For after-hours calls, play a short closed message, send yourself an email alert, then let the caller leave a voicemail. In Edesy IVR Studio that is Say, then Email notification, then Voicemail. The email tells you who called and when. You play the recording from the call logs, because the email is an alert and has no audio attached.
Set up after-hours voicemail tonight: Try Edesy IVR Studio — start from the "Greeting, then voicemail" template. Rs 20 free credit on sign-up, no card needed.
Why after-hours voicemail matters
A call that rings out after hours is a lost lead with no record. A voicemail gives you the caller's number and reason, and an email alert means someone sees it first thing in the morning, or right away if it's urgent. It costs a few minutes of setup and a per-minute charge only when someone calls.
The flow
| Step | Node | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | Call arrives |
| 2 | Say | "Thanks for calling {Business}. We're closed now and open 9 to 7, Monday to Saturday." |
| 3 | Menu (optional) | "For urgent support, press 1. To leave a message, press 2." |
| 4 | Email notification | Emails the workspace owner: caller, number called, time, menu choice |
| 5 | Voicemail | "Please leave your name, number and message after the beep." Records up to your max length, then ends the call |
The Voicemail node is the last step: when the recording finishes, the call ends. That's why the Email node goes before it, not after.
Step-by-step setup
- Sign up at ivr.edesy.in and choose the Greeting, then voicemail template.
- Edit the greeting in the Say node. Give your hours once, in plain words. See IVR greeting examples for wording.
- Add an Email notification node between the greeting and the voicemail.
- Subject:
After-hours voicemail from {{caller}} - Message:
{{caller}} called {{did}} at {{time}} and is leaving a voicemail. Listen in IVR call logs.
- Subject:
- Configure the Voicemail node: a prompt, max length (10 to 600 seconds, default 120) and the beep (on by default).
- Preview the audio of each prompt without a call.
- Place a test call to your phone, leave a message, and check that the email arrives and the recording plays in the call logs.
- Publish and connect your number to the flow.
Optional: an urgent option
If some after-hours calls really can't wait, add a Menu before voicemail:
- Press 1: Transfer to the on-call mobile, with a ring timeout.
- Press 2: Email notification, then Voicemail.
Put the Email node on the voicemail branch so {{menu_choice}} tells you which path the caller took. Keep
the urgent option honest: only offer it if someone will answer.
What the email can include
| Token | Value |
|---|---|
{{caller}} |
The caller's number |
{{did}} |
Your number that was called |
{{time}} |
Time of the call, in IST |
{{menu_choice}} |
Name of the menu option chosen, such as "Leave a message" |
{{digits}} |
The key pressed |
{{answer.<key>}} |
A spoken answer captured earlier by an Ask node |
Want the reason in the email itself? Put an Ask node before the Email node ("In a few words, what is
your call about?") and add {{answer.reason}} to the message. See
speech input IVR.
Emails go to the workspace owner. Every email sent is listed in the email logs, so you can check delivery if one seems to be missing.
Where the voicemail lives
- IVR call logs: each call shows its variables, answers, and voicemail playback.
- Storage: recordings are kept in encrypted cloud storage and served through signed links.
- Your own system: if you want alerts somewhere other than email, such as your CRM or a team chat, add an async HTTP Request node before the Voicemail node to post the caller's details to your endpoint. See the HTTP Request node guide.
Switching between day and night
IVR Studio does not have a time-of-day node today. Two ways to run day and night handling:
- Two flows. Publish a daytime flow (menu and transfers) and an after-hours flow (this one). Connect the number to the after-hours flow when you close.
- Ask your own system. Put a sync HTTP Request first, calling an endpoint you host that returns 200 when open and 503 when closed. Success goes to your daytime menu, Failure goes to this voicemail path. Holidays then live in your own calendar.
For more on routing during the day, read auto attendant vs IVR.
Voicemail tips
- Ask for a name and number in the prompt. Callers forget, and caller ID can be a switchboard.
- Keep the max length sensible. 60 to 120 seconds is plenty; 10 minutes invites rambling.
- Call back the same morning. A voicemail is a promise.
- Don't send callers to voicemail during the day without trying a person first.
- Review the greeting after every holiday.
Cost
IVR Studio is Rs 1.50/min while a caller is in the flow, including the time they spend leaving a message, plus number rental. Prices exclude 18% GST. Compare plans in IVR pricing in India. Templates are on the IVR templates docs, the full node list on IVR node reference, and setup steps in the IVR docs.
Set up after-hours voicemail with Rs 20 free credit, no card needed.