Configure Inbound Call Handling

Call handling configuration allows team leaders to specify how incoming calls are managed and forwarded during and after work hours.

Follow the steps below to configure call-handling options for a team. 

First, you need to navigate to your Call Settings page to do this:

1. Select Teams from the hamburger menu on the side navigation
2. Select the team you wish to configure call handling and routing options for. This will take you to the team's show page.
3. On the team’s show page, navigate to the Call Settings tab
4. Next, under the Normal Office Hours or Outside Office Hours section, depending on which you're trying to configure, click Edit Call Settings to open the call settings slideout.
5. Scroll to the Configure handling option section in the Call Handling & Routing tab.

 The call handling options available are:

1. Accept Call in-app
2. Send to another team
3. Send to a team member
4. Send directly to voicemail
5. Send to a recorded message
6. Send SMS
7. Send to an automated response menu

Accept Call in-app

This call handling option sends incoming calls directly to available team members. To select this option:

1. Click on the radio button next to Accept call in-app
2. Next, select a routing option to specify how you want incoming calls to be routed to your team members. The routing options available are:
   • • Longest Idle This routing option routes the incoming call to the team member who has not received a call in the longest time. To select this option click on the radio button next to Longest Idle.
     • Fixed Order In this routing option, calls are routed to team members based on an order that you set. For example, if you set an order where A comes before B and C, all incoming calls will be routed to A as long as they are available. If A is unavailable to take the call, it will be passed on to the next person in line, who is B, and so on. To configure this routing option follow these steps:
       1. Select Fixed Order and click Set/edit order
       2. Drag and drop the names of your teammates in the desired order.
       3. Once you’re done, click Save Order.
     • Round Robin This routing option equally distributes the calls among your team members based on a list that you create to ensure that every member of your team participates equally. To configure this routing option follow these steps:
       1. Select Round Robin and click Set/edit order
       2. Drag and drop the names of your teammates in the desired order.
       3. Once you’re done, click Save Order.
     • Simultaneous Selecting this option routes incoming calls to everyone on the team allowing any team member to respond to the call.

Configure Fall-back option

If you choose the Accept Call-in App handling option, you’ll need to set up a fall-back option to determine what happens to calls when all team members are not available to answer calls. The fall-back options are:

• • Send to another team
  • Send to a team member
  • Send directly to voicemail
  • Send to a recorded message
  • Send SMS
  • Send to an automated response menu

Send to another team

Select this option if you want incoming calls to be sent to another team. 

Note: if you send a call to another team, the call will be handled based on that team’s call settings. Follow the steps below to configure this option:

1. Select Send to another team under the configure handling section
2. Next, click on the Select a team dropdown and select a team to send the calls to.

Send to a team member

This call handling option sends incoming calls to this team to a selected team member in your organization. To set up this configuration option, follow these steps:

1. Select Send to a team member under the configure handling section
2. Next, click on the Select a team member dropdown and select a team member to send the calls to.

Note: if you send a call to another team member, the call will be handled based on that team member’s call settings

Send to voicemail

This call handling option routes incoming calls to voicemail. To select this option click on the Send directly to voicemail radio button. 

 

Send to a recorded message.

Select this option to route incoming calls to a previously recorded message. You can configure this option by uploading the recorded message as an MP3 file or by using text-to-speech. To select this option click on the Send directly to a recorded message radio button. 

To set up a recorded message using Neural text-to-speech, follow the steps below:

1. Select Neural Text-to-Speech from the Select format for message audio dropdown.
2. Enter the message in the text box provided.
3. Select the agent voice you would like the text to be voiced in by clicking on the Select agent voice drop-down and selecting either Amy (for a female voice) or Andrew (for a male voice).
4. Click Save & Preview.

To set up a recorded message by uploading an mp3 file, follow these steps:

1. From the dropdown menu, select Upload Recorded File
2. Select an MP3 file from your computer

 

Send SMS (Textback)

Select this option if you want a message delivered to callers when they try to reach your team. To configure this option follow the steps below:

1. 1. 1. Click on the Sends SMS (Textback) radio button
      2. Next, configure a text-back confirmation to notify callers that they will receive a message after the call. You can configure a text-back confirmation in one of two ways: using Neural text to speech or uploading a recorded file.

Follow these steps to set up text-back confirmation using text to speech

1. Select Neural Text-to-Speech from the Select format for message audio dropdown.
2. Enter the message in the text box provided.
3. Select the agent voice you would like the text to be voiced in by clicking on the Select agent voice drop-down and selecting either Amy (for a female voice) or Andrew (for a male voice).
4. Click Save & Preview.

 

To set up text-back confirmation by uploading a recorded mp3 file follow these steps:

1. From the dropdown menu, select Upload Recorded File.
2. Choose an MP3 file from your PC.
3. Next, enter a text-back message in the space provided.

Send to an automated response menu 

This handling option directs callers to an automated response menu when they call your team. To configure this option, follow the steps below:

1. First, set up your IVR initial greeting which should also spell out your IVR menu. You can set up your IVR greeting by uploading a recorded file or using neural text-to-speech.

 

Follow these steps to set up your IVR greeting neural using text to speech

1. Select Neural Text-to-Speech from the Select format for message audio dropdown.
2. Enter your IVR greeting in the text box provided.
3. Select the agent voice you would like the text to be voiced in by clicking on the Select agent voice drop-down and selecting either Amy (for a female voice) or Andrew (for a male voice).
4. Click Save & Preview.

 

To set up your IVR greeting by uploading a recorded mp3 file follow these steps

1. 1. From the drop-down menu, select Upload Recorded File
   2. Choose an MP3 file from your computer

2. Next, configure keypress. To do this:

1. 1. Click on the dropdown next to a key you want to configure
   2. Next, select the action you want the keypress to represent by clicking on the dropdown next to the number. The options available are:
      • Accept Call in-app
      • Send to voicemail
      • Send to a recorded message
      • Send SMS (Textback)
      • Send to a team member
      • Send to another team
      • Repeat Message

Once you're done, click Next at the bottom of the slideout to save your changes.

 

If you have additional questions regarding call settings in Distrobird, do not hesitate to contact us at [e-mail]; a member of our team will be happy to respond to your questions and resolve any issues you might be experiencing.

Happy selling!