Short video:



Providing callers with dedicated extensions allowing them to quickly connect with a specific user/agent.



Advantages of Extension Based Dialing:

  • Add professionalism to your customer experience.

  • Make your business look bigger with extensions for separate departments.

  • Distribute the calls evenly to team members or to the next available Agent with customizable call routing extensions.

  • It adds a structure to your support or Sales operations.

  • Identify customers calling from unregistered numbers and provide them with a seamless support/service experience

  • Automate number masking for the last mile delivery. Delivery Partner can enter the order ID and get connected to the respective customer.

  • Spend less on Numbers and allocate PINs to your vendors/Consultants. Extremely cost-efficient in Marketplace uses cases(One to many connects)

  • Dedicated Relationship/Account Managers can be connected based on their allocated PIN.



Sample Call Flow:


Steps: Goto to App bazaar > Click on create > Enter the flow name.



Implementation:


Applets to be used :


  • Gather

  • Connect


The Gather Applet helps in reading out a customary greeting and collecting the DTMF codes punched in by your caller.


The Connect applet is used to connect the caller and the callee. In the Connect applet, you have a section “Dial a number returned by this URL” Here, you will need to host a URL that returns the phone number of that particular vendor with whom the caller wants to get in touch. If the correct phone number has been returned, then the call will get connected successfully. 

Creating the Flow:


  • Once you have logged in to your Exotel dashboard, please go to App Bazaar.

  • Create a new call flow by clicking on Custom Apps Create. This will open up the app builder page. 

  • Drag and drop the Gather Applet.

  • Drag and drop the Connect Applet.

  • Use the web app URL that was created earlier in the Connect applet.

  • Drag and drop any other applet you need.

  • Save the flow.


Based on the extension entered by the user, the corresponding number in the

spreadsheet will be returned by the URL which in turn will be called by Exotel.

Assign an Exophone to the newly created flow.


How to implement Extension-Based Routing using Exotel and spreadsheets?


  • Open a new spreadsheet. 

  • Upload the below code in the script editor of the spreadsheet.

  • Publish the code to get a web app URL.

  • Once deployed, copy the web app URL which will be used later in the Exotel flow. 

  • Open your Exotel account and create the flow below in the App Builder.


Javascript Code:


//Id of the spreadsheet 

//for spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BsalnnI5_yBRke6brWk5G54Qwm5dgonN_YnLXJa"

// has id as 1eWEl9ZxDtnTdeffChVCGGYtNQhrmgrRphAUB7O9-QIc

var ID = "1eWEl9ZxDtnTdeffChVCGGYtNQhrmgrRphAUB7O9-QIc"

  //Nme of the specific sheet inside the spreadsheet where data to  be dumped

var SHEET_NAME = "Sheet1"


//Name of the specific sheet inside the spreadsheet where numbers are available

function doGet(e) {

  var params = e.parameters;

  var abc = e.parameters["digits"][0]

  var output = retrieveData(abc)

  return ContentService.createTextOutput(output)

}


//retrieveData : Function to retrieve data from sheet

function retrieveData(paramm) {

  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.openById(ID).getSheetByName(SHEET_NAME)

  var data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

  for (var j in data) {

    if (paramm == data[j][0]) {

      return data[j][1]

    }

  }

  return "NO DATA FOUND"

}




Process:


  1. Replace the Sheet ID (var ID) from the URL as in the screenshot below-


  2. Replace the Sheet Name (var SHEET_NAME) from the sheet as in the screenshot below-


  3. Deploy the script as a web app-

    -Once the script is done, select the menu item Publish > Deploy as web app. A window will pop up on your screen.

-Under Project Version, type the name of the project.

-Under Execute the app as a section, select Me (Email).

-Under Who has access to the app, select Anyone, even anonymous. This helps make the web app accessible to Exotel.

-You can then click on Deploy to get the web app URL, which can be used in the Exotel flow.

  1. Use the Webhook created in the call flow, in the connect applet.


The link to a sample spreadsheet is given below:


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eWEl9ZxDtnTdeffChVCGGYtNQhrmgrRphAUB7O9-QIc/edit?usp=sharing


Looking out for answers to your queries?


Contact us: If you have any questions or concerns, please connect with us using the chat widget on your Exotel Dashboard or Whatsapp us at 08088919888.