Auto-Attendant: VoIP feature

Imagine you are on a road trip and you are lost. What would you do? Most likely you would use Google Maps on your phone or GPS from your car to help you navigate. This way, you get step-by-step guidance to your desired destination and improve your safety. Similarly, when customers call a business for information, they interact with an auto attendant—an automated phone system that works as their virtual GPS. The Auto-Attendant in VoIP is an automated answering service of a business phone system that routes incoming calls to the right person or department without human involvement.  

Today's small businesses need an automated phone system to improve customer experience and satisfaction. This popular VoIP feature enables businesses to increase efficiency, saves time, and does not require a dedicated receptionist to handle calls. This article will highlight the ins and outs of auto-attendant to help business owners like you make well-informed decisions.    

Understanding the auto attendant

An auto attendant is an automated telephony system that answers incoming calls and guides callers with the menu options to connect with the right person or department. Auto attendants are also called virtual receptionists, automated attendants, and automatic phone menus. It works as your virtual receptionist while eliminating the need for a human to answer calls directly.

When customers call your company, they are instantly greeted by a warm recorded message instead of being welcomed by endless rings or a busy signal. Then, this message provides a menu of options to the caller so they can quickly reach their desired department or person without human intervention at a short interval. Let's figure out how it actually works;

Greeting: When a caller dials the company phone number, they are greeted by a friendly recorded message:

"Hello, Thank you for calling [Company Name]. We are located at (address). Please listen attentively to the following menu options."

This auto attendant script can include the business hours and phone extension as important information. 

Menu Options: After greeting, the auto attendant introduces the caller to the menu options. For instance

• "For sales, press 1."
• "For customer service, press 2."
• "For billing inquiries, press 3."
• "To talk with a live operator, press 0."

Selection: Next, the caller presses the corresponding number on their phone keypad that best meets their need to call the company.

Routing: Once the caller chooses an option, the auto attendant routes the call to the correct department. The call might 

• Transfer to the specific phone line.
• Forward it to your voicemail inbox (In case no one is available at the moment to respond)
• Trigger call forwarding sequence

Backup Options: If the caller doesn't select any menu option or enters an invalid key, then the auto attendant provides backup options like

• "To hear" these options again, press 9."
• "For instance, please stay on the line; an operator will be with you shortly."

Meanwhile, this call flow in an auto attendant system is carefully designed to handle a high volume of calls effectively. At this point, you gain a basic understanding of the auto attendant feature of the VoIP phone system and how it works to help businesses manage their calls effectively. Now, let's dive into the importance of having an auto attendant for small businesses.

Why Does Small Business Need an Auto Attendant?

Here are some valid reasons to integrate auto attendants into your small businesses.

Reduced costs

Hiring a full-time receptionist is often tough for small businesses due to tight budgets. Well, you know, using an auto attendant feature in a VoIP phone system lowers the operational call costs because you don't need a live receptionist. This cost-effective automated phone system effectively handles calls and satisfies customers with on-time responses.

Scalability

As your business grows, you'll receive a high volume of calls from potential customers who are interested in your services. Handling such a large volume of calls can be challenging and require more team members, which can be expensive and resource-intensive. However, with auto attendant, your company can easily handle a large volume of calls at once without fail.

Boosts professional image

An excellent professional image is essential for small businesses to build trust and credibility with their customers. An auto-attendant helps with its refined greeting right from the start, giving the impression of being a larger and established company. Consistent communication can leave a lasting impression on callers and strengthen the company's professionalism while building trust, credibility, and positive customer relationships. 

Better customer service

A well-designed auto attendant call flow resolves customer queries in no time. It instantly guides the caller to the right destination. Auto attendants provide a finer customer experience by reducing the time it takes to connect them with the right agent or department, as they don't have to wait long in the queue. This way, it filters the caller, directs them to the correct department, and enables agents to spend time providing better services instead of mainly dealing with inaccurate calls.

Round-the-clock support

In contrast to the live human receptionist, an auto attendant works efficiently 24 hours a day to manage calls. Therefore, your customer can contact you at any time. However, you can set your business hours and give your customers a voicemail or call-back option, reducing the chance of missing a crucial customer call. 

What sets Transparent VoIP apart from the rest?

Transparent VoIP has been serving businesses in Southern California for over 15 years. We have a proven track record of meeting our customers' expectations. Unlike other VoIP service providers, where you have to set up and design an automated phone system, we make it easier for small businesses by setting up the phone system.

We are a fully-serviced VoIP provider that meets your telecommunication needs while managing all aspects, from installation to initial training to maintenance and much more. This empowers the business to focus on its main strengths. We consistently provide reliable and innovative approaches with complete transparency to our valued clients.