Voice Processing Overview | Voice Processing Features | Voice Processing FAQs
Voice Processing - Telephone Systems Voicemail FAQ
All the FAQ’s below assume that the voice mail system is connected to a Siemens Hipath telephone system. The more cost-effective voice mail systems may not necessarily support all the features below. This is indicated where possible. Both the Oak and Siemens voice mail equipment can be configured to meet most needs.
Q: How does voice mail connect to my extension?
A: Voice mail intercepts a call to an extension if it is busy or does not answer. This is normally used in conjunction with DDI but can be used by a receptionist or on an extension to extension call (See below). A user can, by pressing a button on their telephone make calls go directly to voice mail. If call waiting is set and the user ignores the second call it will go to voicemail.
Q: Is it difficult to set up my voice mailbox?
A: No the first time you access your mailbox easy to follow voice prompts tell you what to do.
Q: Do all my extensions have to have voice mail?
A: No voice mail can be activated on a per extension basis
Q: Callers get frustrated when they have no option but to leave a message or dial someone else in the organisation?
A: At any time whilst listening to a mailbox greeting a caller can press O to break out to main reception. With the VoxPro and Xpressions it is possible to break out to another extension(s)
Q: Julie says by the time she gets to her telephone its gone to voice mail whilst Emma says people tend to hang up before the voice mail answers?
A: It is possible to configure an individual extension or a range of extensions to ring for different lengths of time prior to being intercepted by voice mail.
Q: I want to give callers a different greeting depending on whether I am out of office on holiday or at a meeting?.
A: It is very simple to change the greeting by re-recording as and when required. With VoxPro and Xpressions it is possible to have a number of different pre-recorded greetings which can be activated as necessary.
Q: Can my receptionist connect outside callers directly to a persons voice mail when they are out?
A: Yes they can do this without actually ringing the wanted persons extension. In the case of VoxPro and Xpressions it is possible to have bi-pass numbers which can be used internally (See Below) and by reception
Q: Can I use the system internally?
A: Yes when calling an extension from another extension if the wanted extension is busy or does not reply then it can be intercepted by voice mail. With VoxPro and Xpressions it is possible to dial a bi-pass number which connects directly to a mailbox.
Q; We don’t need voice mail internally we use Email?
A: Its much quicker to leave a voice mail message especially with a bi-pass number. You can also retrieve your messages from anywhere in the world, which has a telephone (and see below).
Q: What happens when a member of staff is on holiday and there are vital messages, which need attention?
A: With VoxPro it is possible to automatically forward the message to reception or administration after a pre-determined time. With VoxBox and Xpressions it would be necessary to make sure there was cover by someone able to get into the absentee’s mailbox.
Q: Can I retrieve my messages remotely?
A: Yes by dialling an access number from anywhere in the world that has a telephone and entering your extension number followed by a password.
Q : Can I change my greeting and other settings remotely?
A: Yes having dialled in from anywhere in the world as above you can change your settings
Q: How do I know I have a message?
A : If you have a Siemens Display phone then the display will tell you when there is a message. On phones without display on picking up the receiver you will hear “you have a message.”
Q: How would I know I have a message when I am Out of the Office?
A: All the voice mail systems we provide can be configured to ring your mobile or any other phone to let you know. The VoxPro can Email and/or text you. These facilities will be added to the Siemens Expressions.
Q: Can I have one mailbox that everybody can access for my sales group of 4 extensions?
A: Yes a mailbox can be set up such that in the event of everyone in a group being unavailable, the caller is transferred to a central mailbox for that group which everyone can access.
Q: I find it very tedious putting in a password every time I want to access my voice mail
A: The password can be switched off. However we do not advise this where remote access is available as this could allow people to access sensitive information.
Q: If my secretary is in I want her to answer my phone before it goes to voice mail
A: It is possible to ring your phone then the secretary’s. If neither of you are in the caller is routed to your mailbox. A secretary can therefore take care of several peoples phones with calls being routed to the appropriate mailbox where the secretary is busy or unavailable.
AUTO ATTENDANT
Q: What happens when our office closes at night?
A: Normally there is a night greeting giving the caller the office opening hours with an option to leave a message in the receptionists mailbox. The receptionist can retrieve messages when he or she arrives and distribute them directly to the appropriate person’s mailbox.
Q: Can callers have a different greeting and menu on some days of the week ?
A: Yes it’s possible to give the caller differing greetings and menus, automatically in accordance with the day and time.
Q: The times the office shuts varies on an ad hoc basis so I do not want a night greeting to automatically say we are closed at 5:30pm ?
A: It is possible to activate the night greeting by pressing a key on a telephone when you are ready to leave.
Q: Sometimes there are people in the office after normal hours that want to answer the phone?
A: The night greeting can say that this is the case, with the caller being asked to press say 1 which can connect them to a group of extensions?
Q: We have an emergency call out service at night and want emergency calls to go to a mobile?
A: It is possible for the greeting to invite the caller to press say 1 for an emergency and be routed through to the appropriate mobile or any other telephone number. The number can be changed on demand to cater for different people being on out of hours duty on different days.
Q: What happens when it’s a bank holiday?
A: A different menu and greeting can be given for any specific date.
Q: Can I easily change my day night & holiday greeting messages?
A: Yes they can be accessed from any telephone with a password and re-recorded.
Q: Callers ask the same question over and over again i.e. How do I get there?
A: A caller can be asked to press say 3 for directions and receives a message with direction or any other frequently asked question.
Q: I like my callers to talk to a human being not a machine but we do have complaints about the time it takes to answer a call?
A: It is possible for callers to be routed directly to reception as first choice. However if reception is busy or does not answer then after a pre-determined time calls can go to auto attendant. The greeting could be “Our receptionist(s) is busy please hold for a free receptionist.”
Q: What happens when I have Auto attendant & they press 1 for sales and they’re all engaged or do not answer?
A: It is possible to have one sales mailbox for a group of sales extensions. All members of the sales group can retrieve messages from it. Alternatively calls can overflow to another group or reception.
Q: Can a caller direct dial an extension from an Auto Attendant greeting?
A: Yes the caller simply enters the number on their telephone keypad when invited. It is possible to access an organisations directory by using the letters on a telephone keypad.
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