Virtual Call Centre Features - Call Handling

Caller Greetings, IVR Menus, Call Queueing, Call Transfer, Call Alerts, Timers

Greeting Message

Caller greeting messages can be specified so that they vary with time of day and for known groups of callers.

The high quality greeting messages can be recorded by a member of staff or by an X-on professional voiceover artist.

Departmental Menu

The caller can be presented with a choice of departments such as Sales, Accounts, Customer Support etc. There are no limits to the number of options offered nor the number of menu levels.

A department can be routed to a group of users, an information service, or to voicemail. With users able to be members of multiple departments, sophisticated skill based routing can be applied.

Personnel Menu

Callers have the option to choose people by name for direct contact. Users will have chosen to be included in this option.

Automated Attendant

Automated Attendant offers the caller the option to enter an extension number to contact a particular individual. The extension number can be 2, 3 or 4 digits.

Customizable IVR Trees

Any number of menus for callers can be linked together to provide self-selection routing for information services. The menus and associated voice files can be easily configured via the web admin.

Inbound and Outbound Call Recording

All inbound calls can be recorded for regulatory or training purposes, or call recording can be configured only for particular groups and individuals, or be requested on-demand for a particularly difficult call for example. Recordings are available immediately on the web in mp3 format.

Recordings of outbound calls from landlines and mobiles can be made by dialling a prefix number, or automatically when dialling from VoIP handsets.

Recordings are archived as standard for 3 months, but longer can be arranged.

Call Transfer Advice

A brief introduction message e.g. "support call", also known as a 'whisper' message, is played to the user before the caller is transferred. These can be the default departmental names or can be re-recorded as required.

Call transfer advice can also include information related to the number the caller dialled, the number they are calling from, or the group they chose from the menu or, providing optimal information prior to taking the call.

Call transfer advice assists users in addressing the call correctly particularly where the call is being taken on phones also used for non-business purposes.

Call Reject Option (Voicemail Detection)

The user can be given the option not to take an incoming call, the caller being transferred to the next member of the group, or to voicemail. The call reject option, once set up via the web admin, is provided after the transfer advice, so the user has the call information before deciding to press a key on the keypad to transfer the call.

This is useful where the user's phone has an answering machine or mobile voicemail set up and the system doesn't get the positive instruction to transfer, processing the call instead.

Call Queuing

When the users logged into a department are all busy, callers can be queued, and provided with music or messages on hold. The maximum wait before the caller is sent to voicemail can be set.

Flexible reassurance messages apologizing for the wait and advise of waiting times can be played to queued callers. There is also the option to play the queue position and for the caller to leave a message, for example.

Effective call queue management increases caller satisfaction and customer retention.

Call Queue Monitor

Real time call queue statistics and information can be projected onto a call centre monitor, such as a wallboard or plasma TV screen, improving teamwork and enhancing productivity.

ACD Patterns

Callers can be transferred to users according to distribution patterns that ensure their enquiry is dealt with by the person with the nearest matching skill set. Calls can also be distributed according to agent availability to even out workload. A mixture of these ACD patterns can also be applied.

At busy times overflow groups can be set to take calls.

Agent Status Monitor

Live real time agent status parameters, such as logged in / logged out / on a call / do not disturb / in wrap-up etc., can be projected onto a call centre monitor, such as a wallboard or plasma TV screen, improving teamwork and enhancing productivity.

SMS and Email Missed Call Alerts

SMS and email missed call alerts can be sent to individual users, even when caller doesn't leave a voicemail message.

Caller Number Routing and Messaging

Caller CLI number routing can have useful call handling applications.

For example, some customers experiencing a service problem, once identified by the number from which they are calling, can be played a specific update message or redirected to a voice noticeboard providing real time incident updates.

Or, customers who have exceeded their credit limit can be automatically transferred to accounts.

Callers can also be prioritized according to certain parameters.

Voice Noticeboard

A voice noticeboard allows supervisors to regularly update messages on company activities or events, emergency information, or press releases, for example.

One or more VoiceBank voice noticeboards can be incorporated into the call flow, accessed from menu choices or voicebank numbers.

Call Blending with Outbound Predictive Dialling

Predictive diallers use sophisticated software to predict when an agent will become available and then dial the next number in advance of the agent finishing their current call, thereby improving the efficiency of agents.

Agents can also be matched to calls based on their skill set, or to target specific groups or time based goals.

Screen Popping

By accessing the an existing database of callers, caller data can appear on the workstation of the agent receiving the call at the same time as the call is transferred.

Customer fields are populated on the screen prior to taking the call thereby improving agent efficiency and caller satisfaction.

Caller on Hold

The star key can be used to put the caller on hold, muting the agent and playing music on hold.

Call Transfer

Where an agent feels the call is better handled elsewhere, the call can be transferred by pressing a key and being presented with a list of personnel or departments just as the caller heard. A list of valid transfer extensions is automatically created, including people and departments logged in.

'Blind transfers' (hanging up before waiting for the outcome of the transfer) and 'supervised transfers' (speaking first to the person to whom you are transferring the caller) are supported. The transfer mechanism is the same whether the call has been taken on a landline, mobile or VoIP phone.

Timers

A seven day auto timer allows PhonePresence to be programmed to automatically switch into a different mode. Options can include a "we're closed" message, transferring to voicemail and advance programming of holidays.

Each connected number or department can use a different timer.

Dynamic Route Selection for Failover

In the event of a phone network or internet failure, PhonePresence will dynamically reroute calls to ensure that a single point of failure doesn't interrupt phone traffic.

For example, in the case of VoIP, calls can be switched to the BT network or mobiles, even mid call. Multiple routes and connections ensure quality of service is maintained.

Speech Recognition

A large variety of voice commands can be used to navigate the phone menu, enhancing business image with professional customer call handling.

Call Scripting and Data Capture

Pre-determined call flows and scripts can improve the consistency of agents. Call Scripting guides the agent through the call ensuring the right information is collected. Agent error is minimized, particularly in conjunction with screen popping.

Database Integration

PhonePresence Call Centre can access an existing database to provide agents with advance caller information and to populate scripts. The database is updated as agents gather additional caller information.

Virtual Call Centre Features

PhonePresence Call Centre Features are divided into categories:

	System Capacity
	Main Inbound Number
	Call Handling
	Voicemail Services
	Supervisor Control
	User Control
	Agent Monitoring