How to set up Overlap Dialing in Voicemail Pro

Sometimes it will come up that a customer wants to use a certain selector code, that interferes with the dialing plan.  I don’t know if there is a technical term, so from this moment on, I will refer to it as “Overlap Dialing”.  So, to go along with this massively creative title, we will discuss how we can overcome this obstacle.

Below is a generic Auto Attendant.  Note that the extensions are in the 2XXX range.

So, as you see, anyone that dials an extension that begins with a 2, it transfers to the appropriate user.  But, what if we need to set up a selector code, that allows the button press of 2, to transfer to the Group, “Service”.

It is super easy.  Just add another menu action, add 3 question marks (???) as one “Touch Tone” option and then check the box for “Timeout”, and set it to 1.  The important part is to make sure that the specific action is going to “2”, “$KEY” (2$KEY).

Now, as you see below, someone calls the main Auto Attendant is directed to dial the extension of the user, or press 2 for Service.  Pressing either goes to the “2???” menu.  if the caller meant to go to service, they wont press anything, at which point the “Timeout” option takes over, and they are transferred to the designated group, “Service”.  Conversely, if they pressed 2 at the main menu, and 3 more digits, that would go to the “Transfer 2$KEY” action, transferring them to the correct extension.

As the Godfather of IPO would say…..”And Bob’s your uncle”