Missed Call Solution

A missed call solution allows customers to give a missed call (a call that is disconnected before being answered) to your ExoPhone. Exotel detects the missed call and triggers an automated action such as a callback, SMS, lead capture, or opt-in registration. This is widely used in India and other markets where customers prefer not to spend on call charges.

How It Works

Customer gives missed call to ExoPhone
        |
        v
Exotel detects missed call (auto-hangup after 1-2 rings)
        |
        v
Trigger action:
    - Automatic callback to customer
    - Send SMS with information
    - Register the number as a lead
    - Trigger webhook to your application

Common Use Cases

Use Case	How It Works
Lead capture	Customer gives missed call; their number is captured as a lead in your CRM
Automated callback	Customer gives missed call; Exotel calls them back and connects to an agent or IVR
Opt-in / subscription	Customer gives missed call to subscribe to a service or alerts
Voting or polling	Each missed call counts as a vote; results tracked in real time
Phone number verification	Customer gives missed call to verify their phone number (ExoVerify)
Information delivery	Customer gives missed call; system sends an SMS with requested info

Setting Up a Missed Call Solution

Method 1: Callback via Call Flow

This setup automatically calls the customer back after they give a missed call.

Step 1: Create a Callback Flow

1. Go to App Bazaar in the dashboard.
2. Create a new call flow named "Missed Call Callback".
3. Add applets:
   • Greeting: "Thank you for your interest. Please hold while we connect you."
   • Connect: Enter the agent numbers who should handle the callback.

Step 2: Configure the ExoPhone

1. Go to ExoPhones in the dashboard.
2. Select the ExoPhone designated for missed calls.
3. Under Missed Call Settings, enable Auto Callback.
4. Select the callback flow you created.
5. Set the callback delay (e.g., 30 seconds after the missed call).
6. Save.

Customer gives missed call to ExoPhone
        |
        v (30 seconds later)
Exotel calls customer back
        |
        v
Customer answers → Greeting plays → Connected to agent

Step 3: Test

1. Call your ExoPhone from a test number and hang up after 1-2 rings.
2. Wait for the callback delay period.
3. Your test number should receive a callback.

Method 2: SMS Response

Send an automated SMS to anyone who gives a missed call.

Step 1: Create the SMS Response

1. Go to ExoPhones in the dashboard.
2. Select the ExoPhone for missed calls.
3. Under Missed Call Settings, enable Send SMS on Missed Call.
4. Enter the SMS content (e.g., "Thank you for your interest! Visit https://example.com for more info.").
5. Save.

warning

SMS messages in India must comply with DLT regulations. Ensure you have registered DLT templates and entity IDs before configuring SMS responses. See the SMS API documentation for DLT compliance details.

Method 3: Webhook Notification

Trigger a webhook to your application when a missed call is detected. Your application can then perform custom actions.

Step 1: Configure the Webhook

1. Go to ExoPhones in the dashboard.
2. Select the ExoPhone.
3. Under Missed Call Settings, configure the Webhook URL.
4. Save.

Step 2: Handle the Webhook

Exotel sends an HTTP POST to your webhook URL with the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
CallSid	Unique identifier for the call
From	The caller's phone number
To	Your ExoPhone number
Status	missed-call
DateCreated	Timestamp of the missed call

# Example webhook payload
POST https://your-app.com/missed-call-webhook
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

CallSid=abc123&From=+919876543210&To=+918047XXXXXX&Status=missed-call

Step 3: Implement Your Logic

Your application can:

# Example: Capture lead and trigger callback
def handle_missed_call(request):
    caller_number = request.POST['From']

    # Save as lead in CRM
    create_lead(phone=caller_number, source='missed_call')

    # Trigger callback via Exotel API
    exotel_api.connect_call(
        from_number=agent_number,
        to_number=caller_number,
        caller_id=exophone
    )

    return Response(status=200)

Method 4: Via API (Connect to Flow)

Use the API to programmatically initiate a callback after detecting a missed call:

curl -X POST 'https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v1/Accounts/<account_sid>/Calls/connect.json' \
  -d 'From=<customer_number>' \
  -d 'CallerId=<exophone>' \
  -d 'Url=http://my.exotel.com/exoml/start/<callback_flow_id>'

Configuration Options

Setting	Description	Recommended Value
Auto callback	Automatically call back the missed caller	Enabled for lead capture
Callback delay	Seconds to wait before calling back	15-60 seconds
Callback flow	The call flow to use for callbacks	A flow with Greeting + Connect
SMS on missed call	Send SMS after missed call	Enabled if delivering information
Webhook URL	URL to notify your application	Your backend endpoint
Deduplication window	Ignore repeat missed calls within this period	5-10 minutes
Max callbacks per number	Limit callbacks to prevent spam	1-2 per hour

Deduplication

Customers sometimes give multiple missed calls in quick succession. To avoid triggering multiple callbacks or SMS:

• Set a deduplication window: Ignore duplicate missed calls from the same number within a defined period (e.g., 5 minutes).
• Rate limit callbacks: Limit the number of callbacks to a single number per hour.

tip

Always configure deduplication to prevent your system from calling a customer back multiple times for a single intent. A 5-minute window works well for most use cases.

Missed Call Analytics

Track the performance of your missed call campaigns:

Metric	Description
Total missed calls	Number of missed calls received on the ExoPhone
Unique callers	Number of distinct phone numbers
Callback success rate	Percentage of callbacks where the customer answered
Conversion rate	Percentage of missed call leads that converted
Peak hours	Time periods with the highest missed call volume

Access these metrics via Call Analytics in the dashboard.

Best Practices

• Respond quickly -- Set callback delays to 15-30 seconds. Longer delays reduce the chance that the customer will answer.
• Use a dedicated ExoPhone -- Assign a specific ExoPhone for missed call campaigns so it does not interfere with your regular incoming call traffic.
• Promote the number -- Display the missed call number in ads, social media, and print materials with clear instructions (e.g., "Give a missed call to 080-4712XXXX to register").
• Track conversions -- Connect missed call data to your CRM to measure campaign ROI.
• Handle after-hours missed calls -- Configure different behavior for missed calls received outside business hours (e.g., SMS response instead of callback).

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
No callback triggered	Auto callback not enabled	Enable in ExoPhone missed call settings
Multiple callbacks for one missed call	Deduplication not configured	Set deduplication window to 5 minutes
SMS not delivered	DLT template not registered	Register SMS template for DLT compliance
Webhook not received	URL incorrect or server down	Verify webhook URL and server availability
Customer does not answer callback	Callback delay too long	Reduce callback delay to 15-30 seconds

Related

• Outgoing Calls
• Business Hours
• Call Analytics
• Voice v1 API
• SMS API