Can I forward my existing business number to an AI receptionist?
Yes. You keep your existing business number and use call forwarding to send calls to the number your Outpero AI employee answers on. Forwarding is set with your telecom operator, office phone system or cloud telephony provider, and can usually cover all calls, only unanswered calls, or only busy calls, so the AI can be your full front desk or a backup.
Why forward rather than change numbers
Your number is printed on boards, your Google Business Profile, JustDial listings and visiting cards. Changing it loses callers. Forwarding keeps that number public while the AI employee picks up the calls, and you can switch it back at any time.
Forwarding options to choose from
| Option | What happens | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Forward all calls | Every call goes straight to the AI | After-hours lines, or businesses with no front desk |
| Forward when unanswered | Staff get first chance; the AI picks up if nobody does | Clinics and showrooms with a busy receptionist |
| Forward when busy | The AI takes calls that would have heard a busy tone | Single-line offices at peak times |
| Time-based routing | Staff by day, AI after hours and on holidays | Cloud telephony or IVR set-ups that support schedules |
Which options you have depends on the line. Mobile and many landline plans offer the first three as standard call-forwarding settings; time-based routing usually needs a cloud telephony or IVR system. Ask your operator or provider how to set it up and whether forwarded calls are charged on your plan.
Steps
- 01Set up the inbound AI employee and its brief first, and test it by calling its number directly.
- 02Decide the forwarding mode: all calls, unanswered, busy, or by schedule.
- 03Set forwarding with your operator, office PBX or cloud telephony provider to the AI employee's number.
- 04Call your public number from another phone and check the greeting, the replies and the log entry in the dashboard.
- 05Tell your staff what the AI handles and how flagged callbacks will reach them.
Things to check in testing
- —Caller ID: confirm the forwarded call shows the original caller's number, so the AI's log and your callbacks use the right number.
- —Ring time: for forward-when-unanswered, a short ring before forwarding stops callers hanging up.
- —Existing IVR: if you have a menu, decide whether the AI replaces it or sits behind one option or the overflow.
Want to hear an AI voice agent handle this on a real call?
Follow-up questions
Can I turn forwarding off later?
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Yes. Forwarding is a setting on your line, not a change of number, so you can switch it off, change the mode, or limit it to evenings and holidays whenever you want. Your public number stays the same throughout, and the call logs from the period the AI employee was answering remain in the Outpero dashboard.