You might have heard of an Auto Attendant, but aren’t quite sure if this is the right solution for your business. Ivrnet’s Auto Attendant can be customized to fit the needs of businesses of all sizes while reducing costs and improving customer experience.
We know that business suffers when there’s no-one to man the phone. It’s crucial to answer customer calls quickly and courteously. As a business grows and call volume starts to increase, maintaining that consistency is often difficult. Having a receptionist 24/7 isn’t a viable option and call centres are an expensive proposition.
As much as 80% of business is conducted over the telephone. According to the same source, nearly 80% of callers will hang up without leaving a message if no-one picks up. If calls are kept on hold for a long time or transferred between several irrelevant agents, customers often hang up without even leaving the message. To answer calls promptly and route calls directly to the concerned agent, it’s important to have an Auto Attendant.
But what is an Auto Attendant?
An Auto Attendant is the automated menu you hear when calling a business. It efficiently funnels calls and gives callers the exact direction they need.
Alternately known as digital receptionists, call menu, or call tree, Auto Attendants describes a feature in a telephony system (PBX) where a voice menu system helps the caller reach the intended extension/party without having to go through a human telephone operator or a receptionist. It can be understood as an automated call answering system that helps transfer incoming calls while providing callers with general information about the company and its services.
An Auto Attendant doesn’t completely replace human agents, but automates basic tasks and helps operators focus on more significant customer inquiries. Auto Attendants are among the most useful telephony features for call centres to manage high call traffic and avoid long wait times.
The main point of an Auto Attendant is to manage incoming calls effectively so callers are not left confused or arrive at the wrong agent or department.
How Does an Auto Attendant Work?
An auto-attendant may have the following features to ensure better call management:
- Greeting messages
- Business information (office hours, location, list of services, etc.)
- Automated company directory (with extensions for users and employees)
- Call transfer and routing options
- Menu prompts such as Repeat, Exit, Speak to Representative, Operator
Modern auto attendant systems work by leveraging VoIP technology to play the role of an automated answering service. In addition, these phone systems feature a dial-by-name directory that lists users by name, last name, or department. It allows the caller to press a key or use their voice to automatically ring an extension once the auto-attendant announces a prompt.
Where a user is not available, the digital receptionist directs callers to their voicemail where a user is not available or leaves a message. The system uses an Auto Attendant script to interact with callers.
A sophisticated form of Auto Attendant known as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) accepts a combination of voice telephone input and tone keypad selection. It provides appropriate responses in various media formats.
Benefits of an Automated Attendant
1. Better customer service experiences
Companies using an Auto Attendant system allow their customers to experience superior customer service.
Imagine customers not having to deal with a human who steps away from their desk for lunch or to get a breather. Phone systems are also quicker to acknowledge each call, creating happier and more satisfied customers in the process.
2. Cost reduction
It costs far less to install and maintain an Auto Attendant system instead of employing a human receptionist.
3. Employees can focus on work that matters
Employees have to achieve several goals in a given workday.
Answering calls from disgruntled customers who might not even know exactly what they need can significantly impact workplace efficiency. Auto Attendant systems provide a way around this, allowing employees to use time more efficiently and have clarity of mind to focus on more important tasks.
4. Filter and manage call flow
Callers can then reach the proper destination, specific employee, and department extension. When your company uses an Auto Attendant system, it provides a quick way for callers to choose precisely what they want to do or who they wish to speak with.
For instance, there may be different options for “sales assistance” and “technical support.”
Ivrnet’s Auto Attendant
From a basic interactive voice phone tree to advanced AI-driven features like biometrics and voice recognition, Irvnet’s Auto Attendant solutions can be customized to fit your needs.
Features:
- Geographic call routing based on caller’s location
- Automated service attendant intuitively understands how to respond appropriately
- Recognition of voice and unique intonation
- Auto Attendant adjusts intonation to match the situation at hand
- Understand foreign accents
- Ability to assess and alert authorities if it senses identity fraud
Final Thoughts on Auto Attendant
In case you’re wondering why you need an Auto Attendant system at your company, they build an important layer of efficiency onto your existing customer service infrastructure. With a robust design and commitment to excellent implementation, you can be certain that your company will win long-term customers and improve revenue. Contact our Sales Team to request a demo and learn how Ivrnet can help streamline your business communications.
