Call forwarding automatically sends an incoming call to another number, such as a mobile, a home phone or a colleague’s line. With call forwarding, businesses can be assured that customers will always be able to reach them from anywhere. A quality VoIP phone system can give you the freedom to work from anywhere and you can set it up in minutes and change it whenever you need to.
Whether your team is in the office, at home or out on the road, call forwarding keeps your business reachable. This guide explains how it works, the main types and the benefits for small businesses.
What Is Call Forwarding?
Call forwarding transfers a business call to a different number, giving businesses the flexibility to have the call ring in different locations. A call to your business line can ring your office phone, a mobile, a home number or another employee, so the customer always reaches someone.
It matters most for businesses that rely on the phone to talk to customers, and for teams spread across several locations, including international offices. It’s also a core part of remote and hybrid working. Staff can take business calls from wherever they are without giving out personal numbers.
How Does Call Forwarding Work?
All calls come to your business number via the internet. From there, your phone system follows the rules you’ve created and determines where to forward the call.
- A customer calls your business number.
- Your system checks your forwarding rules, such as the time of day, whether someone is busy or who is available.
- The call is sent to the right number or group of numbers.
- Someone answers, or the call goes to voicemail if no one is available.
Because the rules are controlled online or through an app, you can change them from anywhere, with no engineer visit.
Types of Call Forwarding
Unconditional Forwarding
This feature sends all calls to a different number, regardless of what is happening on the other line. It is the simplest of the features, and is the feature most virtual phone numbers have. Local and national numbers can all point to a single destination, so you can have several numbers ringing in one place.
Conditional Forwarding
This feature sends calls to a different number based on the conditions of the first number. The conditions can be the line being busy, no one answering, or if the call is outside of the business hours. This feature helps ensure that all calls are not forwarded away from the business.
Call Cascading
This feature passes a call to a list of numbers in a set order until a person answers. The feature allows a business to determine the order in which calls are sent, meaning first line support can get the call, and then if that person does not answer, the call can be sent to the person’s manager, and then if that person does not answer, the call can be sent to a coworker.
Hunt Groups
A hunt group sends calls to a team until someone picks up. There are two common methods:
- Idle hunting: the call goes to the person who has had the least call activity, which spreads the workload evenly. This is especially useful in busy call centres.
- Circular hunting: calls move around the list in a loop. If no one answers, the call returns to the top of the list and starts again.
Benefits of Call Forwarding for Small Businesses
Fewer Missed Calls and Better Staff Availability
When someone is away from their desk, calls can follow them to a mobile or home phone. Customers get help in real time, and your team stays available even when they aren’t sitting at their desks.
Better Customer Service
If someone is at lunch or already on a call, the call can pass to the next available person. You can set this up in advance, so customers get through quickly without long waits.
Support for Remote and Mobile Working
Remote working is becoming more common, and call forwarding lets your customers reach your remote staff, no matter where they are. Call forwarding makes your remote workers as available as your in office staff.
A Bigger Local Presence
Forwarding isn’t only about sending calls to a mobile. If your business has one office but serves several regions, you can set up multiple local numbers and forward them all to your main line. Customers see a local number, and you manage every call in one place.
Business Continuity
If the office is closed, the power goes out or you’re unable to get in, forwarding keeps calls reaching you, so you don’t lose business.
Is Call Forwarding Right for Your Business?
It’s worth setting up if you:
- Have staff who work from home or on the move
- Miss calls when people are away from their desks
- Want customers to reach a real person, not just voicemail
- Run several locations or want local numbers
- Need a simple way to cover holidays, lunch breaks and out-of-hours calls
Call Forwarding FAQs
What is call forwarding?
It’s a feature that sends an incoming call to another phone number, such as a mobile, a home line or a colleague.
Is call forwarding free?
That depends on your provider and plan. Many VoIP systems include it as a standard feature. Check what’s included before you sign up.
Can I forward calls to a mobile?
Yes. Forwarding to a mobile is one of the most common uses, and it lets you take business calls without giving out your personal number.
What’s the difference between call forwarding and a hunt group?
Call forwarding sends a call to one other number or a set order of numbers. A hunt group rings a team of people until someone answers.
Can I choose when calls are forwarded?
With conditional forwarding and business-hours rules, yes. You can forward calls only when you’re busy, unavailable or outside working hours.
Does call forwarding work with remote teams?
Yes. It’s one of the simplest ways to connect remote and office-based staff, so customers always reach the right person.
Get Call Forwarding for Your Business
Call forwarding is quick and easy to set up, and it’s particularly useful for handling customer and sales enquiries. Combined with a VoIP system, it keeps every call reaching your business, even when you’re away from the office.
To find out how a VoIP solution can fit your small business, speak to our experts on 020 3697 4166, or start a free trial.
