In a limited capacity, auto attendants have the ability to converse with callers, but through a series of menus (and submenus) to become interactive. Another way a virtual receptionist interacts with callers is through a dial-by-name directory. Typically, with an auto attendant, you’ll instruct callers such as “Press 1 for sales. Press 2 for customer service.” Only a more advanced model, like an Interactive Voice Response, can listen to the customer’s speech and respond accordingly. Auto attendants on their own are menu services offering choices that the caller can select from.