Call routing, menus and hours
How do I set up a main menu (auto attendant)?
A main menu, also called an auto attendant, answers calls with a recorded greeting and routes callers by the key they press: for example 1 for sales, 2 for support, 0 for the front desk. To set one up, decide the destinations, write a short greeting, record it or use text-to-speech, assign each key, and test it from a cell phone. A 3CTel specialist builds it with you during setup.
Step by step.
Decide the destinations
List where callers should end up: a ring group, a queue, a named extension or voicemail. Most small businesses need three or four options. If a caller could reasonably need it, include a way to reach a person.
Write the greeting
Name the business, then list the options in the order callers most often need. Put the most common choice first. Keep the whole script under 20 seconds.
Record or generate the audio
Record the greeting in a quiet room, or type it and use text-to-speech. Listen back on a phone, not on computer speakers.
Assign the keys
In the admin portal, open Call Routing → Main Menu and map each digit to its destination. Set what happens if a caller presses nothing or an invalid key. A 3CTel specialist can make this change for you.
Set the schedule
Decide whether the same menu plays after hours or a different one. Many businesses use a shorter after-hours menu that offers voicemail and an urgent option.
Test it
Call your number from a cell phone, press every option and confirm each one lands where you expect. Try a wrong key and a no-response as well.
A sample greeting script
A good greeting sounds like a person, not a system. Something like: "Thank you for calling Northside Dental. For appointments, press 1. For billing, press 2. To reach the front desk, press 0, or stay on the line." That is short, orders the options by demand, and gives a human fallback.
Avoid listing your website, hours and address before the options. Callers have already dialled; they want to be routed. Put those details in the after-hours greeting instead, where they are useful.
Rules that keep menus usable
- Four options or fewer. If you need more, group them and use a second-level menu only for one branch.
- Say the destination before the digit ("For sales, press 1") so callers know what to listen for.
- Always provide a zero-out to a person or a group, and make sure that group actually rings somewhere.
- Give callers a way to repeat the menu, and route a no-response to a person or voicemail rather than hanging up.
- Use a queue or ring group behind each option, not a single extension, so one person being away does not strand callers.
Do you need a menu at all?
If one person or one group can answer every call, a menu adds a step without adding value. In that case, ring the group directly and use the menu only after hours. A menu earns its place when callers split clearly between departments, or when you want to separate urgent from routine calls.
Some businesses prefer an AI receptionist in front of, or instead of, a keypad menu. Callers state what they need in plain language and are routed or booked without pressing keys. Both approaches can run on the same system.
Related questions.
Can callers dial an extension directly from the menu?
Yes. Extension dialling can be enabled so that a caller who knows an extension can enter it at any point during the greeting. This is useful for regular contacts and suppliers who call the same person repeatedly.
Can I have a different menu for each phone number?
Yes. Each number can point to its own menu, ring group or queue. A toll-free sales line and a local support line can behave differently while still being answered by the same team on the same system.
Who records the greeting?
You can record it yourself, have a staff member with a clear voice do it, or generate it with text-to-speech. Text-to-speech is handy for quick changes such as a holiday closure; a human recording usually sounds warmer for the main greeting.
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