Call forwarding is a phone feature which directs calls to a voicemail system, a cell phone or another number. Business call forwarding systems and features are important for many businesses and professional services.
For example, in a medical clinic, a call forwarding system might be used to forward urgent cases to an on-call doctor after the clinic is closed. Small businesses can use call forwarding to route priority client calls to a salesperson’s cell phone, for instance. In short, virtual office call forwarding provides big benefits and flexibility not only for the business, but for callers as well, getting them to the right person as quickly as possible.
A phone number forwarding service can be set up in a couple of different ways:
- Calls can be forwarded immediately to a different number
- Calls can be forwarded after the caller does not get an answer within a specific number of rings, or if the number is busy
- Calls can even be forwarded based on the phone number of the caller
The beauty of a virtual business call forwarding service, and the options that AccessDirect offers, puts the business owner in charge of the caller experience, leaving nothing to chance. Want to forward calls just at certain times of the day, or days of the week? We can help with that too.
Why is call forwarding important for small businesses?
Today’s customers often demand fast access to professionals and business services, making call forwarding more important than ever before. Without this feature, you may be losing customers who decide to simply call a competitor instead of waiting for you to answer your phones.
Small businesses and especially solo practitioners can obviously be challenged to do their work and respond to incoming calls. Especially for businesses just starting out that can’t afford to hire staff to provide ongoing phone support, a phone number forwarding service can be a benefit that provides convenience for them and access for customers and potential customers.
What are the benefits of call forwarding?
Small businesses will find a number of benefits when adopting a call forwarding system. AccessDirect’s automatic virtual phone system with call forwarding offers several benefits, including:
- No more missed calls. Missed calls = missed opportunities. Before call forwarding technology if you weren’t available, or were on the phone, calls would go unanswered or callers would hear a busy signal. Many would simply hang up; some would simply give up. With business phone forwarding, your priority calls get through to you no matter where you are. You don’t have to worry about missing an important call or trying to rush back to the office to avoid missing a client.
- Local branding. For some businesses conveying a local presence is important for their brand positioning, whether or not they’re actually physically located in a specific city. Suppose you live in a small, rural community near a larger metro area—like New York City. A local number helps to convey that big city presence. A virtual business call forwarding service lets customers and clients call a local number and be directed to you no matter where you’re located. Customers and clients get to save on long-distance charges and you get to advertise a local number.
- Location freedom. Many service providers are on the road, or on the go, frequently. Realtors; plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople; salespeople—the list could go on and on. For those without a traditional work environment, virtual business call forwarding services can help present a professional image and ensure that important calls aren’t missed while you’re engaged with something else. For those without a traditional work environment, virtual business call forwarding services can help present a professional image and ensure that important calls aren’t missed while you’re engaged with something else. Your calls can be redirected to another member of your team, or to an automated system. It’s seamless for callers and stress-less for you.
- No complicated call answering software or hardware. It’s a breeze to get up and running with a virtual business call forwarding service. AccessDirect doesn’t require you to understand new, complicated call transfer software or install expensive hardware. A call forwarding system is easy to use and intuitive.
- A phone system that moves at the speed of your business. As a business executive, you’re likely often on-the-go. Whether you’re attending conferences, meetings, or traveling for business, a phone forwarding service allows callers to contact you easily and allows you to answer business calls no matter where you are. And, as you grow, your phone system can grow with you, easily allowing you to forward calls to members of your team wherever they are—and no matter how many you have!
What types of small businesses are using virtual business call forwarding services – how?
Business phone forwarding works for many types of small companies and we’ve already seen a few examples. Some companies are coming up with some very creative and innovative ways to ensure their callers quickly get to the person and information they need.
For instance, one medical office where two physicians shared both office space and one main line were challenged with not knowing who an incoming call might be for. Invariably the doctor that answered was not the doctor the caller was hoping to reach. AccessDirect worked with the clinic to set up call routing so that callers were presented with a main greeting and extension options so the call would go to the correct doctor.
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria caused havoc for many people—and businesses—in 2017. One common issue was people who had been displaced calling their property management firms to find out whether they could return to their homes. AccessDirect has received a number of inquiries from firms hoping to proactively be prepared to handle such situations in the future by setting up an emergency call forwarding number that calls can be forwarded to 24/7/365, and to automatically provided updates on the status of any repairs needing to be done. Even when phone lines are down following a storm event, a virtual number is still accessible and, as we’ve seen, can include a local area code to give callers the confidence they’re calling the right place.
And, here’s another interesting example of how one creative business owner used a local number to provide ongoing coverage during an office move from Alaska to Oregon. Wanting to gradually phase out their Alaska number while setting up a new local number in Oregon in anticipation of their move, this company called AccessDirect when their local phone company couldn’t provide them with service as quickly as they had hoped. AccessDirect set up a local Oregon virtual office call forwarding number so they could easily set up shop in Oregon, while still physically being in Alaska—keeping both lines active during the transition and then releasing the Alaska number once the move was complete.
Why Choose AccessDirect?
AccessDirect has been providing call forwarding systems to small businesses for over 20 years. Our state of the art platform ensures that you’ll never miss a call or a potential business opportunity.
Our customer service is the best in the industry. We’re the only virtual phone service provider that offers to help you every step of the way, offering to set up your system, provide professionally recorded greetings for your callers, and troubleshooting any issues that may arise along the way. We also offer a free one week demo so that you can make sure that our virtual phone system is the right one for your business.
Frequently asked questions
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Can I reroute calls from a landline to a cell phone?
Absolutely! In fact, this is a great solution for independent business operators and sole proprietors who prefer to keep their cell phone number personal while sending a subtle signal that they have a traditional business location. Forwarding your calls from your landline to a cell phone also allows you the convenience of being on the go, taking care of business from wherever you need to be, with the comfort and confidence that you won’t miss an important call.
AccessDirect makes it easy. Just set up your business call forwarding number to forward all to your cell phone. Better yet, you can easily change where your calls are redirected if you get a new phone number or simply want your calls to start going to an assistant’s number, or to another member of your team.
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Can I turn call forwarding off when I don’t need it?
Absolutely! There will certainly be times when you don’t want to be reached. Whether you’re in the field, in a meeting, spending time with your family, or just taking a break from work, you can easily turn off call forwarding so calls don’t interrupt you. AccessDirect makes it easy to do—letting you manage your time and protect your privacy when you need some down time.
Your redirected calls will be directed to voicemail instead, allowing you to check messages and call back when it’s convenient for you. With your call forwarding system off, you can tackle projects, take meetings, or take care of other mission-critical tasksWith your call forwarding system off, you can tackle projects, take meetings, or take care of other mission-critical tasks. When you’re ready to start receiving calls again, just turn call forwarding back on. It really is that easy!
AccessDirect’s call forwarding system makes it easy to stay connected with your customers while staying productive. We’ll help you get your virtual business call forwarding service set up so it works for you—and your customers.
Call 877-599-6500 or contact us to speak with a customer service specialist for more information about our virtual business call forwarding service and our other solutions.