Chapter 17: The Screening/Search Box
What is a Screening/Search Box?
A Screening/Search Box (hereafter called a "Search Box") allows callers to search and sort through profiles and hear recorded profile descriptions which have been entered into a particular Capture Box database. In the Search Box you will record questions that callers will answer to locate specific profiles in the database. The entries in the Capture Box could have been created by callers or by the system operator at the screen using the Messages, Screening Capture Box screens.
The questions in the Search Box will mirror very closely the questions asked of callers when creating a profile in a Capture Box. For example, if a Capture Box question is, "Are you selling a domestic or foreign automobile? Press 1 for domestic, press 2 for foreign", the corresponding Search Box question might be, "Are you seeking a domestic or foreign automobile? Press 1 for domestic, press 2 for foreign".
After the caller has responded to all of the questions in the Search Box the system will look for profiles in the associated Capture Box database which match the caller's preferences. The caller will be informed of the results of the search and will then review the recorded profile descriptions left by Mail Box holders. After hearing a recorded profile description the caller can choose to be sent to the Mail Box holder's Mail Box, receive a fax if a Fax Box has been attached to the survey profile, or even be connected directly to the Mail Box holder's home phone if the Mail Box is set to perform a transfer! You determine the options that will be available to browsing callers by how you set up your system. The only profiles available in a Search Box are those entered in the associated
Capture Box.
When a caller enters a Search Box they will typically hear:
1. Search Intro. Example: "Thank you for your interest in used autos. Please answer the following questions so we may help you find what you are looking for."
2. Search Questions. Example: "Press 1 for domestic cars, 2 for foreign cars."
3. Matching Criteria Prompts (if Use Matching Criteria is selected). Example: "There are over 500 autos with those parameters, please make your selections more specific."
4. Hear Recorded Profile Descriptions (if Play Responses is checked).
The caller may press the following keys during profile description playback to control the flow of messages:
Key 1 - Go to Mail Box
Key 2 - Replay Message
Key 3 - Next Message
Key 4 - Change Categories
Key 5 - Replay from Beginning
Key 8 - Exit Profile Description Playback
Note: If a Fax Box has been attached to the survey profile (not implemented) callers will also have the option of receiving a fax from the accompanying Fax Box.
You can set up a Search Box that will allow callers go directly to the desired recorded profile description without searching the associated Capture Box database for matches. If you check the Accept Mail Box # option, the Search Box will respond as follows:
1. Search Intro
2. Ask caller for a Mail Box number (when Accept Mail Box # is checked)
3. Play the requested recorded profile description for the caller
4. Search Ending
If you select both the Accept Mail Box # option and the Play Responses option in the Search Box, the caller will be given a choice to either enter a Mail Box number to go directly to a recorded profile description, or search the associated Capture Box database.
Box Number
Just like all other boxes, the box number is a reference number between 0 and 999,999,999 (with a maximum of 100,000 boxes allowable on the system) that the system assigns when a new box is created. The reason for allowing such large box numbers is so that boxes can be numbered with seven-digit phone numbers, or even nine-digit Social Security numbers. When you use the New Box Icon to create a new box you can assign the new box any box number that is not already in use within your system.
Box Name
In this field enter a descriptive name that will help you locate this box in the future. You can search on information contained in this field using the Box Finder screen.
Client
Each box belongs to a Client that you have defined using a Client Box. If you are the system supervisor you will be the default Client, and your default Client number is 0. Each Client has a password which allows the Client to remotely access and modify boxes assigned to them. If you wish to assign a box to a different Client, double-click on the field where you enter the Client number and the Client Finder screen will appear. This window will display a list of the Clients currently defined on your system. Double-click the Client you would like assigned to this box.
Capture Box
In this field enter the number of the Capture Box which will be the companion to this Search Box. This information is needed so that the system knows which Capture Box database to search when using this Search Box.
Name
Click on the Name button to record a name for this box.
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Search Intro
Click on the Search Intro button to record an introduction to the search process which will be played to callers who enter the Search Box. Be sure to inform callers of special touch-tone options, such as wildcards and the Exit key, which the caller may use. Example: "Press 8 if you would like to cancel this database search and return to the main menu. You may press the star key as a response to any question for which you would like to hear all profiles."
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Search Questions (submenu)
Click on the Search Questions button to bring up the Questions display window which contains a listing of all previously defined questions. If this is your first time using the current Question Box you will see three default questions already in the display. You can begin defining questions by double-clicking on Question 1 to bring up the Individual Question window. From the Questions display you also have the option buttons to Add or Delete questions.
Note: It is not necessary to have questions in your Search Box. If there are no questions, then all items in the accompanying Capture Box will be played. You could have 2 Search Boxes for each Capture Box. One which has
It is also possible to only choose a few questions to match one, with the rest being assumed as matched. For example, in the Capture Box,you may want to ask people several questions - so you have the information available for a later time. Then have a Search Box where you set up questions 2, question 5, question 7.
Remember: The questions you define in the Search Box should mirror the questions you have defined in the corresponding Capture Box.
Individual Questions
You can bring up an Individual Question window by clicking on any question in the Questions display. In the Individual Question window you will record a question and set limits regarding the type of response which will be accepted for this question.
Name of Question
In the Name of Question field enter a descriptive name which will allow you to identify this question. The name will appear in the Questions display window.
Name
Click on this button to record a name for the current question.
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Question (submenu)
Click on the Question button to record a question to be played to the caller. For example, if you are operating a matchmaking service one of your search questions might be, "Press 1 if you are looking for a blonde, press 2 if you are looking for a brunette". An appropriate question for a real estate survey might be, "Press 1 if you are seeking a home under $100,000, press 2 if you are seeking a home between $100,000 and $200,000".
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Response Ranges
The Response Ranges options are used to define allowable responses to a question.
Value
If you choose to use the Value Response Range, enter the low value in the first field and the high value in the second field. For example, if you wish to allow an age range from 1 to 105, you would enter 1 as the minimum value and 105 as the maximum value.
Important: The Value Range is the actual numerical value of the entry. You would not use this option if a question prompts the caller for a phone number or Social Security number, for instance, because these types of numbers do not make numerical sense (you couldn't rank them by their actual numerical value).
Number of Digits
The two Number of Digits fields define how many digits a caller can enter before the response is considered to be complete. They function the same as the Minimum Digits and Maximum Digits fields in the Access Box Tweaks submenu. If you want the system to wait until four digits are pressed before proceeding, you would set the Min. # of Digits to 4, and the Max. # of Digits to 4. If a valid response to a question could be anything from 1 digit to four digits in length you should set the Min. # of Digits to 1, and the Max. # of Digits to 4.
For example, to allow an age entry you would set the Minimum Digits to 1 and the Maximum Digits to 3.
Allow Wildcards
When this check box is checked, the caller may use the star key as a wildcard for the question you are currently defining. This means that all possible responses to this question will be found in the database. For example, if the question asks the caller to select either domestic or foreign automobiles and the caller presses the star key, both domestic and foreign automobiles will be included in the found set of profiles. If you use this option, be sure to tell the caller that the star key may be used as a wildcard.
Error Message (submenu)
The Error Message button allows you to record a message that will be played to the caller if a response is out of range.
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
On Error
When an error situation is encountered during the surveying of a caller, the system can respond in three different ways, which are described below.
ReQuestion - This option will play the Error Message for the caller, then replay the current question and give the caller another opportunity to respond.
ReSurvey - This option will play the Error Message, then begin again at the first question in the Search Box.
Exit - This option will play the Error Message, then immediately exit the Search Box by sending the caller to the box indicated in the After Box field, which is located in the main window of the Capture Box.
Description
You may use this field to enter information that will help you when working with this question. For example, you could enter something like, "Choices are 1 for blonde, 2 for brunette, or 3 for red hair."
Search Ending
Click on the Search Ending button to record a message which will be played to callers just before being sent to the box indicated in the After Box field. Typically this message would thank the caller for browsing the database.
For instructions on how to record, see "Recording Names, Greetings, Messages and Prompts" in Chapter 3.
Matching Criteria (submenu)
The Matching Criteria button will bring up the Matching Criteria window, in which you will set limits on the number of matches that will be replayed to the caller after a database search.
Use Matching
You must check the Use Matching check box if you wish the Matching Criteria options defined in this window to take effect. If this box is not checked no limits will be placed on the search results.
If Less Than
Select this option to set a lower limit for the number of matches required. In the Matches field enter the number of matches that you consider to be too few. Using the Low Msg button, record a message that will explain to the caller that the number of matches is too low, and explain what will happen next. You can choose to either send the caller back to the beginning of the Search Box to enter new search criteria, or to send the caller to the box indicated in the After Box field. It could be that the caller is being too specific - perhaps you might record an instruction for callers explaining how they can use a wildcard to allow more matches.
If More Than
Select this option to set an upper limit for the number of matches allowed. In the Matches field enter the number of matches that you consider to be too many. Using the High Msg button, record a message that will explain to the caller that the number of matches is too high, and explain what will happen next. You can then use the Resurvey or Exit (Error) check box to either send the caller back to the beginning of the Search Box to enter new search criteria, or send the caller to the box indicated in the After Box field.
You may want to use the If More Than option in case a caller used the wildcard for all questions. You would not want the caller on the line long enough to hear dozens, or even hundreds, of recorded profile descriptions.
Maximum Retries
In this field enter the number of times you want to allow the caller to modify search criteria.
Otherwise
If you have set 5 as a lower limit and 100 as an upper limit, and the caller's choices allow for 27 matches, the General Message will be played. After this the system will either play all of the 27 matches, or exit and send the caller to the box you have indicated in the Goto Box field. You might want to use this as a "teaser" to entice the caller to become a member on your system.
From an Access Box set to validate you could send paid members to Search Box 30, which is linked to Capture Box 20's information. This Search Box would be set to play all matches. You could send non-paid callers to Search Box 31, which also is linked to Capture Box 20's information, but is not set to replay responses. The caller would hear that there are 40 matches, for example, but would be unable to hear the recorded profile descriptions without paying for membership privileges.
PlayBack Order
There are three different ways that recorded profile descriptions can be played for callers after they have been located through the search process.
Chronological - Messages from the found set are played back from the oldest to the newest.
Reverse Chronological - Messages from the found set are played back from the newest to the oldest. (Repeat callers will just hear the newest entries.)
Scrambled - Messages from the found set are played back in random order.
Play Last Days:
The Search box will play back matches to the caller based on the order chosen (chronological, etc). If you check Play Last Days and enter a 3, for example, the system will automatically ask the caller if they want to hear ALL matches, or just those matches that have had their surveys re-recorded in the last 3 days. That will include new people on the system who were approved in the last 3 days as well as existing box owners who recently re-recorded their survey descriptions. If you enter the number zero, then there will not be a choice prompt played, and the search box will automatically play all listings that are dated today's date forward. This is a very useful setting if you use the search/capture boxes for upcoming events. They could all be recorded today, but you can modify the creation date of the recording date from the screening box messages screen (Messages, Screening Box messages) to be the date of the event.
Play only if transfer enabled:
When checked, only survey descriptions where the attached mailbox has it's call transfer enabled will be played. If the transfer is enabled, but no phone number is listed, that survey will not be played. This allows you to offer callers the opportunity to only listen to the survey descriptions of people they can talk to right away.
Require Validation of Messages
With this option selected, recorded profile descriptions will only be played for surveys that have been validated by the system supervisor. If you are operating a classified listing service, you would want callers to be able to leave a recorded profile description and have a new Mail Box created, but you wouldn't want their recorded profile description (listing) to be played to callers until the Mail Box holder has paid to use your service. In this situation you would select to Require Validation of Messages.
There are two ways to validate/approve new entries:
Validation Method 1 - By remote access. From a User Access Phantom or Supervisor Phantom, enter the Capture Box number and the password for the accompanying Client Box to enter the Capture Box and review profiles waiting to be validated.
Validation Method 2 - From the computer screen. Enter the Capture Box Messages screen, which is accessed from the MESSAGES menu. The new entries will be listed in the window. (See Screening/Capture Box Messages in Chapter 19.)
After Box
In this field enter the number of the box the caller will be sent to after the Search Box has played the Search Intro, asked questions, played recorded profile descriptions (and given the caller the opportunity to leave messages in Mail Boxes), and played the Search Ending after all matches have been reviewed.
Accept Mailbox Number
This option will allow callers to directly access a recorded profile description. If you are running a real estate service, each house listing will have a Mail Box number, along with its recorded profile description. The real estate agent could include this Mail Box number when advertising the home. Callers would then already have a number for a home they are interested in. If you have the Accept Mailbox Number option checked, after the Survey Intro the caller will hear "Please enter the Mail Box of the profile", or whatever you would like to rerecord for the SURVEYBX.VOI system prompt. The caller would then be able to directly access a recorded profile description without answering any search questions.
Play Responses
If you check this option the caller will have the option of searching the database. If this option is checked and the Accept Mailbox Number option is not checked, the caller will go directly to the Search Box questions. If both Accept Mailbox Number and Play Responses are checked, the caller would be able to either enter a Mail Box number or answer Search Box questions. The caller would hear a prompt such as, "Press 1 to enter a Mail Box number or 3 to continue". Pressing 3 would take the caller to the Search Box questions.
Note: If neither Accept Mailbox Number nor Play Responses are checked, by default the caller will be taken directly to the Search Box questions and matches will be played.