Enabling multiple line keys for one extension/user

[Elyjah]

Hi all! I have an inquiry that is very similar to this post here. 

My organization is moving from Avaya IP Office and over to the Zoom phone system. They are very rigid on their usage of desk phones and they all want to continue to use them as the primary means of making and managing calls; very few were interested in using the desktop app. 

With our Avaya system, all of the 45 staff members have one phone number and one extension. The phones allow us to have 3 lines for calls (and our front desk employee has up to 6 available). Is it possible to replicate this behavior in Zoom?

We are using Yealink T46U phones and I know that within the phone itself we can define the line keys, but Zoom will overwrite it each night when it re-provisions. I thought that maybe we could use the provisioning templates to set the first couple of line keys but I'd assume Zoom would take priority over it again.

Any suggestions on how to swap between more than two calls on a desk phone? For staff this won't be too bad but I could see this becoming an issue with our receptionist. Thanks!

[Eliot]

Hi elyjah,

I recently helped a client move from avaya ip office to zoom phone.  The project involved 400 users located in a main office and 30 branches.  Because the avaya system was installed about 20 years ago, my client surveyed each manager as to what they needed.  Please see sample questionnaire. 

We replaced the avaya digital phones with poly vvx phones.  At cutover, the avaya phones stopped ringing and the poly phones started ringing.  No issues. 

zoom phone identifies each phone user with an extension number.  Users with a calling plan can have one or more local numbers and toll free numbers.  The same desk phone line appearance is usually used for both the extension and the local number.  You can edit the edit the line key to show both the extension number and the local number, i.e. 101 2025551234 (extension 101, local number 202-555-1234).  Some extensions such as a break room may be only an extension which is free.

Zoom phone quick start guide for yealink t4/t5 series desk phones shows the basics.

Quick start guide for Yealink T4/T5 series – Zoom Support

supported features for desk phones for supported desk phones such as yealink, grandstream, and poly

Supported desk phone features – Zoom Support

Zoom phone allows you to edit the line keys from the zoom web portal.

Customizing line keys and positions settings – Zoom Support

You can use provisioning templates.

Configuring desk phone provision templates – Zoom Support

Thanks,  eliot

[enielsen]

You can use provisioning templates to change some aspects of the line keys (like the size of the labels) but not to do what you want I think. You basically want users to be able to handle more than 2 calls at a time - correct?

I know I'm limited to making 2 calls from my desk phone concurrently. And Zoom has a variety of options for handling inbound calls when already on a call such as call waiting.

[Elyjah]

Namely our front desk, but yeah we're seeking to deal with multiple incoming calls at once. My organization refuses to use an auto attendant in most circumstances and wants our receptionist to route all incoming calls. Do you know if the desktop application allows managing more than 2 calls at a time? I may just need to train her on using that application. Thank you.

[Eliot]

hi elyjah,

Your receptionist can use the windows client to answer incoming calls.  The receptionist can transfer calls to another extension, a call queue or to voice mail.  If already on one call, the receptionist can put that call on hold and answer the second call and so forth.

A second way to handle incoming calls is to have an auto receptionist answer the call with the name of the company and a recording ‘we will be right with you’.  The call is automatically connected to the receptionist.

A third way to handle incoming calls is to use zoom phone power user.  This app provides more features for high call volumes.  For details, please see Using the Desktop Power User experience (Power Pack) – Zoom Support

thanks,  eliot

[Elyjah]

Yeah the client is probably the best solution through Windows. Auto attendant is not an option for us except in the case of call overflow, but would be the most logical in other cases.

[enielsen]

Just tested 3 inbound calls to my zoom app, no problems keeping 2 on hold while dealing with 1 of the three.

Also tested 3 inbound calls to my t46u, was able to do so, but once you have 3 inbound calls answered, seems like you have to deal with the 3rd one immediately. When only 2 calls answered, there is a button to swap between the 2 calls but disappears when the 3rd is answered.

[Elyjah]

Thank you so much for checking this out on my behalf, that answer is insanely helpful and it's good info to have out there with these Yealinks. I'll provide this info to our desk attendant and have her evaluate.

Thanks again!

[FORE-Craig · Accepted solution]

Hi @Elyjah 

Is the reason that you want the 3 lines per user for ease of receiving, dialing, and swapping between multiple calls?

Zoom Phone automatically adds ONE line key in the first position for the User (their extension and DID). This doesn't mean that the user is limited to handling one call though. If a User is a Delegate, a line key will be added for the Delegate's line automatically as well. I don't have a T46U, but I do have one T54W which looks similar.

With the T54W, if the user is on an active call, and another call comes in, it is displayed in the center portion of the display, and the soft-key functions at the bottom allow you to answer, doing so automatically places the then-active call on hold. With active calls, pressing the User's Line Key with their name, places the active call on hold and gives you a dial tone.

To swap between multiple calls, you use the up or down arrow hardware buttons to scroll from call to call showing the call's caller ID and status, as well as soft-key call-handling functions below. I think that once you understand the arrow key functionality, it is a workable interface. 

I would definitely recommend that your Front Desk User take advantage of the computer Zoom desktop app and the PowerPack add-on if their call volume is high!

I hope that helps!

[cluther]

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