Call Answering Service Reading
A virtual receptionist for Reading's technology, insurance and retail businesses, answering every call in your company's name.
- UK-based receptionists
- Real people, not bots
- Answered in your company name
Reading call answering for Thames Valley firms
Reading pulls in more commuters each morning than it sends out, which says a lot about the town's weight as a place of work. Microsoft, Oracle and a long list of technology and insurance businesses operate in and around it, and alongside them are the consultancies, suppliers and service firms that do business with them.
For those smaller teams, a missed call is a missed opportunity. Onwards Answering provides trained UK receptionists who pick up in your business name, follow a call flow tailored to you and send each message on in the format you prefer, whether email, text message or our online platform. They can screen calls, transfer them to the right colleague, qualify leads and schedule appointments, and the service can integrate with the tools you already use. The people answering are home-based in Scotland, not in a call centre, and you can begin with a free trial to see how it suits your business.
Reading sectors that benefit from a professional first answer
The town's reputation rests on technology, insurance and shopping, and each has its own reasons to keep the phones covered.
Software and IT firms
Reading's link with computing goes back to the early sites of International Computers Limited and Digital Equipment Corporation, and Cisco, Huawei and Ericsson are among the firms with a significant presence today. Smaller IT consultancies and software houses use us to answer support and sales calls, take detailed messages and pass promising leads to account managers.
More on tech company call handlingInsurance and financial services
Prudential runs an administration centre in the town, and insurance is one of the sectors it is best known for. Brokers and advisers can rely on our receptionists to take policy enquiries, book appointments and deal calmly and professionally with clients who ring about a claim or a renewal.
More on finance call handlingRetail around Broad Street
Broad Street, The Oracle and Broad Street Mall draw shoppers from across the Thames Valley. Shops and online retailers use our order management and message taking to handle stock checks, collections and delivery questions, keeping staff on the shop floor and customers informed about their orders.
More on e-commerce call handlingRegional and head offices
Business parks such as Green Park, Arlington and Thames Valley Park in nearby Earley house the UK bases of international companies, including Bayer. Smaller regional offices without a full-time receptionist can divert calls to us, so visitors, suppliers and clients always reach a person who can route them correctly.
Reading in brief
Reading is the county town of Berkshire and its largest town, sitting in the Thames Valley where the Thames meets the Kennet. It grew as a river port, and both rivers are still navigable, although traffic today is mostly leisure boats. The town was also a major staging point on the old Bath Road, the A4, which ran from London towards Bristol.
Close enough to London to be counted as commuter belt, Reading is nonetheless a net destination for commuters. The area is home to the headquarters of Microsoft, Oracle and Hibu, while PepsiCo and Wrigley also have offices in the town. The University of Reading is here too, and the annual Reading Festival is one of the biggest music festivals in England.
The town centre is a major regional shopping destination built around The Oracle, Broad Street Mall and the pedestrianised Broad Street, with smaller arcades and a street market on Hosier Street. Phone numbers use the 0118 code and postcodes start with RG. With so many firms competing for attention in the Thames Valley, having a real person answer every call you divert is an easy advantage to hold on to.
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 Reading: your questions
Can you answer calls for a Reading office that belongs to a larger group?
Yes. Plenty of regional offices do not justify a full-time receptionist. We answer in whichever name you choose, follow the routing rules you give us and transfer calls or take messages for named staff. Messages can be sent by email or SMS, or viewed in the Connect portal.
Is my 0118 number affected?
Not at all. The number stays with your business, and you simply switch on a divert whenever you need cover. Callers in Reading and further afield dial exactly as they always have, and we greet them with your business name and the wording you have agreed.
Do you have an office in Berkshire?
No. The team is home-based across Scotland, and our headquarters are in Glasgow. They are not in the Thames Valley, but callers do not notice the distance. What they notice is a real person who knows your business, answers questions accurately and makes sure the message reaches you.
Call answering near Reading
We also answer calls for businesses in these nearby towns and cities.