> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://blackbox.dasha.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Handle Voicemail and Automated Phone Systems

> Detect when Dasha BlackBox voice agent calls reach automated systems or voicemail. Leave professional messages, navigate menus with DTMF tones, or disconnect gracefully.

Handle automated systems intelligently. IVR detection identifies when calls reach voicemail or phone trees — your agent can leave messages, navigate menus, or disconnect and retry later.

**What you'll learn:** Detection configuration, voicemail behavior, DTMF navigation, and outbound campaign optimization.

## Why Use IVR Detection?

### Optimize Outbound Campaigns

Reaching voicemail or automated systems wastes time and resources when your goal is human contact. IVR detection allows you to:

* Disconnect quickly and try again later
* Leave a professional message and mark the contact for follow-up
* Navigate menus to reach the right department

### Professional Voicemail Handling

Instead of awkwardly attempting conversation with voicemail, leave a well-crafted message designed for voicemail boxes.

### Improve Contact Rates

By identifying and handling automated systems efficiently, you can:

* Retry contacts at different times
* Focus resources on reaching actual humans
* Improve overall campaign success rates

### Navigate Complex Phone Systems

Attempt to reach human operators by automatically navigating IVR menus with DTMF tones (dial pad presses).

## How to Configure IVR Detection

### Step 1: Enable IVR Detection

1. Open your agent's configuration
2. Navigate to the **Features** tab
3. Find **IVR Detection** and toggle it on

### Step 2: Configure Channel-Specific Settings

Control where IVR detection is active:

**Outbound Calls** (Phone)

* Default: Enabled
* When your agent calls outbound phone numbers
* Most common use case for IVR detection

**Inbound Calls** (Phone)

* Default: Disabled
* When callers phone your agent
* Rarely needed (inbound callers are usually human)

**Chat Sessions**

* Default: Disabled (testing only)
* Text-based chat interactions
* IVR detection not typically relevant

**Web Calls**

* Default: Disabled (testing only)
* Browser-based voice calls
* IVR detection not typically relevant

**Recommended:** Enable for outbound calls only.

### Step 3: Configure IVR Navigation (Optional)

**IVR Navigation Toggle**

* Enable if you want the agent to attempt navigating automated menus
* Agent will try pressing dial pad numbers to reach human operators
* Uses DTMF tone signals to interact with IVR systems

**When to enable:**

* Calling businesses with complex phone trees
* Want to reach specific departments automatically
* Willing to spend time navigating before reaching humans

**When to disable:**

* Quick connect/disconnect preferred
* Don't want agent spending time in phone menus
* Target numbers don't have complex IVR systems

### Step 4: Configure Detection Behavior

Choose how the agent responds when IVR/voicemail is detected:

#### Option 1: Continue (No AMD)

**What it does:** Disables answering machine detection; agent treats all answers as human

**When to use:**

* Detection isn't needed for your use case
* All calls should proceed normally regardless of who/what answers
* Testing or specific scenarios where IVR detection causes issues

#### Option 2: Hang Up

**What it does:** Immediately disconnects when voicemail or IVR is detected

**When to use:**

* Reaching humans is critical; voicemail is wasted effort

* Plan to retry contacts at different times

* Want to maximize human contact attempts

* **Configuration:**

* Simply select "Hang Up" behavior

* No additional settings needed

* Agent disconnects silently and immediately

#### Option 3: Leave Message

**What it does:** Agent leaves a voicemail message when detection occurs

**Configuration modes:**

**Static Mode:**

* Predefined voicemail message
* Supports variable interpolation: `{{caller_name}}`, `{{company_name}}`, etc.
* Example: "Hi `{{caller_name}}`, this is `{{agent_name}}` from `{{company_name}}`. I'm calling about your appointment scheduled for tomorrow. Please call us back at `{{phone_number}}`. Thank you!"

**Smart Mode:**

* Language model generates contextual voicemail based on call purpose
* More dynamic and personalized
* Optionally provide additional instructions to guide message generation
* Example instructions: "Keep the message under 20 seconds. Mention the appointment time and provide a callback number."

**When to use Static:**

* Consistent, predictable messages
* Regulatory or compliance requirements for exact wording
* Simple, templated voicemail

**When to use Smart:**

* Personalized, context-aware messages
* Call reasons vary significantly
* Want natural, conversational voicemail

## Configuration Examples

<Accordion title="Example: Aggressive Human-Only Outreach">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ivrDetection": "enabled",
    "channels": "Outbound Calls Only",
    "ivrNavigation": "disabled",
    "behavior": "Hang Up"
  }
  ```

  **Rationale:** Disconnect immediately when voicemail/IVR detected. Retry contacts at different times. Maximize time spent with humans.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Example: Professional Voicemail Campaign">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ivrDetection": "enabled",
    "channels": "Outbound Calls Only",
    "ivrNavigation": "disabled",
    "behavior": "Leave Message (Static)",
    "message": "Hello `{{customer_name}}`, this is `{{agent_name}}` calling from `{{company_name}}` regarding your upcoming appointment on `{{appointment_date}}`. Please call us back at `{{callback_number}}` to confirm. Thank you!"
  }
  ```

  **Rationale:** Leave consistent, professional message when reaching voicemail. Simple, templated approach.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Example: Contextual Voicemail">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ivrDetection": "enabled",
    "channels": "Outbound Calls Only",
    "ivrNavigation": "disabled",
    "behavior": "Leave Message (Smart)",
    "additionalInstructions": "Leave a brief, friendly message under 20 seconds. Mention why you're calling and provide the callback number clearly. End with 'Have a great day!'"
  }
  ```

  **Rationale:** Personalized voicemail adapted to conversation context. Natural, friendly tone.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Example: Navigate Business Phone Systems">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ivrDetection": "enabled",
    "channels": "Outbound Calls Only",
    "ivrNavigation": "enabled",
    "behavior": "Leave Message (Smart)",
    "additionalInstructions": "If you reach a human after navigation, introduce yourself and explain the call purpose. If unable to reach a human, leave a voicemail."
  }
  ```

  **Rationale:** Attempt to navigate through automated menus to reach departments or operators. Leave message if navigation fails.
</Accordion>

## Common Use Cases

### Appointment Reminder Campaigns

* **Configuration:** Hang up on voicemail, retry later
* **Why:** Reminders are time-sensitive; voicemail less effective than conversation

### Sales Lead Follow-up

* **Configuration:** Leave message (smart mode) with callback and value proposition
* **Why:** Provide information even when reaching voicemail; gives leads opportunity to respond

### Customer Satisfaction Surveys

* **Configuration:** Hang up on voicemail
* **Why:** Surveys require conversation; voicemail can't complete survey

### Service Outage Notifications

* **Configuration:** Leave message (static mode) with clear, consistent notification
* **Why:** Critical information must be delivered; voicemail ensures message is received

### Complex Business Outreach

* **Configuration:** Navigate IVR, leave message if human not reached
* **Why:** Reaching decision-makers in large organizations often requires menu navigation

## Measuring Effectiveness

### Key Metrics

* **IVR/voicemail detection rate** - What percentage of calls reach automated systems?
* **Navigation success rate** - When navigation is enabled, how often does it reach humans?
* **Callback rate from voicemail** - Do contacts respond after voicemail messages?
* **Time spent in IVR** - How long does navigation take before reaching humans?
* **False positive rate** - How often are humans mistaken for IVR?

### Optimization Signals

**High voicemail rate** (>40%)

* Try calling at different times
* Validate phone number quality
* Consider leaving messages instead of hanging up

**Low navigation success** (\<20%)

* Phone systems may be too complex
* Consider disabling navigation and hanging up
* Focus efforts on direct contact numbers

**Low callback rate** (\<5%)

* Improve voicemail message quality
* Ensure callback number is clear
* Provide better value proposition in message

**High false positive rate** (>10%)

* Detection may be too aggressive
* Report patterns to Dasha BlackBox support
* Consider adjusting detection sensitivity (if available)

## Technical Considerations

### Detection Accuracy

IVR detection is highly accurate (>90%) but not perfect:

* Clear, professional recordings are easiest to detect
* Personal voicemail greetings with music or long messages may delay detection
* Poor audio quality can affect detection accuracy
* Unusual IVR systems may not be recognized

### DTMF Tone Generation

When navigation is enabled, agent sends standard DTMF tones:

* Compatible with virtually all IVR systems
* Timing calibrated for reliable recognition
* Supports 0-9, \*, # characters

### Latency Considerations

IVR detection adds 2-8 seconds at call start:

* Necessary for accurate detection
* Faster than human would react to IVR menus
* Minimal compared to time saved by proper handling

### Compatibility

IVR detection works for:

* ✅ Outbound phone calls (primary use case)
* ✅ Inbound phone calls (if enabled)
* ⚠️ Web calls (limited utility)
* ❌ Chat sessions (not applicable)

## Troubleshooting

### Problem: Detection Not Working (Treats Voicemail as Human)

**Solution:** Verify IVR detection is enabled for outbound calls. Test with known voicemail numbers. Check detection behavior configuration is not set to "Continue".

### Problem: False Positives (Humans Detected as IVR)

**Solution:** This is rare but can happen with unusual human answering patterns. Report specific cases to support. Consider if detection is actually correct (e.g., receptionist reading from script).

### Problem: Agent Can't Navigate IVR Successfully

**Solution:** IVR navigation works best with simple menus. Complex multi-level systems may be too difficult. Disable navigation and use hang-up or leave message behavior instead.

### Problem: Voicemail Messages Being Cut Off

**Solution:** Keep messages under 20 seconds. Some voicemail systems have short recording limits. Front-load important information (callback number, name, purpose).

### Problem: Too Many Calls Going to Voicemail

**Solution:** Adjust calling times to match target availability. Consider multiple attempts at different times. Validate phone number quality from data source.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Maximum Call Duration" icon="clock" href="/docs/advanced-features/max-call-duration">
    Control call length after navigation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Talk First" icon="message" href="/docs/advanced-features/talk-first">
    Configure opening greetings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Silence Management" icon="volume-xmark" href="/docs/advanced-features/silence-management">
    Handle unresponsive IVR systems
  </Card>

  <Card title="Outbound Calls" icon="phone-arrow-up-right" href="/docs/deploy/outbound-calls">
    Schedule outbound campaigns
  </Card>
</CardGroup>