A Call Handling Service Built Around Your Rules
You decide who gets put through, who gets a message and what counts as urgent. Our receptionists apply those rules to every call, in your company name.
- UK-based receptionists
- Real people, not bots
- Answered in your company name
How a call handling service works in practice
A call handling service does more than pick up the phone. It sorts each caller according to rules you have set: a new enquiry gets one treatment, an existing client another, a supplier or sales call something else again. At Onwards Answering, those rules become a call flow that our receptionists follow every time your line rings.
You design the flow with us at the start. Which callers should reach you straight away? Who should only ever get a message? What should happen if a client rings with a problem and you are out of reach? The answers go into your script, alongside a bank of frequently asked questions built during your free 2 week trial. We explain more about how call handling is tailored to each business on our blog.
Simple answering and message taking is covered on our telephone answering service page. This page is about the decisions made on each call, and how to make sure they match the ones you would make yourself.
The parts of a call flow we handle for you
Every business has its own mix of callers, so each of these is set up to match yours.
Screening unwanted calls
Sales pitches and cold approaches do not need to interrupt your day. Your receptionist identifies them, keeps a note if you want one and keeps them away from your team, while customers and contacts get the attention they need.
Triage by type of call
Each caller is asked the right questions for their situation, then handled according to your instructions. A new enquiry might be booked in, a supplier given a message, and an existing client put straight through to the person they deal with.
Priority callers recognised
Tell us who matters most: key clients, partners, a particular supplier. Returning callers can be recognised, so those names can be put through first or flagged at the top of your summary as soon as the call ends.
Warm transfers with an introduction
When a call should reach you, the receptionist rings you first, tells you who is waiting and why, then connects the caller. If you cannot take it, the receptionist goes back to the caller and takes a full message instead.
Escalation for urgent calls
You set what counts as urgent and who should hear about it. If the first person on your list cannot be reached, the call follows the next step you have chosen, whether that is a colleague or a message marked as a priority.
Records you can act on
Every call ends with a summary by email or SMS, and messages are stored in the Connect app and portal. Over time, the pattern of calls shows you which enquiries come in most often and when they arrive.
Designing your call flow, step by step
- 1
Map your callers
We start by listing who rings you: new customers, existing clients, suppliers, job applicants, sales calls and anyone else who regularly gets through.
- 2
Set a rule for each
For every type of caller you choose the outcome: a transfer, a message, a booking, an answer from the FAQ bank or a polite decline.
- 3
Choose your escalation path
You tell us who to try for urgent calls, in what order, and what the receptionist should do if nobody is free to take the call.
- 4
Review and refine
As summaries reach you, any gaps in the flow become obvious. Your rules can then be adjusted so the call flow keeps matching how your business works.
Answering calls versus handling them
Plenty of services will answer your phone. The difference with call handling is what happens next, as these typical callers show.
| Basic message taking | Call handling with your call flow | |
|---|---|---|
| A new customer enquiry | Name and number taken for a callback | Questions asked, then booked, transferred or passed on as you have set |
| An existing client with a problem | The same message as everyone else | Recognised, then put through or flagged as a priority |
| A sales or cold call | Passed on with your other messages | Screened so it stays away from your team |
| An urgent call while you are out | Waits in your inbox | Follows your escalation path |
| A caller asking for a named colleague | Message left for that person | Warm transfer with an introduction |
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.
Where careful call routing matters most
Some businesses have callers whose needs differ so much that one answer for everyone simply does not work.
Law firms sorting new matters
A prospective client and an existing client need very different conversations. Receptionists can separate new enquiries from current matters, gather the basics and route each one to the right fee earner or message queue.
See the sector pageClinics with mixed call types
Bookings, cancellations and questions for a practitioner all arrive on one line. Your call flow sets which calls are booked on the spot, which are passed to the practice straight away and which become messages.
See the sector pageLetting agents handling repairs
Tenants reporting a repair, landlords asking for updates and applicants wanting viewings each follow their own route, so urgent property issues reach the right person and viewing requests are not left waiting.
See the sector pageTech firms splitting sales from support
Prospects and existing customers often ring the same number. Receptionists can work out which is which, pass sales enquiries to your sales team and log support calls with the details your technical staff need.
See the sector pageWhat is a call handling service?
A call handling service answers your business calls and manages each one according to instructions you set. Rather than taking a message from every caller, the receptionist screens, routes, transfers or books depending on who is calling and why. At Onwards Answering, that is done by real people answering in your company name.
What is the difference between call answering and call handling?
Call answering usually means picking up and taking a message. Call handling adds the decisions: who is put through, who is screened out, what is urgent and what happens when you are unavailable. Our post on the five most important rules of call handling is a useful starting point.
How much does a call handling service cost?
With Onwards Answering, packages start from £72 per month after a free 2 week trial. There are no per-call charges and no cap on calls, and the same approach applies to features such as lead qualification and appointment booking, with a review of call volumes after 3 months. See our call handling prices and plans for the detail.
Can calls be transferred to me or my team?
Yes. Your call flow sets who can receive transfers and when. The receptionist rings the person first, introduces the caller and then connects them. If nobody on your list can take the call, the caller is offered a message instead, so they are not left on hold or sent to a voicemail box.
Is a call handling service GDPR compliant?
Onwards Answering works under UK GDPR and acts as a data processor for your business, handling caller details only in line with your instructions. Call data and messages are kept in line with your agreement. For the questions to put to any provider, read our guide on whether call answering services are GDPR compliant.