Help & support

Getting started

Choose how callers reach your receptionist and who answers, point your calls at it, and make a test call to check it's answering.

4 min read

Part 1

Choose which number customers call

In Settings → Your number, “How calls reach your receptionist” walks you through it. Press Change, then answer “Which number will your customers call?”.

1. 1

   A new number from Nimble

   Customers call your Nimble number. Next you choose when your receptionist picks up: all the time, only when you're closed, or only when you're open. The last two ring your phone the rest of the time, so add your number under “Your phone” on the Receptionist page first.

2. 2

   My current business number

   Customers keep calling the number they know, and you turn on call forwarding so its calls reach your receptionist. Enter that number (calls are never transferred back to it, so they can't loop), then follow the forwarding steps.

Part 2

Turn on call forwarding

Only needed for your current business number. The steps ask when your receptionist should answer, who your phone provider is and how long your phone rings first, then give you the exact code to dial with your Nimble number filled in.

1. 1

   Dial the code on the phone your customers call

   Copy it, paste it into your phone's keypad and press Call.

2. 2

   Make a test call

   Forwarding only counts as working once a test call reaches your receptionist.

Part 3

Switch your receptionist off for a while

The Receptionist on/off switch under “How calls reach your receptionist” saves straight away.

• Off: calls ring your phone, and if nobody answers, your receptionist takes a message.
• On again: your receptionist answers the way you had it set before.

Part 4

Make a test call

1. 1

   Call your business number from another phone

   Ask something a real customer would, like your opening hours or booking a job.

2. 2

   Check Conversations

   The call appears with a summary and the full conversation, shortly after you hang up.

Part 5

You're live

• The Overview shows a Live dot while your receptionist is answering calls.
• Choose how you hear about calls in Settings → Alerts: email, text or both, for each kind of alert.
• If something doesn't look right, the service status on the Help page shows whether each part of your service is working.