If you're tired of back-and-forth emails, missed connections, and calendar chaos, this guide is for you. Novocall’s scheduling rules can help you take control of when calls happen—and when they don’t. But setting it up well isn’t always as obvious as it should be. Let’s cut through the noise and actually get your team talking to the right people at the right times.
Why Bother With Call Scheduling Rules?
If you’re still playing email tag to set up calls, you’re wasting time. Good scheduling rules mean:
- Fewer no-shows (because nobody books at 2 a.m. by mistake)
- Less manual work for you and your team
- Happier leads and customers, because they get quick answers
But here’s the thing: scheduling tools aren’t magic. Garbage in, garbage out. If your rules are too strict, nobody can book. Too loose, and your team is burnt out. The sweet spot is possible—if you set things up thoughtfully.
Step 1: Know What You Want to Achieve
Before you even log in, get clear on your goals. Some real-world questions to ask yourself:
- When do you actually want to take calls? (Not just “business hours,” but realistically—do you want a break for lunch? What about Fridays?)
- Who should get booked for what types of calls? (Sales calls, support calls, demos—maybe different people handle each.)
- How much time do you need between calls? (Back-to-back isn’t for everyone.)
- Do you want to buffer for prep or follow-up?
Write down your answers. Seriously—it’ll save you headaches later.
Step 2: Set Up Your Novocall Account
If you’re not already up and running on Novocall, get signed up and log in. The setup process is pretty standard, but here are a couple of quick pointers:
- Use a real business email. Don’t set up with a random Gmail—integrations will be smoother.
- Connect your calendar (Google, Outlook, etc.) so Novocall can actually check your availability.
- Invite your team early if you’ll want group scheduling. It’s a pain to set up users and permissions later.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the calendar sync. If you don’t do this, double bookings are inevitable.
Step 3: Find the Scheduling Rules Section
Once you’re in:
- Go to the sidebar and look for “Scheduling” or “Call Rules.” (Novocall sometimes shifts around menu names, so don’t be surprised if it’s under “Settings” instead.)
- Click through until you see options for “Availability,” “Call Routing,” or “Rules.”
If you’re lost, use the search bar—typing “rules” usually gets you close.
Step 4: Set Up Your Basic Availability
This is the meat of it. Here’s how to set up when calls can (and can’t) happen:
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Choose Your Working Hours:
Block off the real times you want to be available. Don’t just use the default 9–5 if you start later or end early. You can usually set different hours for each day. -
Add Breaks and Buffers:
Most systems let you add lunch breaks or custom “unavailable” slots. Do it. Nobody needs a call at 12:01 p.m. -
Set Advanced Buffers:
Use pre-call and post-call buffers if you want time to prepare or take notes. For example: 10 minutes before and after each call. -
Recurring Exceptions:
Have a weekly team meeting or a Friday afternoon off? Add recurring blackout times so nobody can book during those slots.
What works:
- Matching hours to when you’re actually at your best
- Using buffers to avoid burnout
What to ignore:
- Overloading your calendar with too many tiny exceptions—it gets hard to debug later.
Step 5: Create Routing Rules (Who Gets Which Calls)
If you’re solo, you can skip this. But most teams need to decide who gets booked for what:
-
Define Call Types:
Set up different call types—like sales demo, support, or onboarding. Each can have its own rules. -
Assign Team Members:
For each call type, pick who’s eligible. You can use round-robin (spread calls evenly) or direct assign (specific staff for certain calls). -
Set Priorities or Weighting:
If you’ve got some reps who close better, Novocall lets you assign more calls their way. Be realistic—don’t overload your star performer. -
Fallbacks:
Add backup assignees in case someone’s calendar is full or out of office.
Honest take:
Routing is powerful but easy to overcomplicate. Start simple—add complexity only when you actually need it.
Step 6: Add Rules for Lead Qualification (Optional)
If you want to filter out tire-kickers or bots, set up rules that require leads to answer qualifying questions before they can book:
- Add custom fields to the booking form (“Company size,” “Budget,” “How did you hear about us?”).
- Use Novocall’s conditional logic (if available) to route serious leads to your best reps and send unqualified ones to a different calendar—or block them entirely.
What works:
- Basic qualification (a couple of useful questions)
- Routing based on real criteria
What to ignore:
- Long forms that scare off legit leads. Keep it short.
Step 7: Set Up Reminders and Notifications
Reminders cut down on no-shows. Here’s how to make them work:
- Enable Email and SMS reminders (if your plan supports it). One reminder the day before, and one an hour before, is usually enough.
- Personalize the message so it doesn’t feel like spam.
- Set internal notifications so your team knows when they’ve been booked.
Pro Tip:
Test the reminders yourself. The default text can be robotic—and sometimes has embarrassing typos.
Step 8: Test Everything (Don’t Skip This)
Now for the step most people ignore: testing. Here’s a simple checklist:
- Try booking as a customer (use a different email).
- Check if the right time slots appear.
- Make sure buffers, breaks, and blackout times actually work.
- Try to double-book—Novocall should prevent this if the calendar sync is working.
- Book a call and verify everyone gets the right reminders.
Honest take:
There’s always something weird the first time. Maybe a public holiday isn’t blocked, or a buffer doesn’t apply. Better to find out now than after a customer complains.
Step 9: Adjust and Iterate
After a week or two, look at:
- How full your team’s calendars are
- Whether calls are happening at weird times
- No-show rates
Tweak your rules as needed—don’t set and forget. Most teams need a couple rounds of changes to get it right.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Overcomplicating your setup: Too many call types, rules, and exceptions make things break. Start simple.
- Ignoring time zones: If you’ve got customers or reps in different places, double-check that times show up correctly.
- Not syncing calendars: If your team uses multiple calendars, make sure they’re all connected.
- Forgetting to update rules: When someone leaves the team or changes roles, update your routing rules.
When Scheduling Rules Don’t Fix the Problem
Sometimes, the issue isn’t your scheduling at all. If you’re still getting lots of no-shows or people booking and never answering, it could be:
- Your reminders aren’t clear (or are going to spam)
- The booking process feels clunky or too long
- You’re offering slots that don’t work for your audience
Be honest about what’s really going on. No scheduling tool can fix bad messaging or broken sales processes.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
Setting up call scheduling rules in Novocall isn’t rocket science, but it’s worth doing right. Start with the basics, test often, and don’t get lost in the weeds. Tweak as you go—what works for your team now might not work in six months. The goal is less busywork, not more.
If you keep things simple and pay attention to what’s actually working, you’ll save time, avoid headaches, and—most importantly—actually connect with the people who matter. Happy scheduling.