IVR Escalation Guide — Transferring Callers to Live Agents

When the Bot Transfers a Caller

When a caller asks to speak with a live person during an IVR interaction, the Velaro bot can escalate in several ways depending on what your account has enabled. The bot decides automatically based on your configuration — no special workflow node is required.

Escalation Options

Live Phone Transfer (Bridge Call or SIP REFER)

The bot connects the caller directly to an agent phone number. Two methods are available — see "Bridge vs SIP REFER" below.

Requires: IVR Bridge Call feature enabled + Fallback Transfer Number set in IVR Settings.

Phone Callback (Immediate)

The bot offers to have an agent call the caller back right away. The caller confirms their number (or the bot confirms the number already on file), and the platform initiates an outbound call.

Requires: Click-to-Call or Avatar Mode feature enabled.

Scheduled Callback

The caller picks a date and time for the callback. The platform books the slot and sends a reminder.

Requires: Smart Callback Scheduling feature enabled.

Text a Link or Number

The bot offers to text the caller a support phone number or URL. Useful on IVR where links cannot be read aloud.

Requires: SMS feature enabled. Caller must have a phone number on file.

Email Contact Information

The bot offers to email the caller a support link, case number, or contact details.

Requires: Email feature enabled. Caller must have an email on file.

Bridge Call vs SIP REFER — Which Should I Use?

This setting is in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Live Agent Transfer Method.

Bridge Call (default)

Velaro stays on the call via Twilio Dial for the duration of the agent conversation.

Use Bridge Call when you want:

• Full call recording of the agent leg (stored in Velaro)
• AI transcription of what the agent and caller say
• AI-generated wrap-up notes after the call
• Agent whispering (bot can inject context to the agent before they speak)
• A complete call record in Velaro, regardless of your phone system

Cost: Twilio minutes are charged for both the inbound leg and the outbound agent leg.

SIP REFER (cost-saving)

Velaro sends a SIP REFER instruction to your phone system and exits the call. Your PBX handles the agent connection directly.

Use SIP REFER when:

• Your PBX or phone system already handles call recording
• You want to minimize Twilio costs (no agent-leg minutes charged)
• You have a SIP-capable phone system (most modern PBXes: 3CX, FreePBX, 8x8, RingCentral SIP Trunking, etc.)
• You do NOT need Velaro to transcribe or log the agent conversation

Limitation: Velaro's AI wrap-up and agent transcription features do not apply to the agent leg under SIP REFER. The bot conversation log ends at the moment of transfer.

SIP URI: Leave blank to auto-format your transfer number as a Twilio SIP URI, or enter a custom URI if your PBX is on a different domain (e.g., sip:+18005551234@pbx.mycompany.com).

Per-Line Escalation Configuration

Each IVR voice configuration can enable or disable specific escalation paths independently. This lets you run different policies on different IVR lines — for example:

• Sales line: Bridge call enabled, callbacks disabled
• Support line: Bridge call + callbacks + SMS all enabled
• After-hours line: Callbacks only (no live transfer)

Settings are in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Escalation Options.

Smart Caller Recognition

If a caller's phone number is already in your contact database, the bot will offer to confirm their contact details rather than asking them to spell everything out. This works even for callers dialing from a business or masked number, as long as the contact record has their email or callback number stored from a previous interaction.

Setting Up IVR Escalation

1. Go to Channels → IVR and select your IVR line

2. Under IVR Settings, set the Fallback Transfer Number to your agent phone number

3. Enable IVR Bridge Call in your subscription settings (or contact support)

4. Open the Voice Configuration for the line and choose your Transfer Method (Bridge or SIP REFER)

5. Under Escalation Options, enable the paths you want the bot to offer

The bot will automatically present the appropriate options to callers and execute the right transfer when confirmed.

Customizing What the Bot Says

SMS Announcement Phrases

When the bot texts a link or document to a caller, it says something out loud before and after. By default:

• Before sending: "I am sending that to you right now."
• After sending: "You may have already received it — it usually arrives within a few seconds."

You can change both phrases in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → SMS Send Announcement and SMS Confirmation Phrase. Use the Reset to default button to restore the original wording.

Troubleshooting: If callers complain the bot said the wrong thing before/after texting, check these fields first — a custom phrase may have been set. The date and user who last changed the voice configuration are shown in the Updated by / Updated at fields.

Transfer Unavailable Message

When no live transfer option is configured (or all escalation toggles are off), the bot follows instructions for how to respond. By default it apologizes, explains transfer is unavailable, and offers to take the caller's contact information.

You can customize this in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Transfer Unavailable Message. Use the Reset to default button to restore the original behavior.

If callers report the bot handled a "no agent available" situation incorrectly: Check the Transfer Unavailable Message field — a custom instruction may be directing unexpected behavior. If the field has been customized, the Reset to default button will restore the system default immediately.

Take a Message

When live transfer is not available or the caller prefers not to wait, the bot can offer to take a message and email it to your team.

Requires: IVR Take Message feature enabled in your subscription + a notification email set in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Take Message Notification Email.

How it works: The bot collects the caller's name, callback number, and a brief description of their issue, then sends an email notification to the configured address. The caller is told a team member will follow up shortly.

Setting it up:

1. Enable the IVR Take Message subscription feature (contact support if not visible)

2. In IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Take Message Notification Email, enter the email address where messages should be sent

3. The bot will automatically offer this option when live transfer is unavailable

Troubleshooting: If the bot says "our message notification is not fully configured," check that the Take Message Notification Email field is filled in for the voice configuration. If callers report they left a message but the team never received it, check the email address is correct and not blocked by spam filters.

Transfer No-Answer Message

When a live transfer is attempted but the agent's phone is not answered, the bot plays a message and ends the call. The default reads: "Our agents are unable to take your call right now. Please try calling back shortly."

This is in IVR Settings → Voice Configuration → Transfer No-Answer Message.

Audit Trail

Every time a voice configuration is saved, the system records who made the change and when. Look at the Updated by and Updated at fields on the configuration. If something sounds wrong on calls, check these fields — they show exactly who last changed any setting and when.