What Is Call Forwarding? 5 Best Services and How to Set it Up

As a local business owner, you know staying connected is paramount to getting ahead in a fast-paced marketplace. Imagine a seamless flow where every call reaches its intended recipient, regardless of time or location. That’s where we come in.

Read on to learn all the ins and outs of call forwarding, how it works, what the best platforms are, and how to get the most out of them.

What is call forwarding?

Call forwarding is a telecommunications feature that intercepts an incoming call at the network level and routes it to a different destination number. It can be set up and managed through various means including phone settings, carrier services, or third-party applications.

There are two main types of call forwarding: unconditional and conditional.

Unconditional call forwarding redirects all incoming calls immediately and automatically without any conditions or restrictions. Conditional call forwarding redirects calls based on specific conditions or criteria that typically include busy, no answer, and unavailable/offline.

4 Key Benefits of Call Forwarding

So, why do businesses love it? Here are four key benefits of using call forwarding software and why each is worth pursuing.

Ensures No Missed Calls

Call forwarding software ensures you never miss important calls and is invaluable in helping you maintain communication with your clients, partners, and prospects. It helps you avoid missed opportunities, lost revenue, and decreased customer satisfaction. By ensuring all calls are promptly answered or redirected, you maintain a high level of availability and responsiveness.

Maintains Privacy and Anonymity

Call forwarding software allows you to maintain privacy and anonymity by masking your primary contact numbers. You simply provide clients and customers with centralized or virtual numbers that forward calls to internal or external lines. This helps protect sensitive information, such as personal phone numbers of employees, and mitigates the risk of unsolicited calls, spam, and potential breaches of confidentiality.

Blocks Phone Numbers

Call forwarding software empowers you to block unwanted or nuisance phone numbers effectively. By utilizing features like call screening or call blocking, you can filter incoming calls and prevent disruptions from telemarketers, spam callers, or other unwanted parties.

Improves accessibility and responsiveness

Call forwarding software ensures calls reach the right person or department regardless of their location. Whether your employees are in the office, on the road, or working remotely, calls can be seamlessly forwarded to their preferred devices or numbers. This flexibility enables timely responses to inquiries, support requests, and customer needs.

5 Best Call Forwarding Services for Businesses in 2024

Ready to search? We’re here to help. Read on for the five best call forwarding services for local businesses in 2024: Podium, Zendesk, RingCentral, GoTo Connect, and Dialpad.

Podium

With pricing customized for each business, Podium ensures you only pay for what you’ll use. Podium’s call forwarding is unparalleled in terms of convenience and quality, capitalizing on the power of text. In addition to routing, the platform automatically texts missed callers to keep connections intact. With a simple interface and advanced reporting, when a customer calls, you immediately see their history with you as well as any previous conversations you’ve had, providing you with critical context. Best of all, the customer support is top-notch.

Zendesk

Zendesk’s software runs users $55 per month and includes call routing, IVR, a click-to-call button, monitoring and recording, in-depth reporting, and unified conversations. It is widely recognized for its high-quality forwarding and value. However, customers have noted that it lacks in the technical support arena.

RingCentral

Looking for a cheaper option? We’ve got you. RingCentral’s call forwarding service for small business costs $19.99 per month with a 14-day free trial. Its software includes all the same features as Zendesk with a highly customizable dashboard and great customer service. Some customers have noted that frequent software updates are required and that delays occasionally occur.

GoTo Connect

Starting at $24 per month, GoTo Connect’s phone forwarding service includes all the bells and whistles except unified conversations, unlike Zendesk and RingCentral. Marketed as the “first truly unified voice and video solution,” users appreciate the simple interface, intuitive design, and clean mobile app.

Dialpad

The cheapest call forwarding service on the list, Dialpad starts at only $15 per month. It boasts an AI-powered cloud communication platform, offering users modern and intuitive cloud telephony technology. However, if you want phone and 24/7 support or access to the integration library, you must upgrade your system.

Is there a free call forwarding service?

Good question. On many phone plans, there’s no monthly fee for call forwarding. However, it depends on the plan and carrier you have. And the caveat is that without high-quality call routing, reporting, monitoring, recording, and unified conversations, you may have run into some difficulties in providing the level of service you want to provide. Additionally, it is highly unlikely that your plan, as is, will be able to accommodate the volume of callers your business supports.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding for Your Business

Setting up call forwarding for your business is simple–especially with the right platform. Here are a few instructions to get you started:

Smartphones (Android/iOS)

• Open the Phone app on your smartphone.
• Tap the menu icon (usually three dots or lines) and select “Settings” or “Call settings.”
• Choose “Call forwarding” or a similar option.
• Select “Voice call” or “Voice” and then “Always forward,” “Forward when busy,” or “Forward when unanswered.
• Enter the number you want to forward calls to and save the settings.

Landlines

• Dial the code for call forwarding (typically *72 for unconditional forwarding, *90 for busy forwarding, or *92 for no answer forwarding).
• After dialing the code, enter the forwarding number.
• Wait for a confirmation tone or message, then hang up to save the settings.

Business Phone Systems (PBX/VoIP)

• Navigate to the call forwarding settings or features section.
• Specify the forwarding number and conditions for each scenario.
• Save or apply the settings to activate call forwarding.

Configuring settings for different scenarios

You can set up forwarding schedules for specific times or days, such as after business hours or during holidays. You can also configure call routing based on the caller’s location, language preference, or other criteria using advanced call routing features available in certain phone systems.

Best Practices for Business Call Forwarding

Helping your team get the hang of call forwarding and settling into a groove can take time–and some trial and error. Here are a few best practices to help you out:

Ring All of Your Phones Simultaneously

By setting up simultaneous ringing, you ensure calls are promptly answered by your first available employee, regardless of their location or device. This approach maximizes the chances of reaching a live person and minimizes the risk of missed calls or delays in response. It’s particularly beneficial for teams working across multiple locations or remote environments.

Ring Each Phone in a Specific Order

This strategy allows for a structured approach to call distribution, ensuring calls are systematically directed to appropriate employees or departments based on predefined priorities. For example, calls may first ring on the primary office line, then forward to designated mobile phones or extensions if unanswered.

Set Forwarding Schedules for Each Phone

By defining forwarding schedules, you can automatically redirect calls to alternative numbers, voicemail, or answering services during non-business hours, holidays, or periods of unavailability. This proactive approach ensures callers receive appropriate responses or instructions regardless of when they contact you, enhancing reliability. Setting forwarding schedules also helps maintain work-life balance for your employees.

How to Turn Off Call Forwarding for Businesses

Need a break? To turn off your call forwarding:

1. Locate call forwarding options: Navigate to the call settings menu. Look for the option labeled “Call Forwarding” or “Forwarding.”
2. Select disable and confirm: Toggle off or select “Disable.” Confirm changes by tapping “OK,” “Save,” or a similar option.
3. Repeat if necessary: If you have multiple call forwarding conditions enabled, such as busy or no answer forwarding, repeat the process for each condition to ensure all forwarding is turned off. Then, call your number to verify that the process saved.

How to Cancel *72 Call Forwarding

To cancel call forwarding activated with *72, simply dial *73 on your phone keypad and press the call button. This will deactivate call forwarding and return your phone to its default settings. Don’t forget to confirm the cancellation by listening for the confirmation tone or message after dialing *73.

Answer Calls With a Phone Service That Supports Your Team

Whether you’re in the office or on the go, having a forwarding service in place helps keep you connected to customers whenever you’re needed.

Ready to get started? For the best of modern phone forwarding services, try Podium Phones today.