Understanding Transfer Types
Hello Gubby supports two types of call transfers, each suited for different scenarios.
Warm Transfer
In a warm transfer, your agent stays on the line while connecting the caller to you or your team. The agent briefs the human on who's calling and why before completing the handoff. This creates a smooth transition for the caller and ensures context isn't lost.
Best for: Sales inquiries, complex service questions, VIP customers, situations where context is important.
Cold Transfer
A cold transfer connects the caller directly to another line without a handoff briefing. The call simply rings through to the destination number.
Best for: Simple routing to departments, after-hours emergency lines, situations where speed matters more than context.
Recommendation
We recommend warm transfers for most business scenarios. They create a better customer experience and reduce the need for callers to repeat themselves.
Setting Up Your Transfer Numbers
Before creating routing rules, you need to configure the phone numbers your agent can transfer calls to.
Navigate to Settings and select Call Routing
From your dashboard, click Settings in the left sidebar, then choose Call Routing from the submenu.
Add your primary transfer number
Enter the main phone number where calls should be transferred when needed. This is typically your mobile phone or office line.
Add additional team members (optional)
If you have multiple team members who can receive transfers, add their numbers along with their names and roles. This allows for department or skill-based routing.
Set availability for each number
For each transfer number, specify when that person is available to receive calls. This prevents transfers to numbers that won't be answered.
Creating Routing Rules
Routing rules tell your agent when and where to transfer calls based on specific conditions. You can create simple rules or build complex routing logic.
Rule Components
Component | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Trigger | What causes the rule to activate | Caller request, keyword detected, caller type |
Condition | Additional criteria that must be met | Time of day, day of week, caller location |
Action | What happens when triggered | Transfer to number, escalate, take message |
Fallback | What to do if the action fails | Try another number, voicemail, callback offer |
Example: Basic Transfer on Request
Rule: Transfer to owner when requested
Trigger: Caller says "speak to a person," "talk to someone," "human," "real person," or similar phrases
Condition: None (always active)
Action: Warm transfer to primary number
Fallback: If no answer after 30 seconds, offer to take a message
Example: Department Routing
Rule: Route based on inquiry type
Trigger: Caller mentions "billing," "invoice," "payment," or "account"
Condition: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Action: Warm transfer to accounting department
Fallback: Outside hours, offer callback during business hours
Example: Emergency Escalation
Rule: Immediate escalation for emergencies
Trigger: Caller uses urgent language: "emergency," "urgent," "flooding," "fire," "leak," "broken into"
Condition: None (24/7)
Action: Cold transfer to emergency line
Fallback: If no answer, keep trying every 60 seconds while keeping caller informed
Configuring Emergency Escalation
For businesses that handle emergencies (home services, property management, medical practices), proper emergency routing is critical.
Critical Setup
Emergency escalation rules should be tested thoroughly before going live. An incorrectly configured emergency path could result in delayed response to urgent situations.
Setting Up Emergency Keywords
Go to Call Routing and select Emergency Settings
This section is specifically for configuring urgent call handling.
Define your emergency keywords
Enter words and phrases that indicate an emergency for your business. Be comprehensive but avoid false positives.
Home services examples: flood, flooding, gas leak, no heat, no AC, pipe burst, water everywhere, electrical fire
Property management examples: break in, locked out, fire alarm, water damage, ceiling leaking
Medical examples: severe pain, can't breathe, chest pain, emergency (though recommend directing to 911)
Configure your emergency contact chain
Set up a sequence of numbers to try if the primary emergency contact doesn't answer. Include timeouts for each attempt.
Set up persistent retry
Enable "persistent retry" for emergencies. This keeps trying your emergency contacts until someone answers, while periodically reassuring the caller that help is being reached.
Configure emergency voicemail behavior
Decide what happens if no one answers after multiple attempts. Options include taking an urgent message with immediate text/email notification, or providing alternative emergency contacts.
After-Hours Routing
Your routing rules can change based on time of day and day of week. This is essential for businesses that want different handling during business hours versus nights and weekends.
Setting Business Hours
Navigate to Call Routing and select Hours
Define your regular business hours for each day of the week.
Configure business hours behavior
Specify how calls should be handled during your operating hours. Typically, transfers are available and your team is reachable.
Configure after-hours behavior
Specify handling for calls outside business hours. Options include taking messages only, offering callback scheduling, or routing to an after-hours contact.
Add holiday schedules
Mark specific dates as holidays with their own routing rules. You can apply after-hours behavior or create custom holiday handling.
After-Hours Options
Option | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
Message Only | Agent takes a message and promises callback during business hours | Non-urgent businesses, professional services |
Emergency Only Transfer | Agent takes messages for routine calls, transfers only for emergencies | Home services, property management, medical |
Callback Scheduling | Agent books a callback appointment for the next business day | Sales teams, appointment-based businesses |
After-Hours Contact | Agent can transfer to a designated after-hours person | Businesses with on-call staff |
Answering Service Mode | Agent handles everything without transfer options | When no one is available under any circumstance |
VIP and Priority Routing
Some callers deserve priority handling. Hello Gubby can identify important callers and route them accordingly.
Setting Up VIP Recognition
Create a VIP list
In Call Routing settings, add phone numbers that should receive VIP treatment. You can import from your CRM or add manually.
Configure VIP behavior
Define how VIP calls should be handled differently. Options include immediate transfer, priority greeting, or alert notification even if taking a message.
Enable CRM sync (if applicable)
If you use a connected CRM, you can automatically pull VIP designations based on customer status, deal value, or custom fields.
Failover and Fallback Configuration
What happens when a transfer fails? Proper failover configuration ensures calls are never dropped.
Transfer Timeout Settings
Configure how long your agent waits before considering a transfer failed. The default is 30 seconds, but you can adjust based on your team's response patterns.
Failover Sequence
When the primary transfer number doesn't answer, you can configure a sequence of backup numbers to try.
Example Failover Sequence:
Try primary mobile (30 seconds)
Try office line (30 seconds)
Try backup team member (30 seconds)
Offer to take a message with urgent flag
Voicemail as Final Fallback
When all transfer attempts fail, your agent can take a detailed message and send it via email and SMS with appropriate urgency flags based on the nature of the call.
Testing Your Routing Configuration
Before going live with new routing rules, test them thoroughly.
Use Test Mode
Enable Test Mode in your Call Routing settings. This allows you to trigger routing rules without actually completing transfers, so you can verify logic.
Test each rule individually
Make test calls that should trigger each routing rule. Verify that the correct rule activates and the correct action is taken.
Test edge cases
Test scenarios where multiple rules could apply, or where conditions are at the boundary (like calling at exactly 5:00 PM when business hours end at 5:00).
Test failover paths
Intentionally let transfers fail (don't answer) to verify your failover sequence works correctly.
Test emergency routing
If you have emergency escalation configured, test it thoroughly. Use your emergency keywords and verify the correct response.
Important
Always test emergency routing before going live. A misconfigured emergency path could result in critical delays when urgent situations arise.
Common Routing Configurations by Industry
Home Services (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical)
Emergency keywords trigger immediate transfer to on-call technician 24/7
Non-emergency service requests route to office during business hours
After-hours non-emergency calls take message with next-day callback promise
Sales inquiries route to sales team when available
Property Management
Emergency maintenance (flood, fire, break-in) routes to maintenance supervisor 24/7
Lockouts route to on-call staff during operating hours
Leasing inquiries route to leasing office during business hours
Rent payment questions handled by agent without transfer
Medical and Dental
Medical emergencies prompted to call 911 (agent does not handle)
Urgent but non-emergency symptoms route to triage nurse during hours
Appointment requests handled by agent
After-hours directs to answering service or on-call provider
Salons and Spas
Appointment bookings handled by agent without transfer
Stylist requests route to front desk if specific matching needed
Complaints or issues route to manager
After-hours takes message or directs to online booking
Need Help?
Complex routing configurations can be tricky to set up correctly. Our support team can help you design and test routing rules that match your business needs. Contact us for assistance.
