Call handling is often the litmus test for your business’s customer service. Done right, it can skyrocket your customer satisfaction scores and, in turn, your bottom line. But when mishandled, it could lead to a viral social media rant that no business can afford. 

Call handling is a critical skill for providing great customer service and growing your business. Let’s explore what exactly call handling is, why it matters, and actionable best practices to turn phone call conversions into sales opportunities.

What is call handling? 

Call handling is how businesses and call centers manage inbound and outbound phone calls. It starts the moment the phone rings and continues to the end of the conversation.

Proper call handling consists of:

• Answering calls promptly
• Assessing callers' needs
• Providing accurate information
• Communicating effectively with the caller
• Resolving issues in a timely manner
• Handling call transfers and hold times
• Logging relevant call information for future reference or reporting

Think of call handling as the nerve center of your customer service efforts. It’s where your team’s soft skills converge with your clients’ expectations. At its core, it comes down to managing calls with efficiency, enthusiasm, and effectiveness. An exceptional call-handling experience can resolve issues quickly and potentially transform disgruntled customers into brand evangelists.

How does call handling work? 

Call handling involves a variety of steps and technologies to ensure calls are routed to the appropriate representatives, handled efficiently, and documented accurately.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Different situations warrant different call handling based on the callers’ needs:

• In internal business environments, call handling aims to improve customer service and efficiency, using features like call forwarding, IVR, and conference calling.
• In call centers, the focus is on managing large volumes of calls, with an emphasis on queue management and rapid response.
• In emergency services, the priority is to accurately route calls to dispatch as quickly as possible, with systems designed for prioritization and rapid information collection.

Key components of call handling include: 

Call handling can be managed in-house or outsourced. Smith.ai provides both AI Receptionist and Virtual Receptionist services to help businesses avoid missing leads, extend operating hours, improve customer service, and support in-house call handling during seasonal or peak periods.

Inbound vs. outbound call handling

When it comes to handling calls, there are two main types: inbound and outbound. The primary difference between the two lies in who initiates the call.

Inbound call handling

Inbound call handling involves receiving calls from current or potential customers seeking assistance, information, or service. These interactions represent opportunities to strengthen customer relationships, capture new business, and resolve issues before they escalate.

Common types of inbound calls include:

• Customer service inquiries
• Technical support requests
• Sales inquiries from prospects
• Complaints or escalations
• Billing and payment questions
• General company information requests
• Appointment scheduling
• Order status checks

Effective inbound call handling requires balancing speed with quality. Callers expect prompt answers and thorough, accurate information. The challenge for growing businesses is maintaining this balance as call volume increases beyond in-house capacity.

Outbound call handling

Outbound calls are made by agents or sales representatives to customers or prospects. These calls are usually for:

• Sales
• Lead generation
• Customer follow-up
• Appointment scheduling
• Telemarketing
• Market research

While both call types require strong communication skills, inbound call handling demands greater flexibility since agents must respond to unpredictable customer needs rather than following predetermined outreach scripts.

Benefits of effective call handling

Incorporating effective call handling can benefit an organization in the following ways:

• Improves customer satisfaction: When calls are handled properly, customers feel heard and valued. They're more likely to be satisfied with the service and develop a positive impression of your company.
• Increases efficiency: By streamlining the call-handling process, companies can handle more calls with the same resources. This means shorter wait times for customers and improved productivity among staff.
• Provides data-driven insights: An efficient call-handling system can gather and analyze data from phone interactions, revealing customer trends, pain points, and satisfaction levels. These insights help you make informed business decisions to improve service and operations.
• Improves brand reputation: Consistently excellent call handling builds a trustworthy brand image that sets you apart from competitors.
• Captures revenue opportunities: Effective inbound call handling ensures potential customers receive immediate attention, preventing lost sales from missed calls or long hold times.

7 call handling best practices

To provide an exceptional customer experience, focus on these best practices for inbound call handling:

1. Answer calls promptly

Speed matters for inbound calls. Customers calling your business expect prompt responses, and delayed answers directly impact conversion rates and satisfaction. Studies show that answer speed significantly affects whether callers remain on the line or abandon to competitors.

Implement systems that ensure calls are answered within three rings. For businesses that cannot staff reception continuously, AI Receptionist and Virtual Receptionist services provide 24/7 coverage that captures every inbound opportunity.

2. Create a proper call-handling script

A call script serves as a safety net, guiding your agents through various customer interactions and ensuring a consistent experience. Agents should personalize conversations with customers, speaking naturally to build rapport.

Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists use a personalized approach that ensures your clients feel heard, understood, and cared for, even when they follow a call script. AI Receptionist services can also execute scripted responses while adapting to caller needs through natural language processing.

3. Utilize intelligent call routing

An intelligent call routing system distributes calls to the best available agent for that specific customer. It considers factors such as agent skillset, experience, and current workload to match customers with the right support person. Intelligent routing leads to higher first call resolution rates and improved customer satisfaction.

Modern routing systems can distinguish between high-priority calls requiring immediate human attention and routine inquiries that AI systems can handle efficiently, optimizing resource allocation for maximum effectiveness.

4. Qualify and screen calls effectively

Not all inbound calls require the same level of attention or expertise. Implement qualification processes that identify caller intent, urgency level, and required resources early in the conversation. This enables appropriate routing and ensures high-value opportunities receive priority handling.

AI Receptionist services excel at initial qualification, asking structured questions to gather essential information before routing calls to appropriate team members. This screening saves time for both callers and your staff while ensuring accurate call distribution.

5. Measure performance

If you want to improve, you need to analyze how your team is performing. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) such as first call resolution (FCR) rate, average handle time (AHT), and customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. Analyze the data to uncover areas for improvement in call routing, agent training, call scripts, and more.

Track inbound-specific metrics, including call abandonment rate, average speed to answer, and conversion rates from inquiry to sale. These measurements reveal bottlenecks in your inbound call handling process.

6. Use call-handling software

Call-handling software integrates call routing, queuing, monitoring, and reporting capabilities in one place. It also provides a unified view of customer data from your CRM platform, so agents have context for every call.

Smith.ai integrates with your favorite call-handling solutions, such as Dialpad, Nextiva, and RingCentral, to deliver a top-notch customer experience. These integrations ensure seamless data flow between your phone system and business management tools.

7. Prioritize ongoing training and development

Ongoing training ensures your team stays up to date on best practices and continuously develops their call-handling skills. Use call monitoring to review customer interactions and provide feedback on soft skills like friendliness, empathy, and de-escalation. Well-trained agents feel more confident and capable in their roles, which translates to superior call handling and customer service.

For businesses using hybrid approaches, training should cover both direct customer interaction and effective collaboration with AI Receptionist systems that handle initial screening and routine inquiries.

Common inbound call handling challenges

Even with best practices in place, businesses face persistent challenges in managing inbound calls effectively:

• Call volume fluctuations: Seasonal demand, marketing campaigns, and unexpected events create unpredictable call spikes that overwhelm in-house staff. Without scalable solutions, these periods result in long hold times, abandoned calls, and lost opportunities.
• After-hours coverage gaps: Most businesses operate during limited hours, yet customers call outside these hours. Missing evening and weekend calls means losing prospects to competitors who maintain availability.
• Inconsistent call quality: When multiple team members handle calls without standardized processes, customer experience varies based on who answers. This inconsistency damages brand perception and creates service gaps.
• Resource allocation conflicts: Reception duties compete with other responsibilities, forcing staff to choose between answering phones and completing core work. This conflict reduces productivity across the organization.
• Qualification inefficiencies: Without systematic screening, all calls receive equal treatment regardless of urgency or value. This wastes expert time on routine inquiries while high-priority matters wait in the queue.

Addressing these challenges requires either significant investment in staffing and technology or strategic use of AI Receptionist and Virtual Receptionist services that provide scalable, consistent coverage.

Improve call handling with Smith.ai

Smith.ai offers comprehensive solutions for businesses seeking to optimize inbound call handling without expanding in-house reception teams. We provide both AI Receptionist and Virtual Receptionist services, allowing businesses to select the approach that matches their specific requirements or combine both for maximum flexibility.

Schedule a consultation to discuss how Smith.ai can tailor AI Receptionist or Virtual Receptionist services to meet your inbound call handling needs to improve your customer service.