Should you take on more staff to answer the phone, or hand your calls to a specialist? It is a question most growing businesses face sooner or later, and the right answer is not always to increase your headcount.
Small business owners in particular often lack the time and budget to run an in-house customer care team, yet every caller still expects a fast, friendly and professional response. If that sounds familiar, a call handling service could be the answer. Below, we explain what a call handling service is, the five biggest advantages of using one, and how to choose the right provider for your business.
Key takeaways
- Every call is answered by a real person, so you stop losing enquiries to voicemail and competitors.
- Callers get a consistent, professional experience that protects and builds your reputation.
- Outsourcing is usually far more cost-effective than employing, training and covering in-house reception staff.
- Your team gets time back to focus on the work that grows your business.
What is a call handling service?
A call handling service is a team of trained receptionists who answer your business calls on your behalf, using your company name and a script tailored to your business. Depending on your needs, they can take messages, screen and transfer calls, book appointments, qualify new enquiries and pass everything back to you by email, SMS or your CRM. You may also hear it called a telephone answering service or a virtual receptionist service.
The 5 key advantages of a call handling service
The benefits of outsourcing your calls vary depending on the kind of business you run. A busy law firm may value something quite different from a sole trader who is out on site all day. That said, the five advantages below apply to businesses of every size.
1. You will never miss another call
With a dedicated call handling service, you no longer have to worry about calls ringing out or going to voicemail. At Onwards Answering, we answer around 90% of all calls delivered to us within 15 seconds, so your callers speak to a real person almost straight away.
There are plenty of ways to set the service up around you. Some businesses hand over all of their inbound calls, while others use us to cover lunch breaks, holidays, busy periods or the times when they are in meetings or out on a job. A reliable call handling provider will work with you to find the setup that suits your business best, and can even update your CRM on your behalf to take more admin off your plate. Every answered call is a chance to capture a new customer, which is why so many businesses use call handling to improve lead generation and sales conversion.
1.8m+
calls answered by our team
90%
of calls answered within 15 seconds
£72
per month starting price, after a free 2 week trial
2. You will boost your reputation
Great customer service is a powerful asset. Think about the last time you called a business. If the person who answered was friendly and helpful, you may well have left a glowing review. If you were left on hold or sent to voicemail, you may have left a very different one.
Word of mouth works offline too. People naturally tell friends, family and colleagues about the businesses they deal with, and those recommendations spread quickly through a local community. A warm, professional voice on every call helps make sure the story they tell about you is a good one, and makes them more likely to come back to you the next time they need what you offer.
“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.”
Billy Smith, Director, Clarity Simplicity Legal
3. You will get better value than hiring in-house
One way to keep your phones covered is to employ a dedicated in-house team. Depending on your call volumes, though, that may not be the most cost-effective option. To decide between in-house and outsourced call handling, it helps to compare what each one really costs.
Employing a receptionist means paying a full salary plus employer National Insurance and pension contributions, along with the cost of recruitment, training, holiday cover and sickness cover. If you need extra hands during busy periods, such as a seasonal sale, you will also need to find and train temporary staff each time. And if your team works from an office, longer opening hours mean higher heating, lighting and running costs.
| In-house receptionist | Onwards Answering | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Full salary plus National Insurance, pension and overheads | Plans from £72 per month |
| Holiday and sickness cover | You need to arrange and pay for it | Covered by our team |
| Busy periods | Calls queue or go to voicemail | Calls answered by a team, not one person |
| Recruitment and training | Ongoing time and cost | Done for you |
| Per-call charges | Not applicable | None, and no limits on minutes |
Many businesses get the best of both worlds by keeping a smaller in-house team and using an outsourced call handling service as back-up. Whether calls come in after hours or there are simply more calls than staff, your outsourced receptionists pick up the calls your team cannot. You get extra help when you need it, without paying for it when you do not. At Onwards Answering we do not charge per call or sell bundles of minutes, so you are never penalised for a busy month. You can see exactly how this works on our pricing page.
4. Your callers will receive high-quality customer service
Hiring good customer service staff takes time. You need to sift through candidates to find the right people, and if you are an office-based business, you are limited to the talent available in your local area. By outsourcing your call handling, you gain immediate access to experienced, pre-vetted receptionists who are skilled at what they do.
Our colleagues at Onwards Answering have been hired for their ability to deliver exceptional customer service. Our Glasgow-based team learns about your business, your values and the way you like callers to be treated, then answers every call in your company name. There are no bots and no automated menus, just real people your customers will enjoy speaking to.
5. You will have more time to focus on growing your business
All of the above adds up to one big advantage: time. When you and your team are not constantly stopping to answer the phone, you can focus on delivering your products and services to the highest standard. Our receptionists can screen out sales calls and spam, take detailed messages, book appointments and pass on genuine opportunities straight away, so you deal with the calls that matter at a time that suits you. You can grow your business with confidence, knowing that the vital job of answering your calls is in safe hands.
Who benefits most from a call handling service?
Almost any business that relies on the phone can benefit, but we see the biggest difference for:
- Law firms and solicitors, where a fast response can decide which firm a new client instructs
- Trades and construction businesses, whose teams are on site and unable to pick up the phone
- Healthcare clinics, such as physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors, who cannot step away from patients
- Estate and letting agents handling a steady flow of viewings, valuations and tenant queries
- Ecommerce, marketing and tech companies that need reliable customer care as they scale
How to choose the right call handling provider
Not every service is the same. Before you sign up, check that your provider offers:
- Real, trained people answering your calls, rather than automated systems
- A UK-based team that understands your customers
- Scripts and call flows tailored to your business
- Messages delivered the way that suits you, such as email, SMS or your CRM
- Transparent pricing without per-call charges or minute limits
- A free trial, so you can test the service before you commit
If you are still weighing things up, our guides to the true consequences of missed business phone calls and the cost-benefit analysis of outsourcing call handling are a good next read.
Frequently asked questions
How does a call handling service work?
You divert your business calls to your call handling provider, either all of the time or only when you are busy or unavailable. Trained receptionists answer in your company name, follow the script agreed with you and pass on messages, enquiries and bookings in the way you prefer.
Will my callers know their call has been outsourced?
Not unless you want them to. Calls are answered in your business name, using your preferred greeting and tone, so the service feels like a natural extension of your own team.
How much does a call handling service cost?
Costs vary between providers. At Onwards Answering, plans start from £72 per month after a free 2 week trial, with no per-call charges and a review after three months to make sure your plan still fits your call volumes.
Can I use a call handling service only when I am busy?
Yes. Many of our clients use us for overflow calls, lunch cover, holidays or busy periods, while their own team answers calls the rest of the time.
Is a call handling service suitable for a small business?
Absolutely. Small businesses and sole traders often benefit the most, because a call handling service gives them a professional front desk without the cost of employing a receptionist.
Ready to never miss another call?
If these advantages sound too good to pass up, find out how a dedicated team of customer service professionals could help your business succeed. Try Onwards Answering free for two weeks, or contact us today to talk through your call handling needs.
