BusinessPhone Communication Platform 5.1
Facilities

## Automated Attendant

## Definition

The Automated Attendant ( AA ) function makes it possible for internal and external callers to choose between different options offered by selections voice menus.

With his choice the caller sends digits tones to the AA function, which sets up the new connection. This new connection can be a directory number of the system or another voice menu. AA feature supervises with a two-steps logic the response time of callers and the validity of his choices. In case of time-out or if the choise is invalid again, the caller will be automatically routed to a predefined reroute directory number (e.g. operator).

If the caller feels familiar with AA procedure, he can dial all the digits required at once, without having to wait for voice announcements. In case of wrong choices or time-out, he will be switched back to voice prompts.

## Use

The Automated Attendant function replaces to some extend the activity of the operator. By using this feature it is not necessary to employ one specific person for handling the calls. AA can be used as alternative answering/reroute position for Operator, Trunks, ACD queue. On system extensions it is possible to activate DIVERSION or FOLLOW ME to a Automated Attendant.

## Operation

The Automated Attendant function is structured as a network of single AAs each of them based in Selections Voice Menus.

From the caller’s point of view, he receives voice instructions structured in voice menus. The caller will hear a voice menu informing him of all possible options he can choose in corresponding selections list. So, in general, voice instructions lead him step by step to the desired directory number.

Caller’s response consists in sending digits by dialling the desired option’s number, and the corresponding directory number will be called. This directory number can lead the caller to another AA associated from its side with corresponding selections list and voice menus, or to a system’s extension (see Example 1 and Example 2).

After transfering the call to the destination, AA goes free and is ready to analyse the next request.

The caller can dial all digits at once if he knows the procedure. In this case voice prompts will not be played. If wrong inputs have been entered (e.g. wrong digit, or a digit is missing in string or the timebreak between digits is longer than register time-out interval), then the caller will be switched back into voice prompts. All the rest of the string digits will be ignored.

Each AA has its own voice menus/announcements and selections list. Selections list contains:

- field of commands to be settled in order to choose desired function
- field of directory numbers strictly related to commands’ field. These programmable directory numbers can be:

- identification addresses of different voice announcements
- extension & operator directory numbers
- Operator queues
- fictive directory numbers
- ACD groups or PBX groups
- directory numbers of other AA-s
- common abbreviated numbers
- common mail box directory numbers or individual mail box directory numbers.

If the customer wants to access the AA procedure always from the top-level (in case of different AA combinations), be careful to start the directory number of different lower AA-levels with D, * or # in order to obtain a non directly dialable directory number. This makes impossible to start AA’s procedure from a lower level. That’s the reason why internal user’s telephone set display shows just the name of first AA (e.g. default name “top level”).

The following is an example of a Selections list:

Command | Comments | Entries
8701 | General-anno. reference | 01
8702 | Error-anno. reference | 03
8703 | Digit 0 related dir. nr. | 200
8704 | Digit 1 related dir. nr. | #810
8705 | Digit 2 related dir. nr. | 202
8706 | Digit 3 related dir. nr. | 205
8707 | Digit 4 related dir. nr. | 206
8708 | Digit 5 related dir. nr. | -
8709 | Digit 6 related dir. nr. | -
8710 | Digit 7 related dir. nr. | -
8711 | Digit 8 related dir. nr. | -
8712 | Digit 9 related dir. nr. | 200
8713 | AA error reroute position | 9
8714 | Waiting for full dir. nr. | N

It is possible to program (see command 8714 in selections list) whether the procedure is going to wait for a complete extension’s directory number (it can be also DISA or another AA directory number) or only for a single-digit directory number (see Example 1).

If the selected directory number of the selections list is busy, does not answer, is blocked, is vacant etc. in other words, is not available, the external caller will be rerouted to the default AA-exit position; while the internal caller will be automatically disconnected. If the selected directory number of the selections list is a DISA - directory number, the external caller can use the DISA feature in the normal way, while the internal caller will be automatically disconnected.

Each selections list has an exit position for error cases (e.g. time-out, wrong entries etc). As exit position can be used: directory numbers of physical extensions in the system, fictive directory numbers, ACD groups, PBX groups etc.

Due to security reasons an Automated Attendant must not have another Automated Attendant as exit position.

- A calling party without DTMF dialing possibility could not get to any human connection since the caller will be routed from one to the other AA.
- Furthermore resources on DTMF registers and voice channels could not be occupied rather soon by getting such calls more frequently.

##### Time out supervision

AA feature supervises response time of the caller.

If the caller overflows the register time-out interval for the first time during the dialling process he will be connected to the exit position; by pressing # he receives again the complete voice menu and has the possibility to try once again from the beginning.

##### Wrong digit

AA feature supervises also the validity of the digit (DTMF key codes) entered by the caller and chosen in correspondence with options in selections list.

If the caller dials a wrong digit for the first time (key codes which do not have a preprogrammed directory number in the selections list) he will be connected automatically to an error voice announcement stored for this error case and has also the possibility to try again at this step. The caller can interrupt the voice prompts by starting the dialling procedure.

If the caller dials a wrong digit for the second time, he will be automatically connected to a preprogrammed exit position.

##### Wrong extension number

Each AA (imply: selections list) can be programmed for receiving a complete directory number.

AA-feature analyses also the validity of the received digits. If these do not result in a complete directory number, or this directory number does not exist, the caller will hear a voice announcement indicating the error case. The caller has the opportunity to try once more at the level where the wrong entries have been detected.

If the second try has not been successful, the caller will be rerouted to the AA-exit position (e.g. OPERATOR).

### Examples

Below you will find two examples of the AA structure.

#### Example 1

The following chart shows the structure of a more complicated feature with a number of AAs (voice menus). The selections list of the first AA has been programmed to receive single-digit inputs.

For example, by dialling "0" the caller will hear a new voice menu which is connected to another AA. This list has been programmed to wait for complete directory numbers.

#### Example 2

The following chart refers to a single AA-structure.

In this example the selections list has been programmed to wait for a complete directory number.

The caller will be prompted to enter the directory number of the desired extension.

When a directory number is dialled, the external call will follow the same procedure as for a normal DID call. The error cases are also included.

#### Delayed Automatic Answer for the Automated Attendant function

see Delayed Automatic Answer, document 160/155 34-ASB 150 02 Uen.

## Capacity

Automated Attendant feature offers the possibility to create a structure with up to 32 voice menus.

The size and configuration of AA network depends on the customers’ requirements.

## Limitations

Only telephone sets with DTMF tones can use this feature.

The number of the simultaneous calls served by AA function depends on the number of VMU-HD / MFU channels.

If a caller is routed to AA feature, and there is no DTMF receiver and/or voice channel free, the caller will receive ring tone as long as a DTMF receiver and a voice channel becomes free. In addition a queue will be created if two or more calls are waiting.

If the AA exit position hasn’t been programmed, external caller will be routed to trunk’s reroute position; internal caller will be disconnected.

Release 12 (R1A) onwards no auto attendant voice answer for the exit position will be used.

During the time in when the caller is actually connected to a DTMF receiver and to a voice channel, he occupies both these as long as he will remain connected with and served by the AA function. The DTMF receiver and the voice channel will become free at the moment the call is transfered to the desired directory number.

If connected to an AA, the extension can not park the call by pressing LINE 1, LINE2, INQUIRY or HOLD key; it can not transfer AA; it can not establish also conference with AA. The AA-call will be released immediately.

The OPERATOR can call the AA only if it has no calls parked.

The OPERATOR also connected to AA can not establish conference, park or transfer it.

Just 4 internal analogue extensions (of the same board) can use AA at the same time (4 DTMF receivers on one board).

There are no limitations for internal digital extensions in this respect because digital telephone sets do not occupy any DTMF receiver.

## Programming

The AA-feature is fully programmable by the customer in terms of settling the structure of AAs.

The procedure starts with creating the Automated Attendant facility. It can be accessed only via BMS.

### Selections List

From EXECUTIVE telephone sets, OPERATOR console and BMS it is also possible to fill / edit selections lists’ parameters.

### Commands for creating/editing facilities

5424 |  | Create automated attendant

5624 |  | Alter automated attendant

5524 |  | Delete automated attendant

8701 |  | General-announcement reference

8702 |  | Error-announcement reference

8703 |  | Digit 0 related dir no

8704 |  | Digit 1 related dir no

8705 |  | Digit 2 related dir no

8706 |  | Digit 3 related dir no

8707 |  | Digit 4 related dir no

8708 |  | Digit 5 related dir no

8709 |  | Digit 6 related dir no

8710 |  | Digit 7 related dir no

8711 |  | Digit 8 related dir no

8712 |  | Digit 9 related dir no

8713 |  | Automated Attendant error reroute positon

8714 |  | Waiting for full directory number

### Record Voice Menus

You can record voice menus and announcements for error cases from an Executive telephone or from the Operator console.

4603 |  | Record announcements allowed?

4411 |  | Command to record the new announcement group

## Equipment

Automated Attendant facility offers voice support to all types of incoming calls and therefore a VMU-HD / MFU is required.

For this feature a DTMF receiver and a voice channel is necessary until the caller is connected to the desired directory number.

Following boards offer DTMF receiver:

- BTU-D: it has the capacity of 8 DTMF processes (receivers at a time)
- REG
- VMU-HD :depending on the setting of the jumpers, the VMU-HD offers 16 voice channels or 8 voice channels and 4 DTMF receivers
- MFU: offers 2 DTMF receivers

The system must be equipped at least with a VMU-HD that offers 4 DTMF receivers and can play up to 8 voice channels at a time, a MFU or with a BTU-D !

### Optional equipment

The BP AutoAttendant Optimizer is an external software application that increases efficiency of Automated Attendant (AA) structures programmed in the BusinessPhone 250/50. The idea is to investigate how often and how long callers listen to the offered voice menus of the AA.

If the statistics output of the BusinessPhone AutoAttendant Optimizer shows a high number of abandoned calls or too many accesses the structure of the menu paths should be adapted.

BusinessPhone AutoAttendant Optimizer enables measuring the acceptance of a AA structure.

Revision: F © Ericsson Enterprise 2003