Setting up the New Option Block with an Advanced IVR
For clients who want to provide their callers with subsequent options after the initial IVR greeting, a New Option block can be added within an advanced IVR. For example, if you want callers to press 1 for English and 2 for Spanish, and then provide them with additional options afterwards based on the number they pressed, the New Option block can be used. Additionally, New Option blocks can also be used if the initial IVR prompt has more than 9 options.
In this article we'll discuss:
Creating a New Option Block
1
Within SAS Flex, go to the Builder icon on the left navigation panel. Then select IVR Blocks.
2
From the Builder drop down, drag and drop the New Option block to the center of your screen.
3
Under the Greeting tab, navigate to the Main greeting section. Here you can choose to use one of two options:
- Recording: This option will allow you to select your own recording file from the drop down.
- Text to speech: This option will allow you to type in your own message which our system will read to your callers.
If you want a different message to play when you are closed for after hours or holidays, check the Activate away greeting box, choose Play when we are closed from the Frequency drop down and choose your respective recorded greeting.
In order for the IVR to be able to change based off your business hours or after hours, you'll want to make sure you have already created a business hours set and a holiday set. Additionally, you'll want to make sure your business hours set is selected under the Options tab within the IVR workflow.
4
Under the Options tab, choose what will happen if there is no input from the caller after the greeting, or if there is an invalid input.
If you choose the Transfer to Extension option, the number you input in the Extension field should correlate to the options you add within the Logic tab.
5
Under the Logic tab, we'll need to add our various prompt options. In our example, our New Option block will be used for callers who have already pressed 1 in the initial prompt for English.
If you are setting up your IVR the same way, keep in mind that you will need to create another New Option block for the Spanish options.
6
Under the Field tab, you'll need to name your block. We named ours ABC Plumbing - IVR Greeting English.
7
When you are done, click Save.
Adding a New Option Block to an IVR Workflow
Once your New Option block has been created, it's time to add it to your IVR workflow.
1
Click the Builder icon on the left menu navigation panel and select IVRs.
2
If you already have an IVR created, go ahead and select it. If not, you'll want to follow the instructions in this article.
3
On the next page, you should see your IVR workflow. In our example, we want to have callers press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then route to our New Option block to listen to subsequent options in their respective language. So, we'll need to update our Greeting block accordingly. To update your Greeting block, click on the hyperlinked Greeting field as shown below.
4
In the Greeting block, go to the Logic tab and edit your current options accordingly. When you are finished, click Save.
5
Back on the IVR Workflow page, you should see your newly updated Greeting block. Now we'll need to connect your Greeting block to your New Option block.
6
On the left-hand side of your screen, locate your New Option block under the Unassigned Blocks section. Then drag it out to your workflow.
7
Next, connect the New Option block to the Greeting block by clicking the empty circle in the Greeting block and dragging it to the empty circle in the New Option block as shown below. Then connect the subsequent options within your New Option block to their respective blocks. In our example, press 1 will go to an outside transfer, press 2 will go to a recording and then disconnect, and press 3 will go to an SAS agent transfer.
8
Now that our IVR is complete for English callers, we'll need to finish building out the rest of the IVR for Spanish callers. Instead of re-building each step from scratch, we can simply copy our existing blocks, change the name and translate the language from English to Spanish (if applicable).
9
Once your new blocks are created, go ahead and link them up accordingly. Your final IVR workflow should look something like the image below.
10
When you are finished, click Save.
Congratulations! You've just built an advanced IVR. Now you'll need to assign your SAS numbers to the IVR and Script accordingly, or you can contact support for help!
