Overview

The Virtual Receptionist service directs inbound calls from a single number to a recorded message, where callers select the option they would like to reach their desired destination. This article provides the steps to configure the Virtual Receptionist service after it has been assigned to a specific number and can be used to create an initial IVR but also add updates to them.

Prerequisites

Virtual Receptionist service has been assigned to the number.
Access to the Nucleus platform.

Solution

Setting up a customer's Virtual Receptionist can be a rather large task requiring familiarity with the system as well as proper planning to ensure the end result is one that works for the customer.

Follow the steps below to set the most common Virtual Receptionist configuration options.

Editing the Virtual Receptionist service

Log into the Nucleus platform.
Navigate to Call Handling > RNP: Virtual Receptionist.
<supportagent>

The Granting a Customer Access to Call Handling Features in the Nucleus Portal article will provide instructions if the customer is unable to see the One 2 Many service in the Call Handling Menu.

The Changing the Service Type and the Termination Number in the Nucleus/BCH Portal will provide instructions pertaining to the number is set up with a different service type and is not displayed when searched for as a One 2 Many service.

</supportagent>
Select the next to the number for which you would like to configure the service.
On the Edit Service screen, the following options can be configured for the main number.

Schedule - This option decides when this virtual receptionist passes calls to the rest of the path or sends callers to voicemail. The Updating the Day and Time Service Restrictions article will explain setting the schedule here and other scheduling and working hours options throughout the Virtual Receptionist.
Special Dates - Special dates are configured for days like holidays where the business is closed. The dates are added using the Select Bank Holiday and once selected, use the Add New Date button to add it to the date list.

Voicemail - This option sets up the voicemail given on the main number. Use the Uploading Recording Files article to review the voicemail option.
Missed Call Alerts - This option allows the Nucleus system to email a specific email address each time a call is missed from within the virtual receptionist. Use the Missed Call Alerts article to review the missed call alert option.
DR Service - The DR Service (Disaster Recovery Service) option creates a new service to mirror the existing service to be used for when a disaster happens and normal phone use is not possible. In the first screenshot of this step, you can see the DR Service is set to dr plan. In the services list, the dr plan is listed there.
DR Status - The DR Status shows if the DR plan service active or invoked. To the right, the Invoke DR button is present. This will activate the dr plan or deactivate it.
Finally, you can select one of the Services or add a new service for setting up this virtual receptionist.
If a new one is added it will appear in the Services list and select the Call Flow button on the same line as the service you choose.

Designing the Call Flow

The Call Flow Designer is where the bulk of the Virtual Receptionist setup will take place. If a new service is being configured it will look like the screenshot below:

Configuring the Virtual Receptionist can be as simple or complex as the customer requires. It may be best on a more complex setup to draw it out first so you will have all of the aspects of this planned out and in front of you while building.

Note: The scenario below is being used to show the setup of the Virtual Receptionist. It is one of many scenarios possible, but showing how to configure it. There are many possible options and you will be using your plan created from the customer's needs.

When a new call flow is created, you will have an icon of a speaker and it will say welcome like the screenshot above. Select Welcome and then select Edit.
The Configure Prompt screen shows the options available to configure this prompt.
The Prompt Selection shows the current prompt being configured.
This prompt is currently configured as a welcome, so an audio file to be played as a recording will be needed to play for each person that calls the customer's number. This is set up in the Audio File selection. Select Update to configure this option.
Finally, the DTMF Commands can be configured here as well. These are the options the customer gets to select from, such as "Press 1 for Sales". Each option can point to a different service, such as a One 2 Many or a Queue, which we will cover further below.

Note: You can set the initial audio prompt to be audio-only, then the next step is the menu if you have a disclaimer or legal notifications that must be stated completely before giving the customer the option to choose an option.
Select Back to go back to the Call Flow Designer.
Select Welcome and then select Add Below. You will be given the option to give a Description to the next field in the Virtual Receptionist area. Once the field is complete, select Save.
In this example, we will use a menu following the welcome prompt. Select the Menu and select Add(Below) and create the first selectable option for the Virtual Receptionist shown as Option 1 in the screenshot below.
Select Menu and then select Edit.
Select Configure on the DTMF Commands line.
Select 1 from the DTMF Select Keypress dropdown.
Select Option 1 from the Destination Select Prompt dropdown then select Add Command. Now the Key Press will show in the list and there are options to add new key presses. In a real scenario, this would have more options and destination numbers configured in each option. This article will only create one option and go through the various ways to configure it.
Select Back to exit the DTMF Commands screen. On the Configure Prompt screen, an audio file will need to be uploaded to offer the options and give a brief description. This will be done the same as in step 2.
Once this is complete, select back to return to the Call Flow Designer.
If more options need to be added, select Menu and then select Add(Below) and then do the same for each new option that is required.
If suboptions are required then select that option and select Add(Below). See the screenshot below:
Next will be to configure the actual options. Select the first option you want to configure and then select Edit.
If an audio file is necessary or DTMF commands for suboptions, follow step 2 for the audio file and steps 8 - 10 for the DTMF commands.
The Onward Routing and Number lines are where the destination gets set up. In the Onward Routing field, you will select a service type for the option to use.
Once the service type is selected, you can choose from the numbers you currently have associated with that service type. Then select Update.
When a queue service is selected, you will have to select the queue that has been built from the Queue Selection dropdown. Building the queue to configure the destinations is demonstrated in the Configuring a Queueing Service article.
To configure this service, select Edit Service (New Window), and a new window will open with the configuration options for that service. Configuring each service type from the Onward Routing option will be completed using the articles listed below.
1. Configuring a One 2 One Service
2. Configuring a One 2 Many Service
3. Configuring a Queueing Service
4. Configuring a Voice 2 Email Service
5. One 2 Group - No longer used
6. Configuring a Virtual Receptionist Service
7. Geo Plan - No longer used
Once the new service for the option has been completed, continue the configuration of the other options in the same way.

Testing

Once the Virtual Receptionist service has been configured, all inbound calls to the number will be directed to numbers set up using the steps above. Have the customer verify the proper operation.