--- title: "What is a warm transfer?" description: "What is a warm transfer? Passing a caller to a colleague after introducing them first. See the definition, a short example, and when to use it instead." url: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/warm-transfer/ updated: 2026-09-20 publisher: AssistBPO (SS Support Network LLC) language: en-US --- # What is a warm transfer? Glossary What is a warm transfer? A warm transfer is a phone handoff in which the person answering puts the caller on hold, speaks to the receiving colleague first to explain who is calling and why, and then connects the two. The caller never has to repeat themselves, and if the colleague cannot take the call, the receptionist comes back on the line with a message option instead of dropping the caller into voicemail. Updated September 2026 · Reviewed by [Nimra Khalid](https://assistbpo.com/team/nimra-khalid/) ## How does a warm transfer work? 1. The receptionist asks the caller for their name, company and reason, then places them on hold with a short explanation. 2. A second line or consult call goes to the intended person, who hears a 10-second summary and accepts or declines. 3. On accept, the receptionist bridges the call and steps out; on decline, they return to the caller and take a message. 4. The outcome, transferred or messaged, is logged with a timestamp so the office can see who reached whom. ## A worked example A commercial real estate brokerage in Chicago has four brokers who are rarely at their desks. When a tenant's attorney calls about a lease renewal, the remote receptionist takes the name and the property address, puts the attorney on hold and rings the listing broker's mobile. The broker hears 'attorney for the tenant at 400 West Madison, wants to discuss the renewal option' and takes the call. If the broker is in a showing and declines, the receptionist tells the attorney the broker will call back within two hours and sends the message by text and CRM note. ## Where does a warm transfer show up in your tools? RingCentral, Dialpad, Aircall and Zoom Phone each have a warm or attended transfer button that opens a consult call before completing the handoff. If the CRM is connected, HubSpot or Salesforce logs the call and the transfer target on the contact record, and a receptionist can attach the message from the same screen. ## Common mistakes - Announcing the caller with only a name, so the colleague has to ask the caller for the reason all over again. - Leaving the caller on hold for minutes while hunting for someone, instead of offering a callback after 45 seconds. - Transferring to a desk phone when the person works from a mobile, which lands every caller in voicemail. ## Why does a warm transfer matter? Repeating your story twice is the fastest way to make a caller feel like a number, and it is the most common complaint about outsourced answering. A warm transfer protects the relationship and gives your team the context to start the conversation well. It also makes sure nobody is dropped into a dead line. ## How does AssistBPO handle a warm transfer? AssistBPO receptionists warm transfer by default, working from a routing sheet that lists each person's extension, mobile, availability rules and what to say if they are unreachable. Every attempted transfer and every message is logged in your phone system and summarized in the end-of-day report. The team lead reviews transfer handling on the monthly QA scorecard. [A receptionist who knows your business, not a call queue](https://assistbpo.com/services/virtual-receptionist/)[Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) ## Related terms - [Cold transfer](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/cold-transfer/) - [Call routing](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/call-routing/) - [Escalation matrix](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/escalation-matrix/) - [End-of-day report](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/end-of-day-report/) - [Minutes](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/minutes/) - [Team lead](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/team-lead/) ## Where it is used - [A receptionist who knows your business, not a call queue](https://assistbpo.com/services/virtual-receptionist/) ## Next in the A to Z - [Weekly review](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/weekly-review/) - [WISMO](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/wismo/) - [Work order](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/work-order/) - [Workflow](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/workflow/) [All 148 terms, A to Z](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/) Next step ## Your desk, staffed. Wherever you are. Tell us what is overloaded. A named person replies within 1 business day with a staffing plan, and we propose your assistant within 72 hours. [Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) [Book a 20-minute call](https://assistbpo.com/book-a-call/) Or call [+1-657-777-0006](tel:+16577770006) during US, UK or Australian business hours, or [hear our demo receptionist](https://assistbpo.com/demo-line/). - A named assistant proposed within 72 hours - Employed, screened and managed staff, never freelancers - Your hours, your tools, your data --- Source: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/warm-transfer/ · Contact: https://assistbpo.com/contact/ · Full site map for agents: https://assistbpo.com/llms.txt