🛠️ How-to tutorials

Running an outbound AI calling campaign: lists, timing and compliance

Updated 2026-09-19 · 4 min read · By the Convo360 team

In short

Build a clean contact group, scrub it against your DND list, assign a voice agent to your number, and launch the campaign from Campaigns against that group — the AI calls each contact, has the conversation, and logs the outcome and transcript automatically. Keep to reasonable calling hours, plan a WhatsApp follow-up for anyone who doesn't answer, and review results before scaling up.

Key takeaways

Campaigns automatically skip any number on your DND (Do-Not-Disturb) list — suppression is not optional.
A focused, short script with one clear ask outperforms a long one on outbound calls.
Every call is transcribed and logged with its outcome, so you can review before the next batch.
A WhatsApp follow-up to no-answers usually recovers more contacts than a second call attempt.
You pay your telephony provider directly per outbound minute — Convo360 adds no markup.

Prerequisites

You need a Pro plan (₹2,999/month, excluding 18% GST) or higher for AI voice, a connected telephony number under Phone Numbers, a voice agent already built with its system prompt and voice set, and a clean contact list. Decide the single goal of the campaign before building anything: a payment reminder, an appointment confirmation, a satisfaction check. One goal per campaign keeps the script short and the results easy to read.

It also helps to write the script down as plain sentences before you ever open Campaigns. Reading it aloud once catches awkward phrasing that would otherwise only surface after the first hundred real calls.

List hygiene and the DND scrub

Import or filter your contacts into a dedicated group for this campaign rather than calling your entire contact base. Before launching:

Remove numbers already marked opted-out or on your DND list. Campaigns skip these automatically, but a clean list also saves you reviewing pointless suppressed rows later.
Check custom fields the script depends on (name, order number, due amount) are actually filled in, since a script that says 'Hello {{First Name}}' to a blank field sounds broken.
Remove duplicates so the same person isn't called twice in one run.
Segment large lists into smaller groups (a few hundred each) rather than one giant list. It makes reviewing results and re-running a subset far easier if something needs fixing mid-way.

The exact click path and a worked script

Assign your voice agent to the outbound number under Phone Numbers.
Open Campaigns, choose the contact group, and select the voice agent.
Launch the campaign; each contact is called and the outcome and transcript logged automatically.

A worked script structure for a payment reminder: greeting and identification ('Hi, this is an automated call from [Business] about your pending invoice') → the specific ask ('Your invoice of ₹4,500 is due on the 15th') → a chance to respond ('Would you like a payment link sent to your WhatsApp?') → close and log the outcome. Keep each section to one or two sentences, since long opening disclaimers cause people to hang up before the actual ask.

End every call outcome with a clear next step logged against the contact, whether that's a promise to pay, a callback request, or a decline. This is what turns a pile of transcripts into something your CRM pipeline can actually act on the next day.

For a satisfaction-check campaign the ask changes shape entirely. Instead of a payment link, the close might be a single rating question logged straight to a variable, which is simpler for the AI to handle reliably than an open-ended 'tell us what you think'.

Timing, retries and the WhatsApp follow-up

As a matter of good practice under India's DND and consent expectations, keep outbound calling to reasonable daytime hours and avoid repeatedly re-calling someone who didn't answer the first time. One or two attempts is usually enough. For anyone who doesn't pick up, a same-day WhatsApp message with the same information (and a payment link or booking button, if relevant) recovers a meaningful share of contacts without another phone call.

Keep an eye on how many calls end in under five seconds. A spike usually means people are hanging up on the greeting itself, which is a sign to shorten or rework the opening line rather than a sign the whole campaign is failing.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely fix
Large share of numbers skipped	They're on your DND list, as intended. Check whether the list is stale and some should be removed after fresh consent.
Many calls end in seconds	Opening line is too long or sounds like a robocall. Shorten it and get to the point faster.
Variables show blank in the script	The contact's custom field wasn't filled in during import. Fix the source CSV and re-import.
WhatsApp follow-up not sending	The template used isn't Meta-approved yet, or the follow-up flow's trigger isn't wired to the campaign's no-answer outcome.
No transcript for a call	The call may have failed to connect rather than truly completing. Check the call log's status, not just the campaign summary.

Most of these issues show up in the first fifty calls of a run. Keep a lightweight weekly note of what changed between campaign runs, such as a new script line or a new time of day, so if the answer rate moves, there is an actual explanation rather than a guess.

What to test before going live, and cost

Run the campaign against a small test group of 5–10 numbers you control first.
Listen to at least one full transcript for tone and pacing.
Confirm a no-answer genuinely triggers the WhatsApp follow-up, if you've built one.
Check the DND scrub actually removed the numbers you expected.

AI voice campaigns need Pro (₹2,999/month) or Business (₹7,999/month), both excluding GST. Outbound minutes are billed directly by your telephony provider (Plivo, Exotel, Twilio or SIP) at their rate, and AI tokens by your AI/voice provider. Convo360 adds no markup on either.

Step by step

Build and scrub the contact groupImport or filter contacts into a dedicated group, removing DND numbers, duplicates and blank required fields.
Assign a voice agent to the numberUnder Phone Numbers, assign the agent that should make the calls.
Write a short, focused scriptKeep the opening brief and the ask specific — one goal per campaign.
Launch the campaignOpen Campaigns, pick the group and agent, and start the run.
Set up a WhatsApp follow-upBuild a flow that messages anyone who didn't answer, with the same information and a next step.
Review outcomes and transcriptsCheck the campaign report before deciding whether to retry or scale up.

Example conversation

Sorry, who is this and how did you get my number?

Hi, this is the AI assistant from Sharma Opticians — you visited our store last month for an eye check-up. I'm calling with a quick reminder about your follow-up appointment. Is now an okay time, or shall I message you on WhatsApp instead?

Launch your first calling campaign

Start free in minutes — no code, no credit card. Bring your own AI keys and pay no per-message markup.

Start 14-day free trial →See pricing

Frequently asked questions

Does the platform automatically avoid calling DND numbers?

Yes. Campaigns automatically skip any number on your DND (Do-Not-Disturb) list, so suppressed contacts are never called, and this suppression cannot be switched off. It's still worth periodically checking whether the list itself is stale, since some numbers may have given fresh consent since being added to it.

How many times should I retry a number that didn't answer?

One or two attempts is usually enough, spaced across reasonable daytime hours rather than back to back. Beyond that, a same-day WhatsApp follow-up message with the same information tends to recover more contacts than a third or fourth repeated call attempt.

Can I see what the AI actually said on each call?

Yes, every call is transcribed and logged with its outcome, viewable in the campaign report alongside the call's status. Listening to a handful of full transcripts after each run is the fastest way to catch an awkward opening line or a question the script handled badly before it affects the next batch.

What does an outbound calling campaign cost?

The Pro (₹2,999/month) or Business (₹7,999/month) plan fee, excluding GST, plus your telephony provider's per-minute rate for outbound calls and your AI/voice provider's token rate, both billed directly to you at their prices. Convo360 adds no markup on either.

Can I follow up on WhatsApp automatically after a call?

Yes, build a flow that triggers on the campaign's no-answer outcome and sends an approved WhatsApp template with the same information, plus a payment link or booking button if relevant. This recovers a meaningful share of contacts who simply didn't pick up, without a second phone call.