Some people use a PBX or a KSU system in environments such as retail. And some instances, the most used feature or most liked feature of any telephone system is the ability to page.  However, excessive use and overuse of paging in inappropriate uses can drive customers away if you allow “Open Line Friday*” every day, or allow someone to page and page right after the last page.

*referring to an alleged theme on a major conservative talk radio show that supposedly callers can call in without a narcissist yepping in those 3 hours on such days.

I can’t tell you how Open Line Paging can drive someone with sensory disorders crazy.

Here’s the deal.

Instead of investing in expensive walkie talkies to talk behind the customers back, here is some guidelines in paging.

• If you have a central extension (such as a customer service desk, where its always manned by someone monitoring the telephone), have that be the go to extension.
• Instruct employees to dial zero to request a page.
• Have a structured speech. Such examples
• “[Person] Telephone call on [Pickup access code]”,
• “[Person] please dial zero for the operator”
• “[Person] Please call extension [number]”

Make sure the person is paging has an appropriate tone of voice, do not talk like a high school cheerleader, and do not page so you can hear yourself.

Also in this change of process, make sure you update your Class of Restrictions, Class of Service or COR or COS so the people don’t continue to page at their station or extension. Block access to paging and only enable it to the operator’s or central point of contact’s extension.

Automated paging also will turn away potential customers. Stores like Lowes and Kohl’s have automated paging systems where a user dials an extension to ring out to the automated paging. The real problem is when no one gets to the customer fast enough and the paging system sends more authority. And if you’re going to do “codes” outside of medical centers, reserve that for the walkie talkie. What does “Code 34” mean to a customer when its blasted at like 20db or something crazy like that?