Call Answering Service Exeter
Science park start-ups, clinics and independent shops on Gandy Street and Fore Street can give every Exeter caller a real person to talk to.
- UK-based receptionists
- Real people, not bots
- Answered in your company name
Exeter phone answering without the voicemail
Skilled jobs shape the Exeter economy. The city ranked fourth out of 50 in PwC's Good Growth for Cities Index in 2025, and 39% of its workers were in professional occupations in 2022, well above the national average. That means many Exeter businesses sell expertise, and people buying expertise usually want to talk to someone before they commit.
With our call answering service, you get a receptionist who picks up in your company name, knows how you want calls handled and does not let an enquiry drift into voicemail. We screen and route calls, schedule appointments, take detailed messages and qualify leads, sending everything on by email, SMS or through the Connect portal. Every receptionist is based in the UK, working from home in Scotland, so Exeter callers deal with real people rather than an automated line. You can try it on a free trial and choose a package once you know what level of cover works.
Exeter sectors where call handling pays off
Exeter's notable employers and shopping streets point to four areas where calls matter.
Weather, science and data
The Met Office is among Exeter's notable employers, and Exeter Science Park opened in 2015 as a centre of activity for businesses. Small science and tech firms often have specialists who should not be pulled away for routine calls. We answer, qualify new enquiries, take support messages and forward them in a clear format your staff can act on.
More on tech company call handlingHealth and care providers
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a notable employer in the city, and private clinics, therapists and care services operate alongside it. Patients calling a practice want a calm, informed voice. We book and move appointments, take confidential messages and route urgent calls to a clinician, keeping your front desk free for the people in front of it.
More on healthcare call handlingProfessional and advisory firms
With a high share of Exeter workers in professional occupations, solicitors, accountants and consultants are part of the fabric of the city. New clients often call several firms and instruct the first that answers. Our receptionists take the caller's details, capture the nature of the enquiry and book an initial consultation, so you are that first firm.
More on legal call handlingIndependent shops and retail
Shopping in Exeter centres on the High Street, Princesshay and the Guildhall, while independent retailers cluster on Fore Street and Gandy Street. Shop owners cannot leave a customer at the till to answer the phone. We answer stock and opening time questions from your notes, take orders and reservations and log anything that needs your reply.
Exeter's economy in context
Exeter is a cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England, set on the River Exe about 36 miles north-east of Plymouth and 65 miles south-west of Bristol. With 138,399 residents in 2024 it is Devon's second largest settlement, and under restructuring plans it is due to become the Exeter unitary authority from 2028. Its story runs from the Roman fort of Isca Dumnoniorum through Saxon and Norman times to the Middle Ages, when the cathedral made it a religious centre.
The city generated £5.9 billion in gross value added in 2022, according to the Centre for Cities, and has been named among the top ten most profitable locations for a business. Its notable employers include the Met Office, the University of Exeter, Devon County Council, the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and South West Water, with the university its largest international export sector. Median full-time pay sits below the national figure but above the South West average.
Exeter Airport, east of the city, offers direct domestic and European flights, and Stagecoach South West runs most local buses. Local numbers use the 01392 dialling code and postcodes fall in the EX area. For professional and specialist firms whose clients expect a quick, informed reply, telephone answering gives Exeter businesses a dependable front desk.
Place facts sourced from Wikipedia.
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.
Getting started takes four steps
- 1
Tell us about your business
We learn what you do, who calls you and how you want each type of call handled.
- 2
We build your call script
Greetings, questions and call flows are written around your business, in your company name.
- 3
Divert your calls
Send calls to us all day, at busy times or only when you cannot answer. Your number stays the same.
- 4
Get every message
Messages and enquiries reach you by email, SMS or the Onwards Answering Connect app.
Call answering in Exeter: your questions
Can you take new client enquiries for an Exeter law or accountancy firm?
Yes. We take the caller's details, a summary of what they need and any deadlines, then pass the enquiry to the right fee earner or book an initial meeting in your diary. Advice always stays with your firm; our role is to make sure the enquiry is captured and acted on.
Is the service a good fit for Exeter Science Park companies?
It can be. Young science and tech companies often have a small team and a lot of specialist work. We can answer sales and partnership calls, qualify them against your criteria and pass the rest on as messages, giving an early-stage firm a virtual receptionist instead of a new hire.
Can Exeter customers keep calling our usual number?
They can. You keep your 01392 number and set up a divert to us for the times you want cover. Customers dial the same number as before, and we greet them with your business name, so the service fits around the way you already work.
Call answering near Exeter
We also answer calls for businesses in these nearby towns and cities.