On-call dispatch

The On-call dispatch capability turns your AI Voice Receptionist into an after-hours dispatcher. It screens urgent calls and connects the caller to your on-call technician, first gathering who is calling, the nature of the emergency, and the service location. If no one can be reached live, the caller is told the on-call technician has been notified and will follow up.

In this guide, you will learn:

• What On-call dispatch is and how a dispatched call flows from caller to technician
• How to add on-call numbers, criteria, and an announcement
• How to customize the announcement with template variables
• Why the companion SMS automation is an essential part of setup
• Where to find answers to frequently asked questions

What is On-call dispatch?

On-call dispatch is a capability of the AI Voice Receptionist, configured in its capabilities settings. When a caller matches criteria you define, such as an after-hours emergency, the AI collects the details of the emergency, places the caller on hold, calls your on-call technician, announces the call, and connects the two.

Unlike a simple call transfer, the AI screens the call first, so your technician picks up already knowing who is calling, what the emergency is, and where the service is needed.

Why is On-call dispatch important?

• Never miss an urgent call: Emergency calls reach a real person on your team, even after hours.
• Your technician answers prepared: The AI announces the caller's name, location, and emergency before connecting the call, so there's no cold pickup.
• Callers stay reassured: If your technician can't be reached live, the caller is told the on-call technician has been notified and will be in contact as soon as possible.
• Route by situation: Each on-call number has its own criteria, so different kinds of urgent calls can dispatch to different people.

What's included with On-call dispatch?

• On-call numbers with criteria: One row per on-call number, each with its own free-text criteria describing when that number should receive the dispatch.
• Conversational screening: The AI gathers the emergency, the service location, and the caller's name one item at a time, confirming details back to the caller.
• Announcement: A message the AI speaks to whichever technician answers, with template variables for the call details. Leave it blank to use the default announcement.
• Hold and connect: The caller waits on hold with music while the AI dials the on-call number, then the two calls are connected once a person answers.
• Automation trigger: A completed dispatch fires the An AI-handled call is transferred automation trigger with the call details, so you can text the details to the on-call number or log the dispatch. See Automation triggers.

How to set up On-call dispatch

Prerequisites

Your AI Voice Receptionist must be set up and answering calls first. See the AI Voice Receptionist guide for setup, call routing, and prerequisites.

Step 1: Add the capability

1. Go to AI > AI Workforce and click Configure on the Voice Receptionist.
2. In Capabilities, add the On-call dispatch capability.

Step 2: Add on-call numbers and criteria

1. Click + Add an on-call number to add a row. Each row has two required fields:
   • Phone number — the on-call number to reach. Enter it in international format (a + followed by the country code and number) or as a 7–15 digit national number.
   • Criteria — free text describing when to dispatch to this number, for example, "after-hours plumbing emergencies".
2. Repeat for each on-call number. Each number gets its own row and its own criteria describing when it should receive the dispatch.
3. To remove a row, delete it — rows can be removed whenever more than one row exists.

Step 3: Customize the announcement (optional)

The Announcement field is shared across all on-call numbers and is spoken to whichever technician answers. Leave it blank to use the default announcement.

You can personalize the announcement with these template variables, spelled exactly as shown:

Variable	Replaced with
{CallerName}	The caller's name
{Emergency}	The emergency in the caller's own words
{ServiceLocation}	The service location

Write the announcement in any language — it is spoken as written.

When the field is blank, the AI uses the default announcement, skipping any part with no captured value:

"Hello, this is after-hours dispatch. I have an emergency call for you. The caller is {CallerName}, at {ServiceLocation}. They're reporting: {Emergency}. Connecting you with the caller now."

Step 4: Set up the companion SMS automation

If your on-call technician can't be reached live, the caller is told the on-call technician has been notified — and the automation is how that notification actually reaches your technician. Treat it as an essential part of setup, not an optional extra.

When a dispatch completes, the An AI-handled call is transferred automation trigger fires with the call details: the outcome, caller name, reason for call, service location, caller number, and transferred-to number. Use it to text the call details to the on-call number so your technician always gets the information, whether or not they answered.

Set up the dispatch SMS

For a step-by-step recipe that texts the call details to your on-call number, see Text your on-call technician when a call is dispatched. For the full list of triggers, see Automation triggers.

How a dispatched call works

When a caller matches a configured criteria:

1. The AI screens the call. It collects, conversationally and one item at a time: the emergency in the caller's own words (confirmed back), the service location (read back and confirmed), and the caller's name. It never asks for a callback number — that is captured automatically from the call — and it never reveals the on-call number to the caller.
2. The caller is placed on hold with music.
3. The AI dials the on-call number separately, with answering-machine detection.
4. When a person answers, the AI speaks the announcement (or the default), then connects the two calls.
5. If the call reaches voicemail, isn't answered, is busy, or fails, no voicemail message is left. The caller is taken off hold and told: "The on-call technician has been notified and will be in contact as soon as possible. Goodbye."

One dispatch attempt per call

There is one dispatch attempt — the AI does not automatically retry the number or cascade to a second number. This is why the companion SMS automation matters: it makes sure the call details reach your technician even when no one answers live.

Frequently asked questions

Setup and configuration

Can I dispatch to more than one on-call number?

Yes. Click + Add an on-call number to add a row for each number. Each row has its own criteria describing when that number should receive the dispatch. A single dispatched call goes to one number — the one whose criteria the call matches.

What phone number formats are accepted?

The Phone number field accepts international format (a + followed by the country code and number) or a 7–15 digit national number.

Do I need to set up the AI Voice Receptionist before using On-call dispatch?

Yes. On-call dispatch is a capability of the AI Voice Receptionist, so the receptionist must be set up and answering calls first. See the AI Voice Receptionist guide.

Announcements

What does the technician hear if I leave the Announcement blank?

The AI speaks the default announcement: "Hello, this is after-hours dispatch. I have an emergency call for you. The caller is {CallerName}, at {ServiceLocation}. They're reporting: {Emergency}. Connecting you with the caller now." Any part with no captured value is skipped.

Can I write the announcement in another language?

Yes. Write the announcement in any language — the AI speaks it as written. The template variables {CallerName}, {Emergency}, and {ServiceLocation} work the same way in any language.

During a dispatch call

Does the caller ever hear my on-call number?

No. The on-call number is never revealed to the caller. The AI dials it separately while the caller waits on hold.

Does the AI ask the caller for a callback number?

No. The caller's number is captured automatically from the call, so the AI never asks for it. It collects the emergency, the service location, and the caller's name.

What happens if my technician doesn't answer?

If the call reaches voicemail, isn't answered, is busy, or fails, no voicemail message is left. The caller is taken off hold and told the on-call technician has been notified and will be in contact as soon as possible. There is one dispatch attempt — no automatic retry or second-number cascade.

How does my technician actually get notified when they miss the dispatch call?

Through the companion automation. Set up an automation on the An AI-handled call is transferred trigger to text the call details to your on-call number — see Text your on-call technician when a call is dispatched. Without it, a missed dispatch call leaves your technician with only the missed call itself.