How to Set Up and Configure a Voice AI

Updated by Jake Gipson

Phase 1: Initial Configuration (Foundation)

Concept

Establishing the digital "identity" of your AI agent and configuring the mandatory mechanisms required for it to operate within your PSA.

Value

This ensures the AI sounds professional and prevents critical system errors. By setting a default contact, you guarantee that every call results in a ticket, even if the caller is unidentified, preventing data loss.

How To

  1. Create the Agent:
    • Navigate to Voice > Agents and click Create Agent.
    • Agent Name: Give it an internal name (e.g., "Thread Overflow").
  2. Set the Personality:
    • Voice: Select a voice (e.g., Brooke (US)).
    • Tone: Choose the desired tone (e.g., Professional, Friendly).
  3. Default Company & Contact (CRITICAL):
    • Action: You MUST select a "Default Company" and "Default Contact".
    • Why: If the AI cannot identify the caller's phone number in your PSA, it needs a fallback contact to create the ticket against. Without this, the system will error out.
    • Click Save.
Optional Best Practice - Visibility & Source Tracking

Isolate AI-generated traffic from standard phone traffic within your PSA by using unique "Source" identifiers.

-This provides immediate visibility into AI performance. Management can instantly review a dedicated feed of AI transcripts and tickets to measure ROI and quality, without having to dig through a mixed "Phone" ticket board.


  1. The Problem: Most MSPs use a generic "Phone" source for everything, making it hard to track AI performance.
  2. The Solution (Unique Source):
    • Create a unique Source in your PSA called "Voice AI" (or similar).
    • In Thread, under Agent > Overflow > Default Board and Source, select this new "Voice AI" source.
  3. Create the Inbox View:
    • Go to the Thread Inbox.
    • Create a new View filtered by Source = Voice AI.
    • Benefit: This creates a dedicated feed of all calls handled by the AI, allowing management to review transcripts and performance in one place without digging through other tickets.

Phase 2: Overflow & After Hours (Voicemail Replacement)

Concept

Replacing your static, passive voicemail box with an active AI agent that answers calls, takes intelligent messages, and creates tickets when your team is unavailable.

Value

This eliminates "phone tag" and ensures you never miss a revenue opportunity or urgent issue. You get 24/7 coverage without additional staffing costs, and clients feel heard rather than ignored.

How To

  1. Get a Number:
    • Go to the Overflow tab.
    • Click Request Number, select your country, and confirm.
  2. Set up your Phone System for Voice AI

This step determines when the AI picks up the phone. Depending on your goals, the AI can act as a "Safety Net" (catching missed calls) or a "Front Desk" (answering every call).

Value

Configuring this correctly ensures the AI activates at the exact right moment. Wrong settings can lead to the AI interrupting your team or, conversely, never answering at all.

How To

Choose the scenario below that matches your desired workflow and configure your VoIP/PBX accordingly.

Scenario A: The "Overflow" (Voicemail Replacement)

Best for teams who want humans to answer first and use AI only when unavailable.

Logic: Incoming Call → Rings Your Team → No Answer → Forwards to Thread Agent.

  1. VoIP Configuration:
    • Log into your VoIP provider.
    • Locate your Main Ring Group or Call Queue.
    • Find the settings for "If no answer," "Busy," or "Max wait time reached."
    • Set the destination to the Thread Overflow Number (from Phase 2).
    • Note: Ensure your "After Hours" logic also points to this number.

Scenario B: The "Attendant" (The Front Desk)

Best for teams using the AI to triage, screen spam, or route calls (Phase 3 - Auto Attendant).

  1. Logic: Incoming Call → Thread Agent Answers Immediately → Agent Transfers Valid Calls → Your Team/Queue.
  2. VoIP Configuration:
    • Log into your VoIP provider.
    • Point your Main Phone Number (DID) to forward immediately to the Thread Overflow Number.
    • ⚠️ CRITICAL LOOP WARNING: When using this mode, you must ensure the Thread Agent transfers calls to a specific Ring Group Extension or Technician Queue, NOT back to the Main Phone Number. Forwarding back to the Main Number will cause an infinite loop.
Phone System Specific Forwarding Instructions

RingCentral -

→Admin Portal > Phone System > Call Handling & Forwarding
→Select main line > After Hours
→Enable 'Forward Calls' > 'External Number'
→Enter Overflow Number with +1
→Set Custom Hours schedule
→Rule applies immediately upon save

8X8

→Configuration Manager > Virtual Office
→Select extension > Call Forwarding > Time-Based
→Add New Rule: 'After Hours Overflow'
→Set time schedule for after hours
→Forward to: External Number (Overflow Number)
→Ensure rule order has this BEFORE other after-hours rules

Mitel/ShoreTel

→Web Console > Users & Extensions
→Select main hunt group > Schedules
→Create schedule: 'After Hours'
→Add routing: Forward External to [Overflow Number]
→Associate schedule with hunt group
→Test in Schedule Simulator before deploying

Microsoft Teams

→Teams Admin Center > Voice > Call Queues (or Auto Attendants)
→Select queue/attendant > Call Routing > After Hours
→Add external transfer: Enter Overflow Number
→Set business hours in 'Hours' section
→Changes can take 5-10 minutes to propagate

CISCO

→Unified CM Administration > Call Routing > Time Periods
→Create 'After Hours' time period
→Route Pattern > Add pattern for main number
→Calling Search Space: Redirect to Overflow Number during After Hours time period
→Apply configuration to cluster

  1. Immediate Testing (Mandatory): Before customizing further, call the number immediately to verify it connects.

Customize Behavior:

  • Greeting: Adjust the script (e.g., "I'm an AI agent taking a message...").
  • Escalation: Add keywords (e.g., "Emergency," "Human") that trigger a transfer to a human.
  • Custom Questions: Add questions if specific data is needed (e.g., "What is the best callback number?").
  1. After Hours Setup:
    • Go to the After Hours tab.
    • This syncs with your Messenger Hours.
    • Define how the agent behaves when your business is closed (typically similar to Overflow but with an "Office is closed" greeting).

Phase 3: The Auto-Attendant (Walk -> Run)

Concept

Deploying the main phone line AI in a staged approach. You begin with a "silent" mode to test connectivity and infrastructure before allowing the AI to speak and route calls.

Value

This "Walk, then Run" strategy mitigates risk. It allows you to verify that audio recording, transcription, and routing are working perfectly without disrupting the client experience. Once verified, you can switch to full AI with confidence.

How To

See the table below for Agent feature breakdown

Feature

Minimal AI Mode (Passthrough) Option A

Advanced AI Mode (Full IVR) Option B

Concept

The "Walk" Phase (Silent Mode)

The "Run" Phase (Active Agent)

Does the AI Speak?

No. The AI remains silent.

Yes. The AI greets and guides the caller.

Caller Experience

Caller hears a standard ring and is connected directly to your technician line or queue.

Caller interacts with an AI receptionist, selects menu options, or asks questions.

Routing

Static. Calls go to one pre-set destination (e.g., your main queue).

Dynamic. Calls are routed based on caller input (e.g., "Press 1 for Support").

Ticket Creation

Yes. Records, transcribes, and creates tickets in the background.

Yes. Records, transcribes, and creates tickets based on the interaction.

Setup Complexity

Low. Requires only a transfer number and timeout setting.

Medium. Requires configuring menus, prompts, and panic words.

Best Used When...

You want AI data (transcripts/tickets) but are not ready for an AI voice to answer the phone yet.

You are ready to fully automate call routing and replace a traditional phone menu.

Option A: Minimal AI Mode (Silent / Passthrough) Start here. This allows you to "Walk" before you "Run".
Note: This is the option most partners start with to get familiar with the workflow and achieve fastest value
  • Action: In the Attendant tab, select Minimal AI Mode.
  • Behavior: The AI stays silent. It simply passes the call through to your team while recording and transcribing the audio in the background.
  • Routing: You must enter a "Call queue and extension" number (your actual ring group/technician line) so the AI knows where to send the call.

Option B: Advanced AI Mode (Full IVR) Move to this only after testing Minimal Mode.
Note: Our most Successful Partners configure Full AI Mode to achieve full Value
  • Action: Switch to Advanced AI Mode.
  • Features:
    • Menus: Set up "Press 1 for Support, Press 2 for Billing."
    • Transfers: Configure the AI to transfer calls to specific technicians or queues.
    • Personality: You can give the agent a role name (e.g., "Jeffrey") to make the experience feel more personal.

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