Is a Multi Level Auto Attendant Worth Upgrading For?

If you’ve ever called a company and been greeted by a friendly automated voice offering you a menu of options, you’ve encountered an auto attendant. Without a live agent, this automated system directs you to the right department or person by having you select options from a menu.

Multi-level auto attendants enhance the caller experience by offering a sophisticated and in-depth menu system, fully customized to a customer’s needs. Unlike standard attendants with a single layer of options, multi-level systems provide a hierarchy of choices, allowing callers to drill down to the exact service or department they need.

This results in more precise call routing, decreased wait times, and reduced caller frustration.

While the benefits of multi-level auto attendants are clear, the question remains: is it worth upgrading to this advanced system? For some companies, overhauling their current auto attendant may not seem necessary, especially at a higher cost.

To make the best decision for your team, we’ll explore the features and advantages of multi-level auto attendants and important considerations to keep in mind if you decide to take the plunge.

Note: RingCentral is one of the few top business phone services that includes a multi-level auto attendant with every plan. Check out our RingCentral review to learn more. 

Why companies outgrow basic auto attendants

Basic auto attendants are often customers’ first point of contact with a business. Their main responsibility is to efficiently route calls to the appropriate line. They greet callers with a pre-recorded message and a simple menu of options, like “For sales, press 1. For customer service, press 2,” ensuring customers are able to direct their call where it needs to go.

This is invaluable for both remote and in-house customer service teams. It streamlines call handling, reduces the need for a live receptionist, and ensures a professional first impression to callers.

However, as businesses shift and scale in size, the simplicity of basic auto attendants can limit organizations — the lack of flexibility fails to adapt to more complex organizational structures or varied customer needs.

For example, a basic auto attendant cannot help a company accommodate multiple languages or enable callers to make payments over the phone. Both of these require the ability to create a phone tree with more than one level of options.

For growing companies, this can lead to several specific issues:

1. Inadequate call routing: With only a basic menu, calls may not be directed to the right department, leading to customer frustration and longer call times.
2. Limited personalization: Basic systems don’t offer personalized experiences based on caller history or specific needs, missing an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction.
3. Scalability issues: As a company expands, it might outgrow the capabilities of a basic auto attendant, leading to poor program functionality.
4. Increased hold times: With all calls funneled through a single, simplistic menu, callers might experience longer hold times, which means more dropped calls.

Thinking it might be time to ditch the basic auto attendant? Here are some telltale signs that your company would benefit from a multi-level auto attendant upgrade:

• Increased call volume: If your contact center is receiving more calls than it can efficiently handle, it’s time to consider a multi-level system. These systems allow for greater call routing options and ensure every caller is directed to the right agent.
• Frequent caller complaints: If customers often express frustration about getting lost in your call menu or not reaching the right department, it’s a clear indicator.
• High call abandonment rates: An increase in callers hanging up before reaching their desired destination suggests your current system may be too cumbersome.
• Employee feedback: If your staff report difficulties managing incoming calls or an increase in misrouted calls, your current system might fall short.

Upgrading to a multi-level auto attendant can help you fix high call center queuing times by better handling incoming requests and offering callers a wider range of self-service options, which can further take the heat of busy agents.

Advantages of a multi-level auto attendant

A multi-level auto attendant functions like an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system instead of a single-level phone menu. The key difference between IVR and auto attendants is that an IVR connects to a database and allows callers to accomplish simple actions themselves, such as checking an account balance or paying a bill.

SEE: Discover why customers and agents love IVR systems. 

A multi-level auto attendant offers the following advantages over a basic system:

• Efficient navigation: Callers can quickly navigate through menus carefully designed with IVR scripts and get directed to the appropriate department or agent in record times.
• Tailored call flows: Multi-level solutions allow for deep customization, enabling businesses to craft call flows that reflect their structure and customer interaction needs, adding a personal touch.
• Streamlined operations: Multi-level auto attendants automate call routing, cutting down on transfers and wait times, which boosts contact center efficiency and speeds up issue resolution.
• Professional image: Incorporating a multi-level system into your organization enhances your business’s image and makes customers feel comfortable interacting with your team.
• Scalable growth: With the scalable nature of VoIP services, integrating multi-level auto attendant features allows for easy expansion of services or locations, keeping pace with business growth.

The most salient benefit of transitioning to a multi-level auto attendant system is enhancing the overall customer experience by improving call flows. This technology makes the first point of contact with your company more efficient, which keeps callers and agents alike happy.

Considerations before upgrading an auto attendant

While the benefits of upgrading to a multi-level auto attendant are clear, there are several factors to consider before making the switch. First, you’ll want to decide what type of system you need.

Cloud-based or on-premises phone systems

Cloud-based business phone services handle calls online, bypassing the need for traditional phone lines. Many providers include multi-level auto attendant features in their packages, making upgrades simple and cost-effective. Adding this feature often requires just a plan adjustment or feature activation, avoiding new hardware or extensive system changes. Cloud options are ideal for small to medium businesses seeking scalability and ease of use without major infrastructure investments.

With on-premise business phone systems, adding a multi-level auto attendant is more involved. It may require hardware upgrades, software updates, or even a full system overhaul of your Private Branch Exchange (PBX). While this approach offers greater control and customization, it comes with higher costs — ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars depending on system complexity. This option suits larger organizations with existing PBX infrastructure and the resources to manage it.

SEE: Learn more about the differences between hosting your own PBX and using VoIP phone services.

Specific considerations for multi level auto attendants

Here are some things to keep in mind when upgrading to a multi-level auto attendant:

1. Integration with existing systems: Confirm the auto attendant integrates seamlessly with your current phone system and supports features like voicemail, call forwarding, or payment gateways. Allowing customers to make payments via IVR is a huge benefit, but only if all of the technology integrates.
2. Technical requirements: Upgrading to a multi-level auto attendant on a cloud platform is typically user-friendly, with many providers offering support and guidance throughout the process. For on-premise systems, consider the technical expertise required for installation and maintenance. It might necessitate professional installation and training for your staff.
3. Scalability and flexibility: Cloud solutions can scale and adapt to your business needs with minimal fuss. On-premise systems, while highly customizable, may require additional resources and time to scale or update.
4. Maintenance and security: A more powerful auto attendant will require more attention than a simple phone menu. Budget in time and talent to ensure that IVR testing and security audits are completed routinely.
5. Analytics and reporting: Consider the level of analytics and reporting provided by your current system versus what a multi-level auto attendant can offer. Advanced call center analytics typically include real-time data, efficiency metrics, and more.
6. Cost: Adding a multi-level auto attendant feature might be included in a higher-tier plan or available as an add-on service for cloud-based systems. This often results in a marginal increase in your monthly bill. On-premise PBX upgrades can vary widely in cost, depending on the complexity of the new setup and the existing infrastructure. It’s not uncommon for on-premise upgrades to involve significant investment in new hardware or software.

We’ll take a closer look at this final consideration in the next section.

Multi level auto attendant pricing

With cost being one of the biggest considerations for businesses, here’s a breakdown of the pricing models for multi-level auto attendants.

VoIP phone services with multi-level auto attendant

For VoIP phone services, the cost of adding a multi-level auto attendant feature often falls within the service provider’s subscription plans. On average, businesses can expect to:

• Pay an additional $10 to $30 monthly on top of their regular VoIP service fees for basic multi-level auto attendant capabilities.
• Decide if they want to upgrade to premium plans that include advanced auto attendant features, which may range from $30 to $50+ per user per month, depending on the provider and specific features required.

This is a typical breakdown, but if you are willing to shop around, you will find that some VoIP providers, like RingCentral, offer multi-level auto attendants with every plan.

On-premise multi-level auto attendant solutions

Due to hardware and installation requirements, on-premise solutions tend to be more capital-intensive upfront. For a mid-sized business, an on-premise PBX system with multi-level auto attendant functionality can range from $5,000 to $20,000 for the initial setup, including hardware, software, and installation.

Ongoing maintenance and potential upgrades can add additional costs, which vary widely based on the system’s complexity and contractual terms with service providers. The massive cost difference is one of the reasons I recommend having another company host your VoIP server rather than doing it yourself.

Cost comparison for multi level auto attendants

Cloud-based multi-level auto attendants offer a lower entry point with their monthly subscriptions, making them ideal for small to medium-sized businesses or those looking for flexibility.

On-premise systems provide more control and customization, which may suit larger organizations with specific needs and dedicated IT teams.

IVR pricing is erratic — but that can work in your favor — you just have to budget in the total cost of ownership and ongoing expenses. When weighing the costs of a multi-level auto attendant, you should consider not only the initial investment or monthly fees but also the long-term efficiencies, cost savings, and customer satisfaction benefits.