hi @networker409
I suggest that you discuss the best options for your receptionists with your Zoom and/or Zoom Partner account team. Your account team has familiarity with your organization and available options.
Based on my basic analysis, these are my observations an suggestions.
Cisco appears to provide the receptionists with a graphical interface to answer incoming calls, check the presence of groups of users to transfer the calls to and do blind transfers and consultative transfers. This requires all incoming calls to be handled by a human receptionist.
Cisco UAC Standard Demonstration Video
As a differentiator, some executives like the first contact to be with a human; however, increasingly businesses are turning to a more efficient method such as the use of Auto Receptionists (AR), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Call Queues (CQ) with multiple members. Functions such as routing calls as desired by callers are automated without the need for a human receptionist.
Managing auto receptionists
Creating an interactive voice response system
Managing Zoom Phone call queues
Enabling call queue callback for Zoom Phone
At present, Zoom Phone has no licensing fees for Auto Receptionist (AR), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Call Queues (CQ). These features are sophisticated but easy to set up. These features can be used to route incoming calls to Call Queues (CQ) such as Sales CQ, Support CQ, Billing CQ, etc. Callers select which area they need to connect to. Callers are verbally prompted with voice prompts such as “For Sales, Press 1 or say “Sales””, etc. Callers can respond by pressing a number on their keypad or by saying the name of the area. If callers want to speak to a receptionist or fail to respond, callers can be connected to a receptionist. Available members of the CQ can pick up calls for any CQ that they are members of. Available members are members who are signed in to the CQ and available to take calls.
If your organization wants a human receptionist to answer all incoming calls to the main telephone number or perhaps a toll free number, there are several alternatives.
Incoming calls can be routed to Receptionists during normal business hours. Receptionists can transfer incoming calls to available personnel based on their skills and availability. Yealink T54W desk phones can be used to monitor Busy Lamp Field (BLF) status for selected users to whom calls may be transferred.
Setting up speed dial and busy lamp field (BLF)
Supported desk phone features
Quick start guide for Yealink T4/T5 series
Yealink Support
Zoom Phone Certified Hardware
https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0060242
Another approach is to use Zoom Power Pack which has some of the basic features of a voice contact center.
Supercharge Your Customer Support with Zoom Phone Power Pack | Zoom
Next level up is to use Zoom Contact Center which provides extensive capabilities.
Humanizing customer experience with AI | Zoom
Plans & Pricing for Zoom Contact Center | Zoom
Outside of Zoom, there are companies that specialize in Telephone Consoles for Receptionists. A Google search provided two companies that provide consoles, but I have no experience with or knowledge of these vendors.
Mida Attendant Console for Zoom | Mida Solutions
Attendant Console for Zoom - VistaPoint Enterprise
Did my response answer your question? If so, please don't forget to mark the reply as an accepted solution.
thanks, eliot
