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

# Voice/Phone

> Handle phone calls with natural AI voice

## Overview

The Voice channel enables your AI agent to answer phone calls using natural-sounding voice AI. Your customers can call a dedicated phone number and have conversations just like they would with a human agent.

<Info>
  **Plan availability:** Standard or higher. See [Plans & Billing](/features/settings/plans).
</Info>

## Key Capabilities

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Natural Conversations" icon="comments">
    Engage in fluid, natural-sounding phone conversations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multilingual Support" icon="language">
    Handle calls in multiple languages automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="Real-Time Translation" icon="globe">
    Translate conversations for agents in real-time
  </Card>

  <Card title="Call Recording" icon="microphone">
    All calls are recorded for quality and training
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Setting Up Voice

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable Voice Channel">
    When creating your agent or in Settings, enable the Voice channel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get a Phone Number">
    Clarky will provision a dedicated phone number for your agent.

    You can:

    * Choose from available numbers
    * Request a specific area code
    * Port an existing number (enterprise)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Greeting">
    Set up what your agent says when answering calls.

    Navigate to **Settings > Phone Greeting** to customize.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Voice">
    Choose from multiple natural-sounding voices.

    Go to **Settings > Voices** to preview and select.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test Your Setup">
    Call your new number to test the experience.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Phone Greeting Configuration

The phone greeting is the first thing callers hear. Make it count!

### Best Practices for Greetings

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Keep It Brief">
    Aim for 10-15 seconds maximum. Callers want to get to their question quickly.

    **Good Example:**

    ```
    Thank you for calling Acme Services. I'm here to help.
    What can I assist you with today?
    ```

    **Too Long:**

    ```
    Thank you so much for calling Acme Services, the premier provider
    of business solutions since 1995. We're so glad you called today.
    Please tell us how we can help you...
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Set Expectations">
    Briefly mention what the agent can help with.

    **Example:**

    ```
    Thanks for calling Acme Dental. I can help you schedule appointments,
    answer questions about our services, or provide office hours.
    How can I help?
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Sound Natural">
    Write as you would speak, not as you would write.

    Use contractions and casual language:

    * "I'm" instead of "I am"
    * "can't" instead of "cannot"
    * "How can I help?" instead of "How may I assist you?"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Include Business Name">
    Always mention your business name so callers know they reached the right place.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Greeting Configuration

In **Settings > Phone Greeting**, you can configure:

<ParamField path="greeting" type="string" required>
  The initial message callers hear when the agent answers.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="transfer_message" type="string">
  What the agent says before transferring to a human agent.

  **Example:** "Let me connect you with someone who can help. Please hold."
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="voicemail_message" type="string">
  Message played when the agent needs to take a message.

  **Example:** "I'll make sure someone gets back to you. Please leave your name and number."
</ParamField>

## Voice Selection

Choose from multiple high-quality AI voices to represent your brand.

### Available Voices

Clarky offers a variety of voices in different styles:

* **Professional**: Formal, clear, suitable for corporate settings
* **Friendly**: Warm, approachable, great for customer service
* **Energetic**: Upbeat, enthusiastic, works well for sales
* **Calm**: Soothing, measured, ideal for support

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="English">
    Multiple English voices available:

    * American English (various regional accents)
    * British English
    * Australian English
    * Canadian English
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Spanish">
    Spanish voice options:

    * Latin American Spanish
    * European Spanish
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Other Languages">
    Additional languages supported:

    * French
    * German
    * Italian
    * Portuguese
    * And more...
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Changing Your Voice

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Voice Settings">
    Go to **Settings > Voices**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview Voices">
    Click the play button next to each voice to hear a sample.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Voice">
    Choose the voice that best represents your brand.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test with a Call">
    Call your agent to hear the new voice in action.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Consider testing different voices with team members to get feedback before making a final choice.
</Tip>

## Phone Number Management

### Getting Your Number

Your dedicated phone number is provisioned automatically when you enable Voice. You can:

1. **Choose Area Code**: Select a local area code for your business
2. **Toll-Free**: Request a toll-free (800, 888, etc.) number
3. **International**: Get numbers in different countries

### Number Settings

Configure how your phone number behaves:

<ParamField path="business_hours" type="object">
  Set when your agent answers calls vs. when to route to voicemail.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="forwarding" type="string">
  Forward unanswered calls to a backup number.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="recording" type="boolean" default="true">
  Enable/disable call recording (required in some jurisdictions to notify callers).
</ParamField>

## Call Handling Features

### Intelligent Routing

Your AI agent can:

* **Answer Questions**: Handle common inquiries instantly
* **Book Appointments**: Integrate with calendars to schedule
* **Transfer Calls**: Route to specific departments or people
* **Take Messages**: Capture contact information and requests
* **Provide Information**: Share hours, location, pricing, etc.

### Human Handoff

When a call needs human attention:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Agent Detects Need">
    The AI recognizes when it can't help or when the caller requests a human.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Notification Sent">
    Available team members receive a notification.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Smooth Transfer">
    The agent says the transfer message and connects the call.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Context Provided">
    The human agent sees the full conversation context.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### After-Hours Handling

Configure what happens outside business hours:

* **Voicemail**: Take messages for follow-up
* **Emergency Line**: Transfer urgent calls to an on-call number
* **Auto-Response**: Provide information and hours without taking messages
* **Always Available**: Keep the AI agent active 24/7

## Multilingual Capabilities

One of Clarky Voice's most powerful features is automatic language detection and multilingual support.

### How It Works

1. **Caller Speaks**: In any supported language
2. **Auto-Detection**: Clarky identifies the language
3. **Natural Response**: Agent responds in that language
4. **Real-Time Translation**: Transcripts translated for you

### Supported Languages

Clarky Voice supports 50+ languages including:

* Spanish
* French
* German
* Mandarin
* Japanese
* Arabic
* And many more...

<Info>
  No configuration needed! Language detection and multilingual responses work automatically.
</Info>

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Test Thoroughly">
    Call your agent multiple times with different scenarios before promoting the number. Test:

    * Common questions
    * Requests for human transfer
    * After-hours calls
    * Background noise conditions
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Monitor Early Calls">
    Listen to recordings of the first calls to identify areas for improvement in your agent's knowledge or greeting.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Keep Prompts Natural">
    Write your phone greeting and knowledge base in conversational language, as it sounds better when spoken.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Provide Clear Options">
    If callers can do multiple things, briefly mention them in your greeting:
    "I can help you schedule, get directions, or answer questions about our services."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Have a Backup Plan">
    Always configure call forwarding or human handoff so callers can reach someone if needed.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Analytics and Reporting

Track voice channel performance:

* **Total Calls**: Volume of incoming calls
* **Call Duration**: Average and total talk time
* **Resolution Rate**: Calls handled without transfer
* **Top Inquiries**: Most common questions
* **Transfer Rate**: Percentage requiring human agent
* **Language Distribution**: Which languages callers use

<Card title="View Call Analytics" icon="chart-line" href="/features/dashboard/analytics">
  Access detailed voice channel metrics
</Card>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Poor Call Quality">
    If callers report audio issues:

    1. Check your internet connection
    2. Verify Clarky system status
    3. Ask caller to try from different location
    4. Contact support if issues persist
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Agent Not Understanding">
    If the agent misunderstands callers:

    1. Review call recordings
    2. Add specific knowledge about problematic topics
    3. Adjust greeting to guide callers better
    4. Consider adding synonym variations to knowledge
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Calls Not Connecting">
    If calls don't go through:

    1. Verify number is active in your dashboard
    2. Check if you've exceeded plan limits
    3. Ensure payment information is current
    4. Contact support for assistance
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Compliance and Legal

<Warning>
  Call recording laws vary by jurisdiction. Clarky automatically plays a recording notice in jurisdictions that require it, but you should verify compliance with local laws.
</Warning>

### Recording Consent

* Callers are notified when calls are recorded
* Recordings stored securely and encrypted
* Access limited to workspace administrators
* Retention configurable (default: 90 days)

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configure Greeting" icon="microphone" href="/features/settings/voice">
    Set up your phone greeting message
  </Card>

  <Card title="Choose Voice" icon="volume" href="/features/settings/voice">
    Select the perfect voice for your brand
  </Card>

  <Card title="Review Calls" icon="headset" href="/features/inbox/conversations">
    Listen to call recordings in your inbox
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add Text/SMS" icon="comment-sms" href="/guides/channels/text-sms">
    Enable text messaging on the same number
  </Card>
</CardGroup>