Customer Portal User Guide From Birchills Telecom

Customer Portal User Guide

ContentsIntroduction The Customer Portal Sound Files, Time Intervals, Call Barring Public Numbers Phone Extensions Voicemail Additional Mailboxes, Ring Groups Call Queues Voice Menus (IVRs), Web Users Call History, Bundles and SMS Codes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

IntroductionWhere it all beganFormed in 2009, Birchills Telecom. was originally set up to help businesses looking for a way to improve communications and reduce costs. We knew that VoIP was the way forward, but existing products were complicated, overpriced and tended to favour long feature lists over ease of use. We started talking to small businesses from across the UK and it soon became clear that something was wrong. We couldnt understand how such a simple thing could be turned into something so complicated. So we decided to do something about it!

PhilosophyAt Birchills Telecom we believe that every business should be able to communicate effectively whatever their industry, size or budget. We are passionate about VoIP and the truly amazing things it can offer. Unfortunately, many businesses are missing out because they either dont know it exists or just dont fully understand it. We know that VoIP doesnt have to be complicated. In fact one phone call to us and we can send you a fully configured phone system ready for you to plug into your broadband. Open the box plug it in and you are away. If you want to change anything our simple customer portal allows you to change anything at any time. But if that sounds technical give us a call and well do it for you. This is the company that brings you industry leading support after all! Our customers dont stay with us because they are tied to us by a long term contract they stay with us because they want to. For those who want to be able to configure everything on demand and get real time information on the performance and a lot more besides this is the guide to the Birchills Telecom Portal.

www.birchills.netPage 1

The Customer PortalLoginYou gain access to the Birchills Telecom portal via the Birchills web site at www.Birchills.net. The login select is at the top right of the top menu on the front page. You need a login name and password which Birchills Telecom provides.

You will be presented with the Customer Portal. The options are explained on the following pages.


Sound Files, Time Intervals, Call BarringSound FilesSometimes you may wish to greet callers with a custom message or provide your own music to play whilst they are on hold. Use this area of the portal to manage all of your uploaded files or to add new ones.

Uploading Sound FilesWhen uploading a new file you must specify what it will be used for in advance. Click Upload Sound File and choose between Voice Prompt and Music. Next, choose the file from your computer that you wish to upload. Supported formats are mp3 and wav, and the maximum size allowed is5MB. Click Upload when ready and the file will be uploaded and converted into the appropriate format. The uploaded file will appear in your sound file list and is ready to be used in other areas of the portal when required. Any music uploaded will be played automatically to callers on hold. To disable a particular track click the enable/ disable icon next to it. Important: you must have permission to use any material or recordings that you upload.

Removing Sound FilesTo remove sound files, select those you wish to remove and click Remove Selected. Multiple sounds may be selected by holding the CTRL key.

Time IntervalsTime intervals are used when adding incoming call rules or forwarding rules for phone extensions. They allow you to set up things like office hours, lunch times, out-of-hours etc in advance and refer to them in multiple places around the portal.

Adding a Time IntervalTo add a new time interval, click on the Add Time Interval button. You will need to enter a name for the time interval and optionally a description. Next you must add the days and times of the week covered by this interval. Click Save Changes when done and your time interval will be saved for future use.

Updating a Time IntervalYou may edit an existing time interval by clicking the pencil located next to the interval you wish to change. Please note this will affect any forwarding rule which currently uses the interval.

Removing Time IntervalsTo remove time intervals, select one or more using the checkboxes provided then click remove selected.

Call BarringYou have the ability to restrict certain calls from some or all of your phone extensions. For instance, you may wish to prevent some employees from dialling premium rate or international numbers.

Add Barring RuleTo add a new rule click Add Barring Rule. Next, enter a number prefix to block. For example, to block calls to mobiles, enter the prefix 07. Next, enter a name for this rule and choose the extension(s) to which it should apply.

Updating a Barring RuleYou may edit an existing rule at any time by simply clicking the pencil icon next to the one you wishto change.

Removing Barring RulesRemove rules by selecting one or more of them and clicking remove selected.


Public NumbersPublic numbers are your callers way of reaching you from outside of our network. They may be either geographic (e.g. 01, 02) or non-geographic (e.g. 03, 08) and can be chosen from just about any area within the UK. Unlike traditional phone systems you are not limited by your physical location. You can have as many additional numbers as you need there are no limits within the system. You receive one number included with each extension free of charge. To have further numbers added to your account please contact Birchills Telecom. Please note these may be chargeable. Incoming Call Destination Before you can receive incoming calls, you must tell the system where to send them. You may send incoming calls to any type of extension on your system including groups of extensions. By default, all calls will be routed to the destination you specify under general preferences, unless you configure time-based exceptions to the norm (see below).

General PreferencesIn addition to setting the default destination, you may wish to have some text displayed on your handset to identify which number was called, or play a welcome message to your caller before the call is routed. To adjust these settings simply click the pencil icon next to the desired number.

Time-Based RoutingSometimes you may prefer incoming calls to go to an alternative extension at particular times of the day, for example, to an out-of-hours mailbox. To achieve this, you may set up time-based routing exceptions as follows:

Adding a New RuleTo configure time-based routing, click on the clock icon to the right hand side of the chosen number. Next, choose from your pre-determined time intervals (see above) and select a destination from the list. Click Add Rule then Close. Any incoming calls during the selected time interval will now be sent to this alternative destination.

Removing a RuleWhilst the time based exceptions dialog is open, click the icon next to each rule you wish to remove. The changes will be applied immediately.

Receiving SMS (Text) MessagesYou may receive text messages to any of your geographic (01, 02) numbers. By default they will be delivered by email to the main contact address on your account. To change this or to disable the feature, click the message icon next to the desired number. You may have messages sent to an alternative email address or forwarded to your mobile (charged at your standard rate).

Removing a Public NumberIf you no longer require a public number, please contact Birchills Telecom. Please note, once removed we cannot guarantee that the same number can be re-allocated in the event that you change your mind.


Phone ExtensionsPhone ExtensionsPhone extensions represent the individual users of your system. You may attach a physical handset or soft phone to each extension, or simply forward calls to an alternative number such as a mobile.

Phone PreferencesThe following preferences may be changed by selecting the pencil icon next to the relevant extension: Name the name displayed during internal calls. Email address for notifications and voicemail messages. Department used for grouping call charges (see call history). Outbound caller ID choose from the numbers currently on your account, or leave as anonymous. Ring timeout how long to wait before a call is considered unanswered. Voicemail enabled turn voicemail on or off for this extension. Record calls turn call recording on or off for this extension (see below).

VoicemailVoicemail is operated using both the extension IP handset and the Portal. Full details are on the next page

Call recordingFor any extension you may choose to record your conversations at any time then download and store them for future reference. You may make as many recordings as you like, but please note recordings will only be available for 30 days. You must ensure you download any that you wish to keep within this time period. Recording Individual Calls First, ensure On demand is selected under extension preferences (see above). At any point during a call press *1 and recording will start. Pressing *1 again or hanging up will stop the recording. Recording All Calls Again, this can be configured on an individual extension basis by selecting Always under your extension preferences

Connecting a VoIP Handset or SoftphoneFor sign on details to connect, click on the blue phone icon against the extension you wish to register.

Call ForwardingTo set forwarding rules is done against the Phone Extensions, click on the green arrow icon to the right of the extension number, click on Add a new forwarding rule and select when the actions are to be taken and the forward to number, click on Add Rule when finished.

Removing a Phone ExtensionTo remove one or more phone extensions from your account, please contact Birchills Telecom


VoicemailBirchills Telecom Voicemail can answer inbound calls and lets you know when you have new messages. Please remember that we can help with any of this setup at any time call 01922 21 33 33 option 3. Voicemail is available to all Birchills Telecom customers ready to configure. There is no charge to use the system. By default voicemail is not enabled. To switch voicemail on or off you need to login to the Birchills Telecom Customer portal choose phone extensions and then select the extension number. Once you enable voicemail within phone extension details you can upload a greeting or download a greeting. You can also set the rules associated with forwarding to voicemail. You can set rules for differing times of day and call status. So, for example, you could send all calls to voicemail between 10 and 11 oclock. Call status options are, any, failed to connect, busy and fail (perhaps because the extension isnt plugged in). So you could choose to have all calls directed to voicemail if, for example, you were on holiday.

Voicemail To EmailWithin the Web Portal phone extension details you need to set an email address. When a voicemail is received an email is automatically forwarded to that address with the voice message attached. There is no charge for this service

Personalise Your GreetingVoicemail is automatically set up , if enabled, with a default message that greets your callers. However we recommend that you record your own. Using Your Extension Phone Press voicemail key or dial *95 on your handset Press 0 for mailbox options Follow the prompts Using Another Extension Phone Dial 0 enter extension number for the voicemail you want to set up Enter password for extension number by default it is 0000 Press 0 for mailbox options Follow the prompts Use The Web Portal Login to the web portal Choose phone extensions Select extension number Click on the pencil icon Click on Manage Greeting Upload mp3 greeting file You can use the same system to change your greeting as and when required.

Check Your MessagesIf enabled your voicemail will email you as soon as a voice message is received. If you have an enabled handset the message waiting light will flash to alert you of a new voicemail. You can listen to your messages at any time on your own extension by pressing the voicemail key or dial *95. You can listen to your messages at any time on someone elses extension by pressing 0 followed by the extension number for the voicemail you want and then the password, which by default is set to 0000. For security you cannot access your voicemail from an extension or phone outside the system.

Old And New MessagesA message is a new message until listened to and an old message once youve heard it.

Deleting MessagesThe mail system keeps all messages until you delete them.


Additional Mailboxes, Ring GroupsAdditional MailboxesAlthough every phone extension has its own voicemail, sometimes additional mailboxes are required for things like out-of-hours messages or recorded information lines. You may add any number of these additional mailboxes and have messages delivered via email, or retrieve them from any other connected handset on the system in the same way as normal mailboxes. Adding a New Mailbox To add a new mailbox please contact Birchills Telecom, the first mailbox is free with your account, additional mailboxes are chargeable. Mailbox Settings To change any of the settings for an existing mailbox, simply click the pencil icon to the right of the chosen mailbox. Uploading a Custom Greeting Custom greetings may be recorded over the phone by dialling into a mailbox. However, you may also upload them via the portal by clicking the Upload Greeting icon next to the mailbox. Supported file formats are mp3 and wav. The maximum upload size is 2MB. Removing a Mailbox To remove an existing mailbox please contact Birchills Telecom. Any messages and/or greetings will be lost, so please ensure you have retrieved them beforehand.

Ring GroupsIn many cases you will require calls to ring on multiple phones at the same time. Ring groups allow you to specify which phones should ring and for how long. If one or more phones are busy the others will still ring. Adding a Ring Group To add a ring group please contact Birchills Telecom Modifying an Existing Group You may view or update group settings by clicking the pencil icon next to the group you wish to change. From here you may adjust any of the previously configured settings, change the ring timeout, or view/edit the preferences and call forwarding rules of each of the group members. Removing a Ring Group To remove a ring group, select one or more using the checkboxes provided and click Remove Selected


Call QueuesWhen placed in a call queue, callers will be greeted with a welcome message and then hear music (or your own marketing message) until their call is answered. Various aspects of a queue can be adjusted to suit your individual requirements and to ensure the best possible experience for your callers.

Adding a Call QueueTo add a call queue starting with the default settings, click Add Call Queue and choose an internal number/name. You may also add your queue members at this point by selecting them from the list. Click Next when done and approve your order by clicking Confirm. You may now go on to configure the more advanced settings if required

Modifying Queue SettingsTo update a queue and to access the more advanced options, click the pencil icon to open the preferences dialog. settings are organised as follows: General Welcome sound to play to callers when entering the queue. Max. wait time the maximum time a caller can wait in the queue. On timeout where to transfer the call if the maximum wait time is reached. Members add or remove extensions and view/update each of their call preferences. Advanced Ring strategy this is the order in which extensions should ring. Ring members for the length of time for which extensions should ring on each attempt. Retry after after ringing for the above length of time, the system will wait for a specified amount of time before trying each extension again. This process will be repeated until the queue timeout is reached. Caller should hear choose between music and ringing. Announce position let the caller know whereabouts in the queue they are by periodically updating them with their position. Periodic announcement you may choose to play a custom message to callers at regular intervals by selecting it here.

Removing a Call QueueAs with other features, to remove a queue simply select it (and others if required) and click Remove Selected.


Voice Menus (IVRs), Web UsersVoice Menus (IVRs)Also known as IVRs or auto-attendants, voice menus help to direct callers to the most appropriate person or department by giving them a number of options. For example, a caller may hear, Thank you for calling. Please press 1 for support, 2 for accounts, or any other options that are relevant to your business.

Adding a Voice MenuTo add a voice menu, click the Add Voice Menu button and complete the required information. You will need to choose a 3-digit internal number along with a name to identify this menu. Click Next when done, then Confirm to approve your order. You are now ready to start configuring your menu options.

Configuring Your MenuTo start configuring your menu, select the pencil icon next to it in the voice menu list. On the page that follows you will find the following options: Name in order to identify this menu on the system. Entry sound this will be played to callers when they enter the menu. You may choose from your existing sound files or upload a new one by clicking Add sound. Timeout the time to wait for a key press following the end of the welcome message before performing the specified timeout action Menu options 0-9 choose the required action to perform when the specified key is pressed. Invalid what to do if an unrecognised option is selected. Timeout the action to perform if no key is pressed within the specified period. Click Save when done to return to your menu list.

Removing a voice menuSelect the menu(s) you wish to remove from the list and click Remove Selected.

Web UsersYou may grant other users access to login to your portal by adding additional web users. Users may be granted permission to manage just a single extension, or all of them depending on your requirements.

Adding a New UserClick Add Web User and enter the following details: Username this must be at least 6 characters long and may only contain letters/numbers. Access level choose between Company Admin and Extension User. Extension this option will appear if you have chosen Extension User above and allows you to specify which extension should be managed by this user. Password minimum 6 characters.

Removing a Web UserSelect the user(s) you wish to remove and click Remove Selected


Call History, Bundles and SMSCall HistoryThe portal provides up to the minute call information and from here you can see details of all the calls you have ever made or received. Each call record shows the direction, date/time, destination, duration and cost (where applicable). Each month is summarised with a total number of calls in/out along with the total cost. You may easily switch between months by choosing from the drop-down list provided. These records will be available permanently to view online whenever you choose. You will also notice there is an option to download your call records in csv/xls format. Please note, the downloaded file will only contain the records currently being displayed. Therefore, if you have applied a filter, for instance to search by destination, only the search results will be included in the file.

Call BundlesIf you have subscribed to one of our great value call bundles then you will also find here a summary of available and used minutes for the current period. Unused minutes will not roll over to the following month. Adding a Call Bundle If you wish to subscribe to a call bundle you may do so by calling Birchills Telecom.

SMSSimilar to your call history, here you can find up the minute records of all incoming/outgoing text messages. Records are summarised on a monthly basis and are available to download in csv/xls format. You may also view the status of each sent message, i.e. failed, pending, sent, delivered. Sending a new text message To send a message click the New Message button or alternatively, click Reply next to a received message. Select the number from which you wish to send the message, enter your recipients number and type your message into the box provided. Messages are limited to 160 characters each. Multiple recipients can be entered by using a comma to separate each one (max. 50 at a time). Click Send Message when you are ready for it to be sent.


CodesGigasetTo use codes to transfer calls on a Gigaset use; ** for blind transfer or ## for announced transfer (for this to work the DTMF setting needs to be set to RFC2833 and not in-audio or sip-info)

Call PickupPickup calls on any ringing extension - *21# Directed pickup to pickup designated extension - **(extn number) e.g **104 On Grandstream phones you can also press button against flashing call and pick it up.

Access Group MailboxTo access recorded calls via handset dial 0 to access then enter mailbox no e.g 701 then password. The default password is 0000.

Access Personal Mailbox*95 or on Grandstream phone press MSG key.

Queue login*98 logout of queue *96 login to queue Withhold CLI *67


Business class, hosted VoIP, is changing the face of telecoms. At the forefront of this revolution is Birchills Telecom. Whatever you want to say its simpler and cheaper with Birchills.net the simplest VoIP yet.

Free cloud based PBX Quality VoIP hardware Free telephone numbers Simple low monthly fees Free 100% UK support

Most powerful feature set No long term contract Free Trial Low call costs DECT for VoIP

Birchills Telecom Ltd 200 Rookery Lane, Aldridge Walsall, WS9 8NP Tel 01922 21 33 33

Documents

Customer Portal User Guide From Birchills Telecom