VoIP Glossary

What is an Auto-Attendant?

Auto-Attendant: An auto-attendant is an automated phone system feature that answers incoming calls with a recorded greeting and presents callers with menu options to route themselves to the right extension, department, or voicemail — without a live operator.

How It Works

When a call arrives, the auto-attendant plays your custom greeting ("Thank you for calling Acme Corp. Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support"). The caller presses a key, and the auto-attendant routes the call to the corresponding extension, ring group, or voicemail. Multi-level menus allow sub-options for large organizations.

Business Use Cases

Small businesses use auto-attendant to present a professional image without hiring a receptionist. Medical offices use it to route patients before business hours open. Law firms use it to route new clients to intake and existing clients to their attorney's extension. Remote companies use it to route calls to mobile phones based on department.

How VestaCall Uses Auto-Attendant

VestaCall includes auto-attendant on every plan starting at $19/month. Build your menu in minutes with pre-recorded prompts or text-to-speech, and configure separate menus for business hours, after hours, and holidays.

VestaCall Auto-Attendant

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an auto-attendant the same as an IVR?
Not exactly. An auto-attendant handles basic call routing via keypad menus. An IVR is more advanced and can accept spoken responses and perform complex logic. VestaCall includes both.
Can I record my own auto-attendant greeting?
Yes. Upload an MP3 recording or use VestaCall's text-to-speech feature to generate a natural-sounding greeting from typed text.
Can the auto-attendant handle after-hours calls?
Yes. Configure separate menus for business hours and after hours. After-hours menus can route to voicemail, emergency lines, or play a custom message.
Does auto-attendant work for multiple departments?
Yes. You can create unlimited menu options routing to different extensions, ring groups, voicemail boxes, or external numbers.