What is call handling?

Call handling is the process of managing calls that come into a business, but it involves so much more than simply picking up the phone. Call handling can be managed internally, or by a third-party service. Companies experiencing a particularly busy period or a regular high volume of calls might choose to outsource their call handling to a partner.

Here, we’ll explain the differences between inbound and outbound call handling, look at how outsourced call handling works, and explore the benefits of using a professional call handling service.

 

Speak to our experts to find out everything you need

Get in touch

 

Inbound call handling

Inbound call handling involves taking calls and messages for a business, as well as forwarding calls, and even answering some customer enquiries. Inbound call handling is the type of call handling that Face For Business provides.

Inbound call handling can involve:

• Transferring calls to relevant team members
• Detailed message taking
• Booking appointments
• Resolving or escalating customer issues

Some of the reasons why a company may want to consider outsourcing inbound call handling include:

• Get extra support during busy or peak periods
• Capture leads and answer important enquiries outside of your usual opening hours
• Improve the level of customer service offered to callers
• Save money on the cost of hiring a full-time receptionist
• Focus more of your time on supporting customers or growing your business

Outbound call handling

Outbound call handling is the process a company uses to make outgoing calls. Outbound call handling can refer to:

• Telemarketing
• Telesales
• Fundraising
• Customer service calls

Outbound call handling can be used for market research, to gather customer or client feedback, or to generate leads or sales. If you choose to outsource outbound call handling, this will typically be managed by a call centre.

How call handling works

A typical call handling process will follow the below steps:

• Caller is greeted
• Call handler gathers caller’s details
• Message taken or query answered
• Message and call details forwarded to relevant contact
• Relevant contact responds at their convenience

When you work with an inbound call handling or outsourced reception service, incoming calls to your business will be routed through to a professional call handler. At Face For Business, all of our call handlers are based in the UK and have experienced working in your sector, so you can be sure callers will be greeted by a friendly, helpful voice.

The call handler will follow a script, making sure the caller is greeted professionally, before collecting any information required to proceed with the call. The handler will ensure all of this detail is captured, including the caller’s name, number and business name.

From there, the call handler will answer the caller’s query or take down a message, directing this to the most relevant team or contact, who can then prioritise and respond at their convenience. Our Face For Business call handlers record messages in your client portal and in our dedicated app, which you’ll have access to 24/7.

Benefits of using a professional call handling service

1. Improved customer service

Outsourcing call handling can help businesses to deliver a higher level of customer service, and therefore greater customer satisfaction. All of your calls will be answered quickly and professionally, as your company will benefit from:

• Basic queries being answered faster without using up internal resource
• Consistent, reliable customer service from trained call handlers
• Customer issues being flagged and handed off to the right team before they escalate

2. Reduce costs

Finding the right call handling service for your business could even help you to save money compared to the cost of hiring a full-time receptionist. You’ll only be billed for the price of your call handling package each month, rather than having to pay a full-time salary, plus benefits, sick pay, and more.

3. Greater efficiency

Having a proper process in place for handling incoming calls can lead to improved efficiency within your business. When the phones are taken care of, you and your team will be able to spend more of your time focusing on delivering for clients and growing your business. At Face For Business, our call handlers have sector experience and will have received training on exactly how you’d like your calls to be answered, saving you time dealing with extra queries.

4. Extend your availability

Using a professional phone answering service for small business owners can help you extend your availability beyond your usual operating hours, as many providers offer out-of-hours cover. We’ll answer your calls in the evenings and at weekends, so you can keep your business running even when you’ve clocked out for the day or need a break – this is particularly beneficial for small businesses with a smaller in-house team.

5. Capture more leads

By effectively extending your business hours and with more support available to cover your phones, you’ll be in a position to capture more leads, as all incoming calls will be answered; and when we’re closed, we can help you to put together a message to direct callers to the best place. Using a call handling service should mean you never miss an important call or potential business opportunity again.

6. Maintain a professional image

Professional call handling is key to presenting a professional image of your business to support the reputation you’ve worked so hard to achieve. When customers call and have their issues resolved quickly, this leaves customers feeling satisfied and improves the overall perception of your customer service, creating more confidence among future customers or clients.

7. Support customer retention

It’s far cheaper to retain existing customers than it is to win new business, and good customer service is one of the key factors in retention. People are more likely to stay with a company if they’re confident they’ll have a better service than they would somewhere else. Customers are also more likely to repeat business and spend more money with companies that offer better customer service.

Improve your call handling with Face For Business

We’ve been providing professional call handling services to UK businesses since 2012. Our professional, friendly telephone answering service PAs are highly experienced in handling inbound calls across sectors including healthcare, finance, legal, IT, property, and construction. We never use AI as part of our service, and every call is recorded, so you can always be sure we’re handling your calls as you’d expect.

We optimise your bills each month, so you’ll never pay for more time than you use, and there are no long-term contracts, so you can use us as and when you need us. Try our call handling service for 7 days with a free, no-obligation trial.

Want to know more? Contact us on 0333 323 1007 or get a quote now.