Call forwarding allows you to receive calls even when you are not at your desk. This can be a game-changer for businesses. You can stay connected, no matter where you are, by transferring calls to another number. However, there are two types of call forwarding: conditional and unconditional. So, what is conditional call forwarding?
Conditional call forwarding lets you change the path of incoming calls if certain conditions are met. Such conditions include being unable to answer the phone, being on another call, or having your phone off or out of signal range.
In this article, we will give a more clear answer to this question. We will also discuss the benefits of this feature. Furthermore, we will equip you with some fine tips that you can follow to get the most out of conditional call forwarding.
What is Conditional Call Forwarding?
Conditional call forwarding allows you to forward incoming calls to another number under certain conditions. It is not the same as unconditional call forwarding. Unconditional or standard forwarding sends all of your calls to a different number, no matter what. Because of this, its utility is limited.
Call forwarding with conditions operates by creating guidelines on when to move calls somewhere else. For instance, you can set up a rule that sends calls to voicemail when your phone is off or to your office phone when you are not available.
To set up call forwarding only in certain situations, you must look at the call-forwarding options on your phone. Depending on your phone and carrier, you will need to locate them differently.
Common Uses of Conditional Call Forwarding
If you are unable to answer the phone at a specific time, you can use conditional call forwarding. It is also useful when your phone is unavailable due to network issues. Here is a bit more explained breakdown of the uses:
Busy Phone Line: If you are already on the phone, you can forward calls to other numbers. Nobody receives a busy signal when you conditionally direct the call to an answerable alternative line. It is an easy way to manage multiple calls.
Unanswered Phone Calls: Calls may go unanswered at times because you need more time or are preoccupied with something else. You can send these calls to a different number with conditional call forwarding. It keeps the lines of communication open even when you are busy.
Phone Not Reachable: When your phone is unavailable due to network failure or a dying battery, you can use a conditional call divert. It is a great way to avoid missed calls when your primary phone is unavailable.
Benefits of Conditional Call Forwarding
If your main line is not available, conditional call forwarding will send your call to the right department. It helps you respond faster and keep customers interested. Let’s look at all of its benefits:
Improve Accessibility
Setting up conditional call forwarding makes sure that you or your team can be reached from anywhere. You can redirect calls to a certain number even when you are not at your desk, in a meeting, or on the go. That way, you will not miss connections because the lines are not available. You can still talk to clients and team members.
High Call Satisfaction
People feel important when they can get a hold of a business quickly and without hassle. If someone doesn’t pick up a phone right away, having a setup where the call gets passed to another person means someone else can answer it quickly. Businesses can make customers happier by taking care of their issues or questions the first time they call.
Employee Satisfaction
If an employee can’t make it to the office, conditional forwarding lets their calls get sent to another phone. Workers don’t have to stay stuck in one location. They can work from home or go places and still pick up calls that matter. This lets them handle their job responsibilities while also having time to do their own thing.
Cost Efficiency
Call forwarding when busy or when nobody picks up means you don’t have to hire extra people to take calls. You can use your resources in a smarter way. It saves money and helps your business run better. Plus, it protects your company from losing money when you miss calls that might have been important.
Tips for Using Conditional Call Forwarding
Make sure you think about how and when you pass on phone calls. That’s because it’s an integral factor in handling calls well. After you get things set up, double-check the settings so you don’t miss calls or send texts to the wrong person.
Here are some more tips for using conditional call forwarding:
Choose the Right Conditions for Forwarding
Before you forward the calls, be sure you know what to do with them. It requires you to be on top of your schedule, availability, and peak hours. Important calls will be made to you or your team at the best moments if you remember these things.
Prioritise the Calls for Forwarding
Calls should be prioritised according to their urgency or relevance since no two calls are ever the same. You can limit call forwarding to certain periods of the day or numbers with conditional forwarding. With its help, you can keep up with your work and answer all of your calls quickly.
Managing Forwarded Call Destinations
Decide who should answer incoming calls—a coworker, someone in another office, or even your cell phone—based on who can assist the caller the most. Call routing is a simple approach to ensuring that the most qualified person is always in charge.
Test the Settings
Following the configuration, make sure the call forwarding is working well. You can test the call forwarding by calling from various numbers and scenarios to make sure it’s operating correctly. It helps find problems with the setup or places that need to be changed so that the system can work well.
Conclusion
Conditional call forwarding takes the call forwarding game to a whole new level. With its help, you can set specific conditions under which your calls will be diverted elsewhere. When the line is busy or you can’t be reached, you can set the calls to forward exactly where you want.
Both employees and customers can leverage the benefits of conditional forwarding. It allows employees to be flexible and customers to get their questions answered the first time. All these make the communication channel broader. However, choosing the right conditions and prioritising the call list is a must.
At Flamingo Digital, we are offering businesses something quite similar to conditional forwarding with our out-of-hours call handling. We help businesses manage peak call volumes or cover out-of-office hours to answer every customer call. Contact us today to learn more about our services.