Amanda Work Group 7xx Installation Manual

							Chapter 12: Programming Examples 237
Making the User Comfortable
To make users feel that they are in control of the application rather than at 
the mercy of it, the greetings should perform the following tasks in order:
1. Identify the company or service so that the user can determine whether 
he has placed his call correctly.
2. Identify the application as non-human so that the user does not expect 
human interaction.
For example, avoid personal pronouns in phrases. Use “Please enter the 
number” rather than “tell me the number.”
3. If necessary, separate callers using touch-tone telephones from those 
using dial-pulse telephones.
Use something similar to “If you are calling from a touch-tone phone, 
please press 1 now. Otherwise, please remain on the line. An attendant 
will help you.”
4. Early on the first menu, offer the user access to a human attendant.
5. Offer access to a human attendant and call termination on each menu 
level.
6. Customize the greetings for the user.
For example, if the user has only three of the five services you offer, 
never offer him the option of adding the services that he already has or 
the option of canceling the services that he does not have.
Using Greetings
The greetings used in your application will fall into the following categories:
 Menus that list options from which the users make selections
 Requests for responses
 Informational—providing answers to users’ requests or other user 
feedback 
						

							238 Installing [email protected]
Using Menus
As you create your menus, do the following:
 Find logical topics for menus
 Offer topics in order:  most likely to be selected to least likely. Make 
an exception to this rule when the topic itself contains a number. 
For example, use “To order the Series 3, press 3” rather than “To order 
the Series 3, press 1”—even when your most popular sales item is Series 
3.
 Limit the number of options on each menu. If a menu contains more 
than eight options (including reaching an attendant, returning to pre-
vious menu, and exiting), break this menu into submenus.
Word your menus carefully using the following suggestions:
 State the result before the action.
For example, use “For Accounts Payable, press 1” rather than “Press 1 
for Accounts Payable.”
 Be consistent from option to option and menu to menu.
For example, use “Please make your selection now” on each menu level 
to indicate that all the menu options have been offered.
 Use “Press” for a single-digit response or “Enter” for multi-digit re-
sponse.
 Say the number on a key rather than a letter on that key—even if the 
letter is more significant.
For example, say “Press 3” rather than “Press F.”
Making Requests
Requests to users fall into the following categories:
 Request for single-digit response (such as 1 for Yes or 2 for No)
 Request for multi-digit response such as a telephone or credit card 
number
 Group of questions that comprise a voice form
For example, you might ask the user a series of questions, the answers to 
which are essentially the fields on a paper form. These voice responses 
are saved as messages. 
						

							Chapter 12: Programming Examples 239
For single-digit responses, you can use a greeting as a menu. 
For multi-digit responses, you can use the R() command to convert the 
DTMF tones to an ASCII number.
For voice forms, you can use the Q() command to save the responses for up 
to 20 questions as a message.
Word your requests carefully using the following suggestions:
 Use consistent wording.
For example, use “Please” to indicate that a request is coming. 
 Make it clear what type of input is expected from the user (keypad 
input or voice response).
For example, use “At the tone, please say your last name” or “On your 
touch-tone phone, please enter the letters of your last name.”
 Use “Press” for single choice, “Enter” for data, and “Say” for voice 
response.
For voice response, end the request with “now” or start it with “At 
the tone, please say…”—whichever is appropriate.
Providing Information and Feedback
Be sure to provide some type of feedback for every user action and allow 
users to reverse unintended operations. For example, you can:
 Repeat the data provided by the user.
For example, you can use the P() command to play the telephone num-
ber stored by the R() command or use the Q() command to give the 
caller the opportunity to edit (review, rerecord, append, or cancel) 
answers to questions on a voice form.
 Request confirmation.
 Play a greeting that indicates that the application has moved on to 
the next step. 
						

							240 Installing [email protected]
 Repeat the current greeting when there is no response. If there is still 
no response, provide a message explaining what is happening and ei-
ther connect the call to an attendant or disconnect it.
 Play an error message, status message, or tone.
Status messages, such has “We are still processing your order” should 
play after the first two seconds and then every seven to ten seconds. 
For an error message, provide a retry greeting (and perhaps suggest a 
remedy) before repeating the current greeting. Be sure to notify the user 
when returning to the main menu or transferring the user to an attendant 
after an error.
Word your informational greetings carefully using the following 
suggestions:
 Don’t say Standard Time unless you do not shift to Daylight Savings 
Time.
For example, on the west coast, say “Pacific Time.”
 Be brief. When that is impossible, allow the user to listen to the 
greeting again.
 When providing a telephone number, always repeat it.
 Eliminate unnecessary words.
For example, use “Please press 1 ‘Yes’ or 2 for ‘No’” rather than “Please 
press the key with the 1 on it for ‘Yes’ or the key with the 2 on it for 
‘No’.”
 When pairing opposite phrases, use words that sound differently.
For example, avoid pairing Turn On and Turn Off because they sound so 
much alike.
 Don’t use open-ended or ambiguous questions.
For example, use “Do you have your account number?” rather than 
“Have your account number ready.” 
 Be polite, non-judgmental, and avoid humor.
For example, use “That password is invalid” rather than “You entered 
the password incorrectly.” 
						

							Chapter 12: Programming Examples 241
Using the Telephone Keypad
If the users enter their choices via the telephone keypad, follow these 
guidelines:
 Assign keys consistently. This is especially true for Delete and other 
destructive options.
For example, don’t use 3 for Delete on one menu and Save on another.
 Offer alternates to * and # keys because those keys might be dis-
abled.
 Use keys 1 and 2 for the most frequently selected options. Users ex-
pect to use the 1 and 2 keys most often.
 Avoid using keys 1, 2, 5, and 8 as destructive options.
You might want to avoid 5 and 8 entirely as they are the most error-
prone key choices. (These two keys are the only ones with a key in each 
direction.)
 Use the rows and columns of the keypad effectively. 
 Use the left column for actions that precede or are lower than others.
 Use the right column for actions that follow or are higher than oth-
ers.
For example use a number in the left column to lower a volume and the 
corresponding number in the right column to incrmase a volume.
 Consider using a key in the top row as a response to a greeting that 
says “Go to the top” and a key in the bottom row in response to “Go 
to the bottom.” 
						

							242 Installing [email protected]
Choosing Tokens
A number of commands from the Token Programming Language make IVR 
easier and voice forms possible.
To present a menu for your caller, you can use:
 The menu fields associated with the mailbox. The mailbox allows 
the caller to enter either a one-digit response to the menu or another 
mailbox. Amanda waits long enough to be sure that the caller has fin-
ished. (For this method, turn Do Not Disturb ON.)
 The M() command. In this case, Amanda waits for only one digit. It 
is faster that using menu fields, but it does not allow the caller to en-
ter a mailbox with more than one digit. (For this method, turn Do Not 
Disturb OFF.)
To convert the DTMF (or touch) tones entered by the caller into a number, 
use:
 The R() command, which stores a number in a variable.
To play a greeting or play back the number stored by the R() command, use:
 The P() command. This command has many variations. See the “To-
ken Reference” on page 168 for details.
To play up to 20 questions (from greetings) and store the answers as a single 
message, use:
 The Q() command, which also allows the caller to edit the responses. 
Using Tokens
This example describes parts of an application that records consumer 
reactions to sample products. For example, hair stylists may be mailed 
information about a line of new hair care products.
If interested, a stylist can call an 800 number to request a sample of one of 
them. The sample is mailed along with product literature and a test ID that 
uniquely identifies the stylist with the product.  
						

							Chapter 12: Programming Examples 243
After using the product, the stylist calls again to answer a series of questions. 
For services rendered, the stylist is mailed a small fee or a free case of the 
product.
Later, the survey company analyzes the data and reports back to the 
manufacturer. The application has two parts: 
 Gathering information about a potential tester, such as name, ad-
dress, telephone number, and the product to be sent 
 Quizzing the testers about the product
The tester information part (explained in “Gathering Testing Information” on 
page 244) uses:
 Menus using the M() command and 0 to reach a live attendant at any 
time.
 The P() command to play a general greeting.
 The R() command to request a telephone number, convert the DTMF 
tones entered by the stylist, and store the telephone number in a vari-
able.
 The |() command (that’s the pipe command or vertical bar com-
mand) to add data about the stylist to a database file.
 A series of greetings that ask for the parts of an address. The Q() 
command plays the greetings and allows the stylist to edit the re-
sponses before they are saved as a message.
The quiz part (not explained) uses:
 Menus using the M() command, using 0 to reach a live attendant at 
any time.
 The R() command to request the test ID, convert the DTMF tones 
entered by the stylist, and store the ID in a variable.
 The N() command to look up the test ID in a database file. The da-
tabase determines what set of questions to ask the stylist. It also con-
tains a field indicating how many calls have come in using this test 
ID. Only one call should come in for each ID. If a stylist never calls 
in, an employee can call that person. If a stylist calls more than once 
(hoping for extra free cases of the product or whatever), an employ-
ee talks to the stylist personally, assuming some error has occurred.
 The Q() command to play a series of questions (greetings), allows 
the stylist to edit the responses, and stores the set of responses as a 
message.  
						

							244 Installing [email protected]
Gathering Testing Information
Mailbox 880 handles all calls coming in on the 800 number and immediately 
passes the call to the caller instructions mailbox 881 (via the Done Chain). 
Mailbox 881 has:
Extension Field:@M(G1,2,30)G(0)
Amanda plays the menu in Greeting 1. If there is no re-
sponse from the caller, Amanda plays Greeting 1 again 
after a three-second pause. If there is still no response, 
Amanda executes the next token in the Extension field 
(which goes to the operator).
DND: OFF
Store Messages: NO
Greeting 1: To become one of our testers, press 1. If you are al-
ready one of our testers and you want to answer a prod-
uct questionnaire, press 2….
Menu 1: 1000
Menu 2:  2000
Menu 0:  0
Mailbox 1000 has:
Extension Field:@P(G1)Q(G2,G3,G4,G5,G6,G7,
G1#1001,E)R(G2#1001,%S1,30)G(1001)
Amanda plays Greeting 1 from mailbox 1000 to wel-
come the tester and to give an overview of the process. 
Then Amanda asks for the stylist’s mailing address us-
ing a series of greetings and recording the answers as 
one message.
Next Amanda asks for a telephone number and stores 
it as a variable (%S1). 
(It would be a good idea to play this number back to the 
stylist and allow reentry, but this example does not do 
that. See how this is done in “Two-call Faxback” on 
page 233.)
Finally, the call is transferred to mailbox 1001.
DND: OFF
Store Messages: YES 
						

							Chapter 12: Programming Examples 245
Greeting 1: Welcome to…. 
Greeting 2: Please say your last name now.
Greeting 3: Please say your first name and middle 
initial now.
Greeting 4: Please say the name of your business 
now.
Greeting 5: Please say your street address now.
Greeting 6: Please say your zip code now.
Greeting 7: Please say the name of your city now.
Greeting 1 of mailbox 1001: Please say the name of your state now.
Greeting 2 of mailbox 1001: Please use your telephone keypad to en-
ter a daytime telephone number where 
we can reach you if necessary. Please 
start now.
Mailbox 1001 has:
Extension Field:@=(%S2,%M(1000))M(G3,2,30)G(0)
%M[1000] is the number of messages stored in mail-
box 1000. Amanda stores this number in a variable 
(%S2). This message number becomes associated with 
the stylist for the duration of the survey.
Then Amanda plays the menu in Greeting 3. If there is 
no response from the caller, Amanda plays Greeting 3 
again after a three-second pause. If there is still no re-
sponse, Amanda executes the next token in the Exten-
sion field (which goes to the operator).
N
OTE:Using the message number to uniquely identify 
the tester works only because no messages will be 
deleted from mailbox 1000 until after the survey. 
If you will have more messages than disk space, 
keep a number in another file. Read the number 
using the [() command, increment it by one with 
the +() command, and write the new number (for 
the next tester) back to the file using the ]() com-
mand.
DND: OFF
Store Messages: NO 
						

							246 Installing [email protected]
Greeting 3: Please select one of the following products….
Menu 1: 1002
Menu 2:  1003
… other menu options …
Menu 0:  0 
Mailboxes 1002, 1003, … have:
Extension Field:@=(%S3,%S2)+(10000,%S3) 
|(C:\\TESTERS\\TESTX.TXT)P(G1)G(999)
Next Amanda makes a copy (%S3) of the message 
number (which identifies the stylist) and adds 10000 
(or some other product differentiating number) to it. 
This becomes the test ID.
Then Amanda appends the stylist’s telephone number 
(%S1), message number (%S2), and product number 
(%S3) to a database file (C:\TESTERS\TESTX.TXT).
Finally, Amanda plays Greeting 1 from the current 
mailbox and hangs up. (It would be a good idea to have 
the user verify that the stylist did indeed want this 
product or return to mailbox 1001, but this example 
does not do that. You would play a greeting naming the 
product and ask the stylist to confirm, similar to recon-
firming the telephone number in Example 4.)
DND: OFF
Store Messages: NO
Greeting 3: Thank you for agreeing to test product such-and-such. 
You will be receiving…within 10 days. Please try the 
product and call this system again to answer a few 
questions about it….