Using Time of Day Routing for Incoming Calls

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One of the most versatile features for a virtual phone system is an add-on known as “time of day routing.” In this article, we will take a look at what time of day routing is, the benefits it can bring your business, and an example of how to use it for your business for excellent results.

What is Time of Day Routing?

Simply put, time of day routing redirects inbound calls based on the time in which they are dialed by a caller. This means that if you set calls to be routed during your off-hours to another phone number, the original number will not be contacted. Instead, those calls will be routed during the specified time period of your choosing.

Benefits of Using Time of Day Routing

As one of the most common features used in digital communication, time of day routing can add new dimensions to your Virtual Phone System. Let’s look at some of the key benefits:
First, accessibility is the primary reason businesses and individuals use time of day routing. With this feature, your business can offer 24-hour, seven-days-a-week service to inbound callers. What this means is that it gives you a competitive edge versus businesses that only operate during business hours (i.e 9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday). This ensures that inbound callers are never redirected to an impersonal voice mailbox, forced to place another call to another department in your organization, or left unanswered - all things that can reflect a negative impression on your business.
Next, time of day routing makes your business more efficient. Instead of listening to endless voicemails or having to call back those who tried to reach you, time of day routing helps ensure that all incoming calls are answered. (Note: When time of day routing is coupled with another add-on known as “simultaneous ringing,” you can ensure that every available employee can answer an incoming call).
Another key benefit of time of day routing is geared towards entrepreneurs who want to maintain a  positive work-life balance. This enables their personal time and business time to be segregated according to strict time-based guidelines. When an entrepreneur sets their hours for leisure, any inbound calls will be immediately routed to a place of their choosing. After all, there’s nothing worse than always being on the clock and accidentally handling an important business call when one is relaxing with friends and family.

An Example of Using Time of Day Routing

Suppose that your business is based in New York City. Normal business hours for your company are between 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday. However, your business has been looking to expand internationally to the United Kingdom, which has a 5-hour time difference. That means that callers based in London who would ordinarily be reaching your business during their own business hours (8 AM to 6 PM GMT) would actually be reaching your business at 3 AM to 1 PM EST, with only the hours between 8 AM - 1 PM EST actually overlapping. This lack of time convergence can make business opportunities strained and unlikely, especially considering that your employees may be tired after a long day of work.
However, by using time of day routing as part of your communication strategy, to handle business calls that occur during off-hours, your business can directly forward these calls to another call center that you have set up for non-mission-critical inquiries. This ensures unlimited accessibility to your New York City-based business - even if the call is ultimately being routed to a call center based in Germany.
In fact, those inbound callers will be unaware of where their call is being routed, given the impression that your business has the scale, magnitude, and reach of an international organization - particularly useful if your business is just starting out and looking to scale its operations in the most cost-effective manner possible. With time of day routing, this can become a new reality and add new dimensions to your business model.

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