About
The auto attendant feature is like a virtual receptionist, connection incoming calls to extension, hunt groups and other devices that have been configured to the system. The auto attendant often announces a company's name, followed by a selection of dialling options.
When a caller reaches the auto attendant, the system will play back the the prompt that has been set for that auto attendant. Once the caller answers the system by pressing the required digit(s), the system will continue processing the call based on the input.
Creating and Managing an Auto Attendant
Instructions
- Navigate to Features > Auto Attendant
- Click on Create Auto Attendant
- Account Number - This is like an internal extension number. The account number should be 3-7 digits in length and must be a unique number.
- Display Name - Give the auto attendant a descriptive name (eg. Initial Greeting, Sales Queue, etc.)
- CLI - The CLI used when the auto attendant uses when sending calls to an external number
- Select sound file - The recording that you will like to use for this queue. The file will need to be in mp3 format.
- Select the extensions, hunt group or another auto attendant that the caller will be directed to when pressing the corresponding digit.
- Redirection - In this section, you can select either select a Service Flag or to always run the redirection. If a service flag is selected, you can setup where how the redirection of the call is handled based on the date and time of the incoming call.
- Allow Personal Assistant (only configureable when editing an existing Auto Attendant) - If this is checked, the virtual personal assistant will be available when a user calls from an associated mobile phone. This will allow a user that has Personal Assistant enabled on their account that is paired to their mobile number, to call the DID that is associated to the Auto Attendant and access their Personal Assistant feature. More information can be found here -
Timeout Management
Timeouts is basically the setting where you identify how long you should wait for a user input, and if that threshold is reached, how to handle with such a call. This could be either sending the call to a specific extension, hunt group or to another auto attendant, or disconnect the call entirely.
Number of times to repeat welcome message - This is the number of loops you want the welcome message to play before it starts the redirect.
Timeout Duration - Select the duration you want the timeout to occur. If you are setting up an Auto Attendant just as a business greeting before diverting the call to an extension or number, please ensure that the duration is set to slightly longer then your recording.
Redirect Number - The extension, phone number, hunt group or auto attendant you want to deliver the call to.