Call Forwarding: A Feature Every Small Business Should Be Using

Missed calls. Voicemails that pile up while you’re in meetings, serving customers, or simply trying to run your business.

For small businesses, startups, and solo entrepreneurs, these missed connections often mean missed revenue. That’s why call forwarding has become one of the most valuable communication features small businesses can use today.

In this article, we’ll break down how call forwarding works, why it matters, and when it makes sense to go beyond basic forwarding with a virtual or AI receptionist.

A quick summary of this article:

• Call forwarding helps small businesses stay responsive and avoid missed customer inquiries
• Forwarding ensures calls reach the right person or service, even when teams are busy or unavailable
• While helpful, basic call forwarding doesn’t answer questions or deliver a consistent customer experience. It works best when combined with a virtual receptionist, an AI receptionist, or a hybrid approach that blends both.
• Virtual receptionist services provide human live call answering, message intake, and appointment scheduling
• AI receptionist service supports high call volume, after-hours coverage, and efficient call routing
• Small businesses, startups, and solo entrepreneurs often start with forwarding, then add receptionist support as they grow

What Is Call Forwarding for Small Businesses?

Call forwarding allows businesses to redirect inbound calls from one number to another device, team member, or service.

Instead of letting calls ring endlessly, forwarding ensures customer conversations continue, even when you’re unavailable.

For small businesses, this typically means:

• Forwarding business calls to a mobile phone
• Routing calls to an available team member during business hours
• Sending after-hours calls to voicemail or a receptionist

It’s a simple solution, but one that plays a big role in staying responsive.

Why Call Forwarding Matters for Customer Experience

Customers expect fast responses. When calls go unanswered, trust erodes quickly.

Call forwarding helps businesses:

• Respond faster to inquiries
• Capture more leads
• Reduce customer frustration
• Maintain a professional presence

However, forwarding alone doesn’t answer questions, book appointments, or qualify callers. It simply moves the conversation elsewhere, which is where more advanced solutions come into play.

Call Forwarding vs Virtual Receptionist: What’s the Difference?

This is where many small businesses hit a crossroads.

Basic call forwarding:

• Redirects calls to another number
• Relies on you or your team to answer
• Offers limited structure or consistency

A virtual receptionist service, on the other hand, does more than pass calls along.

With Abby Connect’s Virtual Receptionist Services, businesses get:

• Professional, US-based, in-house receptionists answering calls live
• Custom call handling based on your business instructions 
• Appointment scheduling and message intake
• A consistent, friendly first impression for every caller

Instead of hoping someone is free to answer, calls are handled with care and intention – every time.

How AI Receptionists Support Call and Forwarding

For businesses with high call volume or extended hours, an AI receptionist can complement forwarding strategies.

An AI Receptionist Service can:

• Answer calls instantly
• Route callers to the right destination
• Capture key information from callers
• Support overflow and after-hours coverage
• Answer FAQs

AI receptionists work best when paired with human support – handling routine inquiries while more nuanced conversations are escalated appropriately.

Call Forwarding for Small Businesses, Startups, and Solo Entrepreneurs

Different business sizes use forwarding in different ways:

• Small businesses rely on forwarding to ensure no lead is missed during busy hours.
• Startups use forwarding to appear established while teams remain lean.
• Solo entrepreneurs depend on forwarding to stay responsive without being constantly interrupted.

As businesses grow, forwarding often becomes the foundation – not the final solution.

Managing Calls from One Place

Visibility matters just as much as responsiveness.

With tools like the Abby GoApp and my.abby.com Portal, businesses can:

• View call and message history
• Track customer interactions
• Adjust call routing instructions
• Gain insight into communication trends

These features help businesses stay informed without micromanaging every interaction.

To explore more capabilities, see Abby’s full list of Features.

When Call Forwarding Isn’t Enough

Call forwarding is powerful, but it has limits.

You may need more than forwarding if:

• Calls are frequently missed
• Customers need immediate answers
• You want consistent brand representation
• Your team is stretched too thin

That’s where a receptionist solution – human, AI, or hybrid – becomes essential.

FAQs

Call Forwarding Keeps You Connected – Abby Helps You Stay Personal

Call forwarding keeps conversations moving, but great customer experiences require more than routing alone. 

With Abby’s virtual and AI receptionist solutions, small businesses can stay responsive while preserving the human touch customers expect.