This article below, along with the video, will help you configure your Call Flow using the Dial Applet.
The Dial Applet is an essential component of the Flow Builder. It allows you to choose which user or Group of users will receive any incoming call.
However, the Dial Applet is more than just a call router: you can enhance the experience for callers and smrtPhone users with many additional features and settings.
After dragging and dropping the Dial Applet, now you get to further customize.
The Dial Applet gives you the option to select who should receive the call. You can choose:
A user in your smrtPhone system
A group of users you have created
Using Call Forwarding, single or multiple external phone numbers
You must select one of these three options or the incoming call will not be received.
Inside the Dial Applet there are additional settings to optimize the call-routing experience:
Simultaneous Call (Groups and Call Forwarding)
Whisper (formerly "Announce the user")
What to do If Nobody Answers
Simultaneous Call
The Simultaneous Call feature gives you the option to ring all members of the Group or selected external phone numbers (in the case of Call Forwarding) at the same time. When one person answers, the call will stop ringing for everyone else.
Ring Timeout
Ring Timeout lets you control for how long a call should ring until it advances to the next step in the Flow.
It might be helpful for you to think of this as "how many rings" or "how long" a caller has to wait until it's deemed unanswered. Then, the system will move on to the Applet you've selected in the "If nobody answers..." section. Common practice says that 20 seconds is about 3-4 rings, which is pretty standard for going to voicemail.
Say Before Dial
The Say Before Dial option plays an audio message to the caller before it actually rings the line, similar to a greeting.
An example most people are familiar with is, "Thank you for calling! All calls may be recorded for quality purposes." It can also be helpful to confirm a selection from an IVR, such as "Now dialing the Billing Department."
You also have the option to input a text that will be read by an automated voice, to record an audio message using your phone, or to upload an existing MP3 file.
Call Recording
The Call Recording dropdown sets how the calls will be recorded: from when it starts ringing or when it is answered. You can also disable call recording for this portion of the Call Flow. All call recordings live in the Billing & Logs section of your smrtPhone account, but you can also access them from the contact record in your CRM.
Podio Users: Recordings can be accessed from the Communications App item for each call.
Salesforce Users: Recordings can be accessed from your Tasks for each call.
InvestorFuse Users: Recordings can be accessed from your Activity and Communication tab, for each call.
Whisper
Formerly known as "Announce the User", the Whisper feature is a greeting that can be spoken to smrtPhone users when the call rings to them. After listening to the Whisper message, the user must Press 1 for the call to be fully connected.
You can set a custom message that includes relevant data, based on call data variables. This prepares your agents/users to answer the call more effectively.
If Nobody Answers...
If nobody answers you have the option to send the call to voicemail or advance to another applet from the flow creator. For example, if you didn't want to put a voicemail here, unanswered calls could be routed to a general receptionist using the Dial Applet.
This can be fully customized to meet your needs. We encourage you to consider the caller's experience as you build your Dial experience. If they are continually transferred to other lines, they may get frustrated.
Pro Dialing
This toggle enables/disables the Pro features for calls coming through this flow, including Call Monitoring, Group Calling, Hold functionality, and Warm Transfers.
Learn More About Inbound Communication Settings Options: