If you run customer support, you know the basics: pick up the phone, help the customer, move on. But when calls start piling up, you need a system—not just sticky notes and hope. That’s where call forwarding and IVR menus (the “Press 1 for support, 2 for sales” thing) come in. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually get those features working in Justcall without a bunch of tech jargon or marketing fluff.
Let’s cut through the noise and get your phones running smoother.
Why bother with call forwarding and IVR menus?
If you’ve ever missed a call that turned into a mess, you know the pain. Call forwarding makes sure someone always picks up, even if the main person is out. IVR menus (Interactive Voice Response) help send callers to the right place without having a human do the sorting.
Here’s what works:
- Call forwarding: Good for small teams and after-hours support.
- IVR menus: Great when you have multiple departments or want to weed out spam.
Here’s what gets messy:
- Overcomplicated IVRs. If you’re making callers press 5 buttons before talking to a person, you’re just annoying them.
- Forwarding that sends calls in circles or to the wrong people.
The trick is to start simple.
Step 1: Get your Justcall number ready
Before you do anything, you need a phone number in Justcall. If you’ve already got one, skip to the next step.
To get a number:
- Sign in to Justcall.
- Go to the “Phone Numbers” section.
- Click “Buy Number.”
- Pick a country and number type (local or toll-free).
- Finish the checkout.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. If you’re just starting, one main number is fine. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Set up basic call forwarding
Call forwarding in Justcall is pretty straightforward. It sends calls from your Justcall number to another number—maybe your cell, maybe a teammate.
Here’s how:
- In Justcall, go to “Phone Numbers.”
- Find the number you want to set up. Click the gear icon (“Settings”) next to it.
- Scroll to “Call Forwarding & Voicemail.”
- Under “Forward Calls To,” enter the phone number(s) you want calls sent to.
- You can add multiple numbers. Justcall can ring them all at once (simultaneous) or in order (sequential). Pick what feels right for your team.
- Click “Save Changes.”
What works:
- Forwarding to a backup (say, your cell) is great for after-hours or if you’re on the move.
- Sequential ringing is good if you want one person to get first dibs, but others as backup.
What to ignore:
- Don’t forward to people who aren’t actually picking up. Sounds obvious, but you’d be shocked.
- Avoid creating loops (forwarding back to the original number).
Step 3: Set up a simple IVR menu
Now for the menu part. IVR in Justcall is easy to set up, but it’s also easy to overdo. Keep it simple: one level deep, no more than 3-4 options.
To create an IVR menu:
- In Justcall, go to “Phone Numbers.”
- Click the gear icon next to your number (“Settings”).
- Scroll down to “IVR (Call Menu).”
- Click “Enable IVR.”
- Add your options (like “1 for Support, 2 for Sales”).
- For each option, set where the call should go: another Justcall user, a group, or an external number.
- Record or type out the greeting prompt. (Keep it short. “Thanks for calling, press 1 for support, 2 for sales.”)
- Click “Save.”
Pro tips: - Don’t make callers listen to a 30-second spiel. Get to the options fast. - Test your IVR by calling your own number. You’ll spot weirdness right away. - If you have a big team, consider routing to groups (like all Support reps), not individuals.
What’s overrated:
- Fancy “press 9 for company hours” options—most callers just want a person.
- Multiple levels of menus. If you need more than one layer, think hard about why.
Step 4: Combine call forwarding and IVR
You can use both. For example, your IVR can send “Support” calls to a group of agents, but if nobody answers, forward to a backup number (like a manager’s cell).
To do this:
- Set your IVR menu options to ring a group (“Support”) first.
- In the Support group’s settings, set up call forwarding for “no answer” to a backup number or voicemail.
- Make sure each step actually goes somewhere (test it!).
Watch out for:
- Dead ends: If your IVR sends calls to a number that never picks up, callers will just hang up.
- Confusing loops: Don’t have forwarding send calls back into the IVR.
Step 5: Test everything
Don’t trust the settings page—call your own number from a regular phone.
- Try every menu option.
- Let it ring until it forwards.
- Listen to the voicemail if nobody answers.
Checklist:
- Do calls go where you expect?
- Is the IVR greeting clear and short?
- Does the forwarding work, or does it drop the call?
- Is voicemail set up as a backup?
If something doesn’t work, tweak and test again. It’s normal.
Step 6: Tweak (but don’t overengineer)
You’ll want to tweak things as you go. That’s fine. But don’t get sucked into building a phone maze.
Keep in mind:
- Start with 2-3 IVR options. Add more only if people ask for them.
- Forward only to people who actually answer (and who know what to say).
- Review missed call logs every week—you’ll spot gaps fast.
What about advanced stuff?
Justcall offers features like call queues, voicemail drops, and CRM integrations. They’re useful if you actually need them.
Honest take:
- Call queues: Good for bigger teams, but callers hate waiting, so only use if necessary.
- CRM integrations: Handy if your team lives in the CRM, otherwise just adds setup time.
- Voicemail drops, analytics, etc.: Nice-to-haves, but don’t get distracted if you’re just trying to answer calls faster.
Focus on picking up the phone and routing calls to the right people. Fancy tools don’t fix a bad process.
Wrapping up
Setting up call forwarding and IVR in Justcall isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overcomplicate. Start with the basics: one main number, a simple menu, and clear forwarding. Test it yourself, fix what’s broken, and keep it simple. As your team grows, you can add layers—but only if you need them.
Simple systems work best. Don’t let a phone menu get in the way of helping your customers.