A Call Answering Service for England and Wales
Real people answer your calls in your business name during working hours, find out what each caller needs and send you a summary after every call.
- UK-based receptionists
- Real people, not bots
- Answered in your company name
What our call answering service does for your business
When your phone rings and nobody picks up, the caller rarely waits around. Our call answering service puts a trained receptionist on the line instead, greeting the caller with your company name, noting the details you need and sending you a summary once the call ends. It is built for small and growing businesses across England and Wales that cannot keep someone on the front desk all day.
The receptionists who answer for you are based in Scotland and work from home, supported by team leads and client managers. Your callers in Cardiff, Leeds or Plymouth simply hear your business name and a helpful person who knows how you like things done, because the greeting, scripts and call flows are written around your business rather than taken from a template.
You can try it before you commit. The free 2 week trial gives you time to see how your calls are handled, and the team uses those two weeks to build up a bank of answers to the questions your customers ask most often. After that, plans start from £72 per month.
Six ways we can look after your phones
Choose the support that matches the way your business works now, from simple message taking to help for your sales team.
Telephone answering done properly
A real person picks up in your company name, deals with the caller politely and sends you the full details by email or SMS, so you are never left listening back through a pile of voicemails.
Explore this serviceCall handling with clear rules
Decide which calls come straight through, which become messages and which are screened out. Our receptionists follow the call flows you agree, including warm transfers to the right person when a call matters.
Explore this serviceA receptionist without hiring
Get the front desk work done, from greeting callers and managing bookings to making calls on your behalf, without the cost of recruiting, training and finding cover for an employed receptionist.
Explore this serviceOverflow or full cover
Pass us every call, or only the ones your team cannot reach when the lines are busy. Holidays, sickness and seasonal peaks become far easier to manage because a receptionist is ready to step in.
Explore this serviceTurning enquiries into bookings
Receptionists ask your qualifying questions, book appointments into your diary and put promising leads through to you, so every new enquiry finishes the call with a clear next step.
Explore this serviceSupport for your sales team
We capture and qualify inbound leads, make follow-up calls on your behalf where you agree, and book meetings for your sales team, so more of the demand you create turns into new business.
Explore this serviceHow getting started works
- 1
Tell us about your business
Talk us through your services, your customers and the questions they usually ask. We then agree a package based on how many calls you expect, with no per-call charges.
- 2
Shape your scripts and call flows
Together we write the greeting, the questions to ask and what should happen to each type of call, from a simple message to an urgent transfer.
- 3
Divert your calls to us
Forward your existing number when you are busy, after a set number of rings or all of the time. Your callers keep dialling the number they already know.
- 4
Begin your free trial
For two weeks your calls are answered free of charge. You read the summaries, tell us what to adjust and decide whether to carry on.
What makes Onwards Answering different
Real people, never bots
Each call we take is answered by a trained receptionist speaking in your company name, not an automated menu or a recorded voice.
No per-call charges
You pay an agreed monthly package with no per-call fees, no bundles of minutes and no cap on how many calls we answer.
A summary after every call
Every call ends with a summary sent to you by email or SMS, and messages are also kept in the Onwards Answering Connect app and portal.
Familiar callers recognised
Returning callers are recognised, so the people who ring you often are greeted like someone your business already knows.
Voicemail after hours included
When the working day ends, an after-hours voicemail on your business number is included at no extra cost, so callers can still leave a message.
A home-working team in Scotland
Our receptionists are based in Scotland and work from home, backed by team leads and client managers. You get a small, personal team that learns your business, not a large call centre.
Call handling shaped around your sector
Receptionists handle calls in a way that suits the sector you work in, with scripts written around your own customers.
Law firms
Confidential enquiries handled with care, new client details captured accurately and urgent matters passed to the right fee earner.
See how it works for youAccountants and finance
Client calls answered politely through busy deadline periods, with messages and appointment requests passed on clearly to the right adviser.
See how it works for youClinics and healthcare
Patients greeted warmly, appointments booked into your diary and messages sent on, leaving your practitioners free to focus on treatment.
See how it works for youLetting and estate agents
Viewing requests, tenant queries and valuation enquiries captured and booked while your team is out showing properties to buyers and renters.
See how it works for youConstruction and trades
Calls answered while you are on site or up a ladder, with job details and quote requests sent to your phone by SMS or email.
See how it works for youOnline shops
Order queries and delivery questions handled with order management support, so customers get an answer and you get fewer interruptions.
See how it works for youTech companies
First-line calls answered professionally, sales enquiries qualified and support requests routed to the right person in your team.
See how it works for youMarketing and media
Client calls and new business enquiries handled in your agency's name while your team stays focused on campaigns and deadlines.
See how it works for youLeisure and hospitality
Booking requests, event enquiries and general questions answered by a friendly voice while your staff are busy looking after guests.
See how it works for youAnswering calls for towns and cities across England and Wales
At the start of 2025 there were around 5.0 million private sector businesses in England and 194,000 in Wales, according to the government's business population estimates. A large share of them are small teams where the person answering the phone is also doing the work, writing the quotes and chasing the invoices.
We answer for businesses right across both countries, from Leeds and Manchester to Birmingham and Bristol. Because every call is answered remotely in your company name, it makes no difference where your office, shop or van is based. You can find your town or city on our locations page.
What our clients say about working with us
Onwards Answering is a vital part of our sales process. We know that getting the phone answered and quickly just needs to happen, or we lose.
ChiroProActive have worked with Onwards for several years now. ... I know that my clients get an expert, friendly service when they call.
They are saving businesses so much time. Plus, they are really cost effective and just great people to work with.
The Onwards Team are a pleasure to work with and the professional and skilled service they provide has a very positive effect on our business.
Guides to help you decide
Plain answers to the questions businesses ask before choosing a call answering service.
Is an AI Receptionist Worth It for a Small Trade Business?
A fair look at AI receptionists for plumbers, electricians, heating engineers and builders: what they do well, where they struggle, and what to test before you sign up.
Read articleHow Can Builders Manage Quote Requests and Site Visit Bookings?
Homeowners are advised to get three quotes, so they ring several builders at once. Here is how to capture, qualify, book and follow up every enquiry you get.
Read articleHow Can Heating Engineers Cope With the Winter Breakdown Rush?
How heating engineers can get ahead of the autumn breakdown rush: book services in late summer, spread landlord gas safety checks and triage no-heat calls to clear rules.
Read articleCall answering questions
Still unsure? Call the team on 0141 286 4220 and we will talk it through.
How much does a call answering service cost?
Plans with Onwards Answering start from £72 per month after a free 2 week trial, with no per-call charges, no minute bundles and no cap on calls. Your package is based on the number of calls you expect and reviewed after 3 months. See our call answering prices and plans, or read what a telephone answering service costs in the UK.
How do I get set up, and is there a free trial?
You start with a conversation about your business, then we prepare your greeting, scripts and call flows together. Once your calls are diverted, your free 2 week trial begins, and the team uses that time to build a bank of answers to your customers' most common questions. Our guide explains how long set-up usually takes.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Yes. Most businesses divert their current number to us, either for every call or only when the line is busy or goes unanswered. If you would rather keep work and personal calls apart, we can also provide an optional secure Business Number. Find out more about keeping your business number.
Where are your receptionists based?
Our receptionists are based in Scotland and work from home, with support from team leads and client managers, and our headquarters is in Glasgow. They answer for businesses throughout England and Wales in each client's company name, so your callers hear your business, not ours.
What happens to calls outside business hours?
Calls are answered live during business hours. Outside those hours, an after-hours voicemail on your business number is included at no extra charge, so callers can still leave a message for you to pick up. Read more about what happens to calls outside office hours.