employee.  This is the same type of set up for after hours calls as well - IVR with Key Presses.  

1. We always want a human to answer when we can
2. I need some sort of set up where if we can’t the message can say something like…….if you know your parties extension you may dial it now or press XX for a dial by name directory.

I’m told Call Queues don’t work with IVR menus.

I didn’t think it would be this hard but after 4 hours on the phone we made no progress.

I’m sure I’m leaving a lot out but it seems pretty basic and simple.

You were misinformed about Call Queues - they work, and well.  You can have IVRs within IVRs - but I will caution that a good phone tree will be three keys max in order to get to a person.;)

For us, we have the IVR at the front doing the heavy lifting, channeling the callers into the various queues.

Example:
1 - for pharmacy - then goes to the nursing queue and rings the group at the same time.

2 - for billing - but this goes to a select queue for ‘reception’,  where 2 staff will answer and then funnel to the right person.  If no one answers the reception after X rings, then it gets forwarded to the main billing group -ringing at the same time for X rings.  If no ones answers, it forwards to the billing manager.

3 - goes to another IVR - splitting between types of client needs, which then each goes to another call queue.
 

Make sense?

etc… down the line for the various departments.

You can also have a call queue when no one answers forward to another queue, or extension.

On the IVR key press, you also have the option of doing a Directory by name - so that takes care of your requests for that.  Note -there’s no ‘0’ for operator for internal staff to dial…  we admins have been screaming for that for years.
 

The odd thing at first with RC was that you had to have the extensions created before you could do a call queue, and a queue done before you could do the IVR.   data before summary is how I looked at it.

This also goes for the audio files for the various queues - have a script done up so that you can record the call queue and IVR audio prompts, and get them saved in the Phone System library - you can then add them in to the IVR etc.

Also script out the ‘IVR tree’ as a visual guide for then creating the IVRs and Queues - having a map to read is quite handy.  (especially for troublehsooting)

When we came over from another phone system to RC, we also went with a 4-digit extension (from 3)  I then broke each department into it’s own ‘100 user’ block - 1000 for admin, 1200 pharmacy, 1600 IT, etc. this then kept a pattern for later when staff left/came on board.  Since we have multiple sites, I also went with the first digit being the site number: 1xxx = Irvine, 2xxx = Los Angles, 3xxx = Burbank, etc.  This then also gave internals staff an idea of which office they were calling/getting calls from.  I know you said you have a small office, just throwing out ideas

We set call queues into their own block of 1000s, IVRs, their specific 1000 range, etc.  keeping the support extensions separate from the users.  This also makes it easier for RC programming and troubleshooting as you can see at a glance if its a user (in the 1XXX range)  IVR (9xxx range)  etc.

extensions are just like labels on a file folder - easily changed for quick filing.  :)
 

If you set up your account as ‘Multi site’ - great !  That helps a lot in creating down the line - site could be department or group - not just a physical location.  The downside if you set up as Single site, is that if you go to switch to Multi - you lose all your settings from Single.  *WARNING*

Drop me a DM and I can send you my email - and can send some screen shots for details that may help get you to that ‘ah ha!’ moment. (if this logn winded reply didn’t ;) )

• Joe