[H1] Create Closed or Holiday Auto-Attendant [H1]
Creating an after hours auto attendant is a great idea for any business, including businesses that answer their phones during the day. It's a better option to inform customers that you are closed over endless ringing and voicemail messages.
Closed & Holiday Greetings
We recommend creating two different greetings. One for your standard hours closed message, and others for Holiday messages.
Setting up your closed auto-attendant
Now that we've decided to create an auto-attendant, these are the very simple steps that you can use in your manager portal.
1. Log into your Manager Portal and select 'Auto Attendant' from the main menu.
2. Select 'Add Attendant.'
3. Name your auto-attendant something like 'Closed Greeting' or "Richmond Location Closed."
4. Create a unique 3 digit extension number. We always recommend using the 800 number range. For example 800 for your main greeting, 805 for closed, 810 for holidays, etc.
5. Select the Default Timeframe. (Very Important)
6. Select Add to create your auto-attendant
Default Timeframe Requirement
Even if you are creating a greeting for a specific date or time, always use Default Time Frames when creating auto-attendants. Timeframes are set at the telephone number level.7. Now that your auto-attendant is created, you're going to want to create the voice that customers hear when they call into your business after hours.
8. Select the 'Manage' icon beside the 'Intro Greeting.'
9. If there is a greeting already there, you can select Edit. Otherwise, select "Add Greeting'
10. You have three options to choose from when creating your auto attendant.
- Text-To-Speech using our AI Voices. Type out your message (Avoid symbols like &, #, @) You may need to misspell the name of your business or team members for the AI Voices to accurately pronounce it.
- Upload a recording. You can hire a Voice Actor on voices.com or other platforms that can provide you a professional recording for your auto-attendant.
- Record your own. Have someone on your staff record the greeting using their phone.
Auto-Attendant Script Ideas Get some ideas and best practices for your auto attendant scripts.
11. If you are using the Text-To-Speech option, you'll want to select the right voice for your message. Use the play button to hear how it sounds. We recommend Daniel or Holly as our top choice for male and female voiceovers.
12. Select 'Default' as the timeframe. (Even if you are scheduling your auto-attendant for specific timeframes, use default.)
12. Select 'Save' when you are done.
System Glitch When Saving Your Script Sometimes after typing out your greeting, selecting save, your greeting may say say 0:00 seconds. Just simply exit the auto-attendant you are editing and return. If it's still not there, you may be selecting 'Done' and not saving your recording.
13. Typically when you are closed, you only offer a few options like 'To leave a general voicemail message, press zero now." But here are the options available.
| User | This sends callers to either an individual user, or you can use this option for a Ring Group. |
| Conference | This will send a caller to a conference room if you have one. This is rarely used. |
| Call Queue | This will send callers to your Call Queue to be answered in priority sequence. |
| Directory | This is a dial by name directory that is automatically updated. We recommend using option '8' for your dial by name directory as it standard practice in telecom. |
| Voicemail | Useful if you want to send a caller directly to a voicemail. |
| Voicemail Management | Rarely used, this would be for internal use if an employee wanted to access their voicemail box. |
| External Number | As described, callers will be sent to an external number. This can be both a local or toll-free number but cannot be international. |
| Play Message | Used for things like address or other details, callers can be redirected to the main menu after hearing the message or sent somewhere else. |
| Repeat Prompt | This is useful for long auto-attendants with many options. However, your greeting must be recorded under the 'Menu Prompt' header as the intro greeting will not repeat itself when selected. |
| Add Tier | Allowing multiple levels for your auto--attendant. Think "press 1 for English and 2 for french." or Press 1 for accounting followed by a new tier which says 'for accounts payable, press 1, for accounts receivable, press 2" You'll be able to record the new tier's greeting on the left side of your screen under the menu prompt header. |
14. Select the number you wish to manage, and then the option you wish to use.
15. When using 'Users' or 'Call Queue' you'll have the option to create a 'Caller ID Prefix' which is a visual indicator that comes up on call display. For example, if you have one staff member that takes sales and service calls, you can distinguish callers using this method.
16. You also have the option to disable 'enhanced voicemail' which we recommend. It gives the caller unnecessary options.
Activating Your Auto Attendant
Now that you have create your auto-attendant, we recommend testing it by calling the extension you used, for example 810 on your B1 Communications phone. You'll be able to hear your greeting, press all the options and test all the functionality.
Create Timeframes / Schedule
To schedule your closed auto-attendant, follow these steps to create your Time Frames.
Auto-Attendnat Introduction Cutting Off? We have found that some cellphone providers cut off the first second of our auto-attendants. If you are experiencing this, we recommend adding 'Hello, thank you for calling..." This ensures that customers either hear the full greeting, or get cut off and start with "thank you for calling..."