When a caller reaches your number with a calling tree enabled, they hear a custom greeting that lists their options. They press a digit to make a selection, and the call routes to the destination you’ve configured for that option.
If the caller doesn’t press anything, the call falls through to your standard routing steps — so you’re never creating a dead end.
The greeting tells callers what their options are. For example: “Thanks for calling The Timberline. Press 1 for the front desk, press 2 for housekeeping, or stay on the line and we’ll be right with you.”
Upload an MP3 or WAV file, or record directly in the app.
You can add up to 5 options (digits 1 through 5). For each option, choose where to route the call:
Team member — rings a specific person on your team
Phone number — routes to an external number (useful for after-hours answering services or a separate department)
Voicemail — sends the caller directly to voicemail, skipping all routing steps
AI Agent — routes to the AI agent (when available)
After configuring your options, call your Hello Hotel number from a personal phone and walk through each menu option to make sure calls land where you expect.
The calling tree and your team routing steps work together but serve different purposes:
Calling tree runs first and lets the caller choose a destination
Team routing steps determine how the call rings your team if no calling tree selection is made, or after a calling tree option routes to team routing
For example, if a caller presses 1 and you’ve routed option 1 to a specific team member, only that person’s phone rings. If the caller stays on the line without pressing anything, the call goes through your normal multi-step routing sequence.
Keep the menu short. Two or three options is ideal. Long menus frustrate callers — if you need more than five options, consider whether some could be handled via text instead.
Put the most common option first. Most callers want the front desk. Make that option 1.
Update the greeting when things change. Seasonal hours, sold-out periods, or temporary closures — your calling tree greeting is the first thing callers hear, so keep it current.
Don’t require a selection. Always let callers stay on the line to reach a person. Some callers won’t interact with menus, and you don’t want to lose them.
