Creating and managing auto attendants is a crucial part of managing Microsoft Teams, a component that the MS-700 exam focuses on significantly. As a Teams admin, it is imperative to optimize the usage and management of auto attendants. This post will provide an in-depth explanation on this topic.
Auto attendants offer an automated system that directs incoming calls to the appropriate extension in a company. It’s based on the key presses or voice inputs of the caller, replacing the traditional role performed by a human operator or receptionist. In Teams, auto attendants can be customized to create call flows depending on the organization’s needs, enabling efficient call routing and ultimately leading to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Creating an Auto Attendant
To create an auto attendant, you need to follow these steps:
- Navigate to the Teams admin center.
- From the left-hand navigation pane, select ‘Voice’, then ‘Auto attendants’.
- Click ‘Add’.
- Fill in the ‘Name’ and ‘Operator connect’ (connect to the operator by pressing 0) if necessary, then click ‘Next’.
- Set the language, time zone and whether you want 24/7 voice or bus hours offering. Click ‘Next’.
- Apply the redirect rules and click ‘Next’.
- Review your settings and click ‘Finish’ to create the Auto attendant.
Managing Auto Attendants
When managing auto attendants, consider these effective practices:
- Use descriptive names for your auto attendants to make them easier to manage and understand.
- Utilize the “Operator Connect” option to ensure calls can always be routed to a person if desired.
- Use routing schemes that are easy to understand and follow.
- Regularly review and update your auto attendants to ensure they are functioning correctly.
Let’s consider a practical example. An organization wants to utilize an auto attendant for their customer service department that operates 24/7. Using Teams, an admin can set up an auto attendant named “Customer Service 24/7” with redirection rules that route calls to specific extensions depending on the customer’s input. For instance, “Press 1 for billing issues, Press 2 for technical support.”
In case of managing multiple auto attendants, Teams admin center offers a sortable list view, providing easy access to auto attendant details such as their extensions, operation hours, and language.
Conclusion
To conclude, understanding, creating, and managing auto attendants efficiently is a key objective covered in the MS-700 exam. This knowledge ensures smooth call routing in organizations using Microsoft Teams, thereby striking a balance between automation and human interaction. Along with the practical aspects, mastering this topic theoretically will give you an upper hand in the MS-700 exam.
Practice Test
True or False: Auto attendants can be used to automatically answer and route incoming calls in Microsoft Teams.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Auto attendants in Microsoft Teams are digital receptions that automatically answer and route incoming calls.
Which of the following is NOT a task related to managing auto attendants in Microsoft Teams?
- a) Creating an auto attendant.
- b) Configuring an auto attendant routing.
- c) Deleting an auto attendant.
- d) Transferring files between team members.
Answer: d) Transferring files between team members.
Explanation: Transferring files between team members is not related to managing auto attendants. All other options given are tasks that typically involve managing auto attendants.
True or False: Only the administrator can manage the auto attendants in Microsoft Teams.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Only the administrator has the required permissions to manage auto attendants in Microsoft Teams.
Which is the correct pathway to manage auto attendants in Microsoft Teams?
- a) Teams admin center > Voice > Phone numbers.
- b) Teams admin center > Voice > Auto attendants.
- c) Teams admin center > Teams > Auto attendants.
- d) Teams admin center > Settings > Auto attendants.
Answer: b) Teams admin center > Voice > Auto attendants.
Explanation: To manage auto attendants in Microsoft Teams, you should navigate to the Teams admin center > Voice > Auto attendants.
True or False: Auto attendants can only route calls to users.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Auto attendants can route calls to users, call queues, voicemail, external phone numbers, or other auto attendants.
Which of the following is NOT a capability of the Auto Attendant feature in Teams?
- a) Callers can search for users or groups.
- b) Callers can connect with operators.
- c) Callers can join a specific team.
- d) Callers can leave a voicemail.
Answer: c) Callers can join a specific team.
Explanation: The auto attendant feature does not provide the option for callers to join a specific team. It can, however, search for users or groups, connect callers with operators, and allow callers to leave a voicemail.
An auto attendant can be set up to automatically answer calls that come in after working hours.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Auto attendants can be set up to answer calls after hours, and different greetings and menus can be created for business and after hours.
Can the same auto attendant answer both departmental as well as organisation-wide calls?
- a) Yes.
- b) No.
Answer: a) Yes.
Explanation: The same auto attendant can be set up to answer both departmental calls and organisational calls, depending on routing configured.
The number of auto attendants that can be created in Microsoft Teams is:
- a)
- b)
- c)
- d) There is no limit.
Answer: d) There is no limit.
Explanation: There is no limit to the number of auto attendants you can create in Microsoft Teams.
True or False: Auto attendants cannot be customised with different business hours and holiday schedules.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Auto attendants can be customized with different business hours and holiday schedules using the Teams admin center.
Interview Questions
What is an auto attendant in Microsoft Teams?
An auto attendant in Microsoft Teams is a system that answers and routes inbound calls by providing callers with a menu of options.
How can you create an auto attendant in Microsoft Teams?
An auto attendant can be created from the Microsoft Teams admin center. Navigate to Voice, select Call routing, and then select Auto attendants. Then click Add.
What is the function of a Resource account in managing auto attendants?
A Resource account is an object in Azure Active Directory that represents resources, like auto attendants and call queues in Microsoft Teams, which need phone numbers assigned to them.
Where can you assign a phone number to an auto attendant?
A phone number can be assigned to an auto attendant from the Teams Admin Center. Navigate to Voice > Direct Routing and select the desired auto attendant to assign the number.
How do you set the business hours for an auto attendant from the Teams admin center?
While setting up or editing an auto attendant, you will find an option to set the business hours. You will then specify the time ranges for each day of the week.
How can you modify the greeting message for an auto attendant?
The greeting message for an auto attendant can be modified from the Teams admin center. During the setup or edit process of the auto attendant, there will be an option to upload a new custom greeting message.
Can you have a different call handling behavior during after-business-hours for an auto attendant?
Yes, the Teams admin center allows you to treat calls differently depending on whether they occur during business hours or after business hours.
How do you add a new call action for an auto attendant in Teams?
While setting up an auto attendant in the Teams admin center, you can add a new action under Call routing. This action could be to route the call to a person, a call queue, an operator connect or even another auto attendant.
What is a speech recognition language in the context of auto attendants?
Speech recognition language is the language that Teams uses to recognize and interpret spoken menu choices in an auto attendant.
Can you assign a direct phone number to an auto attendant in Microsoft Teams?
Yes, you can assign a direct phone number to an auto attendant in Microsoft Teams. This can be done from the Teams admin center under the settings for the specific auto attendant.
How can you track the usage of an auto attendant in Teams?
Teams provides call analytics in the Microsoft Teams admin center to monitor and understand the usage of auto attendants.
How can you delete an auto attendant in Teams?
An auto attendant can be deleted from the Teams admin center. Navigate to Voice > Call Routing > Auto Attendants. Then select the auto attendant you want to delete and click Delete.
How can you change the operator for an auto attendant?
The operator for an auto attendant can be changed from the Teams admin center. During the setup or edit process of the auto attendant, there will be an option to specify a new operator.
How can you add a dial pad to an auto attendant?
To add a dial pad, navigate to the Menu options of your auto attendant in the Teams admin center. You’ll see the Dial pad characters menu where you can add or remove dial pad characters.
What is the maximum amount of auto attendants that you can create in Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft currently allows you to create up to 200 auto attendants in Microsoft Teams.
extutorials.com