Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any special equipment or software?
Where are my calls answered?
How will my calls be answered?
How do I direct calls to my call handling service?
Can you transfer calls through to me?
Can I choose which calls to divert to you?
How do I set up call divert?
Can I divert my mobile to my dedicated line?
Do I need to notify you each time I divert?
I only want my calls answered by one person - is that possible?
What hours is Connect open?
How long does it take to set up a call handling service?
What if more than one person calls my service at the same time?
Do you hold a log of my past messages?

 

• Do I need any special equipment or software?
No, you don’t need any additional equipment or software at all to use any of our call handling services. If you will only be diverting calls from one line to us, the only addition to your existing telephone service is to call your provider to ask them to enable a call divert service on your line, although most people find that they already have this facility. If you are diverting calls from a telephone system or office network, diverting calls will simply involve a minor change to your programming to tell your system what number to divert to.

• Where are my calls answered?
All calls are answered at our premises in Edinburgh by our team of experienced and professional operators. We never outsource any of our service and never use any overseas facility.

• How will my calls be answered?
The short answer is “however you want them answered”. Every call is answered in your company name or with the greeting script you request. It can be a general greeting or reflect a specific campaign or anything else you require and, like all elements of your service, it can be changed at any time.

• How do I direct calls to my call handling service?
We can set up any of a range of straightforward ways to send calls to your call handling service. You can choose to either use your existing telephone number or a special “non-geographic” number like an 0845 or 0800 number to route your callers to us. You can choose to send either all of your calls directly to your call handling service or only those calls that you or your staff are unable to answer. To discuss how you would like your calls to be routed just call us on 0845 838 3300.

• Can you transfer calls through to me?
Yes we can answer your calls and then offer the call to you on your direct line or mobile phone. If you would prefer not to take any particular call, we will simply take the caller’s details and message and pass then to you by your preferred method.

• Can I choose which calls to divert to you?
Yes, if you divert your calls to us it is just a case of dialing a few keystrokes into your phone to turn the divert on or off. You can also choose how the divert should work: either sending all call to our team or only those calls which go unanswered or find your line to be engaged.

• How do I set up call divert?
Call divert is easy to set up and use. Just call your telephone provider (BT, NTL etc.) and ask them to enable the service on your line. Turning the divert on or off ore choosing how you would like it to work is simply a case of entering a few keystrokes into your phone.

• Can I divert my mobile to my dedicated line?
Yes you can, but remember that your mobile operator may charge you to do this.

• Do I need to notify you each time I divert?
No, you don’t. Our systems are always ready and waiting for any calls to come in for you.

• I only want my calls answered by one person - is that possible?
Unfortunately not: distributing our customers’ call around our teams is one of the ways that we are able to offer our service at such excellent value for money. However, your account will be assigned to a small team who are all familiar with how your service is to operate.

• What hours is Connect open?
Our normal office hours are 07:30hrs – 18:30hrs, Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, we operate an individual, personalised voicemail service for each of customers which includes a greeting by one of our call handling team in your own company name.

• How long does it take to set up a call handling service?
In the vast majority of cases we can have your service up and running within just two hours.

• What if more than one person calls my service at the same time?
Our service is built around systems that allow us to predict and manage overall increases in call volumes. We have a shift system that ensures that there are always more than sufficient staff to cope with even unexpected surges in call volumes. We can accept up to 20 simultaneous calls for each customer and additional capacity can be build in to cater for higher call volumes.

• Do you hold a log of my past messages?
Yes – All of your calls from the previous six months are available to our operators and can be accessed anytime you call or log on to the customers section of our website.