An automated phone tree is a menu-based telephone system that routes callers to individuals, departments, and voicemail. Our version, the VirtualPBX Auto Attendant, comes will all our Business Phone Plans.
Well into the 20th century, phone trees were staffed by live receptionists. Efficiency gains in telephony systems and the advent of Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone plans helped change that manual task into an automated one. By the late in that century, businesses with high call traffic and expansive departmental organization could easily program their own calling menus to properly guide any inbound caller.
Putting the Auto into Automated Phone Tree
An automated phone tree’s core function is to direct callers to appropriate parties.
On its own, the Auto Attendant can help callers navigate to a specific point — such as an user’s desk phone. This is useful, but somewhat limited when the caller should reach a group or may have a concern that multiple company employees could address.
That’s why our Auto Attendant can pair with the ACD Queues and Ring Groups features of our phone plans. Those extra tools help the Attendant handle the complex routing requirements of modern organizations without the costs associated with older, traditional phone systems.
- ACD Queues are highly customizable call routing systems that can designate more than just the group or party an inbound call should be directed to. Additionally, ACD Queues can also throttle the pace of distribution and designate the sequence of agents who will answer calls. It also makes use of skills-based and overflow oriented call routing logic to move calls to the appropriate individual. ACD Queues can be purchased as an add-on to our phone plans.
- Ring Groups collect employees together — such as by department (Sales) or standing (C-Suite) — to complement the function of an automated phone tree. The Auto Attendant can reach a specific Ring Group, and the call may ring persons in that group sequentially or in tandem. Unlike ACD Queues, Ring Groups do not use logic to route calls; they’re only adjustable by static choices, such as ringing one person before the next. Hunt Groups are included with all VirtualPBX Business Phone Plans.
Getting Started With an Automated Phone Tree
Even though the combination of an Auto Attendant and either ACD Queues or Hunt Groups make for a formidable inbound call strategy, using them does not preclude an organization from having a live receptionist. In fact, the opportunities to use these technologies to enhance and improve the impact that having a live receptionist has on an organization are greater than the using them on their own. Plus, getting started is easy considering that all VirtualPBX VoIP Plans come with a 15-day money back guarantee. So what are you waiting for? Get automated phone trees for your office and see how they can help your business, today!
