Infinity - Amtelco IS

Amtelco

InfinityIS/Vanillabasics

Welcome to Infinity IS, this is a variant updated version of Infinity. In this presentation, you will learn everything about the system and its different components

WHAT DO WE DO?

Imagine that you have just started your own new business. You’ve invested long hours and every penny you have to make the venture a success. Your phone has just been installed, and you’re waiting for your very first customer call. The phone rings—how will you sound? What will you say when you answer that phone?

After a company decides they want us to answer for them (full time, after hours, etc), we assign them a special number (DID). The company decides if they want to call forward their lines to that number or if they want to advertise that number specifically. That number is tied in our system to their account, we have assigned a special account number and billing number to it. When the system hits our phone system, it registers in the system as the account number we have assigned it to and once it is assigned to an Agent, it pops up on the screen with the Answer Phrase, Script, Client Info pages, etc.

Why are we in business?

Many businesses utilize us, well over 800 accounts- currently, for a variety of reasons.

• Too many calls to handle themselves
• Too expensive for them to hire internally
• Unsure of what the volume might be After Hours

• Want special reporting
• Small business and want to appear larger
• New
• Want a buffer between them and the caller
• Many other reasons

So, the more confident you sound – the better. Key reminder: We do not offer advice, and we never state we are a Subject Matter Expert or Provide guidance. Stick to Client Info! If you are unaware, advise them that you want to ensure they get the most accurate information and you will take down their information and ask for your team member to follow up. If you are at a loss, try using “in take specialist” or “offsite receptionist” over “Answering Service”. Some accounts will state we are the message center or after hours emergency line... That is okay. We also do not want you to feel like you must lie. If someone asks and you have tried the “in take specialist” or “offsite receptionist” - you can say “yes”.

Your role is critical to our success!

You will read the answer phrase, listen intently to the caller to pick up on verbal cues, and read through the scripting to collect the most accurate information for our client. Many clients want you to sound as though you are an extension of their company. We avoid saying that we are an “answering service” right out of the gate, so try to avoid this if at all possible.Think about this... If you were calling a homecare and concerned about how your loved one was acting, would you want to call in and hear “I am just an answering service”? No way! Our clients also do not want to pay for that either, because they lose credit with their clients/customers.

TAKINGCALLS

Most of the time, we take calls when offices or clients are not available. We could also take them as a full-time receptionist, but it doesn't matter in which scenario we are; it's always important. Taking or relaying a message could make the difference on a lawsuit or curing a disease; this is why being professional and accurate is important.

Answer united

Answer United is one of the many Answering services that are partner with us, they are located in

Kalamazoo, MI

POV

Answer United started in 1962 right here in Kalamazoo. Its original name was Kalamazoo Telephone Answering Service. In 2008, we changed our name to Answer United to help represent our nationwide customer base and in August of 2013 we moved to a new location from downtown Kalamazoo to our Crosstown location. Answer United has been in the same family for over 30 years and our current owner is Scott Gignac. We have evolved throughout the years from a telephone answering service utilizing old switchboards to a highly automated and sophisticated call center utilizing state-of-the-art equipment.

AU TEaM

Scott Gignac – Owner

Jennifer Stuerebaut - Operations Manager

Leah - Trainer

Infinity

Day 1

Logining in

Amazon WorkSpaces is basically a virtual computer in the cloud. Instead of using just the computer on your desk, you log in to WorkSpaces and it gives you a Windows or Linux desktop that you can access from anywhere. It looks and feels like a normal computer, but it’s running on Amazon’s servers instead of your own.

Think of it as renting a computer from Amazon that you can open on your laptop, tablet, or even your phone. All your work apps, files, and settings stay there, so you don’t lose them if your personal device breaks or changes.

Infinity

Day 1

Logining in

Next

Next

Infinity

Day 1

Logining in

You will be assigned a station number, username, and password, which may vary depending on your designated workstation. Once you have these, click LOGIN to continue.

Day 1

Day 1

Interface

Stanby

Day 1

Interface

Day 1

Interface

Open your Edupad!

Answer the following questions on you Edupad. You have 15mins to complete this task.

1. How do you turn the system ON/OFF using keystrokes?
2. Explain the purpose of the Black and Red prompts.
3. What is a Workspace?
4. Describe the difference between the Passive and Active sides.
5. Where can you locate the Caller ID?
6. Name two Call States
7. As an Answering Service, what do we do and what is our main goal?

1. We should avoid, saying we are the answering Service, What other phrases can we use?

1. Who is the owner of AU ?

Index

Click on each lesson

Agent Interface

Info Pages

Call status/State

Specials

Keystrokes

Spanish Calls

Message

Patch

Pop Quiz

Answering Phrase

For: Unless a caller specifically asks for someone tab past the “for” box

Message Overview

Use your active listening skills and “tab” through the scripting to enter what you are hearing right away or use a note pad and jot down some key notes.Now, ask and verify the information your script is asking for... Name Address Email Phone Number Reason for Call Etc.We MUST verify pertinent information. All names, all phones, all addresses, etc. Why you might ask... well, if it is the middle of the night and the message gets auto sent to an On Call Tech- he is utilizing our information to go to a location, pull up information in his computer or to call. It also makes us look a lot more professional when the key information is captured accurately.

Call comes into AU, Gets Assigned to AgentNote: Most agents are on Auto Connect, but if not (F1) to answer your Line 1 Read the answer phrase as written, “Thank you for calling xxx, my name is...! How may I assist you today? Or “Good _____, my name is.. . May I have your name please?When you see ____ or ... enter what makes sense there. Good morning, afternoon, evening. Typically my name is... means insert name. On Occasion, the ... will inform you that the answer phrase is so long it wraps onto the scripting...

Red/Black Prompts and boxes

The Message Template:

Black prompts must be asked (or listen to see if you need to ask) but NOT filled in for the script to move forward. It is not mandatory but still needs to be asked if applicable. Don’t lie, don’t write ‘refused’ if you didn’t ask. Red prompts must be asked AND filled in for the script to move forward.

If a box comes up with a yellow background- it is suggested verbiage to use. You do have the ability to make it your own.If the box comes up with a red background- it must be read as written. White boxes provide you as the agent information that will help you while taking your call.

OTHERS

Use this box when someone says "I called previously" Depending on when they called you might be able to find their information.

Some accounts want to track EVERY call that comes into them and this button allows for that. You will see that on these accounts you will NOT have the cancel button.

This is on the bottom right of your screen and this “stamps in your message”

This will be on the bottom left of your screen and if you hit the cancel button you will cancel (and lose) the whole script. WHEN (not IF) this happens you will need to call your supervisor and let them know so they can pull up the call so the message can be taken over.

Depending on where this is in your script will depend on what you’re searching for. Let’s pull up account 997006 and look at the search field.

You should only use this IF your info pages tell you to OR a supervisor asks you to click on it.

OTHERS

This UP arrow means that the script BELOW the information will change. If you fail to TAB off the prompt your script won’t change and you might miss information that you will need for the account.

These arrows that go left and right tell you that the ACCOUNT will change. It is important that you make sure that when you tab off the prompt that the account changes. (You will notice that your screen will look like it “jumps”.) Let’s take a look at what happens when you don’t tab off a script that has arrows in it. Pull up account 997001- Let's SKIP the very first prompt and see what happens when we finally decide to go back up and choose that prompt. So when you see a prompt at the top of the script with that up arrow make sure that you chose the options and THEN tab off to see.

It is very important that you TAB through your script instead of using your mouse! If you don’t you run the risk of giving or taking incorrect information.

1st Info page

The info pages help you understand what we “do” with the call when we have finished. Let’s look at some of the main features that are on Info pages.

The number that says CF is the number that the office forwards their lines to us so that we are able to take their calls.

The Business shows us what they do. (Not all names make it obvious what type of industry they are.)

The 1st number on the list is the main office number.

No CC/Sol= Collect Calls or Solicitation calls

Top left is the name of the company with the address right below that.

Other Info pages

Misc

Emergency list

Staff list

All Calls

DOH and AOH

Specials

A “Special” contains temporary information which is removed when no longer relevant. In some cases it is permanent information that agents miss repeatedly. Below you will find the correct ways to format specials and the criteria you should follow when adding a special.

• Start date, start time & end date, end time.

• If "perm info", indicate Perm Info: in the beginning of the special instead of a date.

• Make sure we have the last name of the o/c worker (in case we have more than one "Jim" listed).

• Make sure we have reaching info for the o/c person and verify it is correct.

• Put "per ..." in the special so we know who called the information in

• If phone # is in the special make sure you use the correct format: Ex: §1269-23-1234)

• Please put multiple specials in (if this applies) instead of putting just 1 long special in.

• Try to ask the client for an end time.

• When you are leaving a message for a caller from a client, you should use “See Message For”

• ALWAYS copy information to any accounts or sub accounts that share o/c with the acct you are putting info in.

• You CAN stamp old specials delivered if you see them, please message add expired, outdated etc.

SUPERMAN!

Specials are used to record any information that is not a message for a client. Each piece of information that is taken should be entered into a separate special. For example, if the client tells you that Toni is O/C tonight and she has a new pager number of 382-4567, you would enter it like this: **include the “superman S” (§) (Alt key and type 0167 to create a “Superman S”) in front of # along with 1 to get out of our system** (Special #1 O/C: Toni) (Special #2 Toni’s new pager is §1-269-383-4567)

Spanish Calls

Keystrokes

Keystrokes

Patching

Glossary

• Terms
•  Infinity – The answering platform (software) that we use to answer client calls. It
• provides for a visual of client information, it stores the messages you type into the
• system, it records the conversation, it documents the statistics of the call, and provides
• the telephony needed to communicate with callers.
•  Unity Logger – The recording platform within Infinity that records the call.
•  AU’s voicemail system – Answer United has a voicemail system built into its answering
• platform. The system is used as stand lone voicemail or can be used to record client
• messages for their pickup. This system is referred to as “Voice A”.
•  Agent Station – This is what we call your work station. This is where you will be
• performing your duties. It is sometimes referred to as a POSITION.
•  Highlighted – An account or event on a Line in the TRAFFIC WINDOW that you have
• been connected to.
•  Live Call – A call that is connected to a caller.
•  Speed Dial – A preprogrammed string of codes that dials a predetermined telephone
• number.
•  Dial out – Using the telephone network through Infinity to make an outgoing call.
•  Message Script – Text instructing the agent what to say.

• people, by time of day, week, or month.
•  Specials – Are temporary information from a client such as “the office is in” or “at lunch”
• or an On Call (O/C) change.
•  Message Template – The area of the screen that is on the lower right corner when in the
• TAKE MESSAGE MODE.
•  Mode – The state your screen is in. It is either in the CHECK IN MODE or the TAKE
• MESSAGE MODE.

•  Check in mode – The condition of your screen when you are reviewing messages ordispatching messages. Take message mode – The condition of your screen when you are taking messages. Account – A client usually identified by at least a 4 digit number. Temporary Information – Usually called SPECIALS. Short term information provided tous by the client. Permanent Information – Client information that usually does not change. Such asbusiness address, products, hours of operation etc. Kal only - When sending a call (Park Distribution F11) the call will be sent toKalamazoo agents only. Web Pop – An account that is programmed to display a web site on your screen in placeof the normal screen display. Dispatch – To contact by phone, SMS, e-mail, Fax or other means an O/C person andrelay caller information Time Stamp – The date, time, and agent initials that are automatically attached to everyevent initiated by an agent Script Page – The information contained in the lower right screen when in the TAKEMESSAGE MODE. It is a series of MESSAGE SCRIPTS. Patching – Connecting two or more callers together for a conference call. Main account – The client account that is the main billing number. Sub account – One or more branch accounts off of a main client account. On Call (O/C) – A list of client personnel who are available at any given time to respondto the calls we take for that client. On Call lists or O/C lists can vary by number of

Law

Dental

Medical

Plumbing

Commercial

Open your EduPad and create 3 different specials from scratch. For each one: Write out a short conversation between you (the Agent) and the Office. After the conversation, document the special clearly, following the criteria we just discussed. Make sure you include : 1st Special 2nd Special See message for

Example: Agent: Good afternoon, how can I assist you? Office: I need to update the phone number for our oncall Toni Dtonight. Agent: Sure, can you give me the old and new number? Office: Old number is (555) 123-4567. New 269-383-4567 Special #1 O/C: Toni D Special #2 Toni’s new pager is §1-269-383-4567

Team Chat

Initials you might see: Supervisors are listed with an S - in front of their names Support staff are listed with an X - in front of their names Dispatchers are listed with a D - in front of their names Specialty Accounts with advance agents have J or F

Answering Phrase and Status Field

The Answer Window contains specific information that will guide you in handling the call once it is answered. The Answer Window contains

• Answer Phrase (read verbatim and add your name)
• Status
• Parked By
• Details
• Error Messages
• Account Number
• Caller ID.

Traffic Window

Indicates specific information regarding calls andtraffic flow:

• Call state (Ring, Disc, Auto, Zero, Talk, Hold, Conf,
• Ptch, TK1/TK2).
• Ring count
• Client name
• Account number
• Phone line

Client Information on the left!

Client Information on the left! This is the bread and butter of what you need to know about this account/client. We do not expect you to be a subject matter expert, but we do provide you will enough tools to sound like you work for the client.Other important things you will learn from the client info pages: how many pages of content, if there are multiple directories, what kind of business it is, when it was last updated, etc. “Ctrl & Page Down/Up” will change pages for the client information.

Client Information on the left!

Client Information on the left! This is the bread and butter of what you need to know about this account/client. We do not expect you to be a subject matter expert, but we do provide you will enough tools to sound like you work for the client.Other important things you will learn from the client info pages: how many pages of content, if there are multiple directories, what kind of business it is, when it was last updated, etc. “Ctrl & Page Down/Up” will change pages for the client information.

Sliding puzzle

On the far right of the screen, you will see small icons and 3 windows: You will have 2 windows that are fixed on your screen- most likely “waits” and Op Chat. “waits” is critical to keep you in the loop of how we are performing and Op Chat is how your supervisors will communicate with you to take breaks/lunches, or if they have a quick questions.Client List aka Small Directory (man with tie on right hand side): We utilize this small directory to look up accounts by name or when an O/C is calling in to check/clear messages.Op Chat (green shirt man with headset): most likely this will be a set fixture on your Infinity screen, but if not please make sure that this is always up due to this being one way to communicate with your leadership team and how you will be sent on break/lunch. We will dive into more details soon!

Waits/Queue

Call Status/state

This will contain

• Talk
• Tk1/tk2
• Conf
• Hold
• Disc
• Ptch

Answering Phrase and Status Field

The Answer Window contains specific information that will guide you in handling the call once it is answered. The Answer Window contains

• Answer Phrase (read verbatim and add your name)
• Status
• Parked By
• Details
• Error Messages
• Account Number
• Caller ID.

Traffic Window

Indicates specific information regarding calls andtraffic flow:

• Call state (Ring, Disc, Auto, Zero, Talk, Hold, Conf,
• Ptch, TK1/TK2).
• Ring count
• Client name
• Account number
• Phone line

Scripting falls on the right side of your screen!

These are the prompts that our client has asked for us to get from the callers. Red prompts must be read or asked to the caller and do not allow you to move forward in the scripting without something entered. Black prompts are important to ask, as well but can be left blank if the caller refuses the information or it does not fit the call type.

Turn On, Turn Off, Bye (Log Out)

To turn ON hold down the ALT key and press F1 at the same time. Normally turning ON will allow live calls to come to your screen. Since you are training and we don’t want live calls to come to your screen, we have programmed your training log in so that calls will not be sent to your screen. To turn back Off hold down the ALT key and press F2. You will also use the ON/OFF procedure for bathroom breaks and other short personal time away from your computer. Remember we want you to be ON almost 100% of the time. Being in the OFF state to much of the time will affect your PRODUCTIVITY stats At the end of your shift, going on break or changing to a different login, such as Dispatch will require you to Log Out. First, turn OFF so you won’t receive any new live calls. Then, if there are accounts on your screen, finish them. Then hold down the ALT Key and F3 at the same time to Logout (go bye)

Scripting falls on the right side of your screen!

These are the prompts that our client has asked for us to get from the callers. Red prompts must be read or asked to the caller and do not allow you to move forward in the scripting without something entered. Black prompts are important to ask, as well but can be left blank if the caller refuses the information or it does not fit the call type.

Sliding puzzle

On the far right of the screen, you will see small icons and 3 windows: You will have 2 windows that are fixed on your screen- most likely “waits” and Op Chat. “waits” is critical to keep you in the loop of how we are performing and Op Chat is how your supervisors will communicate with you to take breaks/lunches, or if they have a quick questions.Client List aka Small Directory (man with tie on right hand side): We utilize this small directory to look up accounts by name or when an O/C is calling in to check/clear messages.Op Chat (green shirt man with headset): most likely this will be a set fixture on your Infinity screen, but if not please make sure that this is always up due to this being one way to communicate with your leadership team and how you will be sent on break/lunch. We will dive into more details soon!

Call Status/state

This will contain

• Talk
• Tk1/tk2
• Conf
• Hold
• Disc
• Ptch