Modern-day business communications need to feature the best auto-attendant phone system to help people easily navigate through the options to get to who they are trying to reach. The auto-attendant feature essentially refers to a voice menu system that transfers callers through an extension without needing to deal with an operator or a receptionist.
It’s a hallmark for modern businesses to have an auto-attendant phone system. As the technology becomes more accessible, an increasing number of small businesses are starting to employ these systems.
If you’re a small business looking to modernize your communications, let’s first look at the advantages the system offers and how to choose the best auto-attendant phone system.
Advantages of Auto-Attendant Phone Systems for Small Businesses
Cost Savings
One of the most important advantages of implementing the best auto-attendant phone system is that it provides small businesses with cost savings. Hiring multiple receptionists or managing a call center is a lot more expensive. That’s without taking into consideration the overall recruitment costs and training costs.
In contrast, the costs for running an auto-attendant phone system are significantly lower. You also don’t have to worry about any training or deal with an employee on-boarding process. The minute you get a system, it’s suitable for operation and requires very little maintenance.
Faster Call Response
For most businesses, taking phone calls is part of their bread and butter. If you use the best auto-attendant system, it can make a significant difference to your response time.
The auto-attendant system immediately takes the pressure off both the business and the caller. Instead of relying on individuals to answer each call, the company can trust the technology to professionally greet and route the callers to the appropriate person or department. In addition, there’s no room for any misplaced calls because the whole system is automated.
Related: How to Find the Best Small Business Phone System Provider
These efficiencies mean your teams can spend a larger portion of their time providing customers with more value. It’ll also free any receptionist you’ve employed to perform more meaningful work for the organization.
Additionally, suppose you focus on creating an auto-attendant system with proper structure. In that case, it’ll automatically translate towards more excellent sales and better service.
24/7 Service
By employing an auto-attendant system, you can ensure that your business can receive calls 24/7. Even a small business may have to deal with hundreds of customers calling them. It becomes physically impossible for organizations to deal with all these calls as the company grows.
With the best auto-attendant system, not only will your life become much easier, but your customers will reap the benefits of getting prompt service.
Consistency
Another significant advantage of an auto-attendant system is that it ensures a consistent and uniform experience for all your customers.
Instead of relying on humans to maintain a particular standard of service, you’re depending on technology. By implementing an automated system, you can ensure that your business can handle calls outside of business hours with the same level of consistency – which is very important.
An auto-attendant system provides a level of service that a standard receptionist or operator can’t match. The ability to provide a consistent standard of service increases the opportunity to brand your company as more professional customer-focused.
Now that you understand the different advantages an auto-attendant phone system provides small businesses, let’s discuss how to choose the best auto-attendant phone system.
Auto-Attendant Phone System Buyers Guide
You’ll find plenty of different auto-attendant phone systems on the market. That’s why small businesses need to know what to look for when trying to get an auto-attendant phone system.
Here are a few features to look for when looking for the best auto-attendant phone systems.
Self Service
One of the most basic features that you should look for in an auto-attendant system is self-service capabilities. For example, the auto-attendant system should offer the ability for the caller to perform a specific function by pressing a particular button.
On the other hand, certain auto-attendant systems provide businesses with advanced self-service options. These include the ability to input identifying information, such as their account number or subscription ID, to learn more about their account details.
Languages
If you’re running a business that serves customers who speak a variety of different languages, you’ll want an auto-attendant phone system that offers other languages. Most of them involve a simple interface that asks the customer to press a particular button to hear their options in Spanish, for instance. You should be able to set up different languages based on your customer demographics.
A feature like this can not only provide your existing customers with a better experience but can significantly increase your customer base as well.
Call Routing
If you’re running a business that’s getting a number of different calls, you want to be able for your phone system to route calls to a specific person, a team or department, or even a mobile device.
By routing a call to a department, for instance, instead of waiting for a single caller, the customer will get connected as soon as the next agent becomes available. This feature can dramatically improve call response time.
Third-Party Integrations
A modern business makes use of several different applications to do their business. Almost every small business now employs customer relationship management (CRM) software and other business applications. If you have an auto-attendant phone system that integrates with your CRM software, such as AllPRoWebTools, it will streamline your operations.
Pricing
One of the main reasons organizations look to employ auto-attendant phone software is to help them save money. That’s why pricing becomes essential when looking to get the best auto-attendant phone system.
While the pricing might be similar between most service providers because of the competitive nature of the industry, keep an eye out for what service providers are charging for particular features. Many charge add-on fees beyond their basic feature package or have plans that force you to purchase more than what you need. Look for flexible pricing models and robust features to ensure you get the most for your investment.
Alternatives to an Auto-Attendant Phone System
If you’re not willing to make the complete switch towards an auto-attendant phone system, a live remote receptionist is also a good option. They’re starting to increase in popularity and are an increasingly viable option for businesses that want to have a real person answer calls and guide callers, particularly if you offer appointment scheduling.
Related: Here’s Why You Need a Live Answering Service for Your Small Business
They provide:
- High-quality customer service with a more personalized engagement
- A consistent experience across multiple different channels
- Serious cost savings
Why would an organization pick a remote receptionist instead of an automated system? Well, many customers prefer dealing with an actual human instead of a machine. An automated system might be efficient and effective, but if you can afford it, remote virtual receptionists do provide the human element.
Set Your Business Up for Success
For a small business to take that next step and move towards becoming more professional and organized, an auto-attendant phone system is a must. These systems help businesses take on a greater volume of calls, provide more consistent services, and help businesses save money.
However, a business needs to understand what their needs are before buying an auto-attendant phone system. If the system doesn’t match the requirements of the business and what your customers want, then you can end up with poor customer service ratings and less ROI.
That’s why business owners must do their research before committing to any particular auto-attendant phone system. You can find more about the auto-attendant phone system, see plans and sign up in just minutes.
References:
https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-auto-attendant-phone-system/