{{ ::portal_receptionists.png?250|}} ======Receptionist====== One of the most powerful capabilities of a small business phone system is the **Receptionist** (also known as a phone menu or automated attendant). The ability to have customers and associates effectively reach the right people or listen to information can have a big impact on productivity. A typical configuration has different greetings and logic for open and closed business hours. A common configuration is for humans to answer the phone during business hours, and an automated receptionist when closed.\\ \\ \\ ====Open/Closed Receptionist==== {{ ::portal_schedule.png?250|}} When you go to **"Configuration"** > **"Receptionist"** in the ring-u customer portal, you will see the **"Open Receptionist"** and the **"Closed Receptionist."** These two default receptionists cannot be deleted or renamed because they are tied directly to your system's defined **"[[schedule|Schedule]]."** If you look under **"Configuration"** > **"Schedule,"** any hours you see defined are your "Open Hours" when your **"Open Receptionist"** will be used. During the hours outside of the open hours defined in the schedule, your system will use the **"Closed Receptionist."** If you only want one receptionist, delete the open schedule items and use the Closed Receptionist for everything. The example to the right demonstrates a long 2 hour closed period for Friday lunch. ====Configure a Receptionist==== This example will guide you through editing the **Open Receptionist**. This is the default recording/phone menu that callers will hear during open business hours as defined in the [[schedule|Schedule]]. //Even though this is explicitly for the **Open Receptionist**, setting up other receptionists is largely the same procedure.// {{ ::portal_options.png?250|}} To configure a receptionist: - Log into the [[https://portal.ring-u.com|Customer Portal]]. - Go to **Configuration** > **Receptionist**. - Here you will see the Open and Closed Receptionists. Click **Edit** to the left of **Open Receptionist**. - Type in the greeting people will hear into the **Script** text box. //Remember, this should be informative, but for the sake of your customers' patience, it should also be brief.// - Next, choose the **Audio Source** of your greeting. * **Robot** will convert the text in the **Script** box to computer-generated speech. Several voices supporting customer-requested languages are available. Ring-u uses the Amazon Polly speech engine, we think it's the best available. You can also: * **Record using a phone:** elect an extension to record your message from, and press record. The extension will ring, and after picking it up, you can read aloud the message you've typed in the **Script** section or your own document. When you're finished, hang up. This recording is made directly on the Hello Hub. It is not available from the web interface. * **Use an uploaded recording:** Upload an audio file (MP3 or WAV) using the **[[recordings|Recordings]]** menu item, then select it. Uploaded recordings are saved and available for re-use at any time. Useful if you change them often. * **Upload a recording:** You can also upload directly into the receptionists. This method overwrites previously uploaded recordings for this receptionist. - **Caller Options** should reflect the options you've presented in the **Script**. On the right are all 10 buttons of a telephone ordered 0-9. For each button, select either an extension, group, or receptionist to send the caller to from the drop-down. Do this for every option you've presented the caller with through your **Script**. The **X** option is what happens if they do not make a choice after the reception audio plays 2 times. We suggest leaving it set to inactive so it hangs up on robo-callers. - Finally, click **Save Changes**. Your system will update in a couple of minutes with your changes. ====Override Options==== {{ ::portal_scheduleoverride.png?250|}} Normally. what the receptionist does is controlled by the schedule, but for holidays and special events you can create a new receptionist which deviates from the normal schedule by enabling a schedule override. These can do anything that a normal receptionist can do. Overrides can be scheduled or can be toggled on/off from any phone on your system. {{ ::portal_toggleoverride.png?250|}} In some cases, you may want to activate a receptionist manually, for example when you go to lunch, or close early. Checking this box allows this logic to be toggled on and off, ad-hoc, by dialing 001 from a phone on the system. ====Human Receptionist==== So, let's say that you're a business with real people employed for the purpose of answering the phone during business hours. {{ ::portal_humanreceptionist.png?200|}} Simply define the **Schedule** for the hours your employee will be answering the phones. Then, navigate to **Configuration** > **Receptionist** > **Open Receptionist**, and change the **Receptionist Type** to **Human Receptionist**. Select where to direct inbound calls to: a single extension, a ring group([[ring-groups|Groups]]), or any other system choice including external phones (mobile or soft phones for example). Finally, **Save Changes**. Now, all calls that are directed to the **Open Receptionist** for your defined Open Hours will immediately be sent to that phone or other feature. People who call after hours will still get your **Closed Receptionist**, but you can also set your Closed Receptionist to direct callers to a human receptionist in the same way.