Suggesetions: Play an introductory audio file after agent answers call

shaunmchugh · ‎06-21-2008

I'd like to have a system where an agent can record a standard greeting, and allow for the agent to trigger this greeting upon answering a call.

So a call would come in, the agent would press a button to trigger a greeting "Hello, thank you for calling ABC company, how may a assist you today etc".... Caller and agent then talk.

Has anyone come across anything simular to this idea?

geoff · ‎06-21-2008

Commonly known as "Agent Greeting". This can be done by custom code in CTIOS doing a single-step conference to the VRU (I have done this with CVP) which plays the greeting and then drops out. It's not part of the standard product and you need to provision the required conferencing resources. The recording can be made with a different CVP application which pushes the recording via FTP to the Media Store.

I am sure a similar system can be made to work with IP IVR.

It has problems. What would be really nice would be if this could come from the IP phone instead.

Regards,

Geoff

winijenh · ‎06-21-2008

I'd like to add a word of caution about the suggested solution. Although it has been demonstrated to work in some environments, there are many issues to consider with this solution, for example:

- Performance. An additional call/conference is made for every call. This may have a significant impact on the router/logger, the PG, the CTI (OS) Server, UCM, gateway, the VRU and the IP Phone. As these are very short calls, the characteristics of the load are outside of regular testing parameters and results may be unpredictable. Note that results may vary based on many variables, including protocols used (SIP, MGCP, H.323, SCCP) and call flow (for example CVP vs IPIVR).

- Additional conference resources needed

- Reporting: these calls are seen as regular agent initiated conferences and will show up in the CCE reports.

Willem Evert Nijenhuis, CCBU Product Management

cornel.chirculete · ‎08-05-2008

OK, so what is the Cisco solution for agent greeting? I have a similar request from one of my customers. Can this be done in other way? I have IP IVR.

Any suggestion would be apreciated.

Regards,

Cornel

geoff · ‎08-05-2008

Wow, I did not notice that Willem had replied. As I said:

>It has problems. What would be really nice would be if this could come from the IP phone instead.

I know all about the conferencing issues, the demand for conferencing resources, and so on.

Willem also knows about this as he presented this very solution at Networkers in 2007. He said there:

Caveats

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1. This is a custom solution that has significant impact on the CCE system and needs thorough testing. Cisco does not support or guarantee this solution.

2. Cisco Developer Support Services involvement is strongly recommended.

3. Performance-the system is making an additional call for every incoming call.

4. May significantly reduce the PG/CTI Server/CTI OS Server/CAD.

5. Will impact central controller performance.

6. Reporting-every call has a conference, which will show up in reports that show conferences.

7. Requires hard or soft conference bridge.

8. If UCM soft bridge is used: will have UCM performance impact.

As I said, this solution should come from the IP phone. Either from a WAV file uploaded with the config, or from a server using the built-in bridge in the latest IP phones.

You would think some smart guy at Cisco could figure out a way to do this.

When Rockwell added this feature to their TDM call centers way back when, all the other PBX vendors had to play catch up. It was a big selling point for Rockwell.

It's a very desirable enhancement.

Regards,

Geoff

PTS · ‎06-20-2022

Replying to a old thread just in case today also someone needs this feature :

Please check out below link for the Cisco 3rd party solution "MARS Agent Greeting"

https://community.cisco.com/t5/collaboration-voice-and-video/agent-greeting-for-outbound-amp-inbound-calls/ta-p/4577735