Best call forwarding software for your business

Just because an agent isn’t at their desk doesn’t mean you have to leave your customers hanging. Whether a support agent is out in the field, grabbing lunch, or running to the break room for a fresh cup of coffee, the best call forwarding service makes it easy to forward calls so teams can provide great support from anywhere.

Call forwarding helps you manage calls and streamline customer phone support, making it a crucial feature needed by call center teams of all sizes. Read on to learn about the top 10 call forwarding software and how to pick the one best for your business.

A call forwarding service is a phone system feature that automatically redirects incoming calls to another phone number. It enhances call management, ensuring all inbound calls are attended by routing them to:

• The intended agent’s mobile device or home phone

• Another agent

• Voicemail

A call forwarding service can also redirect calls at certain times or days to specific locations to consolidate service providers or establish a local presence.

There’s no shortage of choices for call forwarding software, but some stand out from the pack. The best solution for your business is out there—you just need to find it. Here is a visual comparison of the 10 best call forwarding services for 2023.

1. Zendesk

2. RingCentral

3. GoTo Connect

4. Dialpad

5. Talkdesk

6. Grasshopper

7. AVOXI

8. Ringover

9. 8x8

10. Nextiva

1. Zendesk

The best call forwarding software sets up quickly to position your agents for success, helps them handle calls more efficiently, and allows them to connect with customers no matter where they’re calling from. Call forwarding software enhances the customer experience by:

• Forwarding calls to agents’ mobile devices or home landlines

• Routing calls to an available agent

• Redirecting callers to customer self-service channels when agents aren’t available

With Zendesk, you can offer a seamless customer experience whenever calls start rolling in. Here are some key phone forwarding features that help keep your business in sync.

Intelligent call routing: Calls are directed to the right groups in Zendesk, connecting customers with the agent best suited to handle their issues.

Next-level voicemail: When customers leave voicemails, the messages can be turned into tickets or transcribed.

IVR: Zendesk includes IVR software so customers can connect with the right people to handle their queries or get answers to FAQs with pre-recorded messages. An IVR system improves the customer experience by delivering faster resolution times, higher first-contact resolution (FCR), conversational customer service, 24/7 support, and call prioritization.

Key features:

• Group, overflow, and after-hours call routing

• Failover call forwarding

• Custom greetings

• Queue size and wait time

• Call recording

• Mute, hold, and warm transfer

• Business hour settings

• Conferencing

• IVR

• Request a callback

• Call monitoring and barging

• Call quality notifications

• Local and toll-free numbers

Pricing

• Suite Team: $55 per user/month

• Suite Growth: $89 per user/month

• Suite Professional: $115 per user/month

*Plans billed annually

Free trial: 14 days

2. RingCentral

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RingCentral’s phone platform includes the functionality you need: unlimited calling, caller ID, phone call forwarding, and more. RingCentral boasts a large app integration directory, so it can

integrate with most systems. You can also use the virtual phone system out of the box. There’s a mobile app for both iOS and Android.

With customizable call forwarding features, RingCentral makes it simple to handle and route all incoming calls. You can program the software to ring sequentially or simultaneously, route calls, or send calls directly to voicemail. Plus, with the Zendesk integration, existing customer records are displayed and tickets are automatically created, enhancing customer interactions and increasing call efficiency.

Key features:

• Unlimited users

• Unlimited auto attendants, call routing, and queues

• Video meetings with up to 150 participants

Pricing:

• Essentials: $19.99 per user/month

• Standard: $27.99 per user/month

• Premium: $34.99 per user/month

• Ultimate: $49.99 per user/month

Free trial: 14 days

3. GoTo Connect

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GoTo Connect is a great option for growing small businesses. The call forwarding service includes features like unlimited calls, extensions, voicemail to audio email, automatic call attendance, SMS, mobile apps, and chat. GoTo Connect integrates with Zendesk to unlock even more experience-boosting features and streamline your workflow.

HD video conferencing makes it easy for you to communicate and collaborate with your customers—and across teams. The video meetings feature is available on the GoTo Connect web and desktop apps, so you can switch from voice to video in an instant. It accommodates up to 250 people or 25 webcams.

Key features:

• Unlimited users

• Unlimited call routing, automated attendants, and queues

• Video meetings with up to 250 participants

Pricing:

• Basic: $24 per user/month

• Standard: $29 per user/month

• Premium: $43 per user/month

Free trial: 14 days

4. Dialpad

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Missed calls are the worst—for both the customer and the agent. Never miss a call with Dialpad, which automatically forwards incoming calls to five phone numbers (max). With Dialpad’s call forwarding software, you get more than that: you get a robust communications platform.

Add call forwarding numbers quickly and seamlessly. Set rules to forward phone calls you receive from your Dialpad number to your mobile device, a landline, or an available agent. You can also make calls faster, create tickets automatically, and view customer and ticket information in a single place by integrating Dialpad with Zendesk.

Key features:

• Multiple phone numbers per account

• 25 ring groups (departments)

Pricing:

• Standard: $15 per user/month

• Pro: $25 per user/month

• Enterprise: Contact Dialpad for a custom quote

Free trial: 14 days

5. Talkdesk

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The call forwarding features in Talkdesk ensure customer calls get answered when agents are busy or out of the office. Talkdesk automatically routes calls during business hours to a designated overflow number. The Talkdesk call forwarding feature works especially well for remote teams, allowing them to stay better connected with customers. Agents can use local numbers so the customer avoids paying international fees.

With this call center software feature, you can rest assured that you will not disappoint customers, miss sales opportunities, or let prospects slip away because of a missed call. Combine Talkdesk with Zendesk to create a better experience with click-to-call buttons, time-saving automations, seamless call recording, and other features.

Key features:

• Power dialer

• Outbound caller ID

• Data import and synchronization

Pricing:

• CX Cloud Essentials: $75 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elevate: $95 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elite: $125 per user/month

Free trial: No free trial

6. Grasshopper

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The Grasshopper call forwarding platform has many notable features. You can create a list of phone numbers for call forwarding and receive an incoming call notification. You can also customize your schedules and add specific phone numbers to forwarded calls.

Grasshopper’s most popular plan is $44 per month and includes three numbers. The plans are flexible and can scale with your business as it grows.

Key features:

• VoIP and Wi-Fi calling

• Custom greetings

• Simultaneous call handling

Pricing:

• Solo: $26 per user/month (one number + three extensions)

• Partner: $44 per user/month (three numbers + six extensions)

• Small business: $80 per user/month (five numbers + unlimited extensions)

Free trial: 7 days

7. AVOXI

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The virtual phone forwarding service from AVOXI works best for small businesses. Available locally and globally, these virtual phone numbers allow remote, hybrid, and on-premise teams to handle, route, and forward calls efficiently.

Equipped with great features that allow for customized service, the software lets you mix and match the functions you want so your VoIP fits your team’s needs. IVR routes inbound callers to the correct agent based on the caller’s answers to automated prompts. Advanced routing finds the best-suited agent for the call based on your preferences. Improve efficiency and simplify tasks with automated ticket creation and access to call recordings through the Zendesk integration.

Key features:

• Native cloud platform with international reach and scale

• Instant voice services in 170+ countries

• Two-way messaging service in the U.S. and Canada

Pricing:

• Launch: Free

• Contact: $19.99 per user/month

• Engaged Enterprise: $39.99 per user/month

Free trial: 7 days

8. Ringover

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Ringover’s call forwarding software enables you to forward incoming calls to mobile devices, home phone numbers, or another call center. With call forwarding, you can always ensure customer calls are answered.

Your remote team members can provide an efficient customer experience with help of an automatic phone forwarding service. Agents can stay connected when they’re out of the office, or they can transfer the call to an available agent when they’re on vacation or out sick. For a supercharged customer experience, you can even sync Ringover with Zendesk and automatically turn those calls into tickets.

Key features:

• HD video calls and meetings

• Custom greetings

• Call recording

Pricing:

• Smart: $19 per user/month

• Power: $39 per user/month

• Enterprise: Contact Ringover for a custom quote

Free trial: 7 days

9. 8x8

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8x8 software forwards calls from your business line to your mobile phone (or to another available agent), making you more reachable when you’re working remotely or out of the office. The customizable platform allows you to set your own call forwarding rules to route calls more effectively.

Directly transfer a call to an extension or briefly speak with the caller before you initiate the warm transfer. You can choose custom rules for different situations, like transferring calls at certain times of the day (after regular business hours) or when you’re on vacation. You can also manage customer calls from an integrated app on the Zendesk console and automatically route incoming calls to a group.

Key features:

• Caller ID, blocking, and do not disturb

• Call waiting and parking

• Three-way calling

Pricing:

• Express: $15 per user/month

• X2: $24 per user/month

• X4: $44 per user/month

Free trial: 30 days

10. Nextiva

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Nextiva offers business communication and collaboration tools, including call forwarding services. The software is customizable to fit the needs of your business and your customers. With Nextiva, you can forward calls directly or set them to re-route only if you don’t answer. You can also redirect specific calls—for instance, you can redirect a certain customer’s call to a particular coworker when you’re at lunch, on another call, or away from your desk.

Nextiva’s location forwarding lets you forward calls to all team members in a specific location to another phone number or extension. The platform also hosts various other business communication tools, such as auto-attendant, call routing, messaging, and voicemail.

Key features:

• Voice and video conferencing

• Toll-free numbers

• Voicemail

Pricing:

• Essential: $23.95 per user/month

• Professional: $27.95 per user/month

• Enterprise: $37.95 per user/month

Free trial: 7 days

Here are the most common benefits of using a call forwarding service.

Avoid missed calls

With customer expectations rapidly changing in recent years, your business may have only one chance to get it right. Missing a call from a customer can lead to missed orders or sales opportunities and may even cost you their business for good.

Call forwarding sends incoming calls to an available phone number or device to ensure customers connect with someone who can address their needs. It also allows agents to answer calls even when they’re working remotely, increasing your team’s mobility.

Provide better customer service

Call forwarding software helps you deliver 24/7 customer support. Whether callers are routed to a live agent with a friendly voice or directed to pre-recorded messages that answer common questions, around-the-clock availability creates a better experience.

In addition, the software boasts features like call recording that can provide valuable insights into customer needs and preferences. This data can help businesses identify areas of improvement and offer the necessary agent training and coaching to deliver high-quality support.

Improve productivity and efficiency

Being available for the customer matters, but how quickly you respond to them also contributes to customer satisfaction. Call forwarding software connects callers to the appropriate department or agent faster and more easily, which can boost satisfaction rates.

Additionally, when agents need to focus on complex or high-value tasks without interruption, call forwarding enables them to route calls to other available agents. The software can also reduce the time agents spend redirecting calls manually. With features like call reporting and analytics, teams can discover call patterns and trends to improve productivity and efficiency.

Scale faster

A VoIP system equipped with call forwarding software can help you scale your call center. You can configure your call forwarding settings to optimize how your system redirects calls (like reducing the number of rings before it redirects the call) to ensure customers get assistance faster.

As a result, you can handle more inquiries and resolve more issues, enhancing your customer support operations and helping you build deeper customer connections. You’ll also have more opportunities to cross-sell and upsell products and services, benefiting your bottom line.

Create convenient customer and employee experiences

No one likes waiting for someone to answer their call. Forwarding a call to an available agent or a monitored voicemail box provides the customer with convenient support.

To add more convenience, you can set up phone numbers with local area codes—even if your company isn’t located in that region. Callers who dial the number get forwarded to your main business line. Instead of customers needing to make a long-distance call, they can simply call the local number and be redirected.

Call forwarding makes life easier for your team, too. When calls can be forwarded to a mobile device, agents don’t need to be tied to their desk and can work from anywhere. This flexibility and convenience can increase employee morale, satisfaction, and productivity.

The key features of call forwarding software include:

• Routing: Call forwarding software allows you to route calls to your mobile device, office phone, or home phone so all incoming calls are covered. You can also configure the software so a preferred agent gets assigned to specific clients. This ensures an agent of choice receives their calls.

• IVR: Based on their responses to automated prompts, customers are automatically routed to the department or agent best suited to handle the request.

• Analytics: Reporting and analytics enable teams to process data and read metrics to identify what’s going well and what needs work.

• Text messaging: This feature allows agents to send general or personalized messages to customers.

• Recording and monitoring: Call recording lets managers and agents listen to recordings for training and quality assurance purposes, or to find important information they may have missed during customer conversations.

• Next-level voicemail: When customers leave voicemails, their messages are turned into tickets or transcribed.

When starting from scratch, picking the right call forwarding service can be tough. Here are a few things to consider when comparing the best call forwarding services for your business:

• Pricing: What’s your budget?

• Features: What features and tools do you want or need to have?

• Coverage area: Do you have teams and customers in different locations?

• Setup fees and forwarding rates: Have you factored these additional charges into your budget?

Call forwarding is a common feature, but not all software offers every feature you need to deliver a great customer experience. Now that you know the ins and outs of the best call forwarding solutions, you can start trimming the list.

Zendesk equips your agents with all the features and customer context required to provide a top-tier support experience. It sets up easily so you can begin forwarding and transferring calls quickly. It also scales with your business to match the needs of your growing team. Sign up for a 14-day free trial to make sure it’s the right fit.