Cisco Attendant Console Features

As shown in Figure 18-13, the features of the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console are menu-driven . You can use the associated shortcut keys to access all of the menu functions.

The following is a description of the menus :

• File menu From the File menu, you can go online or offline, log out, and exit the program.

• Edit menu From the Edit menu, you can create your own keyboard shortcuts. You can also add, modify, and delete speed dial entries or groups and view or revise settings, which is an optional task.

• View menu From the View menu, you can change the size of the text in the windows or the color on the console.

• Actions menu You perform call-control tasks through the Actions menu or the Action Key shortcuts shown in Figure 18-13. This menu includes many feature options, such as answering calls, transferring calls, parking calls, and enabling other features on the system.

• Help menu Cisco CallManager Attendant Console provides online help and easy access to the latest Cisco CallManager Attendant Console plug-in for an upgrade.

The Cisco CallManager Attendant Console efficiently automates the user and the administrative operations of a manual attendant function. It has an intuitive and configurable GUI to handle calls and monitor line state.

In a system with hundreds or thousands of users, a Cisco CallManager Attendant Console operator can accept calls and perform a directory lookup by selecting the field title in the Directory section and typing in the first few characters of the last name, first name , or department of the user. A directory search returns information that matches the query.

An operator can view the status of a user line (busy, idle, or ringing) and advise the caller of the line state. The operator can then transfer the call to the user by either initiating a traditional transfer sequence through the Transfer icon or dragging and dropping the call from the selected loop to the desired user record.

Attendant Console GUI: Call Control

The Call Control window, shown in Figure 18-14, has the following two components :

• Call Details pane This component includes the line status, the DN of the incoming call, the name of the person (if available), the operator DN, and the elapsed time display.

• Operator Line buttons This component includes the line status and the DN of the attendant Cisco IP Phone, displayed in the upper-right corner of the window.

The Call Details pane displays the lines on the Cisco IP Phone that the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console controls. The number of lines configured depends on the type of configuration. For example, if you have a Cisco IP Phone 7960 with two attachments of the Cisco IP Phone 7914 Expansion Module, and you associate a DN with each line, then a total of 34 lines can be displayed. Each of the lines will show a line status symbol describing the current state of the line. The various line statuses are described in Figure 18-15.

Figure 18-15. Attendant Console GUI: Line Status Symbol

Attendant Console GUI: Custom Speed Dials

The Speed Dials pane (shown in Figure 18-16) is located in the upper-right corner of the screen and contains DNs and labels customized by the user of the Attendant Console. By clicking a speed dial button, you place a call from the currently selected attendant line to the associated DN. Speed dials can be added or deleted quickly by dragging and dropping users from the corporate directory.

Attendant Console GUI: Directory Lookup

The Directory pane (shown in Figure 18-17) is located in the lower-right corner of the screen. By clicking a displayed directory entry, you place a call from the currently selected attendant line to the associated DN.

Attendant Console GUI: Parked Calls

From the Parked Calls pane (shown in Figure 18-18), you can view and pick up all calls that have been parked by all attendants that are connected to the attendant server. If the call is not answered , you can revert the parked calls in these ways:

• Right-click the call that you want to park, and then click Revert Park from the context-sensitive menu.
  
  
• Click the call that you want to park, and then click the Revert Park button on the Call Control toolbar.
  
  
• Click the call that you want to park, and then choose Revert Park from the Actions menu.
  
  
• On the PC keyboard, press Ctrl-P.
  
  
  
  

  Figure 18-18. Attendant Console GUI: Parked Calls

  

  
  

Attendant Console GUI: Broadcast Calls

Broadcast hunting enables Cisco CallManager Attendant Console to answer calls and place them in a queue. The Attendant Console displays the queued calls to all available attendants after inserting the calls into the Broadcast Calls pane (shown in Figure 18-19).

Any attendant in the hunt group that is online can answer the queued calls. Cisco TCD does not automatically send the calls to an attendant. When an attendant answers a call, Cisco TCD removes the call from the Broadcast Calls pane and displays it in the Call Control pane of the attendant who answered the call.

Note

For Broadcast Calls to appear in the Attendant Console window, the attendants must be added to the Broadcast Queue hunt group using the attendant's username and line number rather than direct phone extension.