Telephone Handling Services And How They Take Telephone Calls

By Author: NickyWalker
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Nowadays lots of smaller businesses are learning that they do not necessarily need to pay a permanent receptionist to answer their calls and are instead outsourcing many or all of their inbound calls. One of the most difficult aspects for many to understand is how the call handling service actually fits into their daily running of the company. The answer is straightforwardly but the real barrier can just be getting set-up in the first place.

The majority of businesses using a phone handling service opt to divert their calls to the service. Telephone handling companies will usually give each client a unique telephone number that they divert to, in this way the Virtual PAs are able to distinguish which company is using the service and answer appropriately. By redirecting phonecalls to this unique number rather than offering the number out directly means that the small company is always in command of the phonecalls coming in. They can choose to divert all calls, calls when the line is busy or simply divert when they wish- for instance during lunches.

The practice of redirecting phonecalls in most instances is straightforward ...
... and usually only requires the client to dial in a brief code into the phone followed by their unique virtual PA telephone number. In this way when a customer of the small company calls they still call the same number they always would have done, the phonecall is then redirected at the small businesses end to the call handling service, this is all done instantaneously and the customer should never know that the phonecall has been redirected.

Not all businesses choose to divert their phonecalls, many will offer their unique virtual PA number out direct to would be callers. This way is especially popular with lots of dot.com businesses that may sometimes be little more than a single man or woman running their company from home in their free-time, indeed lots may have another 9 to 5 occupation. In this instance the Virtual PA are normally directed to advise clients that callbacks will not be until after normal working hours.

When the client calls through to the call handling service the operator is steered on screen on how to conduct the phonecall. She/he will answer the customer as told by the small company and forward a message via email, SMS or by fax. Alternatively many businesses like to use their operator as if they were an in-office receptionist and if correct transfer phonecalls through to their direct dial line or cellphone.

Whatever way the virtual PA deals with the caller whether they take a message or transfer the phonecall through, the same impression of a larger, better company is given to the customer calling.

About the Author:

Nicky has more than 10 years experience of some remarkable http://www.callhandling.org.uk/callhandling.php providers. He has worked within some of the leading businesses in Britain and now spends his time to helping new and start up businesses.