We know it can be difficult to answer all your incoming business calls, especially when companies experience such high volumes of spam and sales calls. How can you know which phone call is important and which isn’t? You can’t – that’s why it is so important to answer every call, as your next call could be your next big deal!
To draw attention to the great importance of answering the phone, we are continuing with our series where we explore historical phone calls. Last time, we explored the first ever phone call, which you can read about here!
Next up on our list, a royal phone call!
Modernisation of the UK’s telephone system
Prior to 1958, an operator was required to make a land-line call. However, during the 1950’s the General Post Office, now known as Royal Mail, were responsible for running the telephone network and had noticed an opportunity to upgrade its technology.
The UK’s telephone system had been running on 41 manually-operated telephone exchanges, which was deemed inefficient and much farther behind the technology and usage of the United States telephone system. The General Post office spent £35 million modernising the UK’s telephone system so that phone calls could be made without the involvement of an operator.
The royal phone call
The reason this phone call has gained such traction in history is because it was the very first long distance phone call made in the UK without an operator. Queen Elizabeth II was asked to make the historic phone call from Bristol to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, which was the furthest distance a phone call could be made. The telephone call was highly publicised, with media at the ready to document the famous phone call taking place.
British Pathé // YouTube
Queen Elizabeth II started the phone call by saying: “This is the Queen speaking from Bristol. Good afternoon, my lord provost.”
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh replied to Queen Elizabeth II: “May I with humble duty offer you the loyal greetings of the citizens of Edinburgh.”
All in all, the phone call lasted two minutes and cost approximately 4p, which was over 4 times cheaper than a telephone call using the old system, which would have cost approximately 19p.
Struggling to answer all your incoming business calls?
For a small business, it can be impossible to get your work done while simultaneously answering every phone call – this is where virtual office services help! We have professional receptionists on hand to answer your incoming business calls in your company name. Find out more about our call forwarding and answering service here.
