The Answer to Phone Calls
An automated answering system can make your staff more accessible and your business appear more professional.

By John Kinskey

Many small businesses cannot afford a full-time receptionist, so the employees or partners end up answering each other's calls and taking messages. This can be disruptive to work flow and frustrating for both the caller and the message taker. Although small business owners may prefer the personal touch of a "live answer," many use an automated answering system or auto attendant, so they can sound bigger and more professional and so that more calls can get directly to the intended recipient.

An automated answering system is different than voice mail. A basic voice mail system only answers overflow calls after four to five rings, whereas an auto attendant will answer every call immediately, provide the caller a list of options, transfer the call directly to an extension/desk and, if no answer, offer voice mail.

Phone System Options
An on-premise telephone system can be purchased with or without basic voice mail, with a full-time auto attendant being another option or upgrade. When purchasing a telephone system, be sure to explicitly inquire about each feature, as they often are not included in the low bid. Voice mail and/or an auto attendant may add 15 to 25 percent to the base price.

If you are considering an auto attendant, you may be able to upgrade your current telephone system, buy a new telephone system with a built in auto attendant or use an off-premise or hosted auto attendant service.

A hosted system involves a monthly service fee without the up-front capital outlay, and may offer higher capacity (i.e. number of ports or simultaneous calls), more standard features, including voice mail, and allow you to grow without having to upgrade or replace your on-premise telephone system. With a hosted system, you also can administer your auto attendant from an Internet portal, making changes to extensions, find-me numbers, message notification, and so on.

Forwarding Calls
Many small businesses struggle with how to distribute calls to a disparate sales force or out-posted employees. Newer telephone systems or a hosted auto attendant solution allow you to set up extensions that will transfer the call to a home office phone or cell phone, whether local or across the country. Some companies have gone completely virtual, moving all staff to home offices while retaining their main published number and using a hosted auto attendant solution with "extensions" that ring to home offices and cell phones.

With a hosted auto attendant solution, you can forward your main number to a hosted auto attendant service, using a forwarding number they provide. This forwarding number sits behind your main number and is transparent to the caller. Then, all calls are immediately answered by the hosted auto attendant and can transfer to extensions within the same office or to out-posted employees.

If all your employees are based in one location and you have a receptionist to answer the main lines, you may not need a full time auto attendant. However, if you want callers to be able to transfer directly to a staff member, whether they sit in the next office or across town, an auto attendant may be the best solution.

John Kinskey is president of AccessDirect, Inc. You can reach him at (913) 599-6500.