Administration

Voicemail Escalation

Feature Description

To ensure that voicemail messages in a general delivery mailbox are promptly handled, you can use the Voicemail Escalation feature. When a message is left in a mailbox, Voicemail Escalation initiates a call to a configured internal or external telephone number. The call is repeated periodically at a configured interval until messages from the mailbox are retrieved.

Introduction

A company uses a shared voicemail mailbox monitored by an off-site representative. Voicemail Escalation calls the representative’s mobile when a message is left, repeating the call until it’s retrieved. Different representatives can be assigned at different times for continuous coverage.

From the end user perspective:

  • If the call is answered, the system first plays a prompt that there are new messages in the mailbox and then transfers the call to voicemail.  The attendant is prompted to enter the password for the mailbox in order to retrieve new messages.
  • If the call is not answered or if messages are not retrieved, the call is repeated based on the Retry Delay value set (default retry interval is 10 minutes).
  • For SMS, the notification will be sent once the voicemail message has been sent

Prerequisites

A successful software update of the UCX before installing the Voicemail Escalation module.

Step 1 – Install the Voicemail Escalation Module

  1. Login to UCX Administration.
  2. Navigate to the Accessories / Addon Packages page.
  3. Scroll down to the Voicemail Escalation package.
  4. Click Install.
    VMEscInstallComplete.png

Step 2 – Create a Virtual Extension for Mailbox

  1. Navigate to the PBX – PBX Configuration – Extensions page.
  2. Select None (virtual extensions) as the device type and press the Submit button.
  3. In the User Extension field, enter a number of the extension to be used for the mailbox. Note: this extension number is used by the Voicemail Escalation feature as the caller ID number for notification calls.
  4. In the Display Name field, enter the name of the extension.  Note: this name is used by the Voicemail Escalation feature as the caller ID name for notification calls.
  5. Set Ring Time value from Default to 1.
  6. Scroll down to the Voicemail & Directory section and set Status to Enabled.
  7. Enter the desired password for the mailbox in the Voicemail Password field.
  8. Press the Submit button to create the extension.

Step 3 – Configure Retry Delay

  1. Navigate to the PBX – PBX Configuration – Voicemail Escalation page.
  2. Click on General Settings to view or change the Retry Delay. Click on the Submit button to save any changes.
    VMEscalation-Settings.png

Step 4 – Configure Mailbox to Monitor

  1. Click on Add Monitored Extension
  2. Select the Monitored Extension from the drop-down list
  3. Select the Type of notification: Call or SMS

 Configure Call

  1. Enter the Call Destination number where the voicemail escalation will be routed. Click on the Submit button.
  2. Press the Submit button

Configure SMS

  1. In SMS Originator enter an 11 digit phone number DID number that’s registered under E-MetroTel’s partner portal
  2. In SMS Destination enter A U.S. or Canada 11 digit phone number
    1. Format is 1xxxxxxxxxx, where 1 is the country code followed by the phone number
    2. Note that the number should have SMS capabilities and that rates and charges still apply for that number’s carrier
  3. Press the Submit button

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