At a glance, Jill’s Office is a 24/7 virtual receptionist and answering service where real, live humans answer your business phones for you. But if you’ve never used an answering service before, you may be wondering:
What does an answering service actually do, and how would it work for my business?
This guide breaks it all down in a clear, easy-to-follow way so you can decide if a virtual receptionist is the right fit for your needs.
What Is an Answering Service?
An answering service is a third-party company that answers your business calls on your behalf. Depending on your setup, an answering service can handle a wide range of tasks, including:
- Taking messages
- Capturing new lead information
- Vetting potential customers
- Scheduling estimates or appointments
- Providing basic information about your services
At Jill’s Office, our virtual receptionists act as an extension of your business by delivering a professional, human experience to every caller.
How Does an Answering Service Answer Your Calls?
Answering services work through call forwarding. This allows incoming calls to your business number to be routed to the answering service.
The exact setup depends on your phone provider, but it usually involves dialing a short code followed by the forwarding number.
The Two Most Common Types of Call Forwarding
While names may vary by provider, these are the most common options:
Straight Call Forwarding
Calls are forwarded immediately to the answering service.
Conditional Call Forwarding
Calls ring to you first and forward only if unanswered after a set number of rings.
Once a call is forwarded, it enters our system and is routed to the next available receptionist.
What Happens When All Receptionists Are Busy?
Jill’s Office is a fully human-based answering service, which means there may be times when more calls are coming in than receptionists are immediately available.
When this happens:
- Calls are placed in a queue
- Callers hear a message confirming they’ve reached your business
- The call is answered by the next available receptionist as soon as possible
This approach ensures callers are still treated professionally and never feel like they’ve reached a generic voicemail.
How Can an Answering Service Work for Your Business?
Before diving into features, it’s important to understand one key distinction:
An Answering Service vs. an In-House Employee
Hiring an answering service is not the same as hiring an in-house employee. Answering services support dozens (or even hundreds) of businesses, which means they operate within defined guidelines to ensure consistency and quality.
That doesn’t mean your calls aren’t customized. It simply means there are reasonable limits in place.
(Booking a discovery call is the best way to understand how this would look for your specific business.)
“Jill’s Office has been great. We really concentrate on using local businesses wherever possible, but at this point even if my business was in another state, I’d still use them. Their services have made it so I get to concentrate on what matters most in my business and leave the phones to them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I can do that without worrying about hiring a full-time CSR or managing any of that. They have my back. They’re super communicative, and their account managers always go above and beyond. Thanks, Jill’s!”
Otterwise Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is a locally owned Northern Utah plumbing company built on respect; for customers, craftsmanship, and the water we all rely on.
Founded by Carter Lovinggood, Otterwise was inspired by Utah’s outdoors and the responsibility that comes with protecting shared water resources. The name reflects that mission: otters are indicators of clean water and healthy ecosystems, and Otterwise believes good plumbing and good stewardship go hand in hand.
Serving homeowners throughout Ogden, Roy, Layton, and surrounding areas, Otterwise offers drain cleaning, leak detection, water heater installation, and water-saving upgrades. Every visit includes thoughtful touches like shoe covers, a branded doormat, and clear upfront pricing, because customer care matters.
As the business grew, managing incoming calls became a challenge. That’s where Jill’s Office stepped in.
With 24/7 live, US-based call answering, Jill’s Office ensures every Otterwise customer reaches a real human without Carter needing to hire or manage in-house office staff. Calls are handled professionally, consistently, and around the clock, allowing Otterwise to stay focused on the work that matters most.
The result: fewer missed calls, a better customer experience, and more time to serve the community, on and off the job site.
Learn more about Otterwise here
Common Ways Businesses Use Answering Services
1. Message Taking & Lead Capture
Many businesses start by using an answering service to:
- Answer calls live
- Capture caller details
- Take accurate messages
This allows your internal team to maintain existing workflows while ensuring callers always speak to a real person. Thus reducing missed opportunities and lost leads.
2. Lead Vetting
An answering service can do more than just take messages.
For example, virtual receptionists can:
- Confirm a caller is within your service area
- Verify they’re comfortable with minimum pricing
- Filter out poor-fit leads before they reach your team
This saves time and helps you focus on high-quality opportunities.
3. CRM Lead Entry
Want help saving new leads into your CRM? There are typically two options:
- Direct CRM Access: If your system is one that the answering service can log into, receptionists can enter leads directly (this will vary depending on the company; at Jill’s Office we can log into Jobber, HouseCall Pro, and ServiceTitan)
- Custom Forms: If not, receptionists can complete a form that feeds into your CRM (similar to a website contact form)
Most modern CRMs support this type of workflow.
Can an Answering Service Schedule Appointments?
Short answer: Yes.
How Scheduling Works
Scheduling follows the same logic as CRM lead entry:
- If your CRM is one the answering service is capable of logging into, appointments can be booked directly on your calendar
- If direct access isn’t available, receptionists may use a shareable booking link, similar to what you might already have on your website
Tools like Calendly can also integrate with platforms such as Google Calendar to support scheduling.
It’s important to note that scheduling always follows predefined rules and guidelines, which vary by provider. A discovery call is the best way to confirm whether an answering service can schedule in a way that aligns with your process.
Answering Services Do More Than Phone Calls
While phones are the foundation of any answering service, customer communication doesn’t stop there.
At Jill’s Office, we also offer 24/7 website chat support.
Here’s how it works:
- We provide a chat widget for your website
- Live virtual receptionists respond to visitors in real time
- Chats are handled with the same professionalism as phone calls
This ensures every potential customer, whether they call or click, gets a fast, human response.
Is an Answering Service Right for You?
If missed calls, after-hours inquiries, or lead overload are holding your business back, a virtual receptionist could be the solution.
The best way to find out? Book a discovery call today and learn how Jill’s Office can support your business with professional, human-first answering services.
FOLLOW JILL’S OFFICE FOR MORE UPDATES
