What are callbacks?
Callbacks give customers an alternative to waiting on hold or leaving calls unanswered. Instead of staying in a queue, they can request a return call, or the system can schedule one automatically.
This ensures customers still get connected, while agents manage their workload more effectively.
In Aloware, callbacks appear in different contexts such as queues, missed calls, or automations, depending on how your team wants to use them.
How admins enable and configure callbacks
Before turning on callbacks, make sure your setup meets these requirements:
The phone number is routed to a Ring Group.
Smart Queue is enabled for that Ring Group.
Send to voicemail when no agents are available is disabled.
Once these prerequisites are in place, you can open the Advanced Queue Settings in your Ring Group and enable Callbacks. From there, you can add instructions for callers, either by typing a message for Text-to-Speech (TTS) or uploading a pre-recorded audio file.
Types of callbacks in Aloware
Queue callbacks
Queue callbacks help during high call volumes, giving customers the option to request a return call instead of staying on hold. Their position in line is saved, so they’ll be called back as soon as an agent is free. This reduces abandoned calls and improves the caller’s experience.
How it works and how to enable it
While waiting in a Ring Group queue, callers can press a key (such as 1) to request a callback.
Aloware saves their place in the queue and dials them back using the Ring Group’s number once an agent is available.
If the customer doesn’t answer, the callback is marked complete.
To enable this:
Go to Ring Groups → select the Ring Group you want to configure.
In Advanced Queue Settings, toggle Callbacks on.
Add caller instructions using Text-to-Speech (TTS) or upload a pre-recorded audio file.
“We received your request for a callback. We will call you back as soon as an agent is available. Goodbye.”
Test your setup by calling the routed number, pressing 1, and confirming the callback request appears on the Wallboard.
Best for managing high call volumes while giving callers a fair, predictable place in line.
Read this guide to learn more about advanced queue settings.
Missed call callbacks
When a customer calls your business and no one is available to answer, Aloware can help you follow up automatically. Instead of letting that call end without action, Aloware saves it as a missed call.
From there, your team can quickly return the call, or you can use workflows to set up an automatic callback. This way, customers don’t feel ignored, and agents don’t lose potential leads.
How it works and how to enable it
When a call goes unanswered, Aloware creates a record of the missed call.
Agents can return the call manually, or admins can configure workflows to trigger automatic callbacks.
The customer sees the same Caller ID they originally dialed.
Best for reducing frustration from unanswered calls and showing responsiveness to leads or customers.
Automation callbacks
Automation callbacks let you create callbacks without waiting for a live or missed call. They are triggered by specific business conditions that you set in Aloware Workflows, such as when a lead fills out a web form, a customer abandons a call, or a tag is applied. This ensures that important follow-ups happen automatically, without relying on agents to remember every task.
How it works and how to enable it
In workflows, add the action Create Callback and tie it to a trigger such as a form submission, missed call, or tag update.
Aloware schedules the callback and adds it to the agent queue.
When an agent is available, the callback appears in their interface and is handled just like a normal inbound call.
Best for automating follow-ups, adding callbacks into structured sales or support processes, and making sure no lead is left behind.
How agents see and handle callbacks
When a callback request is created, it appears in the agent’s interface and on the Wallboard under Queued Calls. Agents are notified when a callback is ready, giving them the option to accept it. Once an agent accepts, Aloware automatically places the call to the customer using the same number the customer originally dialed.
After the conversation, agents should add a tag or disposition to record the outcome—for example, whether the callback was Completed, the customer did not answer, or another follow-up is needed. This helps keep reports accurate and ensures callbacks don’t fall through the cracks.
Reporting on callbacks
Callbacks are recorded a little differently depending on the type.
For queue callbacks, the original inbound call is marked as abandoned, while the returned callback appears as a separate outbound record that links back to the original through the Parent Call field.
For missed call or automation callbacks, the system logs them as standard outbound calls. These appear in both reports and the contact’s timeline, making it easy to review follow-ups.
To keep reporting accurate, it’s best practice to apply dispositions or tags (such as Completed, No Answer, or Follow-up Needed). This way, you can measure callback success rates and identify where additional follow-up might be required.
Best practices
Clear communication is key to making callbacks effective. Keep your callback instructions short and easy to understand so callers know what to expect. Once callbacks are in place, train agents to always add dispositions—this keeps reports accurate and ensures follow-ups aren’t missed.
It’s also important to keep an eye on the Wallboard, especially during busy hours, to make sure queues stay balanced and callbacks don’t pile up.
Finally, consider using workflows to automate follow-ups. This gives you a more systematic process instead of relying only on live queues.