When forwarding calls from an external service (such as Google Voice, a mobile carrier, or another PBX) to an Aircall number with an IVR , callers may experience dropped calls or silence. This is usually caused by a timing mismatch between the external service and Aircall.

This article explains why this happens and how to fix it by enabling Retry actions in your IVR.

Understanding the timing issue

The main cause of failed or silent forwarded calls is a timing delay during the transfer process.

  • The trigger: As soon as Aircall receives the carrier “handshake” from the external service, the IVR workflow starts immediately.
  • The delay: External services (such as Google Voice) often take 1 to 3 seconds to fully connect the audio path after the call is technically answered by Aircall.
  • The result: By the time audio is fully connected and the caller can hear, the Aircall IVR has already:
    • Finished playing the greeting or menu, or
    • Moved to a No input state.

Because the caller misses the instructions, the call often disconnects or fails to route correctly.

Fixing the issue by enabling retry actions

To improve connection rates and ensure callers actually hear your IVR menu, you need to configure Retry actions in your IVR widget settings in Smartflows. This allows the system to repeat the message, giving the forwarded audio enough time to stabilize.

Configure retry actions in Aircall

Steps

  1. Go to Aircall Dashboard > Numbers
  2. Select the number with an IVR configured that’s receiving forwarded calls.
  3. Navigate to the Call Distribution tab
  4. Click on the Edit green button
  5. Select the Standard IVR or the Input IVR widget, depending on what you configured.
  6. In the IVR settings navigate to the Retry Management section
  7. Make sure the Retry option is enabled.
  8. Set how often the IVR should be replayed if no input is detected. It is recommended to have the IVR replay at least once when there is no input.

This ensures that even if the first seconds are cut off, the caller will hear the full message on the second pass

Image showing Retry management in Standard IVR widget

Best practices for forwarded numbers

To make forwarded IVR calls more reliable, consider the following recommendations.

Add a leading silence

If your external service allows it:

  • Add about 1 second of silence at the beginning of your IVR greeting.
  • This acts as a buffer to account for the connection lag before the caller hears the instructions.

Test the retry behavior

After configuring retries:

  • Call your  external number that forwards to Aircall.
  • Let the call connect and do not press any key immediately.
  • Confirm that:
    • The IVR message replays if no input is detected, and
    • The caller can hear the full menu during the second loop.