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Custom Greetings Add-On

Replace generic system messages with professional, branded voice prompts using AI voices or custom recordings.

What It Does​

  • Professional AI-generated voice prompts (Polly-Matthew-Neural)
  • Custom recorded greetings and messages
  • Business hours aware messaging
  • Branded organization introductions
  • Dynamic content based on caller context

When to Use​

  • Professional service delivery requirements
  • Brand consistency across voice interactions
  • Need business hours awareness
  • Want caller-specific personalization
  • Compliance requires specific messaging

Compatible Workflows​

  • ✅ Direct: Professional greeting before agent connection
  • ✅ Direct + Options: Branded welcome before menu options
  • ✅ Direct to Voicemail: Custom voicemail instructions

Voice Options​

  • Polly-Matthew-Neural: Professional male voice
  • Polly-Joanna-Neural: Professional female voice
  • Polly-Amy-Neural: British English accent
  • Multi-language support: Spanish, French, etc.

Custom Recordings​

  • Upload your own WAV/MP3 files
  • Professional voice talent recordings
  • Organization-specific messaging
  • Complete control over content

Hybrid Approach​

  • Static recorded intro + dynamic AI content
  • Professional branding + real-time information
  • Best of both worlds

Technical Implementation​

Basic Greeting Setup​

// Text-to-speech greeting
const greeting = {
  text: `Hello and thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. 
         Your call is important to us.`,
  voice: 'Polly.Matthew-Neural',
  language: 'en-US'
};

Business Hours Awareness​

const getGreeting = () => {
  const now = new Date();
  const hour = now.getHours();
  const isWeekend = [0, 6].includes(now.getDay());
  
  if (isWeekend || hour < 9 || hour >= 17) {
    return {
      text: `Thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. 
             Our office is currently closed. 
             Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.`,
      voice: 'Polly.Matthew-Neural'
    };
  }
  
  return {
    text: `Hello and thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. 
           We're here to help you today.`,
    voice: 'Polly.Matthew-Neural'
  };
};

Dynamic Content Integration​

// Personalized greeting for known callers
const getPersonalizedGreeting = async (caller_number) => {
  const callerInfo = await lookupCaller(caller_number);
  
  if (callerInfo && callerInfo.name) {
    return {
      text: `Hello ${callerInfo.name}, welcome back to ${context.ORG_NAME}. 
             How can we help you today?`,
      voice: 'Polly.Joanna-Neural'
    };
  }
  
  return getStandardGreeting();
};

Greeting Types​

Welcome Greetings​

const welcomeGreetings = {
  standard: `Thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. Your call is important to us.`,
  professional: `Good ${getTimeOfDay()}, and thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. We're committed to providing excellent service.`,
  warm: `Hello! Thanks for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. We're glad you reached out and we're here to help.`
};

Queue Messages​

const queueMessages = {
  initial: `Please hold while we connect you with the next available representative.`,
  waiting: `Thank you for your patience. Your call will be answered in the order it was received.`,
  position: `You are number ${position} in line. Your estimated wait time is ${waitTime} minutes.`
};

Voicemail Instructions​

const voicemailPrompts = {
  standard: `Please leave your name, phone number, and a detailed message after the tone. We'll return your call as soon as possible.`,
  urgent: `If this is an emergency, please hang up and call 911. Otherwise, please leave a detailed message and we'll call you back within 24 hours.`,
  callback: `Please leave your name, phone number, and best time to reach you. We'll call you back during business hours.`
};

Error Messages​

const errorMessages = {
  invalid_selection: `I'm sorry, that's not a valid option. Let me repeat the menu.`,
  timeout: `I didn't receive a selection. For faster service, I'll connect you with an operator.`,
  system_error: `We're experiencing technical difficulties. Please hold while I connect you with someone who can help.`
};

Advanced Features​

Multi-Language Support​

const getLanguageGreeting = (language = 'en') => {
  const greetings = {
    en: `Thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. How can we help you today?`,
    es: `Gracias por llamar a ${context.ORG_NAME}. ¿Cómo podemos ayudarle hoy?`,
    fr: `Merci d'avoir appelé ${context.ORG_NAME}. Comment pouvons-nous vous aider aujourd'hui?`
  };
  
  const voices = {
    en: 'Polly.Matthew-Neural',
    es: 'Polly.Miguel-Neural', 
    fr: 'Polly.Mathieu-Neural'
  };
  
  return {
    text: greetings[language],
    voice: voices[language]
  };
};

Contextual Greetings​

// Greeting based on call source
const getContextualGreeting = (call_source) => {
  const contextGreetings = {
    website: `Thank you for calling from our website. We see you're interested in our services.`,
    referral: `Thank you for calling. We understand you were referred by one of our partners.`,
    followup: `Hello! This is regarding your recent inquiry. Thank you for calling back.`,
    default: `Thank you for calling ${context.ORG_NAME}. How can we help you today?`
  };
  
  return contextGreetings[call_source] || contextGreetings.default;
};

Seasonal/Event-Based Greetings​

const getSeasonalGreeting = () => {
  const today = new Date();
  const month = today.getMonth();
  const day = today.getDate();
  
  // Holiday greetings
  if (month === 11 && day >= 20) { // Late December
    return `Happy holidays from all of us at ${context.ORG_NAME}! How can we help you today?`;
  }
  
  if (month === 0 && day <= 5) { // Early January
    return `Happy New Year from ${context.ORG_NAME}! We're excited to help you in the new year.`;
  }
  
  return getStandardGreeting();
};

Configuration Options​

Voice Settings​

{
  "voice_config": {
    "engine": "neural",
    "voice_id": "Matthew",
    "language": "en-US",
    "rate": "medium",
    "pitch": "+0%",
    "volume": "+0dB"
  }
}

Timing Settings​

{
  "timing_config": {
    "greeting_pause": 1.0,
    "pre_menu_pause": 0.5,
    "post_error_pause": 1.5,
    "inter_sentence_pause": 0.3
  }
}

Fallback Configuration​

const fallbackConfig = {
  primary_voice: 'Polly.Matthew-Neural',
  fallback_voice: 'Polly.Matthew',  // Non-neural backup
  error_voice: 'system_default',
  max_length: 300, // seconds
  retry_attempts: 3
};

Integration with Other Add-Ons​

With IVR Functions​

// Professional menu introductions
const menuGreeting = `${getWelcomeGreeting()} 
                     To better serve you, please select from the following options:`;

With Business Hours​

// Dynamic greeting based on schedule
const schedule = await getBusinessSchedule();
const greeting = await getScheduleAwareGreeting(schedule);

With CRM Integration​

// VIP caller recognition
const callerStatus = await getCRMStatus(caller_number);
if (callerStatus === 'vip') {
  greeting.text = `Thank you for calling, valued client. We'll prioritize your call.`;
}

Audio File Management​

File Format Requirements​

  • Format: WAV or MP3
  • Sample Rate: 8kHz or 16kHz (8kHz recommended for telephony)
  • Bit Depth: 16-bit
  • Channels: Mono
  • Duration: Under 30 seconds per greeting

Storage Options​

// Twilio Assets (recommended)
const audioUrl = `https://${context.DOMAIN_NAME}/assets/greeting.mp3`;

// External CDN
const audioUrl = `https://cdn.yourorg.com/audio/greeting.mp3`;

// Dynamic generation
const audioUrl = await generateTTSAudio(greeting.text, greeting.voice);

Caching Strategy​

// Cache generated TTS for reuse
const cacheKey = `greeting_${hash(greeting.text)}_${greeting.voice}`;
let audioUrl = await getFromCache(cacheKey);

if (!audioUrl) {
  audioUrl = await generateTTSAudio(greeting.text, greeting.voice);
  await saveToCache(cacheKey, audioUrl, 3600); // 1 hour TTL
}

Testing and Quality Assurance​

Audio Quality Testing​

  • Test on different phone types (mobile, landline, VoIP)
  • Check clarity and volume levels
  • Verify proper pacing and pronunciation
  • Test with background noise scenarios

Content Testing​

// A/B test different greeting versions
const greetingVersion = hash(caller_number) % 2;
const greeting = greetingVersion === 0 ? greetingA : greetingB;

// Log for analysis
await logGreetingTest({
  caller: caller_number,
  version: greetingVersion,
  timestamp: new Date()
});

Accessibility Testing​

  • Test with hearing impaired callers
  • Verify compatibility with TTY systems
  • Check speech recognition accuracy
  • Test multi-language pronunciation

Best Practices​

Content Guidelines​

  • Keep greetings under 15 seconds when possible
  • Use clear, conversational language
  • Avoid jargon or technical terms
  • Include organization name early
  • End with clear next steps

Voice Selection​

  • Choose voices that match your brand
  • Consider your audience demographics
  • Test with actual callers
  • Maintain consistency across all prompts

Performance Optimization​

  • Cache frequently used greetings
  • Minimize text-to-speech API calls
  • Use efficient audio compression
  • Monitor response times

Maintenance​

  • Regular content updates
  • Seasonal greeting rotations
  • Monitor for outdated information
  • Track caller feedback and preferences