Walkthrough: Make Outbound Calls for an Appointment Reminder with Option to Reschedule

In this walkthrough we will make outbound calls using CALLMaster Out Dial functionality to play a reminder message with the date and time of the appointment as imported for each number and give caller the options to hear the message again or to transfer to agent to reschedule. 

• If the call connect type is human, the called party will be played a message with the date and time of the appointment and be given the option to transfer to agent to reschedule.
• If the call connect type is answering machine, the called party will be played a message with the date and time of the appointment.
• If the call connect type is fax, the call will terminate.

This Sample Application is available for download.  Use link at the end of this walkthrough to download and install sample application.

Walkthrough Overview

In this walkthrough, you will:

1. Set System Parameters;
2. Set Dialogic Parameters;
3. Verify Attendant Parameters required to transfer a call, or drop call in case of a busy or no answer;
4. Set-up Attendant Record for caller reschedule option;
5. Create Audiotex Records and Associated Scripts;
6. Define entry in the IVR Application List for the new custom IVR;
7. Set Ports.

During this walkthrough, you will learn to do the following:

• Configure CALLMaster to answer in Audiotex mode;
• Get input using the Audiotex Module Action 'Touch Tone Table';
• Get value of system variables from the OutcallSchedule record;
• Distinguish between a human, answering machine and fax connection;
• Use CALLBasic commands including SayDate and SayTime;
• Make Audiotex recordings;
• Handle caller hang up and call failure.

Prerequisites and Assumptions

• CALLMaster software installed and running with the Dialogic board installed and configured.  For more information, see Installation and Setup;
• A working knowledge of CALLMaster Manager.  Specifically how to add, delete and edit records;

• Phone lines enabled and connected to CALLMaster;
• Activate Out Dial process by adding flag "ODS" to the System Parameters 'System Setting' field.
• Numbers to be called imported to the CALLMaster OutcallSchedule table, with required fields:- Dialing Prefix, Area Code and Phone Number and UserDateTime (Appointment Date and Time).  All other fields could have the default values or you can upload custom values as part of the import process.   See OutcallSchedule Record for details.

Set System Parameters

As we are using Out Dial, we need to make sure that the System Parameters - Local Dialing Prefix, Long Distance Dialing Prefix, System's Area Code and System's Phone Number have the correct values for your environment.  We also need to set the time that CALLMaster can 'Start Calling at' and needs to 'Stop Calling at'.
As we want CALLMaster to continuously attempt outbound calls and reduce the sleep default time from 30 seconds to 3 seconds, we will add flags 'OCNV'  and 'OSST3 in the System Flags field. 
As we want to leave a message if call receives an answering machine connect, we need to adjust the Parameter Record Max Silence (see Out Dial - Human/Answering Machine/Fax Detection for details).

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select System.  Double click on each of the parameters to change their values as needed.  See System Parameters for details.

For this walkthrough we will assume the following values:

• Local Dialing Prefix - set to 9.
• Long Distance Dialing Prefix - set to 9,1,.
• System's Area Code - set to 914.
• System's Phone Number - set to 5555555.
• Start Calling At - set to 09:00:00
• Stop Calling At - set to 17:00:00
• Record Max Silence - set to 3.
• System Flags - set to OCNV OSST3 ODS

Set Dialogic Parameters

As we are using Out Dial and want to detect Human, Answering Machine and Fax connect, we need to adjust the several Dialogic Parameters (see Out Dial - Human/Answering Machine/Fax Detection for details).

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select Dialogic.  Double click on each of the parameters to change their values as needed.

For this walkthrough we will assume the following values:

• NBRDNA - set to ‘8’;
• HEDGE - set to ‘Detect on TRAILING Edge’;
• INTFLG - set to ‘7’
• PAMDFAILTIME - set to ‘10’

Verify Attendant Parameters.

To transfer calls for appointment reschedule option, you must know the requirements of your phone lines or PBX.  In particular, you need to know the transfer string to initiate a transfer, and the pull back strings to drop a call in case of busy or no answer. Since the caller can enter a variable length extension ID, you need to set the Maximum Extension Length parameter.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select Attendant.  Confirm values for all the parameters on the list.  Double click on the parameter to change the value if required.  For this walkthrough, we will assume the values below.  Save and close the Attendant Parameters window after making any changes.

Set-up Attendant Records

As one of the options offered to the caller is to reschedule appointment, we need to setup an Attendant record to transfer to an agent .  We will create an Attendant record set the Time Of Day to All Day, and the Type of Transfer to Transfer. 

Since the Type of Transfer is set to Transfer, the Failed Transfer Action fields do not apply.  If you set the Type of Transfer to Supervised, requiring CALLMaster to monitor call transfer status, then you must set the Failed Transfer Action fields as desired. 

See Managing Attendant for details.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Manage, then select Attendant.  Let's add 4 records in this walkthrough as follows:

Create Audiotex Records and Associated Scripts

As all calls will be starting in Audiotex mode in this walkthrough, the Audiotex Modules will determine the call flow. 

In the Audiotex set-up, the called party will be played a message and given the option to "Press 1 to hear message again or 2 to reschedule". 
NOTE: the Audiotex application will only get processing control if the call results in a connect (i.e. $CR = 10).  If the call does not result in a connect, then the call is reset based on the busy/no answer/no confirm retry values from the OutcallSchedule record.

We will need to create several Audiotex records as shown below.  The Label field provides a brief description of each module.  

Audiotex Module Description

• Module 100 is the starting module.  We will use this module to initialize variables using script InitializeVal.bas.  In particular we want to set local variables to the Out Dial system variables returned by CALLMaster.  We will set the system variable lctrap to an Audiotex module ID to send caller if they hang-up. 
• Module 110 will perform call analysis to determine if it is a human, answering machine, or fax response. 
  • If human connect detected, call control will return to Module 200 to play a message;
  • If answering machine connect detected, then a blank recording is made for up to 60 seconds or it detects continuous silence for duration of Record Max Silence System Parameter.  In our walkthrough, CALLMaster will require 3 seconds of silence after the answering machine greeting before returning call control to module 300 to play the message;
  • If fax connect detected, call control will return to Module 400 to fax document;
  • If none of the above, call control will return to 500.
• Module 200 will just play the Audiotex message and go to module 210 (next module ID).
• Module 210 uses the SayDate and SayTime CALLBasic command to say the appointment date and time from the UserDateTime field in the OutcallSchedule record.
• Module 220 has 'Touch Tone Table' Module Action requiring a 1 digit input (response length set to 1). This type of module is used to offer caller options and get a corresponding touch tone input.  This module offers the caller 2 options.  The caller will be directed to module 200 if they press 1 to hear the message again or to module 230 if they enter 2  to reschedule.  If they enter any other touch tone key, they will be directed to module 290.  As a 'Touch Tone Table' Module Action, at the end of the module recording, CALLMaster will play prompt 245 "press * to repeat", giving the caller 3 attempts to enter any touch tone key (does not have to be a valid input).  If you want to give the caller 3 attempts to press any key but do not want to play this prompt, then you can replace the associated wav file with a null recording (see Replacing Recordings).  If you do not want to give the caller 3 attempts to enter any key, use the NTR code in the Audiotex record Label field.
• Module 230 sends caller to the Attendant ID using the Return CALLBasic command.
• Module 290 and 291 is to notify the caller that they have entered an invalid option.  The associated script, CheckTryCount.bas, gives the caller 3 attempts to enter a valid option.  If the caller has not entered a valid option after 3 attempts, processing will be forwarded to module 9920.
• Module 300 will play the Audiotex greeting recorded for Answering Machine connection.
• Module 400 will terminate call.
• Module 9920 is used to notify caller that they have reached the maximum attempts allowed for a valid input.  The script associated with this module can be used to set flags and route processing as required.
• Modules 9900 and 9910 are required to handle call failure and capture caller hang-up respectively.  Both these modules can be used to set flags and route processing as required.

Based on the Audiotex modules shown above, we will need several scripts.  Let's make a Scripts sub-folder (Program Files\CALLMaster\Scripts\SampleApp-ApptRem folder) to save the custom scripts.

Create the scripts first.  Open Notepad and create scripts following code examples below.  Remember to save them as .bas type files in the Program Files\CALLMaster\Scripts\SampleApp-ApptRem folder.

Now you can create the Audiotex modules and reference the scripts above.  Open the CALLMaster Manager, click on Manage, then select Audiotex.  Let's add the Audiotex records shown above.

Define IVR Application List Entry

We need to define the custom IVR in the IVR Application List and set it to Audiotex Start Module 100.  Open CALLMaster Manager and select Manage | IVR Application List.  Let's add a new record as follows:

Set Ports

As a last step, we need set the port(s) to the new IVR Application entry created above.  Make sure the Audiotex Start Module field (read only) correctly points to module 100.

Set the Port Greeting File IDs to the main greeting for all calls if you have recorded one.  If you do not want a main greeting then set the Greeting File IDs to zero. Leave all other fields to the default values. 

If you are working with a demo license or have only one line connected, then make sure the connected port is set as specified below.  All other ports should be set to Application 'Disabled'.

Test the custom application

Save all your work. 

Stop CALLMaster service.

Make Administrator Audiotex Recordings:

-  Set Port 1 to Application Voice Mail.

-  Start CALLMaster service.

-  Make a call using Port 1.

-  Log in as the Administrator using the Voice Mail Main Menu and make recordings for the Audiotex modules below.

Reset Port 1 to Application Audiotex.  Set the Port Greeting File IDs to zeros.

Stop and Start CALLMaster service.

Make a phone call to test the application.

Tip: See Walkthrough: Change Application Without Restarting CALLMaster Service to set port to Voice Mail to make recording without stopping and restarting the CALLMaster service.

To download and install, see Sample Applications.