Set Up a Support Queue from Scratch

You want incoming calls answered by the right agent, with hold music, queue position announcements, and a fallback for when nobody's available. This guide walks through the full setup — from buying a number to monitoring live calls — in the order you'd actually do it.

Time to complete: 30–45 minutes Plan required: Pro or higher (queue features require Pro)

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Step 1: Get a phone number

You need at least one number for customers to call. Go to Phone Numbers → Add Number in your JustCall dashboard.

• Local numbers build trust with callers in a specific area code. Available in 70+ countries.
• Toll-free numbers (800, 888, etc.) work for national support lines. Callers don't pay.
• Porting: Already have a support number? You can port it to JustCall. The process takes 2–4 weeks for US numbers. Your current number keeps working until the port completes.

Once you've got a number, give it a name in the dashboard (e.g., "Support Main Line") so your team can identify it.

Detailed guide: How to add a phone number · Port a number to JustCall

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Step 2: Create your support team

Before routing calls, make sure the agents who'll answer them exist in JustCall.

1. Go to Settings → Team Members → Invite.
2. Add each support agent's email. They'll get an invite to set up their account.
3. Assign the support number to each agent who should receive calls on it. Go to the number's settings → Team Members and add them.

If you have agents who handle different types of issues (billing vs. technical), create user groups now. You'll use these groups in your routing setup.

Detailed guide: Add or remove team members · User groups

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Step 3: Configure call routing

Call routing decides what happens when someone dials your support number. JustCall gives you four options:

For most support teams starting out, round robin is the simplest path. You can switch later without downtime.

Go to your number's settings → Call Distribution and pick your routing method. If you created user groups in Step 2, assign the group here.

Detailed guide: Choose call routing · Skills-based routing

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Step 4: Set up an IVR menu

An IVR ("press 1 for support, press 2 for sales") sends callers to the right team before they reach an agent. You don't need one for a single-purpose support line, but it helps if your number handles multiple departments.

1. Go to your number's settings → IVR.
2. Enable IVR and record or upload a greeting. Example: "Thanks for calling [Company]. Press 1 for support, press 2 for billing, press 3 for sales."
3. Map each key to a destination: a team member, a group, another number, or a voicemail.

Keep your IVR to three options. Research shows callers abandon after the fourth choice.

Detailed guide: IVR menu setup

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Step 5: Configure your queue

When all agents are busy, callers enter a queue instead of hitting voicemail. This is where the experience either holds together or falls apart.

1. Go to your number's settings → Queue.
2. Set max queue size. Start with 10. If your team is small, a lower limit prevents callers from waiting too long.
3. Set max wait time. 5 minutes is a reasonable default. Callers who hit this limit go to voicemail or a callback option.
4. Enable position announcements. Callers hear "You are caller number 3" — it reduces hangups because they know they're making progress.
5. Enable auto-reconnect. If a call drops while in queue, the caller gets reconnected at their original position.
6. Set a callback option. Callers can press a key to leave their number and keep their place in line. JustCall calls them back when an agent is free.

Detailed guide: Queue features · Queue position announcements

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Step 6: Set greetings and hold music

Three audio touchpoints shape the caller's experience:

1. Welcome message. Plays before the IVR or queue. Keep it under 15 seconds. Say your company name and set expectations ("Your call is important to us" is filler — try "We'll connect you with a support agent shortly").
2. Hold music. Plays while callers wait in the queue. JustCall provides default music, or you can upload your own. Avoid anything with lyrics — it competes with announcements.
3. After-hours greeting. Plays outside business hours. Direct callers to voicemail, email, or your help center. Set your business hours under the number's Business Hours settings first.

Detailed guide: Custom welcome message · Custom hold music · Business hours

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Step 7: Turn on call recording and monitoring

You'll want recordings for quality review and training. Monitoring lets managers coach agents in real time.

• Call recording: Go to Settings → Call Recording and enable it. Recordings attach to each call log and sync to your CRM. Check local laws — some states and countries require two-party consent. JustCall can play a recording disclosure automatically.
• Live monitoring: Managers go to the Live Calls view and click on an active call. Three modes: Listen (silent), Whisper (agent hears you, caller doesn't), Barge (both hear you).

Detailed guide: Call recording · Live call monitoring

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Step 8: Test the full flow

Before you tell customers about the new number, call it yourself and walk through every branch:

1. Call the support number from a personal phone.
2. Listen to the welcome message and IVR.
3. Select the support option.
4. Verify the call routes to an agent (or enters the queue if no one's available).
5. Check that the recording shows up in the call log.
6. Call outside business hours and confirm the after-hours greeting plays.

Fix anything that doesn't work as expected. The most common issues: business hours set to the wrong timezone, IVR keys mapped to the wrong destination, or agents not assigned to the number.

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Quick reference

Related guides: Handle inbound calls · Agent call monitoring