Automated Phone Directory Quick Reference

• What is an automated speech attendant?
• What is speech recognition?
• How do I reach the Northwestern University Automated Phone Directory?
• What are the hours of operation?
• What happens if the automated speech attendant does not understand my request?
• What if the automated speech attendant mispronounces my name or department?
• Why is my name or department not recognized by the automated speech attendant?
• What if there are multiple listing with the same name?
• How can I update or change my contact information?
• Why is it important to indicate a nickname on the NU Online Directory?

What is an automated speech attendant?

An automated attendant is the part of an interactive voice response (IVR) system that routes incoming telephone calls based on specific selections or information provided by the caller. An automated speech attendant is equipped with speech recognition software that recognizes human speech allowing users to speak their choices.  The automated speech attendant software accesses information from the NU Online Directory.

What is speech recognition?

Speech recognition is the ability of a machine to understand human speech. When spoken, the automated speech attendant will understand prefixes, such as Doctor or Professor, first and last names, as well as nicknames, as long as the contact information is listed in the NU Online Directory.

How do I reach the Northwestern University Automated Phone Directory?

You may access the Northwestern University Automated Phone Directory from a campus phone or from an off-campus phone. The automated speech attendant is responsible for routing calls coming into the following University telephone numbers:

What are the hours of operation?

The Northwestern University Automated Phone Directory is available to route calls, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. University Call Center Representatives will be available to personally route calls Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. During non-working hours, or when the University Call Center Representatives are assisting other callers, the automated speech attendant will be available to route the calls.

What happens if the automated speech attendant does not understand my request?

When a request is spoken, the automated speech attendant will ask you to confirm the match it has found by stating, “Are you looking for (first name, last name, or department name). If your answer is “No”, the automated speech attendant will ask you to repeat your request. If this action does not result in a match, during normal business hours, you will be transferred to a University Call Center Representative, for assistance.

During non-business hours, the automated speech attendant may ask you to repeat the match it has found by stating, “Are you looking for (first name, last name, or department name). If your answer is “No”, the automated speech attendant will ask you to repeat your request. If this action does not result in a match the automated speech attendant may ask you to spell your request. If a match is still not found, you will be instructed to call back during normal business hours to speak with a University Call Center Representative. As an alternative, the NU Online Directory is available to conduct a contact search.

What if the automated speech attendant mispronounces my name or department?

It is virtually impossible to get a perfect pronunciation of all names in the database due to the multi-cultural fabric of the university and the various ways of pronouncing some names. With this in mind, there are options that are applied by the system administrator to improve pronunciation. Contact the NUIT Support Center, at 847-491-HELP (4357) to receive instructions to improve your name pronunciation and/or recognition in the automated speech attendant system.

Why is my name or department not recognized by the automated speech attendant?

The automated speech attendant may not recognize a specific name or department due to incorrect or outdated information listed in the NU Online Directory, a name mispronunciation or due to the dynamic nature of the system. If this occurs during normal business hours, you will be transferred to a University Call Center Representative for further assistance. During non-business hours, you will be instructed to call back during business hours to speak with a University Call Center Representative for further assistance. As an alternative, the NU Online Directory is available to conduct a contact search.

What if there are multiple listings with the same name?

If there is more than one person or department with the same name, the automated speech attendant will try several times to find a match by offering qualifiers. In some instances, due to system limitations, the automated speech attendant may not be able to determine a match for your request. During business hours, if a match is not found, you will be connected to a University Call Center Representative for further assistance. As an alternative, the NU Online Directory is available to conduct a contact search.

How can I update or change my contact information?

Members of the University community may visit the NU Online Directory to edit or review their contact information for accuracy. Changes or updates made to the NU Online Directory become effective the next business day.

Why is it important to indicate a nickname on the NU Online Directory?

By including a nickname, or a shortened version of your formal name, in the NU Online Directory the automated speech attendant will more efficiently locate your information. A nickname can be a name other than your proper name. For example, if your formal name is Margaret, but some callers may know you as, Meg. The name, Meg, would be entered in the NU Online Directory under the nickname section.