> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.voiceinfra.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Automatic Voicemail Detection and IVR Auto-Navigation

> VoiceInfra automatically detects voicemail on outbound calls and navigates IVR menus so your AI agents reach the right person every time.

When your AI agent makes outbound calls, two obstacles can derail efficiency at scale: calls that land on voicemail instead of a live person, and calls that hit an automated IVR menu requiring button presses before reaching the right department. VoiceInfra handles both automatically. Voicemail detection identifies answering machines the moment they answer and responds according to your configured preference. IVR auto-navigation reads menu prompts and presses the correct keys without any manual input. Together, these features keep your outbound campaigns running cleanly and your agents spending time on real conversations.

## Voicemail detection

On every outbound call, VoiceInfra listens to the opening audio and identifies whether a human or an answering machine has picked up. Detection happens within seconds of connection — before your agent has said a word.

When voicemail is detected, you choose what happens next:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Hang up silently" icon="phone-slash">
    End the call immediately. No message is left. The call is logged as `Voicemail` in your dashboard. Best for campaigns that only want to track live-answer rates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Leave a pre-written message" icon="voicemail">
    Enable **Smart Voicemail Handling** and configure a custom message. Your agent reads the message after the beep, so every voicemail gets a professional, on-brand follow-up.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom behaviour" icon="sliders">
    Use your agent's system prompt to define conditional logic — for example, leave a message only for certain contact types, or vary the message based on campaign variables.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

**Why it matters for campaigns:** voicemail detection prevents your campaign from running up minutes on unanswered calls. Only connected time is billed, and detecting voicemail early minimises that window. In batch campaigns, every voicemail call is logged with a `Voicemail` status so you can measure true live-answer rates and adjust your scheduling accordingly.

## IVR auto-navigation

Many businesses — suppliers, healthcare providers, enterprise partners — answer inbound calls with an automated IVR: *"Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for Accounts."* Without IVR navigation, your AI agent would stall at that menu indefinitely.

With IVR Detection enabled, your agent:

1. Listens for keypad prompts during the outbound call
2. Reads your configured navigation instructions
3. Sends the correct DTMF (keypad) tones automatically
4. Continues through multi-level menus until it reaches the right person or department

**Example scenario:** your AI agent is calling a supplier to check on a purchase order. The supplier's IVR plays *"Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for Accounts Payable."* You've configured your agent to press `2` for Accounts. The agent navigates the menu automatically and reaches the right team — with no human intervention.

<Note>
  IVR auto-navigation applies to outbound calls only. For inbound callers navigating your own menu, use the [Keypad Routing](/docs/calls/transfer#keypad-routing-ai-driven-ivr) feature in call transfer settings.
</Note>

## Configuring voicemail detection

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Functions tab">
    In your agent configuration, navigate to the **Functions** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Voicemail Detection">
    Toggle **Voicemail Detection** on. This activates detection for all outbound calls made by that agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your voicemail action">
    Select what happens when voicemail is detected:

    * **Hang up immediately** — ends the call with no message left
    * **Smart Voicemail Handling** — enables message delivery; enter your custom voicemail message text in the field that appears
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and test">
    Save your configuration. Run a test call to a number you know will hit voicemail to verify the agent behaves as expected before launching a campaign.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Configuring IVR navigation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable IVR Detection">
    In the **Functions** tab of your agent configuration, toggle **IVR Detection** on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add navigation instructions to your system prompt">
    Open your agent's system prompt and add step-by-step IVR navigation instructions. Be explicit about the sequence — for example:

    ```text theme={null}
    When you reach the main menu, press 2 for Accounts Payable.
    If a sub-menu appears asking for department, press 1 for billing queries.
    ```

    The agent follows these instructions precisely, so match them to the current menu options of the number you're calling.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test navigation">
    Run a test outbound call to verify the agent navigates the menu correctly. If a menu option changes, update your system prompt instructions.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Use cases

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Outbound sales campaigns" icon="bullhorn">
    Detect voicemail → leave a personalised message referencing the contact's name and company → log the call as `Voicemail`. Your live-call metrics stay clean and every unreached contact still gets a professional follow-up.
  </Card>

  <Card title="B2B calling and supplier outreach" icon="building">
    Navigate company IVRs automatically to reach the right department — accounts payable, procurement, technical support — without a human operator having to sit through the menu.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Follow-up campaigns (live-only)" icon="rotate">
    Disable Smart Voicemail Handling and configure the agent to hang up on voicemail. Your dashboard shows only live-answer outcomes, making it easy to build a retry list of unanswered contacts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does voicemail detection work internationally?">
    Yes. Voicemail detection works across all countries supported by VoiceInfra. The AI analyses audio patterns rather than relying on country-specific signalling, so it functions reliably regardless of carrier or region.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I customise the voicemail message per agent?">
    Yes. Each agent has its own voicemail message configured in the Functions tab. You can use different messages for different campaigns, contact types, or products simply by using separate agents or updating the message between campaigns.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if an IVR menu changes?">
    Update the navigation instructions in your agent's system prompt. The agent follows your instructions on every call, so keeping them accurate ensures reliable navigation. Always re-test after making changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a cost for voicemail calls?">
    Only connected time is billed. Voicemail detection identifies answering machines quickly — typically within seconds of connection — which minimises the billable duration for unanswered calls. There is no additional fee for the detection feature itself.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How accurate is voicemail detection?">
    VoiceInfra uses AI-based audio analysis to distinguish human greetings from automated answering machines. The detection is highly accurate and designed to minimise false positives (treating a live human as voicemail) which could cause a real caller to be disconnected.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can the agent navigate multi-level IVR menus?">
    Yes. As long as you provide clear, sequential instructions in your system prompt, your agent can navigate through multiple levels of nested IVR menus before reaching the target person or department.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>