If you’ve ever sat through a phone tree that feels endless, you know how call routing can make or break customer support. This guide is for support leads, admins, or anyone stuck managing a phone system in Krispcall. We’ll get into what works, what to watch out for, and how to build call routing rules that actually help your team—and your customers.
Why call routing matters (and where it goes wrong)
Look, nobody calls support for fun. People want answers fast, from someone who can actually help. Good call routing gets callers to the right person, quickly. Bad routing? It wastes everyone’s time, frustrates customers, and burns out your team.
Here’s where call routing commonly fails:
- Too many options: Callers get lost in a maze of menus.
- No fallback: Calls ring forever or drop if no one picks up.
- One-size-fits-all: Every call goes to the same team, even if it’s a billing question or a password reset.
Let’s fix that. Krispcall’s routing tools are flexible, but they’re only as good as the rules you set up. Krispcall can handle some complicated scenarios, but you don’t need to overthink it to get real results.
Step 1: Map your support needs before touching the settings
Before clicking anything, ask yourself:
- What are the most common reasons people call?
- Who on your team actually solves those problems?
- When are your agents available? Any gaps in coverage?
- What happens if no one picks up?
Pro tip: Sketch a basic flow on paper or a whiteboard. It doesn’t have to be fancy—just enough to see the main call types and the people who handle them.
Don’t skip this step
Most messy call routing setups happen because teams just start adding rules without a plan. You’ll save headaches later by mapping it out now.
Step 2: Get familiar with Krispcall’s call routing options
Krispcall gives you several ways to route calls. Here’s what actually matters:
- Direct routing: Send calls straight to a person or group.
- IVR/Auto-attendant: Set up a phone menu (“Press 1 for support, 2 for sales…”).
- Ring groups: Calls ring multiple people; whoever picks up first gets it.
- Round robin: Distributes calls evenly among a set of agents.
- Time-based rules: Route differently outside business hours.
- Fallback/overflow: Decide where calls go if no one answers.
Ignore the rest for now. Fancy features are nice, but these basics get 90% of teams sorted.
Step 3: Set up your main routing rules
Let’s get into the actual steps inside Krispcall. You’ll need admin access.
1. Define your teams and users
- Make sure every agent is added in Krispcall, with the right roles and contact info.
- Group agents by skill or department (support, billing, sales, etc.).
2. Create ring groups (if needed)
- Head to Teams/Groups in your Krispcall dashboard.
- Add a group for each main call type (e.g., “Support,” “Billing”).
- Add the right people to each group.
3. Build your IVR (phone menu)
- Go to the Call Routing or IVR settings.
- Create a simple menu. Example:
- 1 for Support (routes to Support group)
- 2 for Billing (routes to Billing group)
- 3 for Voicemail (if no one picks up)
Keep it short. More than three options? Rethink your menu.
4. Set time-based rules
- Set your business hours in Krispcall.
- Decide what happens after hours: send to voicemail, an emergency on-call agent, or just play a closed message.
5. Add fallback and overflow rules
- For each group, set what happens if no one answers. Usually, this means:
- Try another agent
- Send to backup team
- Forward to voicemail
Don’t skip this. Dropped calls annoy customers and make you look sloppy.
6. Test your setup
- Call every menu option from a regular phone.
- Try after-hours and see what happens.
- Make sure voicemails go to the right inbox.
Step 4: Fine-tune for real-world use
You’ll spot problems quickly once calls start coming in. Here’s what to watch for:
- Long wait times: If callers are waiting too long, thin out your menus or add more agents.
- Wrong team getting calls: Tweak IVR options or group memberships.
- Missed calls: Check fallback rules and notifications.
Pro tips
- Review call logs: Krispcall’s analytics show you where calls are getting stuck.
- Keep voicemails short: Let agents know to return calls quickly, and keep the voicemail greeting simple.
- Rotate agents fairly: Use round robin only if your agents have similar skills. Otherwise, route based on expertise.
Step 5: Keep it simple (and train your team)
Complicated call flows break down fast. Here’s what actually works:
- Limit menu options: Three or fewer is usually enough.
- Use plain language: “Press 1 for support” beats “To optimize your customer journey, select 1.”
- Train your agents: Make sure everyone knows how calls are routed and who covers what.
- Document your setup: Even a Google Doc is fine—just so someone else can understand your rules if you’re out.
What works—and what to avoid
After seeing a lot of call center setups, here’s some honest advice:
What actually helps
- Short, clear menus
- Well-defined ring groups
- Fallback rules for every scenario
- Agents who know their roles
What sounds good but rarely works
- Endless custom IVR branches: More options confuse callers.
- Too much automation: Bots can help, but real people solve messy problems faster.
- Ignoring after-hours calls: Even a simple voicemail is better than dead air.
What to ignore (for now)
- Integrations with every tool you own: Syncing with your CRM is nice, but only after your basic call flow works.
- Advanced analytics: Useful later, but don’t let dashboards distract you from fixing obvious issues.
Sample call routing setup for a small support team
Here’s a basic setup that works for most teams of 5–20 people:
- Main number rings IVR
- 1: Support → Support group (3 agents, round robin)
- 2: Billing → Billing group (2 agents, ring all)
- 3: Voicemail
- After hours: All calls to voicemail with a custom message
- Fallback: If no answer in Support/Billing, go to Voicemail
Simple, clear, and gets the job done.
When to revisit your routing rules
Don’t set and forget. Review your call flow every couple of months, or sooner if:
- Customers complain about hold times or confusion
- You add new products or teams
- Your call volume changes drastically
Ask your agents for feedback—they’ll spot gaps before customers do.
Final thoughts
A good call routing setup in Krispcall isn’t about showing off every possible feature. It’s about giving customers a quick path to someone who can help, and making life easier for your team. Start simple, test it yourself, and tweak as you go. Most teams get 80% of the benefit from a handful of well-chosen rules.
If you’re stuck, trim your menus, double-check your fallbacks, and focus on what your customers actually need. Better support doesn’t have to be complicated—and your team will thank you for keeping it sane.