How To Use The Auto Attendant Feature Successfully
When you get a toll free number that comes with additional virtual PBX features, you have so many advantages that the competition might not have. One of the features is the auto attendant, an integral part of any communication system.
An auto attendant essentially allows your business' communication system to function efficiently and effectively for two reasons:
No Extra Staff Needed
Without the need to hire and train additional staff to handle incoming phone calls, there can be a lot of time and money saved. Reducing overhead so drastically can help increase profits in other areas. In addition to the elimination of additional employees, the automated attendant feature is able to handle multiple phone calls whereas a human can only handle one at a time. With a receptionist, oftentimes calls are placed on hold or missed entirely because manpower doesn't compete with automated convenience. The auto attendant can handle many incoming calls at the same time and redirect them efficiently to the different extension per the caller's prompts.
Freed From Distractions
Having an auto attendant also helps cut down on the reoccurring telemarketing calls and other obstructive calls that can sometimes plague employees. Calls can be automatically routed to different extensions or directly to voice mail boxes so staff can continue to work virtually uninterrupted throughout the day and stay focused on the task at hand. Calls sent to voice mail by the auto attendant can be retrieved at staff's convenience.
Auto attendant options can be customized to meet the companies needs. There are some key tips to make your auto attendant successfully work for your businesses, even when your business is not working after hours:
- Nominate a specific staff member to record and update the auto attendant regularly.
- Create a written script for the outgoing message to be sure you include all the important information you want to convey.
- Practice the message several times before recording to make sure the message and delivery is as professional as it could be.
- Keep updating messages, especially when company events have changed such as new hours of operation, new promotions, or any other pertinent information that relates to consumers.
- Brainstorm the various reasons caller will be contacting your toll free number so you can create a plan of call redirection that makes sense to all callers.
About the Author:
Ty Ralot is a business owner and writes about issues concerning business communications, including 800 numbers and the technology of the virtual PBX phone system.
