September 2022 Release Notes – Instant Callback, Integrated Billing, and More!

It’s a new month, which means we’ve deployed new and improved updates to improve your SAS Flex experience. Check out our September 2022 release notes which includes a new app integration, a new billing platform, and more!

General Web Portal

• Callback Customers: In addition to texting with your customers from the portal, users now have the ability to call customers from your portal as well as long as the computer they are using has a functioning microphone. When you call from your portal, your private phone number is never exposed. Customers will see your SAS phone number as the Caller ID. If they called that number back, one of our operators would answer!
• Call Details: Receiving your messages is important! In the Timeline of your Call Details page, you’ll see an error message if the Profile we tried to send the message to had no delivery options configured. If you’ve received a call but didn’t get the message, check the timeline to start to dive into why.

Flex Billing

• Billing Access: You can now access your answering service billing right from your Flex portal. Users have the ability to update their payment method, view invoices, process payments, and even change their plans – all without contacting customer support. You can even check the page for an accurate estimate of what your invoice will be for the upcoming month.
• Purchasing Additional Numbers: Want a new number? Don’t call us! Users now have the ability to purchase additional numbers right from their portal. Additional numbers can be used with Advanced IVRs, different scripts, lead tracking, or if you are having us answer for a multiple location business. Also, just kidding about the ‘Don’t call us’ part. You can still call.
• Billing Alerts: Clients on our new billing system are able to set alerts to be notified when they’ve hit different percentages of their allowance, as well as percentages of the threshold where it’s cheaper to be on the next plan.

IVR Updates

• Email Voicemail Messages: In the IVR Log, you now have the ability to email any voicemails you’ve received.
• Block Numbers: Click the row menu of any IVR call to easily block that number from calling again. Once the number is blocked, it will never get through to your account.
• IVR Workflow: Configuring Advanced IVRs is easier now with color-coded blocking.

App Integrations

• SAS Instant Callback: This app allows you to initiate instant callbacks to your customers after they’ve submitted a form on your website. When the form is submitted, our agents will call the person who filled out the form on your website immediately, already knowing who they are and why they’re contacting you. From here, we can quickly screen and transfer calls to your staff so you can close the sale, or even initiate a dispatch if it’s an emergency!

Scripting Updates

• Closing Block: Want to have the operators close the call by saying something different when you’re closed for vacation? Within the Closing block, users now have the ability to configure different operator text for Lunch and Holiday hours.
• DNIS System Variable: If you have multiple forwarding numbers attached to a single script, using the DNIS system variable in a workflow block automatically routes the agent through the script based on the number the caller called in on. For example, if you own a restaurant franchise with multiple locations and are using SAS as your complaint line, just attach all of your SAS numbers to a single script. When the agent answers the call, they’ll know they number that was called in on and will handle the call differently based on factor.

Amazing Tips

New features are great, but knowing how to use old features are even better! Check out some great tips below for how to get the most out of features we’ve deployed in earlier releases you may not have known about:

• Alphabetize Bulk Options: In script blocks that allow you to add bulk options, users now have the ability to alphabetize the entries automatically.
• Number Settings: The ability to choose which Caller ID you’d like displayed during a Reach from an on-call dispatch to your customer.
• Greeting Lookup Block: Adjustments have been made to the Greeting Lookup feature where if the caller’s caller ID is found in the system, their data will pre-populate for the agents to help cut down on call length.