“Thank you for calling XYZ Company. If you want to reach our dial by name directory, please press the “#” key….Please enter the first three or four letters of the person’s first or last name…”

“No. I dont want to try that.” - this is common reaction when I  come across the dial-by-name directory feature in business pbx systems.Most people hate it anyways, for a long list of reasons which I won’t bother listing. But one of the latest reasons to drop this feature, completely, is the popularity of smart phones.

Ever seen the keyboard layout of a smart phone? Try dialing in to a friend’s pbx / phone system and entering the four letters of your friend’s first or last name. Go on …. try it !! And you will know why.

A lot of new pbx system users like all the goodies that come with the installation of a brand spanking new pbx system and want to try out all the “cool” features. And for such eager-beavers, my advice is to stay away from the dial-by-name directory unless you want irate customers complaining about your lousy phone system and hurt your ego.

“So whats the alternative , wise guy?” - you may ask.

Here’s my suggestion.

Most phone systems have the ability to record multi-level auto-attendant greetings, so you may want to setup and announce an option, in your main welcome greeting, that allows callers to press 9 to reach a company directory.

You can record another sub greeting that lists out all names and extension numbers of the staff in the office. And this greeting should be played when callers press 9 Callers will then hear this sub greeting that they can dial and reach the person immediately.

If you cannot record multi-level greetings, then simply announce the extension directory at the end of your welcome greeting.

Like this… “Thank you for calling XYX company, if you know the extension number of the person you are trying to reach please enter it at any time…or stand by for our complete staff directory,..for xxx dial 221, for yyy dial 222…”

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