This enhancement to the Voice Agent (VA) enables administrators to configure multiple sequential escalation destinations, so escalated calls have more chances to reach the right live agent or department instead of going to voicemail. This Voice Agent update is available for basic phones and Phones Pro.
What's changing?
Previously, the Voice Agent could only forward escalated calls to a single phone number. If that number went unanswered, the call dropped to voicemail, and if no one checked voicemail promptly, the lead was lost. With multi-point escalation, administrators configure multiple escalation destinations, and the Voice Agent, acting as an AI receptionist, uses its understanding of the full conversation context to determine the most appropriate number to escalate to. Rather than being limited to one fixed destination, businesses can now ensure escalated calls reach the right person based on the situation.
Note: This Voice Agent update is available for basic phones and Phones Pro.
Resources
Before and After
Before (Current)
A caller asks to speak to a live agent during a Voice Agent call.
The Voice Agent forwards the call to the single configured escalation number.
No one answers, and the call goes to voicemail.
The caller hangs up without reaching a live person.
Impact: Escalated calls that go unanswered result in lost leads and a poor customer experience, with no automated fallback.
Try the current workflow in your account.
After
A caller asks to speak to a live agent during a Voice Agent call.
The Voice Agent determines the right number to escalate the call based on the call type.
Impact: More escalated calls reach a live person, reducing lost leads and improving the experience for callers who need human assistance.
Who uses this feature
Residential Service and Replacement, Commercial Service and Replacement
Administrators
Region availability: USA
How it works for your industry
Residential Service and Replacement
A homeowner calls a plumbing company after hours about a burst pipe. The Voice Agent collects the caller's information but the homeowner becomes distressed and asks for a live person. The Voice Agent tries the on-call office number — no answer — then automatically tries the owner's cell phone, which picks up on the second ring.
A residential HVAC company configures three escalation destinations: the office main line, the dispatcher's cell, and a third-party answering service. During a Saturday rush, both the office and dispatcher lines are busy. The answering service picks up the escalated call and takes a message for Monday morning follow-up.
An electrical company's Voice Agent handles all evening calls. When a caller asks to be transferred, the Voice Agent tries the office first, then the on-call electrician's cell. The technician answers and confirms an emergency appointment on the spot.
Commercial Service and Replacement
A commercial refrigeration company serves restaurant clients who need rapid response to equipment failures. When a restaurant manager calls and escalates past the Voice Agent, the system tries the main dispatch line, then the senior technician's cell, ensuring critical calls are answered even during shift changes.
A facilities management company configures escalation destinations by priority: the facilities coordinator first, then the regional manager, then an external call center. When the coordinator is on another call, the regional manager picks up the escalated Voice Agent transfer without the client waiting on hold.
A commercial HVAC contractor receives escalated Voice Agent calls routed through two office CSRs and a backup answering service. On days when both CSRs are unavailable, the answering service captures the lead and schedules a callback, preventing any commercial opportunity from going unlogged.
How to Prepare?
Have an administrator reach out to Support or your Customer Success Manager to have Voice Agent Multi-Point Escalation and any prerequisite configurations enabled.
Identify the phone numbers to include in your escalation chain and determine the priority order (for example: office main line, manager's cell, answering service).
Decide on the ring duration for each destination — how long the Voice Agent waits before trying the next number.
Train administrators on how to add and order escalation destinations in the Voice Agent settings.
Test the full escalation chain by placing a test call, triggering an escalation, and confirming that the Voice Agent moves through each destination in the correct sequence.