What is call screening and how does it work?

Ever picked up your phone only to see an unfamiliar number calling you? Surely, it’s just another annoying spam call. The average American now receives about 14 spam calls per month, and some unfortunate souls report up to 80 unwanted calls daily. That's where call screening comes in.

Let’s walk you through what call screening is, how it works, and why it might be the solution you didn't know you needed.

What is call screening?

Imagine having a digital bouncer that checks your incoming calls and decides whether to let them reach you or not, separating the calls that are spam and the ones that actually deserve your attention—that’s call screening. 

At its simplest, call screening is what you do when you glance at your phone, see an unknown number, and decide whether to answer. At its most advanced, it's a system that can interact with callers, take messages, and only disturb you when necessary, kind of like having a personal assistant or a virtual receptionist.

It's not just about avoiding scammers (though that's a major plus). Call screening helps you manage your time and attention in a world where your phone can ring at any moment, regardless of what you're doing.

Think about it: how many times has your phone interrupted an important meeting, a family dinner, or your focus on a crucial task? Call screening puts you back in control of those moments.

How does call screening work?

Call screening is any method that lets you evaluate calls before deciding whether to answer them. It ranges from basic (like checking caller ID) to sophisticated (AI systems that can have entire conversations with callers on your behalf).

The call screening process

Modern call screening typically follows a four-step process:

First, the system detects an incoming call. This happens whether you're using a basic smartphone feature or an advanced screening service.

Next comes caller identification. The system checks the number against your contacts, known spam databases, or other information sources.

Then there's assessment. Based on rules you've set up (or AI intelligence), the system determines what to do with the call.

Finally, action is taken. The call might be put through to you, sent to voicemail, blocked entirely, or handled by an automated assistant that gathers information from the caller.

For example, when a call comes into a system like Upfirst (an AI-powered answering service for small businesses), it can answer with a professional greeting, have a natural conversation with the caller to understand their needs, and then either take a detailed message or forward truly urgent calls to you.

Why businesses need call screening

For individuals

The most immediate benefit is obvious: fewer interruptions from spam and unwanted calls. But the advantages go deeper.

Call screening provides a buffer zone between you and the outside world. You get to decide when and how to engage with callers on your terms.

For example, let’s say you’re a local photographer. You might answer every call no matter what because it might be a new client. With a call screening service, you can let them handle the initial conversation, and then only forward real opportunities to your cell.

With fewer disruptions, you’re free to remain productive and unbothered (we love that), without the worry of missing potential opportunities.

For businesses

For small businesses, the benefits are even greater.

First, there's an efficiency factor. Business owners often work long hours with very little spare time. When people call in with basic questions, that takes away productive time. For businesses such as law firms, a virtual receptionist could save them many hours per week by screening calls for them.

Then there's a professionalism boost. Even the smallest business can now have calls answered 24/7 with a professional greeting, rather than sending callers straight to voicemail after hours.

Possibly the most important piece: call screening ensures you never miss potential opportunities. A call screening service helps quickly identify new leads, so you can prioritize fast responses to these calls. Some advanced services like Upfirst can even set appointments for you while you go about your day undisrupted.

How do I screen calls?

There are lots of different ways to screen calls today. Let's break them down:

Basic call screening

The simplest form is the caller ID you're already familiar with. Your phone displays the number and name (if available) of incoming calls, allowing you to make a quick decision.

Most phones also offer basic blocking features, letting you create a list of numbers that can't reach you. This works well for persistent spam callers but doesn't help with new numbers.

A few ways to manually screen calls:

• Do Not Disturb setting: You can set it up on your cell phone to silence all calls except certain contacts.
• Voicemail screening: Not the most efficient way to go about it, but letting unknown calls go to voicemail and checking the message to decide if it warrants a callback.

Advanced call screening

This is where things get interesting. Modern call screening has evolved dramatically in recent years.

AI-powered virtual receptionists can answer calls in a natural, conversational manner. Unlike clunky automated systems of the past ("Press 1 for sales..."), these systems can understand caller intent, ask clarifying questions, and even handle routine tasks.

For instance, when a customer calls a hair salon using an advanced screening service, the AI can answer common questions, schedule bookings, and even send confirmation texts—all without human intervention.

Real-time transcription is another powerful feature. Some services provide instant text transcripts of voicemails or ongoing calls, letting you skim the content quickly to determine importance.

Custom screening rules let you create smart filters: sending calls from certain area codes to voicemail during business hours, having unknown numbers screened by an assistant, or creating VIP lists for calls that should always reach you.

A few other services that screen calls:

• Virtual receptionists: Either AI-driven or human-operated, virtual receptionists can handle basic inquiries before routing calls to the right person or department.
• IVR systems: If you’ve ever listened to a phone menu and dialed 1 to speak to a person, you’ve dealt with an IVR system. These are helpful with robocalls, since they can’t dial any numbers.
• Third-party call filtering apps: Apps like Truecaller make it easier to identify unknown numbers, so you know if it’s a spam call or a real person.

Setting up call screening

Getting started with call screening is easier than you might think.

On smartphones

Most modern smartphones have built-in screening capabilities you can activate in minutes.

I just learned this myself, so I'm excited to share this: on iPhones, you can enable "Silence Unknown Callers" in your Phone settings. This automatically sends calls from numbers not in your contacts to voicemail.

Just go to your Settings > Apps > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers > and then toggle on.

Android phones offer even more options through the Phone app, including the Google Assistant-powered "Call Screen" feature that can answer calls and provide real-time transcripts of the conversation.

Both platforms also support third-party apps that add additional screening capabilities. Some popular options include Hiya, Truecaller, and RoboKiller, each offering different approaches to call management.

For business systems

For businesses, the process depends on your current phone system.

If you use a traditional phone line for your business, the easiest way is to forward your calls to a screening service like Upfirst. This might require getting a forwarding number from your provider.

For VoIP systems, integration is often easier. Many VoIP services offer direct API connections to popular platforms like RingCentral.

Choosing a call screening service

If you're considering a call screening solution, here's what to look for:

Conversation quality is key. Test the service by calling it yourself. Does it sound natural or robotic? Can it handle unexpected questions? Does it sound friendly?

Customization options determine how well the service represents your business. Can you customize greetings? Does it know your business hours, services, and pricing? Can it be updated easily when information changes?

Integration capabilities matter for work operations. Does it connect with your calendar for scheduling? Can it send notifications to your preferred channels (email, SMS, Slack)?

Cost structure varies widely. Traditional answering services with human operators typically charge $1-$2 per call or $200-$500 monthly. Modern AI-powered alternatives can provide similar or better service at a fraction of the cost, so even small businesses can afford answering and virtual receptionist services.

How call screening with Upfirst can help your business

Call screening has come a long way since simply checking the caller ID. There’s plenty of helpful tools available now that help drown the noise of spam calls.

Whether you’re looking to avoid interruptions, never miss important calls, or provide 24/7 answering without the expensive costs, answering services like Upfirst give small businesses an easy, affordable way to get started. 

With this totally customizable solution, you can set up call screening and let only real customers reach you. Take it a step further and let us schedule appointments on your behalf, so you can focus on your day with minimal distractions and eliminate annoying spam calls.

With Upfirst you can:

• Save time by avoiding unwanted calls, automating appointment scheduling, letting us answer basic inquiries, and more.
• Improve your customer service with call routing and only forwarding real callers to yourself or your team.
• Answer calls after-hours, helping more clients and capturing more leads.
• Save money compared to in-house receptionists or other traditional answering services, with plans starting at $24.95 per month.

Ready to get started? Try Upfirst today for free!