Definition: An auto-attendant is one of the features that comes in many VoIP packages, especially those intended for small or big businesses. Also called a digital receptionist, an auto-attendant is a voice menu that instructs a caller which button to press for which service, and directs them to the service once they make their choice by pressing a button. For example, the caller, after being greeted, will be requested to press 1 for general information on a product, 2 for technical assistance, 3 for the mobile service etc.
The auto-attendant is not only a pre-recorded audio track that plays on each call, but is an engine that directs calls to the appropriate extensions on a phone system. It can also be programmed to do other smart work, like informing the caller when an extension is busy. An auto-attendant makes things better for both the caller and the called company. The caller will find it convenient to bypass a line of bureaucratic phone-passing including explanation of his query to each recipient in the line, and get to the right person on a button press. The company saves money and trouble by having a machine do what costly labor would require, and 24/7.
Alternate Spellings: auto-attendant
