You do not need a new phone number to have every call answered. With call forwarding, your customers keep calling the number they already know, and calls are passed on to a dedicated number where your voice agent picks up. This is the simplest way to get after-hours call answering without changing anything for your callers.
This guide explains what call forwarding is, the three common ways to use it, and a step-by-step setup. It is general guidance, and the exact options depend on your phone provider.
What call forwarding does
Call forwarding redirects calls made to your existing business number to another number. With Boltix, that other number is your dedicated Boltix AI number, so your AI call answering agent can answer when you can't. Your callers still dial the same number, and they do not need to know that anything has changed.
Choose when calls are answered
Before you set anything up, decide when you want your agent to answer. The usual choices are:
- Every call, so your agent answers all inbound calls at any time
- After hours only, so your agent covers evenings, nights, weekends and holidays
- Whenever your team is busy, so your agent covers the calls you can't pick up yourself
Many businesses start with after-hours coverage, because those are the calls that would otherwise go straight to voicemail. Others choose busy-time coverage to catch calls that arrive while staff are with customers. If you want nobody to ever reach voicemail, choose every call. You can change your choice later, so it is fine to start small.
The setup, step by step
- Decide which of the three options above fits your business.
- We learn your business, map your call flows and set up your agent with your services, pricing, hours, policies and most common questions.
- We give you your dedicated Boltix AI number and test your agent against real call scenarios.
- Set up forwarding from your existing business number to your dedicated Boltix AI number. This is done in your phone provider's settings, and we help you set it up.
- Call your own number to test it, and approve how the agent sounds and responds.
- Go live. We monitor calls and keep improving your agent every month.
A note on provider settings
The forwarding options available to you depend on your phone provider. Some let you choose between forwarding every call, forwarding only when the line is busy, and forwarding when a call goes unanswered. Others offer fewer choices, or let you set schedules. Check which choices yours offers. If you are unsure, we will confirm what is possible with your setup on the demo call.
Testing before you rely on it
Once forwarding is set up, test it the way a customer would. Ring your own number from a different phone, at a time when forwarding should apply, and listen to how the agent introduces itself and answers. A few ideas for your test calls:
- Ask a question about your opening hours or your services
- Try to book, reschedule and cancel something in your calendar
- Leave your name and number as a new caller would
- Describe an urgent situation and see how the call is handled
You approve how your agent sounds and responds before launch, so these tests are the moment to ask for changes. If something should be said differently, tell us and we update your agent.
What happens when a call needs a person
Not every call should end with the agent. You choose which calls go to a person, such as urgent or complex ones. The agent can transfer the caller to someone on your team, take a detailed message, or flag the call as urgent. This works through lead capture and call transfer, where your team's transfer rules decide who receives which calls.
What you receive after each call
After every call you receive an email with the caller's details, a summary and the outcome. Recording and transcripts are optional. When they are enabled, callers hear a recording notice where required.
Tips for a smooth rollout
A few habits make the first weeks easier. Let your team know that calls will now be answered by your agent at the times you chose, so nobody is surprised. Decide in advance who should receive transferred calls. Then read the email summaries you receive during the first weeks. They show what callers actually ask, which makes it easy to spot a question your agent should answer better. When you find one, tell us and we update your agent. We also review calls and refine your agent every month.
Common questions about forwarding
Will my customers see a different number?
No. They dial your existing business number as usual. The forwarding happens behind the scenes.
Can I turn forwarding off?
Forwarding is controlled in your phone provider's settings, so you can change or turn it off there whenever you choose. If you want to adjust when your agent answers, tell us and we will help.
What if I change my opening hours?
Tell us and we update your agent so it gives the right information. Your monthly plan includes ongoing updates. You can see how plans work on the pricing page.
Key takeaways
- Call forwarding lets you keep your existing business number while a dedicated Boltix AI number answers the calls.
- Choose when your agent answers: every call, after hours only, or whenever your team is busy.
- Forwarding is set in your phone provider's settings, and we help you set it up. Available options vary by provider.
- Test with real calls, approve how the agent sounds, then go live. We monitor calls and improve your agent every month.
- After every call you receive an email with the caller's details, a summary and the outcome.