Customer case study · Global media & information services
Corporate scale.
Individual preferences.
A personal connection.
Supporting The Economist Group with a professional live switchboard across over 1,000 incoming telephone lines and a staff directory of more than 1,000 people.
The customer
Independent journalism.
Global insight.
An international audience.
Discover The Economist Group ↗The Economist Group is an internationally recognised media and information-services organisation, best known for The Economist. Its story began in 1843 with the newspaper’s foundation.
From that publishing heritage, the Group has developed a broad international business spanning journalism, research, analysis, education and information services. Its work helps individuals and organisations understand events, examine ideas and make informed decisions.
The Group’s global reach brings a diverse range of telephone enquiries. A caller may be looking for a particular employee, a specialist department, subscription assistance or a reliable way to leave a message.
Across a substantial corporate structure, professional reception depends on more than locating a name. It requires accurate directory information, clear routing instructions and attention to how each person prefers to be contacted.
A large organisation
Many people.
Different contact requirements.
A directory of more than 1,000 staff contacts needs a structured approach to identifying the intended recipient and the appropriate route.
A varied audience
Corporate enquiries.
Subscription questions.
Callers need a professional first point of contact that can understand their request and help them reach the relevant team.
The trusted partnership
A live corporate switchboard.
A considered route
for every enquiry.
Norango provides live corporate switchboard and reception services across The Economist Group’s extensive telephone network.
Trained live receptionists identify the intended person or department, consult the staff directory and follow the relevant contact preferences. Calls can be transferred, direct dial information provided where permitted, or messages captured through the agreed process.
The operational challenge
More than 1,000 lines.
More than 1,000 contacts.
One consistent first response.
The Economist Group’s telephone environment includes over 1,000 incoming lines and a directory containing more than 1,000 team members. Managing enquiries at that scale requires a structured, flexible reception service.
Some callers know exactly who they want. Others need help finding a department, reaching subscription support or leaving information for someone who is unavailable.
The service needed to connect callers accurately while respecting staff instructions and reducing unnecessary interruptions for internal teams.
Corporate switchboard.
Organised call handling.
Norango manages incoming enquiries across the telephone network, establishes what each caller needs and identifies the intended recipient. A professional live team provides a consistent reception experience within a complex corporate environment.
An extensive directory.
The appropriate person.
Receptionists navigate contact information for more than 1,000 staff members. They can locate a requested employee, identify a relevant department or help a caller find the appropriate contact for a general enquiry.
Individual preferences.
Flexible connection options.
Some staff permit their direct dial number to be provided; others prefer a transfer through the switchboard. Norango follows the recorded contact instructions, giving callers the appropriate route while respecting each employee’s preferences.
Someone unavailable.
A message captured.
When a caller cannot be connected directly, receptionists record the message and pass the relevant information on through the agreed process. This gives enquiries a consistent next step when the intended recipient is unavailable.
Subscription enquiries.
The correct support team.
Norango identifies the nature of subscription-related calls, provides relevant guidance where appropriate and directs callers to the subscription support team when further assistance is required.
A large directory. Individual instructions.
People helping callers reach people.
Establish the caller’s purpose and intended recipient.
Find the relevant person or department in the directory.
Consult the contact instructions and permitted connection options.
Transfer, provide permitted direct dial information or take a message.
The value for The Economist Group
Corporate capability.
Personal attention.
Consistent representation.
Switchboard capability at scale
Norango supports a telephone environment with over 1,000 incoming lines.
Extensive directory navigation
Receptionists work with contact information for more than 1,000 team members.
Accurate, flexible routing
Transfers, permitted direct dial information and messages follow individual contact instructions.
Subscription enquiry support
Relevant calls are identified and directed through the appropriate support process.
Reduced administrative pressure
Initial enquiries and routing are managed by Norango, helping reduce the burden on internal staff.
A professional first impression
Trained live receptionists represent the organisation with consistent, attentive communication.
A structured corporate service retains the personal approach of a live receptionist.
The outcome
Complex communications.
A clear route
to the right people.
The Economist Group benefits from an outsourced switchboard service that combines scale with flexibility, supporting over 1,000 incoming lines and a staff directory of more than 1,000 people.
Norango brings directory navigation, direct transfers, permitted direct dial information, message taking and subscription enquiry support into a consistent reception process.
The partnership demonstrates how live receptionists can support an internationally recognised organisation with the structure needed for complex call handling and the personal attention callers value.
Corporate switchboard solutions. Professional live reception.
Make a large organisation
easier to reach.
Talk to Norango about live switchboard services, staff-directory routing and reception support tailored to your organisation.
Service details and line/directory figures are based on the supplied Economist Group customer case study. Company background, logo and photography: The Economist Group’s company profile. Published 12 November 2026.