Recruitment runs on conversations, which makes choosing a phone system for recruitment agencies one of the most important tech decisions an agency owner makes. Consultants call candidates, follow up with clients and chase feedback all day. This guide explains what a modern hosted phone system can do for a recruitment team, and what to look for when choosing one.
It’s aimed at agency owners and managers with teams of roughly 8 to 50 people, whether you work from one office, several, or from home.
Why recruitment agencies need more than a basic phone line
Few businesses make as many outbound calls as a busy recruitment desk. Calls also need to be measured, coached and managed. A basic landline or a set of personal mobiles can’t show you what’s happening, and it makes it harder to keep candidate and client relationships with the business when consultants move on.
Problems we often see
- Consultants use personal mobiles, so clients and candidates have their personal numbers.
- Managers have no reliable view of call activity.
- New starters are hard to train because there’s no way to review calls.
- Remote or hybrid consultants can’t use the office number easily.
- Inbound calls from candidates go unanswered when the team is busy.
Key features of a phone system for recruitment agencies
A hosted phone system runs in the cloud, so consultants can use it from a desk phone, a computer or their smartphone. Our hosted 3CX service is one way we deliver this.
Call reporting for every consultant
Call reports show the number of calls made and received, call durations and missed calls for each user or team. Managers can use this to understand activity, spot who needs support and plan targets. Used sensibly, reporting helps coaching rather than replacing it.
Call recording for training and quality
Recording calls lets managers review conversations with new consultants and share good examples with the team. It can also help resolve disagreements about what was agreed with a client on fees or terms. Callers must be told when calls are recorded, and recordings must be handled in line with UK data protection law.
Click to call
Desktop and web apps let consultants click a number to dial rather than typing it into a handset. On a busy day, that saves time and reduces misdials. Depending on your CRM or recruitment software, there may also be integration options worth exploring.
Wallboards and queues
For agencies handling high volumes of inbound calls, such as temp desks taking shift calls early in the morning, call queues and live wallboards show how many callers are waiting and who’s available. Our 3CX call centre page explains these features in more detail.
Handling candidate calls well
Candidates often call back at awkward times, such as during their lunch break or after work. If they reach a voicemail that nobody checks, or a number that rings out, they may move on to another agency. A few simple settings help:
- Ring groups so that if a consultant is on another call, a colleague on the same desk can pick up.
- Voicemail to email so messages arrive in the consultant’s inbox as audio files and can be returned quickly.
- Office hours rules so callers out of hours hear a clear message and know when the team will be back.
- Missed call reports so managers can see where calls are slipping through and adjust cover.
None of this needs extra staff. It’s about making sure the calls you already receive reach someone who can help.
Supporting remote and hybrid consultants
Many agencies now work in a hybrid way. With a hosted system, a consultant working from home uses the same extension, number and features as in the office. Calls show the agency’s number, not a personal one, and their calls are reported just like everyone else’s.
The mobile app is particularly useful for consultants visiting clients or covering out-of-hours temp desks. When someone leaves the agency, their extension can be reassigned, so the business keeps the number clients and candidates know.
Keeping client and candidate relationships with the business
When consultants use personal mobiles, they take those relationships with them when they leave. Giving every consultant a business number through the mobile app means candidates and clients keep calling the agency. It’s a simple change that protects one of a recruitment business’s most valuable assets.
Multi-office agencies
If you have more than one office, a hosted system connects them as one. Calls can be transferred between offices with an extension number, and inbound calls can be routed to the right sector team wherever they sit. You can keep each office’s local number, and number transfer is free.
The PSTN switch-off
The UK’s traditional telephone network and ISDN lines are being retired, with a switch-off deadline of 31 January 2027. Agencies still using older phone systems on these lines will need to move to a digital service. It’s a good opportunity to put a system in place that fits how recruitment teams actually work. Read our PSTN switch-off guide for more detail.
What it costs
Our business phone system is priced from £13.49 per user per month on yearly billing, or £14.99 per user per month on monthly billing. For example, a 20-consultant agency would pay from about £269.80 a month on yearly billing.
That price includes features such as call recording, reporting, ring groups, queues, office hours rules and the desktop and mobile apps. Number transfer is free. Call bundles and any add-ons depend on your calling pattern, so we’ll confirm them in your quote.
Questions to ask when choosing a provider
- Can managers see call reports for each consultant and team?
- Is call recording included, and can it be set per user?
- Does the mobile app present the agency number?
- Can we reassign extensions and numbers when staff leave?
- Are there queue and wallboard options for inbound desks?
- What call bundle suits our outbound volume?
Getting set up
We’ll look at how your team works today, including numbers, offices, remote staff and call volumes, and recommend a set-up to suit. The new system is built and tested before numbers move, so the switch-over is planned rather than rushed.
To talk it through, call 0333 307 3500 or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can consultants make calls from their own mobiles using the agency number?
Yes. With the mobile app, calls made and received show the agency’s number, and they’re included in your call reports.
Can managers listen back to calls?
If call recording is turned on, authorised managers can review recordings. Callers must be told calls are recorded.
What happens to a consultant’s number when they leave?
The extension and any direct dial number belong to the agency, so they can be reassigned to a new starter or redirected.
Can we keep our existing numbers?
Yes, in most cases. Number transfer is free.