Migrating from Your Current Receptionist Service

Last Updated: 2026-05-25

Switching from a traditional answering service, virtual receptionist, IVR, or competing AI voice product? This guide walks through doing it without dropping calls or losing context.

If your first question is how the phone number should connect, start with Connect a Phone Number to Mylla. It helps you choose between buying a new Mylla number, forwarding an existing number, linking SIP/PBX, porting, or asking for guidance.

Phase 1 — Pilot in parallel (days 1–7)

Before changing anything in the real world:

Buy a Mylla number — see Numbers
Build your agent — greeting, instructions, knowledge base
Add realistic scenarios — the top 10 reasons your customers call
Test with the in-browser sandbox and by dialing the Mylla number from your mobile
Iterate — review transcripts, refine instructions, re-upload KB files

At this stage your existing service is still handling real calls. Nothing is at risk.

Phase 2 — Partial cutover (days 7–14)

Start sending some real calls to Mylla while your old service handles the rest. Pick the approach that fits:

Option A — Route a specific time window

Use forwarding to send only after-hours or only weekends to Mylla. This tests production traffic without exposing business-hours calls.

Option B — Route a single channel

Update one marketing channel (a landing page, one Google Ad, one printed flyer) to show your Mylla number. The rest still hit your old service.

Option C — Route one location

If you have multiple locations, cut over one first. If it goes well, roll to the others.

What to watch

Review every call during this phase
Fix issues in the agent instructions as they come up
Compare request quality: are callers getting captured with the right follow-up context?

Phase 3 — Full cutover (day 14+)

Once you're confident:

If you want to keep your existing number

Set up unconditional forwarding from your existing number to your Mylla number — see Numbers → Forwarding
Cancel your old receptionist service
Your customers dial the same number they always have — they just reach Mylla now

If you want to port your number into Mylla

Ask Mila/Mylla to create an internal porting request
Forward to Mylla in the meantime so calls keep flowing
Work with the Mylla team on the required carrier account details, authorization, and timing
Cancel your old service after the port completes, not before
Your number now lives on Mylla with no forwarding loop

Porting is a guided carrier process, not a fully automated switch. Keep the current carrier active until Mylla confirms the cutover.

If your old number was tied to an IVR or phone tree

Pick a single Mylla agent to replace the entry point
Use escalation / transfer numbers in the agent to route callers who need a human to the right department
Replace "Press 1 for sales, 2 for support" with natural conversation — "Are you calling about a new inquiry or an existing order?"

Phase 4 — Decommission the old system

Export any historical data from the old service (call logs, recordings, CRM exports)
Update your website, Google Business Profile, email signatures, and business cards only if you're using a new Mylla number (not needed if forwarding the old one)
Cancel the old subscription
Remove the old service's access to your CRM / calendar

What to tell your team

Calls still come to the same number (if forwarding or porting)
New caller work lands in Mylla under Requests and Customers — teach them the dashboard
Escalations come in on the Transfer Number — make sure that phone is answered
Missed calls trigger automatic SMS follow-ups (if enabled)

Common migration pitfalls

Pitfall	How to avoid
Cancelling the old service too early	Run in parallel for at least a week before cutover
Forgetting to update Google Business Profile	Only an issue if using a new number — forwarding skips this
KB is out of date	Refresh pricing, hours, and policies before going live
No transfer number set	Some callers will always want a human — set one
Team doesn't know where follow-up work is	Do a 15-min walk-through before cutover

Need help?

Contact support — we can review your agent configuration and suggest improvements before you cut over. Include the number you're migrating, your current volume, and what your current service handles well that you don't want to lose.