Call patching services are absolutely essential if you are looking for answering services for your business. It’s even more important if you or a staff member are away from your location frequently and need calls forwarded to different numbers.
How Call Patching Works
When an incoming call comes into your main business line, it will be picked up by a virtual receptionist who will answer the call with a custom greeting and take the necessary information to forward the call in the right direction. In a few cases, the caller may already know the department he or she needs to reach but not the specific person. In other cases, the caller may know the specific name and extension number. Virtual receptionists are trained to ask different questions in order to properly route calls. Next, the virtual receptionist keeps the caller on the line and then calls the extension of the individual the caller wants. Once the person is reached, the receptionist provides a brief introduction and then gets off the call. This can also be referred to as a warm transfer because the receptionist stays with the call. It can also be done without the warm transfer. This is called blind patching, and once the caller is put on hold then the receptionist dials the number. As soon as the line starts ringing, the receptionist will drop the call. If you don’t answer, then the call just goes straight to voicemail.
Why You Need Call Patching
You could need call patching services for a number of reasons. You or your employees may want to screen incoming calls before having to talk to the caller. Not all incoming calls are going to be equal, and while some you may just want to transfer to voicemail, others you don’t want to miss. This warm transfer will give you the opportunity to choose if you want to speak with the caller. Call patching provides a great level of customer service. Incoming calls feel important since they are personally introduced. If you aren’t available, the receptionist can take a message or answer basic questions right away. Call patching will allow you and the rest of your staff to work on a mobile basis more often. In many industries this is an important part of getting the job one. You and your staff can leave the office and still have the confidence to know you won’t miss important calls. Call patching can also offer some more privacy. Business owners may not want to give out their cell phone or home phone numbers to customers. By having calls patched to your cell, it helps protect your anonymity. Callers are not given your number and it won’t show up on caller ID.
