Ensuring you never miss a call is crucial for delivering exceptional service and capturing every lead. Call forwarding allows you to route calls directly to your AI assistant when you’re busy, unavailable, or outside of business hours. Whether you’re using a personal mobile plan, a business account, or a PBX phone system, this guide will walk you through setting up call forwarding, troubleshooting issues, and optimizing performance.
Why Use Call Forwarding with Your AI Assistant?
Call forwarding ensures:
- Uninterrupted Service: Never miss a call, even during off-hours or busy periods. Your AI assistant can handle inquiries instantly, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction.
- Lead Capture: Automatically route inquiries to your AI assistant to capture leads 24/7. This is especially useful for businesses that rely on phone inquiries for quotes, appointments, or sales.
- Flexible Scheduling: Control when and how calls are forwarded—during holidays, weekends, or after hours. Use predefined rules to manage workflows efficiently.
- Scalable Growth: Seamlessly handle increased call volume without requiring additional staff. As your business grows, your AI assistant can scale with you to manage customer inquiries.
Use Case Example: A real estate agency used conditional call forwarding to route calls to their AI assistant after business hours. The AI assistant handled inquiries, scheduled showings, and provided property details, increasing lead conversion by 30% and saving staff time. With detailed knowledge docs uploaded, the AI assistant even answered complex questions about financing and neighborhood demographics.
Benefits of Call Forwarding for Different Business Types
Small Businesses:
- Maintain customer service outside of regular hours without hiring extra staff.
- Provide quick answers to inquiries, building trust and credibility.
- Example: A local bakery forwarded after-hours calls to its AI assistant, which informed callers of store hours and took pre-orders for the next day.
Service Providers (Plumbers, Contractors):
- Capture urgent requests and manage bookings automatically.
- Handle emergency calls even when technicians are unavailable.
- Example: A plumbing company set up forwarding for emergency services, allowing the AI assistant to log issues and dispatch available technicians.
E-commerce:
- Provide immediate answers to inquiries about orders, shipping, and returns.
- Reduce abandoned carts by answering pre-sale questions.
- Example: An online retailer’s AI assistant handled order tracking and refund policies, improving response times and reducing customer complaints.
Professional Services (Law Firms, Medical Practices):
- Pre-screen clients and schedule appointments seamlessly.
- Provide after-hours support for urgent cases or follow-ups.
- Example: A law firm used PBX rules to forward calls after hours, enabling the AI assistant to book consultations and answer basic legal queries.
Advanced Features in Call Forwarding
Simultaneous Ringing:
- Rings multiple numbers (e.g., personal phone and AI assistant) at the same time, allowing the first available person or AI to handle the call.
- Example: A sales team uses simultaneous ringing to ensure someone always answers, reducing missed opportunities.
Call Screening and Whisper Features (PBX):
- Screens incoming calls and notifies agents or AI of the caller’s details before answering.
- Example: A customer service team uses whisper features to alert agents that the call was forwarded from the AI assistant, allowing for seamless handoffs.
Time-Based Routing:
- Automates forwarding rules based on time zones, business hours, or holidays.
- Example: An IT support firm routes calls to their AI assistant during weekends, providing continuous support without requiring staff to be on call.
Tools and Apps for Flexible Call Forwarding
OpenPhone:
- Ideal for startups and remote teams, offering flexible routing and mobile integration.
- Supports team collaboration and voicemail-to-text features.
Google Voice:
- Budget-friendly options for small businesses, integrating with Google Workspace.
- Includes voicemail transcription and call recording.
Grasshopper:
- A virtual phone system perfect for small businesses needing mobile call management.
- Allows for multiple extensions and simultaneous forwarding.
RingCentral:
- Enterprise-level call management tools with advanced analytics and multi-device support.
- Suitable for larger businesses with high call volumes.
Optimization Strategies for Call Forwarding Success
Analyze Logs:
- Use your portal’s Conversations Page to track call logs, identify peak hours, and analyze common questions.
- Example: A cleaning service identified frequently asked questions about pricing and updated its AI assistant to answer these queries more efficiently.
Combine Channels:
- Integrate SMS, email, and web chat alongside calls to create a multi-channel support system.
- Example: An insurance company combined calls with SMS follow-ups, enabling customers to receive quotes and policy details instantly.
Test Regularly:
- Test forwarding rules, scripts, and AI behaviour frequently to account for seasonal changes or new promotions.
- Example: A retail store tested call routing rules before Black Friday to handle increased inquiries smoothly.
Step 1: Setting Up Call Forwarding
For Personal Mobile Plans
Rogers and Bell (Canada):
- Forward When Busy (Declined Calls):
Dial: *67* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Example: *67*4161234567# - Forward When Unanswered:
Dial: *61* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Detailed Instructions:
Verizon (USA):
- Forward All Calls:
Dial: *72 [Your AI Number] and press Call.
Example: *724161234567 - Forward When Busy or Unanswered:
Dial: *71 [Your AI Number] and press Call.
Detailed Instructions:
AT&T (USA):
- Forward All Calls:
Dial: *21* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Example: *21*4161234567# - Forward When Busy or Unanswered:
Dial: *004* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Detailed Instructions:
T-Mobile (USA):
- Forward All Calls:
Dial: **21* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Example: **21*4161234567# - Forward When Busy:
Dial: **67* [Your AI Number] # and press Call.
Detailed Instructions:
Pro Tip: If your carrier isn’t listed here, Google ‘[Your Carrier] call forwarding instructions’ to find steps on their website. Most carriers provide clear, easy-to-follow guides.
For Business Accounts and PBX Systems
Businesses using PBX or VoIP systems have advanced options to control call routing. These systems allow you to forward calls based on specific rules and conditions.
Setting Up PBX Call Forwarding:
- Access the PBX Dashboard: Log in to your PBX control panel or contact your IT administrator.
- Create Call Flow Rules: Configure forwarding rules for:
- Business Hours: Forward unanswered calls after 3 rings.
- After Hours: Route all calls to your AI assistant between 6 PM and 8 AM.
- Busy Lines: Send calls to the AI assistant when all agents are occupied.
- Test Your Setup: Place test calls during different times to verify that forwarding rules are working.
Pro Tip: Many PBX systems allow you to create holiday-specific rules for automatic call routing—perfect for seasonal businesses.
Step 2: Testing and Troubleshooting
Test Your Setup:
- Personal Plans: Decline or ignore a test call to ensure it forwards correctly.
- PBX Systems: Simulate busy periods, after-hours, and holidays to confirm the AI assistant picks up as expected.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Use Felix, our built-in AI assistant, for guidance in your portal’s chat widget.
- Carrier Support: Contact your carrier directly for setup help.
- Third-Party Apps: Tools like OpenPhone and Google Voice offer flexible routing options if your current setup doesn’t support advanced rules.
Ready to Set Up Call Forwarding? Visit your portal now and configure call forwarding to keep your AI assistant connected and responsive. Need help? Reach out to our support team or Felix, your built-in assistant, for guidance! Log In to Portal
