How to Answer an Incoming Call While You're Already on the Phone

Taking a call while you're already on the phone can be confusing, awkward, and irritating. But it's important to know how to do it, especially as a business owner, because answering important inbound calls is crucial to growing your business.

Smith.ai's Kelsey Johnson covers the tech tips and etiquette for putting a current customer on hold to take a new call.

Most of this video contains universal advice for anyone taking new calls, but I'm primarily focusing on business owners who take incoming calls remotely and receive multiple calls at the same time.

Here's how to take a new call on an iPhone or Android:

*If you have an iPhone, you will need to tap the /"Hold and accept/" icon to put your current caller on hold and accept the new call.
* On most Android phones, simply tap Accept to put your current caller on hold and accept the new call.
* There is also a swap icon, which looks like two arrows in a circle, that you can use to switch between callers.
*Some Android phones have a multicall screen that lists the calls you are currently on so you can easily switch between them by clicking on one.
* To end a call, tap the hang up icon as you normally would, and you will be returned to the other call. Some phones seem to “ring” as if the other caller is calling you back. This isn't the case, it's just the phone informing you that the other caller is still on the line.
* End your other call and hang up as you normally would, by tapping the “hang up” icon.

Many VoIP and other business phone systems allow you to take calls on an app that is not the native app on your iPhone or Android. However, it should work very similar to the native app, with the instructions above. Test it before taking calls so you know how it will work.

Note: In the United States, most cell phones can only handle two calls at a time. In this case, a third party calling you will either hear a busy tone or be sent directly to voicemail.

Analog and other desk phones often involve putting the current caller on hold with a "hold" button, then taking the second call on a separate "line." Ask your phone service provider to send you instructions or give you a step-by-step procedure and practice. Putting a caller on hold and taking another call should be second nature to you before the situation arises.

It's important to practice, regardless of your phone system. Learn how to take a call while you're already on the phone, test it and practice it a few times so you never accidentally hang up on the phone, which we all know is way too easy to do.

When the call you need to take arrives, do the following:
* Do not interrupt the conversation, but rather wait for a natural pause
* Check their number so you can call them back if the line is disconnected
*Promise to return in a minute or less. If you think the other call will take more than a minute, offer to call them back after the other call. Again, give them an estimate of the timeline.
* Write down what you were talking about so you can come back to the conversation in the same place.

Remember that when you interrupt a call for any reason, it is abrupt and cuts the flow of the conversation.

Here's a polite way to ask to put a caller on hold:

“I apologize but I have a call on the other line that I need to take. Would you mind waiting a moment?
[wait for a response]
/"Thanks. I'll be back in a minute./"
[then, when you return to the call]
/"Thank you very much for waiting. Let's continue our discussion."

Here are some other tips if you often have to put callers on hold to take other calls:
* Never leave your caller on hold for too long, as even a minute on hold can seem incredibly long.
* Set your phone to play music on hold. It just makes for a nicer, more professional experience.
* Set your calls to be transferred to another line if you don't answer after a few rings. You can send these calls to a colleague or employee, or to an external virtual receptionist or service assistant.

Anyone who has ever had to put someone on hold, whether it's your mother, your best friend, or an important client, knows that it's one of the trickiest things you can do. So try not to do this at all costs and remember that it may seem quite shocking to the person you are currently talking to. Be as kind and apologetic as possible. And don't forget to practice putting a caller on hold to answer another call, to avoid the even worse situation of accidentally hanging up on the phone.

Are you having trouble keeping track of all the calls coming into your business? Try Smith.ai virtual receptionists. We can answer your incoming calls when you are already on the phone, after hours or all the time. Plus, we'll qualify new leads, schedule appointments, transfer them to multiple lines and much more. Get started today at https://smith.ai.

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