# Call routing & transfers

> Call routing connects callers who need a person to the right team member, with the reason for their call passed on where the transfer type allows. Your team takes the calls that need them, and Intavia handles the rest.

Type: Capability (Routing & hand-off)
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
Web page: https://www.intavia.ai/docs/call-routing
Product page: https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-routing

## At a glance

- What it does: Connects callers who need a person to the right team member, with context
- Channels: Inbound calls, with additional channels available
- Integrations: Your phone line and team numbers, plus your practice system, such as Dentally
- What you can customise: Who takes which calls, when transfers are available, how each transfer connects and what happens next
- What your team sees: A briefing before screened transfers, plus a summary and a task for anything left to follow up
- Setup: Done for you by our team, around how your team takes calls

## How it works

Call routing is built around your practice. Our team does the setup work: we agree with you who should take each kind of call and when, turn that into routing rules, and Intavia applies them to every call that needs a person.

1. Plan: we agree with you which calls should reach a person, who takes each kind of call and when transfers are available. Our team builds the routing rules from that.
2. Understand: the caller says what they need in their own words, with no phone menu. Intavia handles routine requests itself and recognises the calls that need your team, including when a caller asks for a person.
3. Check: Intavia checks whether a transfer is available right now for the team or clinic involved, using your agreed transfer hours.
4. Connect: the call is passed on in the way agreed, as a screened transfer, or as the direct or warm transfer set for that route.
5. Context: with warm and screened transfers, your team member hears the reason for the call, and every call's summary and transcript are kept in your dashboard.
6. Next step: outside transfer hours, or when a screened transfer isn't accepted, Intavia takes a message and creates a task for your team with the details already captured.

## Transfer types

- Direct transfer: the call goes straight to the agreed number, and your phone system takes it from there, including any queue or voicemail you already use.
- Warm transfer: Intavia brings your team member into the call, rather than handing it straight over.
- Screened transfer: Intavia calls your team privately while the caller stays in the conversation. A team member hears a short briefing and accepts the call before the caller is connected. If nobody accepts, the caller stays with Intavia and can leave a message.

## Options

These are the options we agree with you, not fixed settings. Each one can be shaped around how your practice works, and anything not listed here can be built into the plan.

| Option | What we agree with you |
| --- | --- |
| Who takes which calls | The people, teams or clinics each kind of call goes to, described in plain language |
| Transfer type | Whether your transfers are screened, or direct or warm for each route |
| Transfer hours | When transfers are available, such as your reception hours for each clinic, and whether they pause on bank holidays |
| Urgent calls | How urgent calls are handled, after any safety advice your practice wants given first, such as a transfer to reception or, out of hours, to your on-call number, or sharing your urgent-care contacts and creating an urgent task for your team |
| Screening | Who is called for a screened transfer, in what order, and what they hear before accepting, such as a short summary of the request |
| Messages instead of transfers | Clinics or situations where Intavia takes a message rather than transferring |
| When nobody is free | Alternative routes that keep things moving, such as taking a message, creating a task for your team or alerting them by SMS or email |

## Works together with

- [24/7 call answering](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-answering): Inbound calls answered with a natural conversation, day or night.
- [Team hand-off, tasks & alerts](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/team-hand-off): Clear tasks and alerts so your team knows exactly what to do next.
- [Urgent & emergency calls](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/urgent-calls): Urgent calls recognised early and routed, advised or booked the way your practice decides.
- [Call screening](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/call-screening): Spam and sales calls kept away from your team.
- [After-hours & missed calls](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/after-hours-call-answering): Calls answered and enquiries moving outside reception hours, including bank holidays.
- [Multi-site practices](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/multi-site-practices): One receptionist that books at the right location.

## FAQs

### Does it work with our existing phone number?

Yes. Calls reach Intavia from your existing number, and transfers go to the direct numbers you choose for your team, such as your reception line. With a direct transfer, any queue or voicemail you already have stays in place.

### What happens when nobody can take the call?

Intavia takes a message with the details your team needs and creates a task, and your team can be alerted by SMS or email. With a screened transfer, the caller stays with Intavia if nobody accepts, so the conversation carries on.

### Can each clinic have its own rules?

Yes. Each clinic can have its own team, transfer number and hours. A clinic can also take messages instead of transfers if that suits it better.

### Can a caller ask for a person straight away?

Yes. A request for a person, a manager or a named team member is treated as a hand-over to your team. It follows your agreed transfer hours and routes, with a message and task as the alternative.

### Can the rules change after launch?

Yes. Tell your support team what you need, such as new hours or a different number, and they update the routing. There's nothing for you to configure.