How to Forward Voicemail to Another Phone

To forward voicemail to another phone, you need to access your voicemail inbox, select the message you want to forward, then use the voicemail system’s forwarding feature to send it to a different phone number. The exact steps depend on your phone carrier and voicemail system but generally involve dialing your voicemail, entering a PIN, selecting the message, and entering the forwarding number. This article covers why forwarding voicemail is useful for Canadian small businesses, detailed steps, a worked example with Canadian dollars, common mistakes, and frequently asked questions.

Why this comes up / what goes wrong

Small business owners in Canada often face situations where they miss important calls and need to ensure voicemail messages reach the right person promptly. For example, a home renovation contractor in Calgary might receive a voicemail from a prospective client but be out on a job site. Forwarding the voicemail to an office phone or a team member’s mobile ensures the message is heard quickly, avoiding lost leads and slow follow-up. Without forwarding, messages can remain unheard for hours or days, causing delays in customer response and potentially lost business.

Common problems include not knowing how to forward voicemails, voicemail systems that are complicated or vary by carrier, and failing to confirm that forwarding worked. These issues can cause frustration and missed opportunities.

Step-by-step

1. Access your voicemail: Dial your voicemail number or press and hold the voicemail key (often the “1” key) on your phone.

1. Enter your voicemail PIN: When prompted, input your PIN or password to access your inbox.

1. Listen to your messages: Use keypad commands or your voicemail app to navigate to the message you want to forward.

1. Select the message to forward: Press the key indicated by your voicemail system to forward the current message (commonly “7”). Refer to your carrier’s voicemail guide if unsure.

1. Enter the forwarding phone number: Type the full number including area code of the phone you want to forward the voicemail to.

1. Confirm and send: Press the confirmation key (often “#” or “send”) to forward the message.

1. Verify forwarding: Call the forwarded number to ensure the message was received.

1. Repeat as needed: Forward other messages using the same process.

If these steps don’t match your system, check your phone carrier’s voicemail instructions or contact customer support.

Example (fictional figures)

A home renovation contractor in Calgary, Alberta, receives a voicemail from a potential client on 2026-06-01. The contractor wants to forward this message to their office phone number 403-555-7890 to ensure the team can respond promptly.

Step 1: Dial voicemail by pressing and holding the 1 key.

Step 2: Enter voicemail PIN: 1234.

Step 3: Listen to new messages, then press 7 to forward the current message.

Step 4: Enter forwarding number: 4035557890.

Step 5: Press # to confirm forwarding.

Step 6: Call 403-555-7890 to verify the message was received.

This process helps the contractor avoid missing leads and ensures timely follow-up.

Common mistakes

• Not knowing your voicemail system commands: Prevent this by reviewing your carrier’s voicemail instructions or customer support resources.

• Entering incorrect forwarding numbers: Double-check the phone number before confirming forwarding to avoid sending messages to the wrong recipient.

• Failing to verify the forwarded message: Always call the forwarded number to confirm the message was received successfully.

• Assuming all voicemail systems support forwarding: Some voicemail services do not offer forwarding features. Check with your provider.

• Ignoring voicemail notifications: Set up alerts or use a CRM to track leads from voicemails and other channels, such as email automation and sequences (/product/email-automation).

• Relying on voicemail alone for lead management: Combine voicemail forwarding with a CRM that integrates WhatsApp and SMS CRM (/product/whatsapp-sms-crm) to centralize communications and improve follow-up.

Frequently asked questions

Can I forward voicemail to a mobile phone and a landline? Yes, most voicemail systems allow forwarding to both mobile phones and landlines. Enter the full phone number including area code when prompted.

Is voicemail forwarding free? Voicemail forwarding is usually part of your phone plan, but check with your carrier for any charges.

How do I know if my voicemail supports forwarding? Check your carrier’s voicemail documentation or contact customer support. Not all voicemail systems have forwarding features.

Can I forward voicemail to an email or text message? Some advanced voicemail systems or third-party services offer voicemail-to-email or voicemail-to-text forwarding, depending on your provider’s features.

How can I manage leads from voicemails more effectively? Using a CRM that supports email automation and sequences (/product/email-automation) and WhatsApp and SMS CRM (/product/whatsapp-sms-crm) can help capture and follow up on leads faster, reducing the risk of lost opportunities.

Key takeaways

• Access your voicemail, select the message, and use the forward option to send it to another phone.
• Double-check the forwarding number and confirm the message was sent.
• Verify your voicemail system supports forwarding and learn its specific commands.
• Avoid common mistakes by reviewing instructions and confirming message receipt.
• Combine voicemail forwarding with CRM tools like email automation and WhatsApp and SMS CRM for better lead management.

Forwarding voicemail helps Canadian small businesses avoid lost leads and improve response times. For business owners who want to manage leads from calls, texts, and emails in one place, consider exploring CRM solutions that integrate these channels.

Start on the Free Forever plan (200 leads, no credit card) at HelloGrowthCRM to centralize your sales communications and follow-up.