Overview
An Auto Receptionist answers incoming calls and presents callers with menu options to route their call without human intervention. Auto Receptionists are commonly used as:
- Main departmental phone numbers
- After-hours call handlers
- Entry points to call queues, users, or additional auto receptionists
Auto Receptionists rely heavily on correct call flow logic and properly assigned audio prompts.
Accessing Your Auto Receptionist
To access the Auto Receptionist for which you are the administrator, first navigate to the Admin Center.
- Go to villanova.zoom.us and sign in with your Villanova credentials.
- Click on your initials or profile picture in the top right of the webpage.
- Click "Admin Center".
- On the left-hand side of the webpage, click Product configuration, then Phone System.
Depending on your role and what you administer, you may see options for Auto Receptionists, Call Queues, and Shared Line Groups.
Call Handling and Call Flow
Business Hours vs After Hours
Auto Receptionists can be configured with:
- Business Hours
- After Hours
- Holiday Hours
Each schedule can have its own:
- Greeting
- Menu options
- Routing behavior
- Voicemail destination
Best Practice: Always validate that after-hours and holiday schedules are configured explicitly. If not set, calls may continue to follow business-hours routing unintentionally.
Greeting and Menu Playback
When a call reaches an Auto Receptionist, Zoom plays:
- The Greeting
- The Menu Prompt (instructions such as “Press 1 for…”)
These prompts may be combined into a single recording or separated, depending on configuration.
Menu Options and Routing
Each menu key (0–9, *, #) can route callers to:
- A Call Queue
- A User
- Another Auto Receptionist
- Voicemail
Voicemail Configuration
Auto Receptionist Voicemail Behavior
Auto Receptionists do not have a voicemail box by default. Voicemail is reached only if:
- A menu option routes to voicemail
- Overflow or timeout routes to voicemail
Voicemail messages are stored in the destination mailbox, not the Auto Receptionist itself.
Leave Voicemail Instructions
When routing to voicemail, Zoom plays a Leave Voicemail Instruction before recording begins. This message is distinct from:
- The greeting
- The menu prompt
- Overflow prompts
Example:
“Please leave a message after the tone.”
Voicemail Ownership
Voicemail ownership depends on routing:
- Voicemail routed to a user appears in that user’s inbox
- Voicemail routed to a call queue appears in the queue’s voicemail
- Voicemail routed to a shared mailbox follows that mailbox’s permissions
Audio Prompt Management
Common Prompt Types
Zoom Auto Receptionists may use multiple recordings that sound similar but serve different roles:
- Greeting
- Menu Prompt
- Leave Voicemail Instruction
- Overflow Prompt
Note: Updating one prompt does not update the others.
Recording Best Practices
- Clearly identify the department or service
- Avoid referencing specific individuals
- Keep menu instructions concise
- Re-record prompts for holidays and extended closures
Administrative Best Practices
- Diagram call flow before making changes
- Test each menu option after updates
- Periodically review after-hours and holiday routing
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Calls are not routing as expected
- Verify business hours, after-hours, and holiday schedules
- Confirm menu options are assigned to the intended destinations
Calls looping back to the same menu
- Ensure menu options do not route back to the same Auto Receptionist unintentionally
- Confirm timeout behavior does not redirect to itself
Hearing an old or incorrect recording
- Confirm the correct prompt was updated
- Auto Receptionists use multiple audio prompts that may sound similar but function differently, including:
- Greeting
- Menu prompt
- Leave voicemail instruction
- If the old message persists, verify the specific prompt associated with that call path was replaced, not just the general greeting
- Save changes and allow time for propagation before retesting
Voicemail messages not being received
- Confirm voicemail routing destination
- Verify the destination mailbox permissions
- Ensure users are checking the correct mailbox (personal vs call queue)