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Overview

The AI Caller enables you to deploy intelligent voice bots that can call candidates, conduct phone screenings, collect responses, and feed data back into your hiring flows. It integrates with major telephony providers to deliver natural, conversational AI experiences at scale.

How It Works

  1. Configure a Caller Bot — Define the conversation script, questions, and behavior
  2. Enroll candidates — Assign candidates to be called (manually or via automation)
  3. AI conducts call — The bot calls the candidate and follows the script
  4. Responses captured — Candidate responses are transcribed and stored
  5. Data mapped — Responses are mapped to form fields in the hiring flow
  6. Automations fire — Follow-up actions trigger based on responses

Setting Up an AI Caller Bot

1

Create a new Caller Bot

Navigate to Settings → AI Caller and click New Caller Bot. Give it a descriptive name that reflects its purpose (e.g., “Warehouse Pre-Screen” or “Onboarding Welcome Call”).
2

Select a telephony provider

Choose the telephony provider for outbound calls. The provider determines which phone numbers and regions are available. See Telephony Providers below.
3

Configure voice and language

Pick an AI voice and conversation language. You can preview voices before selecting. The bot will conduct the entire call in the selected language.
4

Design the conversation script

Build the conversation flow using the script editor. Define an introduction, questions, follow-up prompts, and a closing message. See Designing Conversation Scripts for guidance.
5

Map responses to form fields

Connect each question in the script to a form element in your hiring flow. This ensures candidate answers are automatically saved as structured data.
6

Set scheduling and retry policies

Configure when calls should be placed and how the bot handles unanswered calls. See Scheduling & Retries.
7

Attach a knowledge base (optional)

Link one or more knowledge bases so the bot can answer candidate questions during the call.
8

Activate the bot

Enable the bot. Candidates can now be enrolled manually or through automations.

Caller Bot Configuration

SettingDescription
NameBot identifier visible to your team
ScriptConversation flow, questions, and branching logic
VoiceAI voice selection (multiple voices per language)
LanguageConversation language
Telephony ProviderTwilio, Plivo, or Exotel
Caller IDThe outbound phone number candidates see
Form MappingHow responses map to form fields
Retry PolicyHow many times to retry unanswered calls
ScheduleWhen calls should be placed
Max Call DurationMaximum length before the bot wraps up
Knowledge BaseReference material the bot can use to answer questions

Designing Conversation Scripts

The script defines what the bot says and asks during a call. A well-designed script feels natural while reliably collecting the data you need.

Script Structure

Every script has four sections:
SectionPurposeExample
IntroductionGreet the candidate and explain the call”Hi, this is an automated call from Acme Corp regarding your application…”
QuestionsCollect specific information”What is your availability to start?”
Follow-upsClarify or dig deeper based on answers”You mentioned weekends — does that include both Saturday and Sunday?”
ClosingSummarize and end the call”Thank you for your time. We’ll be in touch within 48 hours.”

Branching Logic

Scripts support conditional branching so the conversation adapts based on candidate responses:

Script Tips

Avoid open-ended questions when you need structured data. Instead of “Tell me about yourself,” ask “How many years of warehouse experience do you have?”
For critical information like start dates or certifications, have the bot repeat the answer back: “Just to confirm, you said you can start on March 15th — is that correct?”
The AI can handle off-script responses, but providing explicit fallback prompts improves the experience. For example: “I didn’t quite catch that. Could you repeat your answer?”
Aim for 3–5 minutes per call. Candidates are more likely to complete shorter calls, and shorter calls have higher data quality.

Caller Enrollments

A Caller Enrollment represents a candidate assigned to receive an AI call.

Enrollment Lifecycle

Enrollment Fields

FieldDescription
CandidateThe candidate to be called
Caller BotWhich bot configuration to use
StatusCurrent state (Pending, Scheduled, In Progress, Completed, Failed)
AttemptsNumber of call attempts made
Scheduled TimeWhen the next call attempt is planned
Call DurationLength of the completed call
TranscriptFull conversation transcript
Extracted DataStructured data extracted from responses
Recording URLLink to the call recording (if enabled)

Creating Enrollments

Enrollments can be created in three ways:
  1. Manually — Select candidates from the application list and enroll them in a caller bot
  2. Via automation — Trigger enrollment when a candidate enters a stage, submits a form, or meets specific criteria
  3. In bulk — Enroll multiple candidates at once using Bulk Operations

Form Mapping

Caller Form Mappings define how AI-extracted responses populate form fields in the hiring flow.

Mapping Types

Mapping TypeDescriptionExample
Direct ValueMaps the response directly to a field”What city do you live in?” → City text field
BooleanConverts yes/no answers to checkbox values”Do you have a driver’s license?” → License checkbox
Date ExtractionParses dates from natural language”When can you start?” → Start date field
Numeric ExtractionPulls numbers from responses”How many years of experience?” → Experience number field
Selection MatchMatches response to dropdown/radio options”Day shift or night shift?” → Shift preference dropdown
Full TranscriptStores the complete answer as text”Tell me about your experience” → Experience text area

Mapping Configuration

SettingDescription
Bot QuestionThe question in the script to map from
Form ElementThe target form field
Mapping TypeHow to transform the response
Default ValueValue to use if the question wasn’t answered
ValidationOptional rules to validate the extracted value
Form mappings run after the call completes. If a mapped value fails validation, the enrollment is flagged for manual review rather than writing invalid data.

Telephony Providers

The AI Caller supports three telephony providers. The platform can automatically select the best provider based on the candidate’s phone number and region.
ProviderRegionsFeatures
TwilioGlobalSMS + Voice, robust API, widest coverage
PlivoGlobalCost-effective, good international coverage
ExotelIndia, SEARegional coverage, local numbers, competitive pricing

Provider Configuration

Each provider requires:
  • API credentials (API key / auth token)
  • At least one provisioned phone number for outbound calls
  • Webhook URL configuration for call status updates
See the Twilio Integration guide for detailed setup instructions.

Scheduling & Retries

Call Windows

Configure when the AI Caller is allowed to place calls:
SettingDescriptionExample
Time ZoneThe candidate’s local time zoneAmerica/New_York
Allowed HoursHours during which calls can be placed9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Allowed DaysDays of the week calls are permittedMonday – Saturday
Blackout DatesSpecific dates when calls should not be placedPublic holidays
Call windows are evaluated in the candidate’s local time zone based on their phone number’s country code. This prevents calls at inappropriate hours for international candidates.

Retry Policy

SettingDescriptionDefault
Max AttemptsMaximum number of call attempts3
Retry IntervalTime between retry attempts4 hours
Backoff StrategyHow retry intervals increaseLinear
Abandon AfterStop retrying after this duration72 hours
When a call goes unanswered:
  1. The enrollment status moves to No Answer
  2. A retry is scheduled based on the retry interval and backoff strategy
  3. If max attempts are reached, the enrollment moves to Failed
  4. A failed enrollment can trigger automations (e.g., send an SMS asking the candidate to call back)

Knowledge Bases

Caller bots can reference Knowledge Bases — collections of information the AI uses to answer candidate questions during calls.

What to Include

  • Company policies and FAQs
  • Job descriptions and requirements
  • Benefits and compensation details
  • Location and schedule information
  • Parking, dress code, and first-day instructions

Managing Knowledge Bases

Knowledge bases are managed at the company level and can be shared across multiple caller bots.
1

Create a knowledge base

Navigate to Settings → AI Caller → Knowledge Bases and click New Knowledge Base.
2

Add content

Upload documents or paste text content. Supported formats include PDF, DOCX, and plain text. Content is automatically indexed for retrieval.
3

Attach to a caller bot

In the caller bot configuration, select one or more knowledge bases. The bot will reference them when candidates ask questions outside the script.
The AI only references knowledge base content when a candidate asks a question. It does not proactively recite information unless it’s part of the script.

Call Transcripts & Recordings

Every completed call generates a full transcript and optional audio recording.

Transcripts

Transcripts are available immediately after a call completes and include:
  • Speaker labels (Bot / Candidate)
  • Timestamps for each turn
  • Confidence scores for transcribed responses
  • Extracted data highlights

Recordings

Audio recordings can be enabled per caller bot. When enabled:
  • Recordings are stored securely and linked to the enrollment record
  • Recordings are retained according to your company’s data retention policy
  • Candidates are informed at the start of the call that the conversation is being recorded

Analytics & Reporting

The AI Caller dashboard provides real-time visibility into call performance.

Key Metrics

MetricDescription
Connection RatePercentage of calls answered by candidates
Completion RatePercentage of answered calls that reach the closing
Avg. Call DurationAverage length of completed calls
Data Capture RatePercentage of form fields successfully populated
Retry RatePercentage of enrollments requiring multiple attempts
Drop-off PointWhere in the script candidates most often hang up

Monitoring

Use the dashboard to:
  • Track active enrollments and their statuses in real time
  • Identify scripts with low completion rates and optimize them
  • Compare performance across different caller bots
  • Monitor telephony provider health and call quality

Integration with Automations

AI Caller integrates seamlessly with the Automations system.

Triggering Enrollments via Automation

Automatically enroll candidates in a caller bot when:
  • A candidate enters a specific stage
  • A form is submitted
  • A compliance rule passes or fails
  • On a scheduled basis (e.g., daily at 10 AM)
Example automation:
Trigger: Application enters "Phone Screen" stage
Rule: Candidate has a valid phone number
Action: Enroll in "Warehouse Pre-Screen" caller bot

Triggering Automations from Call Results

Use call outcomes to drive downstream workflows:
Call OutcomeAutomation Action
Call completed, all questions answeredAdvance candidate to next stage
Call completed, candidate not interestedUpdate application status to “Withdrawn”
Call failed after max retriesSend SMS with callback instructions
Candidate flagged for reviewNotify hiring manager via Slack

Use Cases

Pre-Screening

Conduct initial phone screenings to verify candidate interest, availability, and basic qualifications before scheduling in-person interviews.

Document Follow-Up

Call candidates who haven’t submitted required documents to remind them and collect missing information.

Scheduling

Confirm interview times, collect availability preferences, and schedule appointments.

Onboarding Check-Ins

Make welcome calls to new hires and collect initial onboarding information.

Re-Verification

Contact employees whose documents are expiring to initiate re-verification and collect updated information.

Survey & Feedback

Gather post-onboarding feedback or conduct periodic employee satisfaction surveys via automated calls.

Best Practices

Begin with a short, focused script (3–5 questions). Monitor completion rates and transcript quality, then add complexity. Overly long or complex scripts lead to high drop-off rates.
Don’t enroll candidates too early or too late. The best time to call is when the candidate is actively engaged — shortly after they submit an application or enter a new stage.
Respect candidate time zones and avoid calling outside business hours. Calls placed during appropriate hours have significantly higher connection rates.
Outdated information in a knowledge base can lead to incorrect answers during calls. Review and update knowledge base content regularly, especially job descriptions and compensation details.
Review your retry metrics regularly. If most candidates answer on the second attempt, three retries may be sufficient. If connection rates are low, consider adding an SMS nudge before the call.
Periodically read through call transcripts to ensure the AI is handling conversations well. Look for misunderstood questions, awkward phrasing, or missed follow-ups and adjust the script accordingly.