New Services Directory and Auto Attendant Make Calling the Fed a Cinch!

A new initiative is under way across the Eighth District and its focus is you--our customer! The staff of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank is working hard to increase the level of service provided to our customers. Two areas that we've been prioritizing include revising our Services Directory and adding an auto-attendant feature to our current phone system.

At Your Service

If you've had a chance to see the Fed's revised Services Directory, we're sure you'll agree that the new format makes it quick and easy to locate the numbers you need. If you haven't yet seen the new directory, one is enclosed with this issue of Payments Quarterly.

Some improvements we've made to the directory include:

• condensed size, fewer numbers--to direct you to the employee or area that best meets your needs;

• quick reference tool--to allow you to find divided reference sections and short descriptions easily;

• additional toll-free numbers--which provide you with no-cost methods to contact our offices when you're calling long-distance; and

• simplified format--to allow us to update and print the directory more frequently.

There are four separate versions of the new Services Directory, one for each of the offices in the Eighth District. If you would like to obtain additional copies, contact Tracie Mueller at (314) 444-8810 or call toll-free at 1-800-333-0810. You can also access the four versions of our Services Directory online at www.stls.frb.org/general/directory/.

May I Help You?

An auto-attendant feature was added to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' telephone system recently. The auto attendant--rather than the Bank operator--will now answer incoming calls to the Fed's two main numbers: (314) 444-8444 and 1-800-333-0810. Plans are in the works to upgrade Little Rock's phone system later this year; Louisville and Memphis will be upgraded in 2002.

Now when you call the Fed, if you know the five-digit extension you want to reach, you can press "1" and then dial it directly. If you know the employee's name but not the extension, use the PhoneSpell feature by dialing "2" then the employee's last name, followed by first name, until recognized. A third option allows callers to dial "0" to contact the operator, who will connect you directly to the requested employee or department.

We hope all of these changes will make it more convenient for you to contact the Fed. The next time you need to find a Fed phone number or place a call to the Fed, we think you'll find it a cinch!