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Newer iPhones and Android phones answer unknown numbers themselves and ask who is calling before they ring. If nothing answers that question, the call never reaches the person. IOS / Android Call Screen Handling is the line your agent gives when it is asked, and it lives in the Call Settings block of the Configure tab.
This setting is in beta. It matters for outbound calls and campaigns. It has no effect on inbound calls, where the caller has already chosen to ring you.

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Before you start

  • An agent that makes outbound calls. See What is a campaign.
  • Five minutes, and a mobile with call screening switched on to test against.
  • Your business name as customers would recognise it.
  • You will be working in the Call Settings block of your agent’s Configure tab.

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Steps

1

Open Call Settings

Open your agent, go to Configure, and scroll to Call Settings. IOS / Android Call Screen Handling sits below Voicemail Behavior.
2

Write the screening message

Say who is calling and why, in one short sentence. This is not your greeting. It is what a phone reads out or shows on screen to help someone decide whether to pick up.For example “Marston Dental calling about your appointment on Thursday.”
3

Save and test against a real mobile

Save, then place an outbound call to a mobile with call screening turned on and watch what the handset does with it.

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You will know it worked when

You call a screened mobile, the handset asks who is calling, your message is given, and the phone rings properly instead of the call being filtered away.

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What to write

  • Name your business first. A recognised name is the only thing that gets a call answered.
  • Give the reason in three or four words. “About your appointment” or “About your invoice” is enough for someone to decide.
  • Do not sell in it. A screening message that reads like marketing gets the call declined and teaches the handset to filter you next time.
  • Do not put questions in it. Nobody is there to answer them yet.
Compare “Hi, is that Sam? I am calling from Marston Dental with an exciting offer” with “Marston Dental calling about your appointment on Thursday.” The second one gets answered.

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What else you can do here

  • Improve pickup rates in ways that matter more than screening: call at sensible hours, use a local number, and keep your list clean. See Outbound follow up.
  • Decide what happens when a call reaches voicemail instead of a person. See Voicemail.
  • Use a local number for the area you are calling, which does more for pickup rates than anything else here. See Buy a phone number.
  • Set the hours your outbound calls are allowed to run. See Business hours and after hours.

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If it did not work

Calls are still not getting through. Screening is one filter among several. If your number has been flagged as spam by the carrier, no screening message will save it. Contact support@brilo.ai to check whether your number is affected. You cannot see the setting. It is in beta and may not be on your account. Email support@brilo.ai. It reaches voicemail rather than screening. Different situation, different setting. See Voicemail. People pick up confused about who is calling. Your screening message and your opening line disagree. Make both start with the same business name. See Set your greeting.

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FAQ

Newer iPhones and Android phones screen unknown numbers and ask who is calling before ringing. If that question goes unanswered the call is filtered out. Fill in IOS / Android Call Screen Handling in Call Settings so your agent can answer it.
Your business name, then the reason in a few words. “Marston Dental calling about your appointment on Thursday.” Keep it factual, leave out anything that reads as a sales pitch, and ask no questions.
No. Inbound callers rang you on purpose, so there is nothing to screen. This only applies to outbound calls and campaigns.
No. Spam labelling is done by the carrier and is a separate problem from handset screening. Contact support@brilo.ai if you think your number has been flagged.
No. The screening message is given to the handset before anyone picks up. The greeting is the first thing the person hears once they do. Keep the business name consistent across both.