QUESTION
Incoming phone calls routed to prompts
11/14/2018
Can you see if any of the communities have their incoming gatehouse calls routed to a select need of the caller.
E.g. resident phones gatehouse and hears;
Press #1 if you need to authorize a visitor or vendor (call is transferred to Automated Voice Messaging System).
Press #2 if you need to speak to an officer on duty
If you have an emergency, please hang up and dial 911. Then immediately call the gatehouse back and state your emergency.
Do you see any downfalls to using this system. We are always going to have residents who insist on calling the gatehouse direct and speaking to an officer to authorizing their visitors. But we are trying to get away from taking as many unnecessary calls from residents as possible who merely need to tell us that their plumber is coming in today to fix the toilet. We have times when the second guard has to respond to the resident lane to process a delivery truck or t find out why a barcode did not open the gate. So we’ve been giving them the Voice Messaging number when they call and telling them that we are trying to keep the phone lines open for emergencies and would appreciate their cooperation by using the Voice Messaging System when possible.
I’ve also sent out blast emails to all residents asking for them to utilize either the Voice Messaging System or the Email Notification System. It’s been better but I’m thinking that with the prompts, that this will force most of them to use other means.
Shadow Wood – John Grusemeyer
REPLIES
Mark Chapman – Stone Lake Ranch
We do not use anything like this as there is only one line for incoming calls. The second line is for the call box at the service gate and we do not give that out to any owners.
Daniel O’Connell – Williams Island
Not here
Michael Charbonneau – Wyndemere
We attempt to direct “ Most “ owners to the voice attendant for guests, etc. But many like to speak with an officer.
Marvin Vasquez – The Plantation
Not here my friend
Scott DeAtley – Boca Grove
John, our residents have the prompt you speak of as well as call authorization abilities through our gate access system. You’re right, they continue to call. We have two gates and the phones are programmed to default to one another after a certain number of unanswered rings. They essentially go back and forth if the officers are both busy, and then gets “parked” until one of the two officers picks up the phone call. I have no idea how this works other than thru our server.
Tim Cook – The Landings
Sure do, call our number and enjoy
912-598-1982
After hours for the TLA office you can call 912-598-2520
We also use Resident Volunteers Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm and that is all they do – Pre-authorize expected arrivals. We, as well, really push people to use the internet or app to pre-authorize their guests and vendors.
If you select option 1 when calling (912-598-1982) between the aforementioned times, you will be speaking too one of those volunteers. Works very well, because the volunteer who oversees this program is simply amazing!
Josh Bieri – Loblolly
Sorry not here