Introduction

The CRE Call Tree is the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system that callers encounter when calling the CRE main number. This article details how the system works and how users get around.

TODOs

See Historical Context at the bottom of this document to understand why certain decisions were made.

Table of Contents

TODOs

1. Store flowchart diagram The flowchart diagram needs to be stored in a main CRE storage location (not ce2 personal OneDrive Folder)
2. Update phone numbers once these are assigned (Call Reception Group) - just ring desk phones simultaneously. Joanne and Hannah only.
3. Re-record voice prompts with associated names included - yes, do this per staff meeting.
4. Write/Record a shared voicemailbox greeting message
5. Assign cre-info@mit.edu email address. Mention in general voicemail box message?
6. Do we have option 9 - MIT Police work for the business hours prompt? - yes, per staff meeting.
7. Notify staff CRE Main Number is 617-253-5000 not 258 - mentioned this.
8. How do we handle closings for vacations? E.g. special greeting or normal "office is closed" greeting?
9. Who handles setting vacation times?
10. Expected transition date

Flowchart

Image Removed

1. Store voicemail recordings in a better location than dropbox.
2. Create shared voicemail box for CRE Reception Group (cre-info@mit.edu?)
3. Ask Marla how to handle vacations
4. Add special instructions section on how voicemail is handled
   1. Under Zoom Settings > Phone > "Others" > Voicemail & Videomail: Add the individual users. We cannot add Moira groups here unfortunately, these can only be Zoom Accounts.
5. Add notes for future followup  - check on Zoom Contact Center setup. We should be able to send to an email.
6. Add CRE Events Support Line to flowchart

Flowchart

Image Added

Click the graphic to enlarge it, or visit For the most current flowchart, view https://mitprod-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/ce2_mit_edu/ESHG39RlI8xFqeyuURDmh94BTsOXvzdJjVw5ppZEnJeqGA?e=ixNAVo

Background

The phone systems at CRE utilize MIT's voip infrastructure, which is a combination of MITvoip and Zoom Phone. MITvoip is the authoritative directory for all phone numbers; You log into MITvoip to view and assign subsystem(s) to each extension, including physical hardware assignments, Zoom Phone assignments, and so forth. If you wanted to assign another application - such as another PBX - it would likely be done through MITvoip (but we don't have anything like this set up).

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If you wanted to manage the CRE Main Call Tree (Business Hours) branch settings, you would log into Zoom as 617-253-5037 and manage the settings under Phone. You can change settings such as IVR options, greeting prompt recordings, and many other settings in here.

Task Owners

• Updating vacation times in VOIP/Zoom: Bettina Urcuioli
• Phone Systems Management: CRE IT

CRE Main Entry Point Number (617-253-5000)

This is the main number listed for the MIT Center for Real Estate. This branch extension does nothing other than forward to either the Business hours or Off-Business hours branch extension.

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If the call is made after business hours (before 9am or after 5pm), the caller will be transferred to Off-Business Hours Greeting Call Tree branch.

Legacy Phone Number (617-253-4373)

Our legacy phone number, 617-253-4373. This was used on all marketing materials through January 2023.

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This phone number should remain in place for at least the next 10-20 years.

Legacy Call Tree Number (617-253-8676)

This is our legacy call tree. As far as I'm aware, this was not used anywhere, so it can probably be deleted. This should be kept in place for the transition, and then can be deleted sometime in 2023.This branch does nothing other than forward to our current CRE Main Entry Point Number, 617-253-5000.We deleted this because we don't think it was used anywhere.

CRE AV Events Support Line (617-258-5571)

This number may be given to lecturers during professional development events. It was configured to simultaneously ring:

1. Karenina
2. Cooper

If neither of them answer, it goes to a voicemail which includes Casey, Cooper, and Karenina.

Voicemail Greeting (Business Hours)

Thank you for calling the MIT Center for Real Estate, Event Support Line. We are currently unavailable. Please leave a message and someone will return your call as soon as possible. You may also email us at, C R E dash events at M I T dot E D U.

That email address again is C, R, E, dash, E, V, E, N, T, S, at, M, I, T, dot, E, D, U.

Thank you

Voicemail Greeting (Outside Business Hours)

Thank you for calling the MIT Center for Real Estate, Event Support Line. You have reached us outside of normal business hours. Please leave a message and someone will return your call during the next business day. You may also email us at, C R E dash events at M I T dot E D U.

That email address again is C, R, E, dash, E, V, E, N, T, S, at, M, I, T, dot, E, D, U.

Thank you

Recorded Greetings

For now, all recorded greetings/voicemail prompts are stored in the cre-dropbox folder at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yertiauwli8424c/AACTM5lx-XHgOFXssBLuqMwJa?dl=0

Business Hours Greeting Call Tree (617-253-5037)

Description

This is the tree callers reach when contacting the CRE Main Entry Point number during business hours.

Recorded Voice Prompt

Thank you for calling the MIT Center for Real Estate.

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For information on the Masters in Real Estate Development Program, press 1 for Mary Hughes. (617-253-8308)
For information about Professional and Online Education Programs or Partnerships, press 2 for Paul Adornato. (617-253-5917)
For Student Career Services, press 3 for Kelly Cameron. (617-258-7458)
For a CRE Staff Directory, press 4. (Forwards to CRE Staff Directory Call Tree / 617-253-5043)

If you are locked out of the office, press 9 to be connected to MIT Police. (Forwards to MIT Police Emergency Line / 617-253-1212. Note: MIT Police said it didn't matter if we called emergency or non-emergency line, either was appropriate)

To repeat this menu, press #.

Off-Business Hours Greeting Call Tree (617-253-5039)

Description

This is the tree callers reach when contacting the CRE Main Entry Point number outside of normal business hours.

Recorded Voice Prompt

Thank you for calling the MIT Center for Real Estate. Our offices are currently closed. To leave a message and have the appropriate party return your call, please select from the following menu:

...

To repeat this menu, press #.

CRE Staff Directory Call Tree (617-253-5043)

Description

This is the tree callers reach when contacting the pressing the option for the CRE Staff Directory (Option 4) on the Main CRE Call Tree.

Recorded Voice Prompt

For Audiovisual Services, Classroom Support, Events, and Catering, press 1 for Karenina Juarez (617-258-5005)
For IT Technical Support, press 2 for Casey Eyring (617-715-4111)
For Finance and Grants Support, press 3 for Constance Giammattei (617-324-7900)
For Communications and Website Support, press 4 for Lacey Cochran (617-324-6673)
For the Fiscal Officer and ProCard Support, press 5 for Cheryl Gillespie (617-258-5673)
For Executive Leadership Assistance, press 6 for Hannah Muhlfelder (617-715-5965)
For the Administrative Officer, press 7 for Bettina Urcuioli (617-715-2623)
For the Front Desk, press 0 for Joanne McHugh (Forwards to Reception Call Group - See Below)

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To repeat this menu, press #.

Recorded Voice Prompt (Old)

For audiovisual services and classroom support, press 1 (Forwards to Karenina Juarez / 617-258-5005)
For technical support, press 2 (Forwards to Casey Eyring / 617-715-4111)
For finance and grants support, press 3 (Forwards to Constance Giammattei / 617-324-7900)
For events planning and catering, press 4 (Forwards to Karenina Juarez / 617-258-5005)
For communications and website support, press 5 (Forwards to Lacey Cochran / 617-324-6673)
For the fiscal officer and ProCard support, press 6 (Forwards to Cheryl Gillespie / 617-258-5673)
For Executive Leadership Assistance, press 7 (Forwards to Hannah Muhlfelder / 617-715-5965)For the administrative officer, press 8 (Forwards to Bettina Urcuioli / 617-715-2623)
For the front desk, press 0 (Forwards to

Reception Call Group

...

(

...

617-258-

...

To repeat this menu, press #.

...

5062)

When a call is forwarded sent to the reception call group, it should will ring the following :

...

for

...

45 seconds:

1. Joanne McHugh, Hannah Muhlfelder for 15 seconds's Desk Phone
2. Joanne McHugh, Hannah Muhfelder, Mary Hughes for 15 secondsShared voicemail box, accessible to Joanne + Hannah + Mary's Desk Phone

If neither person answers, the caller will be sent to a general voicemail box (with the below greeting), which will be emailed to Hannah and Joanne.

Recorded Voicemail Greeting

You have reached the MIT Center for Real Estate General Voice Mailbox. No one is available to take your call right now. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message and someone will return your call as soon as possible. You can also email us at cre-info@mit.edu.

Holiday Closing Greetings

MIT is closed for MIT, state, and federal holidays, which are listed at https://hr.mit.edu/holidays.

When callers reach the CRE on one of these dates, the caller is played the appropriate greeting (below) and then sent to the Off-Business Hours Greeting Call Tree line.

Default Holiday Greeting Message

This is played during any single-day holiday, such as Martin Luther King, Jr Day, Patriots' Day, Labor Day, etc...

Message

The MIT Center for Real Estate is closed due to the holiday. We will reopen on the following business day.

Thanksgiving Holiday Greeting Message

This is played on thanksgiving and the day after thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday + Friday of November.

Message

The MIT Center for Real Estate is closed due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. We will reopen on Monday.

Winter Break Holiday Greeting Message (Standard Reopening)

This is played on during winter break through New Years Day. If New Years Day falls on a weekend, please use the Winter Break Holiday Greeting Message (Tuesday Reopening) greeting.

Message

The MIT Center for Real Estate is closed for winter break. We will reopen the business day following New Years Day.

Winter Break Holiday Greeting Message (Tuesday Reopening)

This is played on during winter break through New Years Day when New Years Day falls on a weekend, and we have the following Monday off. If New Years Day falls on a weekday, please use the Winter Break Holiday Greeting Message (Standard Reopening) greeting.

Message

The MIT Center for Real Estate is closed for winter break. We will reopen on the Tuesday following New Years Day.

Depreciated Phone Numbers

• (617) 253-5917 - Paul Adornato. Currently forwards to main reception call group. Set up via Paul's account.

• (617) 715-5965 - Hannah Muhlfelder - She is still working part time, so this voicemail will give a message to press 0 to be connected with Sr. Admin Assistant Panita Rosenberg, or to leave a message for Hannah.

Call Tree Setup Instructions

TODO - Create instructions on where/how to add these greetings.

Zoom Contact Center

Zoom Contact Center is available to DLCs for $560 per license per year. A license is someone that is able to accept calls through the call center.

The Contact Center app allows things like load balanced calling, automatic call routing based on certain parameters, and other functionality.

Other nice features are things like being able to see all calls made, the caller, the disposition (which can automatically feed into service now), etc...

Zoom Call Analytics

Marla believed that the Zoom Phone Power Pack (required for Zoom Settings > Analytics & Reports > Zoom Phone Analytics) might be available to users, but needs to be installed at the administrative level. This might allow end-users to access reports useful to integrate into the CRM.

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historical_context historical_context

Historical Context/Workarounds/Decisions

This section is intended to provide you with information regarding decisions that were made. This is especially useful so you don't try to re-attempt something that was already done, only to find out it doesn't work (again!)

Workarounds

1. The CRE Reception Group is set to ring the desk phones for Joanne McHugh + Hannah Muhlfelder only, because as of this writing, Zoom cannot ring an internal user (it doesn't allow the option if you put in the phone number). We are looking into using Zoom Contact Center as an alternative.

Decisions

1. The group decided that we should include the MIT Police as an option for the Business Hours Greeting during a CRE Staff Meeting.
2. Bettina will be responsible for updating vacation dates and times for the CRE Vacation number. This could eventually be assigned to an assistant.
3. Per a CRE Staff Meeting, we decided to include our names as part of the prompts in addition to the "department" we belong to.