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.
See Historical Context at the bottom of this document to understand why certain decisions were made.
TODOs
- Store flowchart diagram in a main CRE storage location (not ce2 personal OneDrive Folder)
- Store voicemail recordings in a better location than dropbox.
- Create shared voicemail box for CRE Reception Group (cre-info@mit.edu?)
- Ask Marla how to handle vacations
- Forward old phone number to new one
Flowchart
Click the graphic to enlarge it, or visit 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).
Zoom Phone can be thought of as the application run at each branch extension or phone number (which is fed from MITvoip). This means that the CRE Main Call Tree (Business Hours) is a branch, the CRE Main Call Tree (Off-Hours) is a branch, the CRE Reception Call Group is a branch, and so on...
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.
If the call is made during business hours (9am-5pm), the caller will be transferred to Business Hours Greeting Call Tree branch.
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.
This branch does nothing other than forward to our current CRE Main Entry Point Number, 617-253-5000.
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.
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.
Please choose from the following menu options:
To be connected to the front desk, press 0 for Joanne McHugh. (Forwards to Reception Call Group - See Below)
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:
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 be connected to the front desk, press 0 for Joanne McHugh. (Forwards to Reception Call Group - See Below)
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)
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)
To return to the main menu, press 9 (Forwards to CRE Main Entry Point / 617-258-5000)
To repeat this menu, press #.
Reception Call Group (617-258-5062)
When a call is sent to the reception call group, it will ring the following for 45 seconds:
- Hannah Muhlfelder's Desk Phone
- Joanne McHugh'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.
Call Tree Setup Instructions
TODO - Create instructions on where/how to add these greetings.
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
- 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
- The group decided that we should include the MIT Police as an option for the Business Hours Greeting during a CRE Staff Meeting.
- Bettina will be responsible for updating vacation dates and times for the CRE Vacation number. This could eventually be assigned to an assistant.
- Per a CRE Staff Meeting, we decided to include our names as part of the prompts in addition to the "department" we belong to.