Quick start
- Go to Settings and click on Phone Numbers.
- Open the Phone Numbers tab.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the specific phone number you want to configure.
Follow the detailed steps below to complete the setup.
You just launched a massive lead-generation campaign for a high-paying client. The ads are absolutely crushing it. Real, high-intent prospects are actually picking up their phones and calling the business. You are hyped. This is exactly what they pay you for.
But there is a massive problem. A hot prospect calls the main line, and the front desk misses it. The call forwards to a sales rep’s cell phone, rings for 45 seconds, and finally hits the rep’s personal carrier voicemail. “Hey, this is Dave, leave a message.” The prospect is confused, hangs up, and immediately calls a competitor.
Your client is furious, claiming the leads are garbage, when in reality, their phone routing is a complete disaster. You just lost a massive deal because of a misconfigured timeout setting.
You cannot scale an agency if your inbound calls are bouncing into a black hole. HighLevel fixes this instantly with the Incoming Call Settings interface. You can consolidate all your routing, IVRs, timeouts, and backup behaviors into one simple window. You get full transparency on exactly where a call goes first, second, and third. Let us get your phone system dialed in and bulletproof.
Ready to streamline this? Here is exactly how to do it in 60 seconds:
Part 1: Access Your Call Command Center
First, we need to open the central hub where all of your routing logic lives.
- Go to Settings and click on Phone Numbers.
- Open the Phone Numbers tab.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the specific phone number you want to configure.
- Select Edit Configuration.
Part 2: Lock In the Basic Details
Let us tell the system exactly who should answer the phone and where it should ring.
- On the Basic Details tab, give your number a Friendly Name so your team knows what it is for.
- Under Calls Go To, select the primary team member who should take the call.
- Check your Ring Options. Choose where calls should ring simultaneously (like the Web App, Mobile App, Phone Number, or VoIP Deskphone).
- Want to monitor quality? Enable Call Recording and set a disclosure message to play before the call connects.
Part 3: Set Your Forwarding Priority
If the primary rep does not answer, the system needs to know where to look next.
- Click on the Call Forwarding tab to control your backup routing.
- The system evaluates inbound calls in a strict priority order: IVR first, then Team Member, then External Phone Number, and finally Voice AI. Only one destination rings at a time based on this priority.
- Need more hands on deck? Enable Ring More Team Members to ring up to 6 additional users simultaneously.
Part 4: Master the Timeout Sweet Spot
This is where most agencies fail. Do not let personal carrier voicemails hijack your leads.
- The Incoming Call Timeout controls exactly how long a call rings before moving to a backup destination.
- If you set it too high (above ~20 seconds), the call might get intercepted by the user’s personal cell phone carrier voicemail. If you set it too low (below ~15 seconds), the caller will not have enough time to answer.
- The Sweet Spot: Stick to the recommended ~20 seconds! If you enter a value outside of a healthy range, the system will actually display a warning message to help you choose a better duration.
Part 5: Define Your Backup Behavior
When the timeout is reached, you need a fail-safe to catch the lead.
- Under Backup Behavior, select where the call goes if nobody answers.
- You can send the call to a cutting-edge Voice AI agent, or route it safely to your centralized CRM Voicemail. (Note: To ensure you capture all leads, including private numbers, go to Sub-account Settings > Phone System > Voice > Other Settings > Inbound Calls and enable Allow private calls).
Mastering your call routing ensures every single inbound lead gets handled professionally, keeping your pipeline hot and your clients thrilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access my Call Command Center?
First, we need to open the central hub where all of your routing logic lives. Go to Settings and click on Phone Numbers. Open the Phone Numbers tab. Click the three-dot menu next to the specific phone number you want to configure. Select Edit Configuration.
What should I know about lock In the Basic Details?
Let us tell the system exactly who should answer the phone and where it should ring. On the Basic Details tab, give your number a Friendly Name so your team knows what it is for. Under Calls Go To, select the primary team member who should take the call. Check your Ring Options. Choose where calls should ring simultaneously (like the Web App, Mobile App, Phone Number, or VoIP Deskphone). Want to monitor quality? Enable Call Recording and set a disclosure message to play before the call connects.
What should I know about set Your Forwarding Priority?
If the primary rep does not answer, the system needs to know where to look next. Click on the Call Forwarding tab to control your backup routing. The system evaluates inbound calls in a strict priority order: IVR first, then Team Member, then External Phone Number, and finally Voice AI. Only one destination rings at a time based on this priority. Need more hands on deck? Enable Ring More Team Members to ring up to 6 additional users simultaneously.
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