Auto attendant ( Automated Attendant) feature, also known as digital receptionist is smart feature in a digital PABX systems. This works like IVR system where it plays a recorded message for dialing extension number when some one calls any line connected to the trunk ports of PABX system. This feature helps call transferring to known extension without help of any human operator or receptionist.
Auto attendant feature may work in many ways. Here are the few call flow it may follow :-
1. When a call lands on the trunk lines, it will greet the caller as per time of the day. For example, if it is before non, it can greet the caller with a pleasant “Good Morning” and ask for either dialing the extension number or speak the name of person.
2. The Auto Attendant feature can also detect if the extension is busy or not. Accordingly the call could be forwarded to either a human operator or a voice mail system (VMS).
3. Auto Attendant feature can also do all routing based on time. It can even forward a call to any PSTN number depending on time.
4. Auto Attendant or Digital receptionist can work 24 hours a day. So, with auto attendant feature, an office can be online and open 24 hours a day, just like an website.
Now a days, any modern PABX are bundled with this useful feature. In many many auto attendant features in PBX systems can be configured, managed remotely giving very easy access for configuring it.
With recent development of many IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems, auto attendant features are implemented in them. Auto attendant features in IVR systems gives more flexibility as well as more options for call routing, call transferring, message options.
Auto attendant feature is an important feature for any PBX system. One should always look for this feature while choosing a PBX system.
