5 Great Benefits of an Auto Attendant

Business suffers when there’s no-one to man the phone.

Indeed, as much as 80% of business is conducted over the telephone. Moreover, according to the same source, nearly 80% of callers will hang up without leaving a message if no-one picks up.

Clearly, having someone to answer and direct calls at all times is a major business boon. Yet you can’t have a receptionist at the office 24/7, and call centers are an expensive proposition.

Enter auto-attendants. These pre-recorded digital voice menus screen, direct and connect callers according to their needs and the available services.

Want to learn 5 key benefits they provide for business?

Keep reading.

1. Monetary Savings

Auto attendants are commonly used for the cost savings they provide.

Indeed, there are heavy ongoing financial costs to maintaining a call center or hiring multiple receptionists (for whom the average annual salary is $42.000 CAD ). Recruitment costs, training costs, wages and so on all become a factor.

By comparison, auto attendant services are included with your AgileIP service for free. No training or on-boarding required. It’s good to go from the outset.

2. Faster Call Handling

Taking phone calls is essential for business.

Using an auto-attendant can make a significant difference. It offers a wide range of features that take the pressure off. Callers can get their answer there and then by following the instructions. The attendant filters callers through to the right department too. That means fewer misplaced calls.

That extra time allows you to spend more of your time focusing on value adding activities. Likewise, you free your receptionist(s) to perform work of greater value.

Furthermore, a well-structured Auto Attendant will make sure your caller will reach the appropriate party faster. After all, they don’t have to go through your reception desk. This can easily translate to more sales and better service.

3. 24/7 Call Handling

Your business may receive hundreds of calls every day.

As we’ve noted, that can take time away from you and your team. It also makes the task of directing and screening calls an issue. Hold times can rise quickly. Customer dissatisfaction can become a problem.

Auto-attendants handle calls easily and effectively 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Customers have their needs addressed promptly too. The lives of both you and your customers improve accordingly.

4. Consistent Quality of Service

Auto-attendants offer a consistent and uniform experience to your customers.

It’s a computer after all so the call handling process always stays the same. Your business can also have calls handled outside business hours in the same consistent manner. You can be asleep, safe in the knowledge that phone calls will be effectively dealt with. That’s good news for international businesses that take calls from different time zones.

An auto attendant provides the same level of service whether or not your receptionist is available.

5. Professional Image

Finally, this all has a positive effect on your professional image.

The statistics at the start of this post demonstrate how missing phone calls can be disastrous for business. Having an auto-attendant means potential business won’t slip through your fingers through missed calls.

Likewise, clients and potential customers will be left impressed with the service. That’s all good news for your brand and reputation.

Time to Use an Auto Attendant

There you have it: 5 key benefits of using an auto attendant for your business.

Businesses can’t afford to misfire on their phone call handling. Not only is this essential to conducting business, but it’s also vital in attracting new clients and customers. Having someone to man the phone is essential to success and our auto attendant can help you achieve this at a lower cost.

As we’ve seen, auto-attendants provide an ideal solution. Hopefully, this article has proven why!

Interested in getting started with one for your business? Contact us today to learn how.