Using Auto Attendant to Sound like a Multi-Million Dollar Company
Being a small business owner is incredibly hectic, stressful, and taxing for millions of people across the country. A small business can consist of one to five employees or even as large as 40 employees. Either way, the responsibilities of the owner weigh heavily on the outcome of the company’s success, and this includes the technology used by the company in and out of the office.
A sought after feature most phone systems offer today is the auto attendant. A phone system with an auto attendant feature makes your small business; no matter how small it is, appear to be a major corporation. The auto attendant removes the need for you to hire a receptionist because the system will answer phone calls, transfer phone calls, transfer to extensions, transfer to voice mails, provide a menu and a sub-menu and repeat choices.
Create a Polished Message
One of the main features an auto attendant system offers its users is the ability to record their own personal message. The user simply logs into the system after writing their message and begins recording what they want caller to hear. The message should read somewhat like the following example:
“Thank you for calling (company name here), (possible company slogan), if you know your party’s extension you may enter it now. For a directory of all employees, please press zero. At (company name here), we are dedicated to quick and quality customer service no matter the issue. Please stay on the line as someone will be with you shortly.”
Easy to Follow Menu
The second feature that many companies look for is the ability to create an easy to follow menu for the auto attendant. You do not want to use a menu that your callers get lost in, cannot follow, and get so frustrated that they wind up ending the call. This type of menu can cost you business from current or potential clients, dropping your profits along the way.
An easy to follow menu should have a main layer, numbered from 1-9, with each number having less than two features attached to it. If you need to operate with a sub-menu, this should not be a problem at all. The sub-menu can be labeled with numbers 1-9 as well but will allow the caller to return to the previous menu should they press the wrong number. You can return to the previous menu using the zero button in most auto attendant systems.
The numbered menu should include a sub-menu for an employee directory, the sales department, customer service department, ability to check previously placed orders, voice mail and many other options.
If you want your small business to shine just as bright as the major corporations in this country, consider using an auto attendant for your phone system.
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