Overview of IVR in Salesmsg Inbox

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) gives callers a voice menu they can navigate with a key press; for example, "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support." Each key routes to its own destination: forwarding, a call queue, voicemail, or any other compatible action.

IVR lives as an IVR Phone Tree action inside the Smart Call Flow builder, where it can be combined with other actions like Ring, Call Queue, Forward Call, Business Hours, and the AI Calling Agent to build a complete call-handling flow.

Setting Up an IVR Phone Tree

Go to Settings in your Salesmsg account.
Select Inboxes from the left menu.
Choose the inbox you want to configure.
Click Calling, then open Smart Call Flow.
Click into your call flow to open the builder.
Click the + button on the connector line where you want the menu to sit, and choose IVR Phone Tree from the Actions menu.

Required to save:

A greeting message (record, upload, or generate via text-to-speech)
At least 1 menu option (key assignment)

Optional:

Additional menu options, up to the 26-key limit (0–25)
A custom, non-unique name for each key's branch

Callers can press a two-digit key (e.g. 15), press one digit followed by # to route immediately, or wait briefly after a single digit for automatic routing.

Once you've configured your settings, the IVR feature will be activated for your Inbox.

IVR Timelines

If you have IVR (Interactive Voice Response) enabled, you can now see the exact path a contact took through your IVR menu.

This includes each option selected and where the call ended—whether it was forwarded, sent to voicemail, or abandoned. The IVR path is saved in the database and displayed in the conversation view, history, and contact slideout.

The timeline shows actions like “Forward to inbox members,” “Forward to another inbox,” “Forward to external number,” “Let the call through,” or “Send to voicemail.” If no key was pressed, it’s marked as “No key pressed” and appears as a “Missed call.” This helps you understand contact behavior and improve your IVR flow.

IVR Business Hours

If your Inbox is configured with Business Hours, you can dictate how the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system responds to these configurations. Specifically, you have the option to direct calls to voicemail accompanied by an after-hours greeting, or to continue utilizing the IVR system outside of business hours.

Custom Voice Capability

This feature allows you to craft a unique voice for text-to-speech applications. Follow these steps to set it up:

Go to the text-to-speech section under Ringless Broadcasts, Voicemail, or IVR.
Select "Add Audio" > "Text to Speech".
Select "Clone Your Voice" from the voice options.
Click on "Create custom voice."
Follow the on-screen instructions to record your voice sample.
Once your voice has been generated, select it for text-to-speech use.

Note: Only one custom voice is permitted per organization.

IVR Behavior and Limitations

Take note of the following behavior and limitations:

Call Drop: The call will be dropped if no option is configured after the IVR number in the Smart Call flow.
Single-Layer IVR Menu: At present, Salesmsg supports only a single-layer IVR menu. This means you can configure options corresponding to numbers from 0 to 25, but you cannot create sub-menus or multiple layers of options within the IVR system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don't set up voicemail?

The call will drop.

Is there a limit to the number of Inbox Members I can forward calls to?

You can forward calls to up to 10 Inbox Members.

How am I billed for IVR?

You are billed based on the time an incoming call interacts with the IVR system. Calling rates are 1 credit/minute.

How long of a text can I convert via text-to-speech?

Up to 255 characters.

Salesmsg Interactive Voice Response (IVR)