Telecommunications

Welcome to the Telecommunications department of Oakwood University.

Campus Directory

Telecommunications is responsible for the following services:

• Installation of new telephone services, moves, adds and changes to existing telephone service.
• Voice Mail services: Voice Mail services are provided to faculty and staff through this department upon request. Voice Mail for students is available on request. For first time voice mail users call extension 6631 to request installation and 6630 for instructions to set up voice mail.
• Caller ID: Caller ID is provided to employees through departmental budget. Caller ID for students is not available at this time.
• A university campus directory is made available for faculty, staff and students on the department web page. Or one can be purchased from the copy center.

Residence Halls:
Each room has a telephone jack installed, with one number per room. Each dorm room is provided with the following telephone features:

• Call waiting
• Speed dialing
• Call transfer
• Conference calls

University resident halls users will need to supply the telephone instrument for their room. Telephones should be analog. Students who live off campus will not have phone service with the university.

How to make calls from campus telephones:
On campus calls: dial four digit extension
Off campus calls: dial 9 + area code + number **
Emergency: dial 9 + 911

**As of June 5, 2010 -- 10-digit dialing is mandatory for all off-campus calls, including local calls (in the 256 area). Dialing the area code is necessary to be sure the call will connect properly.

Long Distance calling:

• Toll Free Dial 9 + 1 + 800 + number
• Calling card Dial 9 + instructions on card
• Collect calls Dial 9 + 0 + number or 1 + 800 + collect

Your Telephone Speaking Voice
It’s said that “You can't judge a book by its cover,” but how many of us make judgments about people just based on their telephone speaking voice? People form opinions and make judgments about us in the first 60 seconds they see us. People also make judgments about us based on the way we sound on the telephone.

Because people can’t "see" us over the telephone they will form these opinions based not only by what we say, but also on "how" we say it. In fact the message we communicate over the telephone is based on two qualities: (1) "What" we say (verbally) and (2) "How" we say it. In order for people to form a good image about your company, here are some tips, which will help your spoken image.

Answer a telephone at least by the third ring. This is important because it will ring to voice mail on the fourth ring. There should be a greeting, directing the caller back to the desk by pressing “0” (Instructions available from Telecommunications).

• Make sure your greeting is professional, and clear.
• Be prepared before you began answering the telephone - Have paper and pencil handy.
• Be an "active" listener, do not speak too fast, and pronounce your words clearly. Also show interest in what is being said.
• For office telephones answered by faculty, staff and students, when you announce your place of business say your name as well. (For example:  “English Department, Mrs. Brooks speaking.”)
• Learn to send callers directly to voice mail.
• Express messaging is a feature allowing you to send a caller to voice mail without ringing the telephone. (Instructions available).
• Make sure there is no loud noise in the background when you answer the phone, as this may cause you to ask a person to repeat their request.

If you have to step away from your work station, forward your calls to your voice mailbox or to another worker in your department.  For instructions call ext. 8469.