In the AI Receptionist menu, navigate to the Call Handling section. Here, you’ll see a diagram that shows different call types along with fields like First Name, Last Name, and Phone Number.
Default Call Flows
Your AI Receptionist uses call flows to guide how it handles conversations. A call flow is the path the AI follows: asking questions, taking actions (like sending a message or transferring), and responding naturally to the caller in real time.
To help you get started, Abby comes with five default call types already set up:
All Else/Other
Existing Client
New Client
Solicitor
Specifically Asked For
Here’s how they work:
All Else/Other, Existing Client, New Client, and Solicitor
The AI asks the caller for their first name, last name, and phone number during the conversation.
After the call, Abby automatically sends a message with the caller’s details and a generated summary to your assigned contact(s).
Specifically Asked For
This flow is triggered when a caller requests a specific person or title (e.g., “I’d like to speak with John Smith” or “Can I talk to your paralegal?”).
The AI still asks for the caller’s first name, last name, and phone number.
You won’t see a visible Send Message action in the diagram—but Abby will always send a message with the call details to the requested contact.
Transfer behavior (whether Abby tries to connect the call) is set in that contact’s Call Handling menu.
Managing "Specifically Asked For" Transfers
If a caller asks for someone by name or title, Abby will use that contact's Call Handling settings to decide whether to transfer the call.
To set this up:
In the portal, go to Account > Contacts.
Select the contact you want to edit and click Edit Contact.
Open the Call Handling tab at the top of the contact's profile.
Check the box for Transfer if Requested by Name.
Add the phone numbers and transfer preferences for that contact.
Click Save.
Adding a Custom Call Type
A call type defines how Abby handles certain kinds of callers. You already have default ones (New Client, Existing Client, etc.), but you can create custom types if you need something more specific (like “Billing,” “Deliveries,” or “Cancellations”).
To add a custom call type:
In the diagram, click Add Call Type on the right side of the diagram.
Select Custom Call Type.
Enter the call type name (e.g., Billing, Deliveries, Cancellations).
Write a prompt to help Abby recognize when a caller fits this type. You’ll need to write a prompt to help the AI recognize when a caller fits this category. See Writing Effective Call Flow Prompts for guidance.
You don’t need to cover every scenario. Create call types only for situations where you want specific questions or actions. Anything else will fall back to All Else/Other.
Integrations
Each call type can be linked to your CRM so that call details automatically flow into your system.
Integrations must first be set up in Settings → Integrations.
Once connected, you’ll see a toggle for that integration on each call type (e.g., New Client, Existing Client, etc.).
Example: Toggle on HubSpot for New Client so Abby automatically creates leads there.
👉 See Setting Up Integrations for step-by-step instructions.
Questions
Questions are what Abby asks the caller to gather information. You’ll find them in the Questions tab on the right side of the diagram.
Types of Questions
Common Questions (presets): Email, Company, etc.
Custom Questions: Add your own, such as:
Open-Ended: “Estimated budget?” or “Preferred date and time?”
Drop-down Question: Yes/No or specific case types. You’ll provide the answer options so Abby knows how to classify responses. (Tip: for the description, you can use “The caller says ___.”)
Pre-Filled Dropdowns: Shortcuts you can drag in, like:
Account Contacts: Useful for “Who were you looking to speak with?”
USA States: Helpful for delivery/service areas.
Question Settings
Each question has optional settings to control how Abby handles it:
Confirm Answer → Abby repeats back what the caller said (spelling, numbers, short phrases) to confirm accuracy. Best for names, phone numbers, or anything that must be exact. Avoid for long/open-ended answers.
Skip if Transferred → Abby only asks this question if the call is not transferred. Useful when you only need details if the caller leaves a message (like “Reason for call”).
⚡Tip: These settings are applied per-question. You’ll find them in the question editor after adding the question to your flow.
Actions
Actions tell Abby what to do after collecting information. These live in the Actions tab next to Questions.
Actions to Caller:
Send Text (SMS): Sends info like pricing sheets, scheduling links, or a follow-up.
Say Script: Abby reads a message to the caller. Example: “Please email us at [email] for a quote.”
Option – Hang up after saying: Ends the call immediately after the script is read.
Only appears if no other questions/actions are in the flow.
Best for: closing solicitor calls or redirecting callers to email/websites.
If unchecked: Abby stays on the line and can still answer questions with the knowledge you’ve provided (FAQs, etc.).
Actions to Contacts:
Send Message: Sends call details (with a summary) to your chosen contacts. Text notifications go out if enabled.
Transfer Caller: Transfers the call to your chosen contacts.
You can now add new contacts and assign transfer numbers directly within the Call Handling Diagram, without leaving the page. This streamlines setup and makes it faster to build call flows.
Send Message: Click + Add New Contact within the action to add a new recipient.
Transfer Caller: Enter a new transfer number directly from the action, including secondary numbers and transfer types.
This means you no longer need to jump between multiple pages to create contacts or add transfer numbers.
Conditions:
Status: Adjusts actions based on whether a contact is available. (e.g., Transfer if available; send a text if not.)
Drag-and-Drop Workflow
You build call flows by dragging questions and actions into the diagram. Each new item must be dropped onto an existing question or action so it knows where to go.
Adding Questions
Drag First Name → drop onto the call type.
Drag Last Name → drop onto First Name (appears right after).
Drag Phone Number → drop onto Last Name (appears right after).
Adding Actions
Most actions attach to the last item in the flow.
Say Script is the exception — it must attach directly to the call type (before questions).
Example (Send Message + Transfer Caller):
Drag Send Message onto the last question.
Drag Transfer Caller onto Send Message.
⚠️ Tip: Always include a Send Message action. Even if a transfer is added, this ensures you still get call details if the transfer doesn’t complete.
Customize for Your Business
Your AI Receptionist isn’t just for collecting names and numbers — you can design call flows that fit your business goals. Here are some practical examples of how you can customize your diagram:
1. End or Redirect Calls You Don’t Want
Stop wasting time on junk calls or questions your team doesn’t need to handle.
For solicitors: Add a Say Script with a short message (e.g., “Thank you, but we’re not interested”) and check Hang up after saying so the call ends immediately. (See visual below.)
Redirect to self-service: Use Say Script with a redirect message (e.g., “Please visit company.com/help for answers”).
If you want Abby to stay on the line for follow-up questions, leave Hang up after saying unchecked but remove other actions.
Good to Know: You don’t need to script every answer. Abby will naturally answer questions using the FAQs and knowledge you’ve provided — scripts are only needed when you want Abby to say something specific every time.
2. Ask the Right Questions Based on Answers
Not all callers need the same follow-up questions. With drop-down questions, Abby can branch into different paths so each caller only answers what’s relevant to them.
How it works:
Add a Drop-Down Question to your flow.
Provide answer options (e.g., “New Project,” “Existing Order,” “Billing”).
Under each option, drag in the specific questions Abby should ask.
Examples:
Service Businesses:
“What type of service are you calling about?”
New Project → Abby asks about budget and timeline.
Existing Service → Abby asks for location and technician name.
Billing → Abby asks for invoice number.
Law Firms:
“What type of case are you calling about?”
Personal Injury → Abby asks when/where the incident happened.
Criminal Defense → Abby asks what charges were filed.
Family Law → Abby asks if children are involved.
Healthcare Practices:
“What type of appointment are you scheduling?”
New Patient → Abby asks for insurance provider.
Follow-Up Visit → Abby asks for preferred date/time.
Prescription Refill → Abby asks for medication name.
Why use this:
Keeps conversations natural (no irrelevant questions).
Speeds up intake by tailoring questions.
Ensures your team gets the details they need upfront.
3. Collect the Right Details for Each Caller Type
Different callers need different questions. Instead of asking everyone the same thing, you can tailor intake for New Clients, Current Clients, and Billing Calls (or any custom type you create).
Examples:
New Client: Name, phone number, email, “How did you hear about us?”
Current Client: Name, phone number, account number (if applicable).
Billing Question: Name, phone number, invoice number.
4. Make Sure Callers Are Handled After Hours
This lets you design different experiences depending on availability—most often after hours, but also during vacations, meetings, or other times your team is offline.
Examples:
Reroute Messages to a Different Contact
If your primary contact is marked unavailable, Abby can send messages to a backup (e.g., your on-call manager or shared inbox).
This ensures messages don’t pile up for someone who’s out.
Send a Scheduling Link Automatically
When no one is available, Abby can text the caller your booking link.
That way, leads still convert into appointments instead of dropping off.
Text Key Information Instead of Waiting
Abby can instantly text directions, support links, or a FAQ page when your team is marked unavailable.
Callers get what they need without waiting for a callback.
⚠️ Note: Transfers are always skipped when a contact is marked unavailable.
5. Qualify Leads with Separate Call Types
You can use call types to separate qualified leads from calls your team doesn’t need to handle. While Abby doesn’t branch into different actions inside one call type, you can create two call types to achieve the same result.
Example:
New Client – Service We Handle → Abby collects intake details and sends the call/message to your team.
New Client – Service We Don’t Handle → Abby politely turns the caller away or redirects them to another resource.
This way, Abby screens calls up front so your staff only receives the ones that matter.
💡 Tip: Start with one customization, test it with a few calls, and expand as you go. Your diagram can evolve with your business needs.