how do you handle cutovers to new phone systems that are different than the old system. For example, moving from a 2 digit extension system to a 3 digit extension system. What do you say in the autoattendant to get callers familiar?

I removed a panasonic (2 digit extension) and installed a Norstar (3 digit extension). despite training sessions there has been ongoing confusion.

Looking for some advice suggestions or past experiences.

I ve always tried to just add a single digit to the existing station ext. # ,i.e. 10 to 110 and then ad a temporary line in the main greeting "be advised exts. have change dial "1" plus old extension number.

Kerry

Which would make sense in lots of cases...but since Norstar starts at ext. 221 (why did they do that, it's silly) htat may not work. Why not just simply advise callers that extentions have changed and ask them to use a directory/dial by name if they do not know the new extension.

Take a page from Lucent's own auto attendants:

"Thank you for calling XYZ Company. Please listen carefully, as our menu has changed. For this, press that, etc."

i've set it up like this:

old extension 13

new extension 213 and so forth

so in the autoattendant, we say, please press 2 plus your party's 2 digit extension.

works for me, but some callers just don't listen.

Make sure the new greeting is totally different than the old one. Have a different person record it and say at the beginning that the extensions have changed.

I do what you did as far as the numbering sequence.

Good Luck!!

if at all possible I use the single digit menu and or insert the remaining digit or prefacing digit in the programming so the incomming party does not have to think so hard. oh and I was thinking I usually dont worry about the incomming party as much as I do the customer and getting them to understand it. just my two bits.

jsaad
wrichey is right make the customer understand
and they will laugh at the fools who screw it up. i always give all users a cheat sheet
pertaining to their installation. put it right under their new phone on their desk. then give them another copy at the training session for the new phone/voicemail system.
m

What version Norstar?

The 3X8, 6X16, 8X24, and I think the CICS will all do 2 digit DN length. The MICS, however, will not.