play announcement while no one answers

[ilmatte]

Hello Cisco Community,

in our enviroment we are using CUCM, CUC, and UCCX running 12.5. I have the following request which I'm not sure Cisco can fulfill. That's why I'm writing here.

I have a hunt pilot which alerts some phones. I want to play an announcement after some seconds if no one answers the call saying to kindly wait until an operator will respond. Is it possible to implement such a behaviour using the CUCM or do i need a CCX script? Or is it not possible at all?

Best regards,

[Mohammadreza Hadi · Accepted solution]

Yes, this is generally possible (completely with UCCX and partially with CUCM)

in CUCM,
as far as i know, you have only this option to do:
"When no hunt members answer, are logged in, or registered" >>  "Route the call to this destination.." 
and then route call to a destination which plays something for you (for example: a "Call-Handler" in CUC)

but in UCCX,
you can do exactly what you said and wants..

[Vaijanath Sonvane]

Hi @ilmatte 

Yes, this is possible in CUCM using Call Queuing feature. Instead of Hunt Group, you can configure the Call Queue and play announcements while callers are waiting for agent.  Please see below document for more details:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/admin/14SU2/cucm_b_feature-configuration-guide-for-cisco14su2/cucm_m_configure-call-queuing.html

[ilmatte]

Thank for your reply @Mohammadreza Hadi 

But, I'm kind of new to the Cisco enviroment so I'd need a more detailed explanation, if you have the patience to do that. 

Regarding the CUCM: how can I configure the Call-Hander on the CUC?

Regarding the CCX: I know it's just a matter of scripting, but I need some additional hint or example. I would not know where to start just with a white paper in front of me

Thank you again,

[Shalid Kurunnan Chalil]

Hi, 

You can play with the combination of call manager and unity connection to achieve what you are looking for.

You can utilize the Call Manager's native call queuing functionality. This feature allows calls to be held in the queue until someone is available to answer them. For example, if all members are handling other calls or are not signed into the queue, the call will remain in the queue until the specified "maximum wait time in queue".

One of the major advantages of using the queue function within the hunt group is that you can play announcements (Welcome message, queue message etc) while the caller is in the queue before the call is routed to a member phone or target destination.

Additionally, you can transfer the call to a Unity Connection voicemail or call handler for further call treatment. This can include actions such as playing a message, taking a voicemail, or giving the caller an option to return to the queue.

Reference: 

Feature Configuration Guide for Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Release 14 and SUs - Configure Call Queuing [Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CallManager)] - Cisco

Configure CUCM Native Call Queuing Feature - Cisco

Regards,

Shalid 

Disclaimer:

Responses are based on personal knowledge and experience. Consider them as guidance. Other members may offer different perspectives or better approaches. No responsibility is assumed for outcomes; discretion is advised.

[Maren Mahoney]

Additionally, you can transfer the call to a Unity Connection voicemail or call handler for further call treatment. This can include actions such as playing a message, taking a voicemail, or giving the caller an option to return to the queue.

---

It should be noted that unlike contact center capabilities, that the 'return to queue' from CUC puts you at the end of the queue and not back in your original queue position.

@ilmatte: UCCX scripting is not terribly hard once you have a walk-through. This is a good resource for getting started:
Cisco DevNet - UCCX -  "The Basic Cisco Unified CCX Script" 

Your original post asked if a periodic re-announcement could be played during the 'ringing' phase of a hunt, and it cannot in CUCM. In order to hear announcements mid-hunt, the caller would have to be in a queue in some fashion and hear queue music and not ringing. If you use Native Call Queuing, an initial announcement is played either before the hunt or only if a call is queued. And the mid-hunt announcement is ONLY played if the call is queued. The caller will hear ringing if there are available line group members while the call is hunting.

Therefore, if you want callers to hear an initial announcement, queue music, periodic re-announcements, and have all this happen while the system is locating an available agent you will want to use UCCX.

If you can, take a class on UCCX. I recommend Sunset Learning Institute as they are 'best in breed' when it comes to any Contact Center related training.

Maren

[ilmatte]

Hello and thank you to everyone who did answer my question.

as far as I correctly understood the answers, the solutions involving CUC and CCX would require additional licenses to be bought. Unfortunately this is not an option for this case. 

I believed that using the CUCM native queueing feature would have solved this problem but I am afraid it's not possible.

When configuring the queueing on the CUCM, the announcement is played only if agents are actually busy. This is ok for me, but I would also like an announcement being played if no agents answer the call because they are busy with other tasks, while the phones keep ringing.

[Maren Mahoney]

No, the CUC and CCX solutions should not require additional licenses. And those are the solutions for the behavior you are looking for. CUCM is a PBX with extra features like Native Call Queuing and it not intended to be a contact center application. You are looking for Contact Center level behavior and, fortunately, do have that application. So you can lament that CUCM is not a contact center, or you can use what you have to achieve the behavior you want. It's time to choose.

Maren

[ilmatte]

@Maren Mahoney I have some programming skills but I'm pretty a newbie to the CCX. I tried using the Simple_Queueing.aef script I found in the install directory of the CCX Editor, but it points to a CSQ and as long as I know, forwarding calls to a CSQ would require a Finesse license.

Or is better to develop a new script from scratch?

[Maren Mahoney]

I would suggest using Google to find as many script samples as possible and adapt them to your needs. So, yes, creating a script from more-or-less-scratch. And the link to the DevNet video. 

Maren

[ilmatte]

I am a techician and I am used to use search engines and read techincal documentation. I still don't understand how can I implement the required behaviour. In our enviroment we mainly use two kinds of scripts: one which sends call to CSQ (which require a license for each agent accessing Finesse) and another one which simply play some prompts and transfer calls to hunt pilots. 

In my limited experience I still have difficulties to understand how would it be possible using CCX to play an announcement while agents of the hunt pilot are being alerted. 

[Maren Mahoney]

It would be queue music, where the 'music' is a recording that you make. With or without actual music as part of it.

Maren