What is an auto attendant?
An auto attendant is an automated phone system feature that answers incoming calls with a recorded greeting and transfers callers to the right extension or department based on their keypad choice. It replaces a human operator at the switchboard.
How it works
The auto attendant answers the call, plays a greeting and lists options such as press 1 for sales, 2 for support, or dial an extension. The caller's keypress decides the transfer.
It usually has separate greetings for business hours, after hours and holidays, and a default destination if the caller does nothing.
Auto attendants can be nested, so an option opens a sub-menu, and are typically configured in the phone system's admin settings.
Why it matters
01Always answered
Every call is picked up immediately, even with nobody at the front desk.
02Professional first impression
A short greeting tells callers they reached a company and where to go.
03Less manual transfer
Callers route themselves, so nobody acts as a full-time switchboard.
Allo and Auto attendant
In Allo you can build an auto attendant with the IVR, and let the AI receptionist answer when callers would rather say what they need.
Related terms
The terms that usually come up in the same conversation.
All glossary terms
Frequently asked questions
An auto attendant mainly transfers calls based on a menu choice. IVR is broader and can also collect information and give self-service answers. Many products use the terms interchangeably.
The term is used both for an auto attendant and for a remote human or AI receptionist service that answers calls for a business.
The company name, the most useful options first, and how to reach a person. Keep it under about 20 seconds.