In order to ensure that your auto attendant service attains the goal of boosting customer satisfaction levels, you need to make sure you consider a number of different factors, including everything from the format and length of the greeting message to the number of menu options and the order they are placed in. With that being said, read on to discover eight of the best practices for implementing an auto attendant.
1. Always provide the option to speak to a real person
There is nothing worse than calling a business and having to guess what sort of response is going to enable you to get to a real person in the end. Sometimes queries simply cannot be dealt with through automated responses, and people know that as soon as they call up – they don’t need your machine algorithms to figure this out. This is why it is imperative to make sure you provide consumers with the option of pressing a certain button in order to speak to a real person.
2. Limit the length of the voice introduction
The vast majority of customers – 71 percent – prefer introductions to be short. This means three seconds or less. You should not bog down the consumer with plenty of information about your company and your backstory. This is only going to cause frustration. Your consumer’s time is precious, and this is something that you need to recognize.
3. Do not include an excessive number of menu options
The next step is to make sure that you do not incorporate too many menu options. You should not make your callers wait through an extended list of options before they are going to be able to find what they need. The number of options should be limited. Sub-menus can then be provided for more detailed requests. It is advisable to make sure that you limit your primary menu options to five.
4. Personalize the tone of the auto-attendant so that it matches the culture of your company
Everything that you do as a business is a representation of your brand, and so you need to make sure that it is a good one. After all, an answering service at a retail store should not sound the same as the answering service at a dental or doctor’s office. The tone needs to match the sort of business that you run. This not only relates to your choice of hold music but it also relates to the personality of the person that is doing the recording.
5. The most important information needs to come first
The goal is always to save time. Remember, your customers’ time is precious, and you should not waste it. This is why it is important to make sure you order your menu options in terms of their importance. The first three menu options should feature the most requested menu options. This means that customers will be able to find what they need right away.
6. Make sure the recording is not artificial
Aside from the tips that have already been discussed, you need to make sure that the recording is not artificial. This is critical because research shows that customers prefer the voice to be genuine and authentic. They do not want a computer-generated voice.
7. Do not mention promotions on the main menu
It is also advisable to make sure you avoid or, at least, minimize mentioning promotions on the main menu of your auto attendant. This is critical because the promotions may not be relevant to everyone who is calling your business. You can plug your latest deals on the sub-menu depending on what the person has selected. For example, promotions sit well when someone has indicated that they want to be connected to your sales department.
8. Look for a qualified voiceover talent
Last but not least, it can be a good idea to look for a qualified voiceover talent to make certain that your audio sounds great. If you do this, you can expect the best quality audio because the voiceover will have been recorded in a studio with the best equipment. This can make a massive difference, ensuring that your recording comes across as professional and is easy to understand.
So there you have it: eight of the best practices that you should follow when it comes to implementing an auto attendant. If you follow the pieces of advice that have been presented above, you will give yourself the best chance of getting this right.