Outbound calls
How your agent makes outbound calls, which requirements apply, how voicemails are detected and how you process the results.
Your agent can not only answer calls but also make them: for appointment reminders, callbacks on enquiries, following up on quotes or surveys. You start a call via the API, from an automation tool or as a campaign with a whole list.
Three ways
| Way | For | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Start Test Call on the Outbound tab | Trying it out with your own number | Test context |
| Outbound API | individual calls from n8n, Make, Zapier or your server | Outbound API |
| Campaigns | a list of contacts within set calling hours | Campaigns |
Requirements
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| A sender number that's allowed to make outbound calls | Purchased numbers only receive calls. For outbound calls, you use an imported number or a number connected via SIP |
| An agent on the sender number | It handles the conversation. The number always determines the agent |
| A verified identity | Via the API and in campaigns, bhomy only calls once you've verified your identity under Billing |
| Pro or Individual plan | The Outbound API and campaigns are part of these plans |
Identity verification
Identity verification protects against misuse, such as calls made under a false name. You only do it once:
- Open Billing and find the Identity card.
- Click Verify identity. Stripe, our payment provider, guides you through the check.
- Capture your ID card, passport or driving licence with the camera. A selfie isn't needed. With a smartphone, this is usually quick.
- After a few minutes, the card shows Verified on ….
We do not retrieve images or ID data and only store whether the check succeeded. Inbound calls aren't affected by the check, and test calls to your own confirmed numbers work even before it.
What happens during a call
- bhomy accepts the request and checks the sender number, agent, identity and available lines.
- The agent dials the destination number and waits until someone answers.
- If a voicemail or a recorded announcement answers, the agent recognises this and ends the call without leaving a message.
- If a person answers, the agent starts with its greeting and leads the conversation according to its prompt.
- After the conversation, your automations run: email, SMS and the webhook after the call.
An outbound call appears in the call history with the direction Outbound and a result such as Conversation, Voicemail or No answer. The Campaigns page explains all results.
The prompt for outbound conversations
An outbound conversation starts differently from an inbound one: the person you're calling isn't expecting you. In the greeting, say straight away who's calling and why, and use the values from the context:
Greeting: Hello {{first_name}}, this is the digital assistant of Dr. Sommer's
practice. I'm calling about your appointment on {{appointment}}. Do you have a moment?
In the prompt, define what the agent does if the person has no time or doesn't want any more calls, for example: "If the person doesn't want any further calls, confirm this politely and end the conversation." In campaigns, you then leave out such a contact with Skip contact.
Costs
| Case | Billing |
|---|---|
| No one answers, busy, declined | 1 minute per attempt |
| Answered, including by a voicemail | every started minute from the moment the call is answered |
| The request doesn't reach the phone network | nothing |
| The account is blocked, nothing is dialled | nothing |
If an imported number makes the call, the connection costs are added at cost price. Over your own SIP connection, your provider bills the connection.
Processing the results
After every conversation, bhomy sends the summary, transcript and captured data to your automations. Set them up on the Tools tab under Automation, such as the CRM Ticket for your workflow, see n8n.
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