Overview
After hours, overflow or virtual reception: which service do you need?
All three put a live person on your phone line when your own team can't answer. They answer in your business name, follow your instructions and pass on messages, book appointments or escalate urgent calls.
- After hours and 24/7 answering covers evenings, weekends and public holidays, or every hour of the day.
- Overflow call answering takes the calls your team can't reach in time during peaks, surges, staff shortages or outages. See overflow in the ACXPA glossary.
- Virtual reception is a remote receptionist for businesses too small, or too busy, to keep someone on the phone all day.
What answering services handle
- Message taking, with delivery by email or SMS
- Appointment booking in your calendar
- Emergency triage and escalation to on-call staff
- Simple enquiries and FAQs
- Fault and incident logging
- Orders and reservations
- New enquiry capture and lead qualification
- Call screening and transfers to your team