Smartphones can do so much these days, it’s easy to forget about one of their basic functions: voice calls. With robocalls and automated voice trees, communicating by phone has become complicated. However, your phone may already have the tools to make talking to people easier. Here are some suggestions.
Contact Businesses Quickly
Need to call a business not in your contacts list? Use Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, or Samsung’s Bixby to search for the company online. When you find the business, tap the phone icon or number to make the call, or ask the virtual assistant to do it.
(If sharing info with your assistant or using AI programs concerns you, check the privacy policy to see how your data is used.)
Screen Unwanted Callers
To avoid answering unwanted calls, turn on the Silence Unknown Callers feature on the iPhone. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go directly to voicemail. iOS 17 offers Live Voicemail with real-time transcriptions and the option to connect with callers as they leave you a message. You can also send incoming calls to Live Voicemail by tapping the icon. Customize Live Voicemail in the Phone app’s settings.
Android phones have different call-management tools. To find yours, open the Phone app, tap the Menu icon, and select Settings.
Toggle call-screening features on and off for calls from non-contacts. In Google’s Contacts app, route calls from selected numbers directly to voicemail.
Hand Off the Hold Queue
Some customer service tasks still require talking to a human. Use automated callback services or Google Assistant’s Hold for Me feature to avoid waiting on hold.
Enable Hold for Me in the Google Phone app’s settings, then tap it when put on hold to be alerted when a representative is available.
If you don’t have a Pixel phone, try Google Search Labs’ “Talk to a Live Representative” feature. Access it through the Google app on iOS or Android. This feature lists 1-800 numbers for airlines and businesses, allowing you to request a call back when a representative is free.
Don’t Miss Calls
Use visual or vibration notifications to avoid missing important calls when your ringer is off.
In iOS, go to Accessibility and then Audio & Visual to enable LED Flash for Alerts. In Android, go to Notifications and select Flash Notifications for camera and screen alerts.
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