How to blacklist numbers

Sometimes you will want to blacklist certain numbers: recruiters, telesales, etc. There is a very simple way to do this, making use of Triggers and modules to customize exactly which numbers to block and what to do with these calls. Here's what you need to do:

1. Create 1 Trigger

2. Create one Audio Player or Text to Speech module

3. Adjust your Switch Node

If you want to set up blacklisting, you should already have created some call flows with babelforce and be familiar with Switch Nodes. Should you just be starting to set up your first call flows, we suggest reading this article first.

1. Imagine, you have been receiving many nuisance calls from certain numbers and have made note of them. The first thing to do is to create a Trigger for them; this will allow the babelforce platform to recognize calls from those numbers.
   
   Navigate to Triggers and click 'Add' to create a new one. Give it a name like "Blacklisted number" and set the 'Logic type' to 'Match any trigger'. Hit 'Save' to save it first, then 'Add Condition' to bring up the condition settings. From the 'Expression' drop-down box choose 'Call from: number' and from the 'Operator' box pick 'is equal to'.
   
   Then simply put the number you wish to blacklist in the 'Expectation' box, making sure to enter it with its international prefix as shown. If you have multiple numbers to blacklist, add more conditions and copy the process. It should look something like this:
   
   
   Remember to click "Save" to save the Trigger successfully.
   
   
2. Now let's decide what we would like to do with the call. If you would simply like to end the call as soon as it enters your call flow, ensure that the module's 'After flow' option is empty.
   
   For our example, we have chosen a softer variation and created a Prompt Player application named "Goodbye prompt for Blacklist". It plays a standard "Thanks for your call..." goodbye prompt, then ends as it has no after flow:
   
   
   
   
3. Now that the Audio Player and Trigger are in place, you will need to add them as a Rule to a Switch Node module. Make sure that the Rule has the highest priority, so you always check first whether or not a number is blacklisted. We added this Rule to the Trigger which also checks Calendars and Business Hours:
   
   

And that's it! When a call comes in from any of the numbers specified in your trigger, it will be routed to your chosen application. 

It may be useful to note that the above process will also work for 'whitelisting'. If you would like a certain process to be triggered for certain numbers - for example, so that calls from these numbers have a special experience - then create another Trigger with the identical configuration. Then in the switch node set the resulting module into the Switch Node rule together with this Trigger.