Automatic Call Distribution (Hunt Groups)

A Hunt Group is a collection of users handling similar types of calls, e.g. a sales department. An incoming caller wishing to speak to Sales can ring one number but the call can be answered by any number of extensions that are members of the Hunt Group.

Four modes of call presentation are supported

 

If all extensions in the Hunt Group are busy or not answered, another Hunt Group, called an Overflow Group, can be used to take the calls. An overflow time can be set to stipulate how long a call will queue before being passed to the Overflow Group.

Outside normal operation a hunt group can be put into two special modes; Night Service and Out of service.

In Night Service calls are presented to a Night Service Group. This can be controlled automatically by setting a time profile which defines the hours of operation of the main group or manually using a handset feature code.

The Out of Service mode is controlled manually from a handset. Whilst in this mode calls are presented to the Out of Service group

Voicemail can also be used in conjunction with Hunt Groups to take all group related messages, play an announcement when the Hunt Group is in Night Service or Out of Service mode and give announcements while a call is held in a queue.

The voicemail functionality is being enhanced in R3.0 – a broadcast option provided. This feature will alter the operation so that the message notification will only be turned off for each hunt group member when they retrieve the message.