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If leads call your main business phone number outside of office hours — or when no one is available to answer — you can use your phone system’s IVR (Interactive Voice Response) to automatically route those callers to your Mav number. Mav can then handle the conversation, qualify the lead, and attempt a Party Line transfer when a rep becomes available. This guide walks through the general steps for setting up call routing via IVR. RingCentral is used as the example platform, but the same concepts apply to virtually any modern phone system, including Dialpad, Google Voice for Business, 8x8, and others.

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What You’ll Need

Before you start, make sure you have the following:
  • Admin or manager access to your phone system’s dashboard
  • The main business phone number that callers currently dial
  • Your Mav phone number (find this in your Mav dashboard under Settings)
If you’re not sure whether your phone plan includes IVR, check your provider’s feature list or contact their support team. IVR is included in most business and professional-tier plans but may not be available on basic plans.

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Step-by-Step Setup

1

Log Into Your Phone System

Sign in to your phone provider’s admin dashboard. For RingCentral, go to app.ringcentral.com and log in with your admin credentials.
2

Find Call Routing or IVR Settings

Navigate to the call management area. Depending on your provider, this section may be labeled:
  • Call Routing
  • Auto-Receptionist
  • IVR Menus
  • Call Menus
  • Auto-Attendant
In RingCentral, go to Phone System → Auto-Receptionist → IVR Menus.
3

Create or Edit an IVR Menu

Create a new IVR menu (or edit an existing one if you already have call routing in place). Give the menu a descriptive name — for example, After-Hours Menu — and assign it to the phone number your callers dial.
4

Set Up the Menu Options

Configure each key press to route to the appropriate destination. A typical after-hours menu might look like:Set whichever option you’d like to forward to your Mav number. You can also set Mav as the default destination if no key is pressed, which is a good option for after-hours routing where most callers just need to leave information.
Keep your IVR menu short. Callers are more likely to stay on the line if they hear three or four clear options rather than a long list. If you’re using Mav for after-hours lead capture, a single-option menu (“Press 1 to leave a message with our virtual assistant”) works well.
5

Save and Test the Call Flow

Save your IVR menu settings and then test it yourself by calling your business number and pressing each option. Confirm that:
  • The greeting plays correctly
  • Each key press routes to the right destination
  • Your Mav number rings and Mav responds as expected
Always test your IVR after making changes. A misconfigured menu can send callers to the wrong destination or leave them stuck in a loop with no way to reach a person.

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When to Contact Your Phone Provider

Reach out to your phone provider’s support team if you run into any of the following:
  • You can’t find IVR or call routing settings in your admin dashboard
  • Your current plan doesn’t include IVR and you need to upgrade
  • You need help assigning a specific phone number to an IVR menu
  • Call forwarding to an external number (your Mav number) isn’t working as expected
Most providers offer live chat or phone support for admin-level questions, and many have step-by-step IVR setup guides in their help centers.

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Still Need Help?

If you’ve set up your IVR and calls still aren’t routing to your Mav number correctly, reach out to the Mav support team at support@hiremav.com. Include your Mav phone number and a description of what’s happening, and the team will help you troubleshoot.