Overview
This document describes, for MarketSpark customers, Automated Attendant capabilities and the process by which Auto Attendants are purchased, created, and maintained.
Background
Automated Attendants (AA) and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) are common telecommunications industry terminology for the voice prompt menus that one hears when calling many businesses on the telephone and the subsequent interactions with those menus through the use of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) keypresses from the caller’s telephone set.
Automated Attendants provide callers direction for their call, e.g. “For Sales, press 1. For Customer Service, press 2. For all other inquiries, press 3.” so that they may be dispatched appropriately. They provide important information about who’s being called, e.g. “Thank you for calling the Saint Stephen’s location of Stewart’s Surf Stuff.” And they can alert callers to important information like business hours, e.g. “Our hours are 10am until 12pm only on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox.”
While many MarketSpark customers do not need any Automated Attendants because they only service alarm, fire, elevator, fax or other machine lines, there are also many that need Automated Attendant services. For these customers, MarketSpark has a solution.
Capabilities
MarketSpark’s AA capabilities allow for a variety of configurations including:
Time Frames
AAs configured according to Time Frames. Need an AA to act only on weekdays from 8am until 6pm? Or only after-hours? Or for the month of December?
Time Frames act according to Start Calendar Date, e.g. January 1st, and End Calendar Date, e.g. January 31st. Or they may act according to Start Day-of-the-Week, e.g. Monday and End Day-of-the-Week, e.g. Friday.
They are also defined by Start Time of Day, e.g. 8:00am, and by End Time of Day, e.g. 17:00 (5:00pm).
Telephone Numbers
AAs are attached to Telephone Numbers (TNs or DIDs). When a line of voice service is purchased from MarketSpark, that line comes with a Telephone Number. A Telephone Number can be directed to an AA in lieu of, or before being directed to a ringing telephone device.
Each AA must be attached to a telephone number (most common scenario), or it must be linked (chained) to another AA menu - see Keypress Functions description.
Text-To-Speech
AAs can present their prompts using text-to-speech technology, which provides for real-time generation of synthesized speech, from one of a variety of voice profiles. In lieu of generating pre-recorded files that have to be managed by the customer and MarketSpark, we recommend use of Text-to-Speech. To hear a sampling of the various Text-to-Speech voices, dial +1 201 614 2986
Introductory Greeting
AAs can present an introductory greeting. This greeting is played back at the beginning of the menu, and is presented before the user interacts using key presses. The greeting can be presented using Text-to-Speech, or can be provided by the customer as a pre-recorded MP3-format audio file.
Menu Prompt
AAs can also present a menu prompt. The menu prompt is played back as keypress handlers are engaged - users can keypress through the playback of the menu. Like the Introductory Greeting, the Menu Prompt can be presented using Text-to-Speech, or it can be provided by the customer as a pre-recorded MP3-format audio file.
Keypress Functionality
AAs can be configured to respond to keypresses from any of the DTMF keys except the # key. Each key can be configured for one of the following actions
Nothing
The Nothing action is an unassigned key. This key is affected according to the If unassigned key is pressed option.
Dial MarketSpark Line or Auto Attendant
This action allows the customer to define a specific telephone number, at the current Location to be dialed when this key is pressed. Telephone numbers are mapped to specific ports on MarketSpark equipment, so this is the number, and thus the device port that you want to ring when this key is pressed.
If, instead, you need this Auto Attendant to ring to another attendant when this key is pressed, please provide the name of the other Auto Attendant to be connected to. This other Auto Attendant must be at the same Location and should be defined on a separate tab of the AAIVR Customer Work Sheet that MarketSpark will provide.
Send to Voicemail & Voicemail Email Address
This action directs callers to a voicemail handler, and to define the email address, e.g. user@example.com to which the voicemail will be sent as an audio attachment.
Call External Number & External Number to Call
This action allows definition of a number non-local (external) to this MarketSpark Location, e.g. 1-800-555-1234, to which the caller will be directed.
New Prompt Type, After Prompt Plays, New Prompt Text or Prompt Filename
These actions allow the presentation of additional voice prompts (Text-To-Speech or customer-provided pre-recorded MP3 file) and define what happens after the prompt plays - Go back to the Greeting Prompt, Hangup the caller, or follow the logic of another keypress.
Other
Handling is definable for when the user presses no keys and when the user presses a key that has not had any actions attached to it. In these cases, the caller can be presented with the Greeting Prompt, Hung up on, or directed to the defined functionality for any other DTMF key except 8 and 9.
Purchasing
AA functionality is not enabled by default. Instead, it is a purchased functionality, under the 107-0005, Monthly IVR (Auto Attendant) administration SKU, billed monthly. Each purchase covers the administration of one Auto Attendant at one Location. If more than one Auto Attendant is required at one location, then multiple quantities of SKU 107-0005 must be purchased. If Auto Attendants are required at more than one location, then multiple quantities of SKU 107-0005 must be purchased.
If you have not purchased this functionality, MarketSpark personnel will be unable to provide you with any AA functionality. If you have purchased this functionality, then you may work with MarketSpark personnel for setup and ongoing administration of your Automated Attendants.
To purchase Auto Attendant functionality, please contact your MarketSpark representative.
After Purchase - Creating and Maintaining
Setup of New Auto Attendants
Following the Purchase of Monthly IVR (Auto Attendant) administration SKU 107-0005, MarketSpark personnel will direct you, the customer, to fill out the “AAIVR Customer Work Sheet.”
This spreadsheet document is available for download here - AAIVR-Customer-Work-Sheet.
Instructions for using the document are contained within it. Once you have filled it out, please return it to your MarketSpark representative, and they will work with you to properly setup and configure your Automated Attendants. If you have any questions about the spreadsheet, please consult the Capabilities section of this help guide as well as the spreadsheet’s included tips and instructions. If you have additional questions, please contact your MarketSpark representative.
Management of Existing Auto Attendants
MarketSpark will keep a copy of your AAIVR Work Sheet and any pre-recorded voice prompts you provide on file should you need to make changes. In the event that you do require changes, please send, using MarketSpark’s Support ticketing system, an updated Work Sheet with your requested changes as well as any pre-recorded prompt updates. MarketSpark’s Support team will work to implement your requested changes.
Testing Your Auto Attendant
Once your Auto Attendant is created, and you have been notified by MarketSpark, please test its functionality to ensure that it operates as you expect. The ideation of Auto Attendants is often an imperfect process, with some trial and error on your part, to achieve the desired result - once you hear something and later step through its implementation, things may not operate exactly as you had imagined.