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

Kelsey Johnson from Smith.ai covers technical advice and etiquette for putting a current client on hold to take a new call.

Most of this video contains universal advice for anyone taking new calls, but I’m mainly focusing on business owners who are taking incoming calls remotely, and happen to have multiple calls come in at the same time. 

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

* If you have an iPhone, you’ll have to press the "Hold & Accept" icon to put your current caller on hold and accept the new call
* On most Android phones, you simply press accept to put your current caller on hold and accept the new call
* There's 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 which lists the calls you’re on so you can easily switch between them by clicking on one
* To end one call, hit the icon to hang up like you would normally do, and you will be put back on the other call. Some phones will seem to “ring” like the other caller is calling you back. They aren’t, it’s just the phone notifying you that the other call is still on the line.
* Finish up your other call and hang up as you usually would, by touching the “hang up” icon.

Many VoIPs and other business phone systems allow you to take calls on an app that isn’t your iPhone or Android’s native app. However, it should work very similarly to the native app, with the instructions above. Test it before taking any calls so you know how it will work.

Note: in the United States, most mobile phones can handle only two calls at a time. In that case, a third person who calls you either hears a busy signal or is sent directly into voicemail.

Analog phones and other office phones often involve putting the current caller on hold with a “hold” button, then taking the second call on a separate “line.” Have your phone service provider send you instructions or give you a walkthrough, and practice practice practice. Putting a caller on hold and taking another call should be second nature to you before the situation ever comes up.

It’s important to practice, no matter what your phone system is. Learn to take a call while you’re already on the phone, test it out, and practice a few times so you never accidentally hang up on someone, which we all know is far too easy to do.

When the call comes in that you need to take, do the following:
* Don’t interrupt the conversation, but instead wait for a natural pause
* Double check their number so you can call them back if the line gets disconnected
* Promise to return in a minute or less. If you think the other call will take longer than a minute, offer to call them back after the other call. Again give them an estimate on timing.
* Make a note of what you were talking about so you can jump back in the conversation at the same place.

Remember, when you interrupt a call for any reason, it’s abrupt and cuts into the flow of the conversation.

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

“I apologize but I have a call on the other line that I have to take. Do you mind holding for a moment?
[wait for a response]
"Thank you. I will be back in a minute."
[then, when you return to the call]
"Thank you so much for waiting. Let’s continue our discussion.”

Here are a couple of other tips, if you have to put callers on hold often to take other calls:
* Never leave your caller on hold for long, as even a minute on hold can feel like an incredibly long time.
* Set up your phone to have hold music playing. It just makes for a nicer, more professional experience.
* Set up your calls to roll over to another line if you don’t pick up in a few rings. You could send these calls to a coworker or employee, or an external virtual receptionist or assistant service

Anyone who has ever had to put someone on hold, whether it’s your mother, your best friend, or an important client, knows it’s one of the most awkward things you may have to do. So try not to at all costs and remember that it can feel quite jarring for the person you are currently speaking to. Be as kind and apologetic as possible. And don’t forget to practice putting a caller on hold to answer another call, so that you avoid the even worse situation of accidentally hanging up on either of them.

Are you having a hard time keeping up with all the calls coming in to your business? Try Smith.ai virtual receptionists. We can answer your incoming calls when you’re already on the phone, after hours, or all the time. Plus, we’ll qualify new leads, book appointments, transfer to multiple lines, and much more. Get started today at https://smith.ai.