Recently, Microsoft released a feature that allows users to assign Direct Routing numbers to auto attendants and call queues: a feature highly anticipated by many IT leaders. This update means Direct Routing customers can have the same access to these services without having to obtain a Calling Plan licence (as with service numbers) or having to port their numbers to Office 365. This can free up significant time and resources for organisations who have deployed or are considering deploying Direct Routing and are ready to take advantage of the many benefits auto attendants and call queues offer. If you’re curious about these important voice services and how to access them, read our guide below:
What Are Auto Attendants and Call Queues?
Auto attendants are composed of a series of voice prompts or audio files that replace human operators, which redirect calls based on a caller’s choices. Features include informational greetings, custom menus, directory search, multiple language options (for prompts, text-to-speech, and speech recognition), as well as call transfers. Call queues are services that play greetings for callers while searching for agents to answer calls. This service can present greetings, automatically put calls on hold, redirect calls to available call agents, and play music for waiting callers. Both of these services offer extraordinary benefits for global companies looking to improve the scalability and efficiency of their voice communications, such as for call centers and help desks.
How Do I Assign Direct Routing Numbers for These Services?
If you’d like to take advantage of these services with Direct Routing, you’ll need to do the following:
- You will need a Direct Routing solution from your carrier of choice. Read our blog on how to get started with Direct Routing here.
- For Direct Routing, you will need either an E1, E3, or E5 licence, an Audio Conferencing licence, and a Phone System licence. Easily enough, these licences also cover the necessary resource accounts.
- Each call queue or auto attendant will have to have an associated resource account, which can be created in the Microsoft Teams admin centre or in PowerShell. Make sure to assign both the licences and numbers to the new resource account.
- You must obtain new phone numbers, which can be assigned with PowerShell (with Direct Routing numbers, you should not use the Skype for Business legacy admin centre as with service numbers).
- As expected, you must have an auto attendant or call queue, which can be set up in the Teams admin centre. You can read more on Microsoft’s website about how to create a call queue and how to set up an auto attendant.
Get Started with Direct Routing
Planning your Microsoft Teams strategy is essential for taking full advantage of critical voice services such as auto attendants and call queues. This includes knowing how to properly assign phone numbers, as well as assessing whether Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is right for your organisation. If you’re ready to get the most out of your Microsoft licensing investment, check out Pure IP’s flexible and quickly deployable Direct Routing solution, which includes failover engineering to geo-redundant secondary SBCs, 24/7 dedicated support, and international coverage in 90 countries.
