Overflow call answering for the calls your desk can't reach
When every line is busy, extra callers forward to GreetKeeper. It picks them all up together and books them. Plans start at $49.
Caller
“I rang about ten minutes ago and it just rang out. Can somebody take a booking or should I try later?”
What happened next
- Forwarded on busy while both desk lines were in use
- Booked into the Thursday morning gap nobody had filled
- Your receptionist read the summary between her own two calls
Overflow answering covers the calls your team can't reach
Overflow call answering is a service that picks up the calls your own team can't answer, usually because every line is busy or nobody picks up in time. With GreetKeeper, you set busy and no-answer forwarding at your carrier. GreetKeeper answers each forwarded call, books it or takes the details, and sends you a summary.
Most small teams are staffed for the average hour, not the worst one. The worst one arrives every Monday, and again whenever something in your market gets busy.
Your front desk answers the first call. The second rings out, and the third caller hears a hold tone they never agreed to. Regular customers ring back later because they know you, while a first-time caller may try the next number on the list.
GreetKeeper sits behind your team rather than in front of it. Your people answer what they can reach, and the rest forward across.
How overflow forwarding reaches GreetKeeper
Carriers offer four forwarding modes: all calls, busy, no-answer and unreachable. GreetKeeper answers a call forwarded on any of them the same way, and overflow cover uses two.
Forward on busy
Busy forwarding sends a call across the moment your line is in use. It's the core of overflow cover, because it catches the caller who would have heard an engaged tone.
Add no-answer forwarding
No-answer forwarding catches the call nobody picks up in time. The ring count is set where the forwarding is set, and GreetKeeper answers the moment the call arrives.
Answer several at once
Calls that arrive together are answered at the same time, so nobody queues. Your own line's channel count at the carrier is the usual ceiling.
Finish the job
GreetKeeper opens with the AI disclosure, books into your real free slots, and transfers to your team when a caller asks for a person. If the first number doesn't pick up, it tries a second number you nominate.
What overflow cover costs
You're paying for the peak, not the whole day, so count what the peak actually sends.
| Plan | Monthly | Calls included | After that |
|---|---|---|---|
| StarterFor a single location taking calls one line at a time. | $49 | 200 | $0.45 per call |
| ProfessionalBooking, routing and transfers included, not an add-on. | $149 | 750 | $0.35 per call |
| ScaleFor busy phones and longer opening hours. | $349 | 2,000 | $0.25 per call |
Starter is $49 a month for 200 answered calls, then $0.45 each. Professional is $149 for 750 at $0.35. Scale is $349 for 2,000 at $0.25. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, no card needed.
Overflow calls are usually short. Somebody wants a time, a price or a callback. Per-call pricing suits that shape, while a per-minute plan makes you round up dozens of ninety-second calls.
Booking sits on the cheapest plan too, and robocalls screened out before the greeting don't count toward your plan. That's worth checking against other quotes.
Setting overflow up well
Agree the ring delay with your team and set it at your carrier or phone system. Give them enough rings to answer when they can, and few enough that no caller waits long.
Name a second fallback number for transfers, so a caller who needs a person still reaches one when the first line is busy.
Turn on unreachable forwarding as well. When your phone system is down or out of signal, callers still reach GreetKeeper.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between overflow and after-hours answering?
Overflow answering covers the calls you can't reach while you're open; after-hours answering covers the hours you're closed. GreetKeeper handles both on one number, with your hours and closure dates set per number.
Does it answer before my staff get a chance?
Only if you forward all calls. With busy and no-answer forwarding, your team is always first and GreetKeeper takes what rings out.
How many overflow calls can it answer at once?
GreetKeeper answers calls that arrive together at the same time, so nobody queues. Your own phone line's channel count is the usual ceiling, so check it with your carrier.
Will I know which calls were overflow?
Yes. Every answered call arrives as a transcript and a short summary, so you can see what your desk didn't reach. That also shows you when your peak really is.
Test it against your Monday
Pick your busiest hour and see what it catches.