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Call Strategies

Call strategies control how Yap tries volunteers after a caller is routed to Volunteers helpline handling. Configure them under Service Bodies → Configure → Call Handling → Call Strategy.

These settings apply to voice outdial. SMS volunteer routing uses a separate SMS Strategy (Random or Blast) when Volunteers and SMS is selected.

For a video walkthrough, see Call Blasting and other Call Strategies Explained.

Strategy reference​

Call strategy (admin UI)Behavior
Linear Loop ForeverDial volunteers in list order. After the last volunteer, loop back to the first and keep cycling until someone answers or the caller hangs up.
Linear Cycle Once, Then VoicemailDial in order once through the full list. If no one answers, send the caller to voicemail.
Random Loop ForeverPick a random volunteer each attempt. Repeat until someone answers or the caller hangs up.
Blasting, Then VoicemailRing all active volunteers at the same time. The first person to answer takes the call. If nobody answers within the configured timeout, send the caller to voicemail.
Random Loop Once, Then VoicemailRandomize the list once for this call, then dial through that order one time. If no one answers, go to voicemail.

Call timeout​

Call Timeout (seconds) on the same dialog controls how long each outdial leg rings before Yap treats it as no-answer and moves to the next step (next volunteer, blasting completion, or voicemail).

Blasting details​

Blasting is useful when any on-shift volunteer can take the call and you want the shortest wait time.

  • All numbers for active volunteers (including members expanded from an enabled volunteer group) are dialed simultaneously.
  • Twilio connects the caller to the first leg that answers.
  • Unanswered blasting legs must complete before voicemail plays; Yap tracks no-answer callbacks so voicemail does not start prematurely.
  • Blasting is also used internally for experimental WebChat volunteer SMS notification (see Experimental Web Widgets).

Cycling and dial order​

For linear strategies, drag volunteer cards on the Volunteers tab to set order. Include Group entries expand at dial time; the group card's position in the list matters for linear cycling.

Random strategies ignore the visual order when picking the next leg (except Random Loop Once, which shuffles once then follows that shuffled order).

Voicemail fallback​

Strategies that include "Then Voicemail" require voicemail to be enabled in call handling for that service body. Primary Contact Number receives SMS notification links when configured.