How to Make Calls as a Volunteer

This article walks volunteers through how to join a phone bank and start making calls.
You can join using a link or QR code provided by the campaign. No app download is required, and phone banking works on any device with a microphone and internet connection.

1. Join a Phone Bank

Volunteers can join a phone bank in two ways:

• Clicking a shared link

• Scanning a QR code

Steps

1. Open the link or scan the QR code

2. Enter the six-digit join code

3. Fill out:

   • First name

   • Last name

   • Email address

   • Phone number

4. Click Join Phone Bank

No app download is required. Phone banking works on any device with a microphone and internet access.

2. Allow Microphone Access & Set Up Audio

Before calling begins, volunteers must allow microphone access.

Steps

1. Click Allow when prompted to use your microphone

2. Select:

   • Microphone

   • Speaker

3. Click Test Microphone

1. Adjust devices if needed

2. Click Start Calling

🔁 At any time, volunteers can:

• Change devices

• Leave the session using Leave Session (top right)

If the browser phone cannot start

Vottiv displays recovery steps when it cannot start the browser phone. Follow the message shown on screen:

• Microphone access is blocked: Open your browser's site settings for Vottiv, set Microphone to Allow, and confirm your browser has microphone access in your computer's privacy settings.

• The microphone could not start: Reconnect your headset or choose another microphone in your computer's sound settings, then close any other app using the microphone.

• No microphone was found: Connect a headset or enable a microphone in your computer's sound settings.

After correcting the problem, click Try Again. If the phone still does not connect, reload the page and repeat the audio check. You do not need to leave and rejoin the phone bank.

If the microphone problem appears during a connected call, your call controls stay available. Finish or end the current call first; Vottiv will then show Try Again so you can safely restart the browser phone.

3a. Making Calls with the Power Dialer

The Power Dialer lets callers place calls one at a time.

How it works

1. The next voter appears automatically

2. Review voter information at the top

3. Read the call script

4. Select the phone number you want to call

5. Click Call

During the call

• Follow the script

• Add tags or notes as needed

Ending the call

1. Click End Call

2. Select the call outcome:

   • Completed

   • Left a message

   • No answer

   • Busy

   • Call failed

3. The next voter loads automatically

   

3b. Making Calls with the Predictive Dialer

The Predictive Dialer dials voters for you and connects you the moment someone answers — you’ll often hear the voter’s “hello” right as the call connects, so be ready to start your script immediately.

What to expect

• Calls connect instantly when a voter picks up — no waiting on hold

• Status shows when calls are ringing or connecting

• Option to Pause calling at any time

• Live stats display:

  • Agents

  • Ringing

  • Connected calls

  • Queue size

  • Answer rate

  • Drop rate

  • Average call duration

During a connected call

• Voter info and script appear

• Add tags and notes

• End the call and select the outcome

• You are automatically returned to the queue

If you reach an answering machine

Because calls connect the instant they’re answered, you may occasionally hear an answering machine greeting instead of a live person.

• Click Answering machine to move on right away — the system stays on the line and automatically leaves the campaign’s voicemail at the beep (if the campaign has a voicemail recording set up). You don’t need to log an outcome.

• If Vottiv detects the answering machine on its own, the call ends automatically with a brief “voicemail dropped” notice and you’re returned to the queue — nothing to log there either.

4. Calling from a Phone or Tablet

Phone banking works great from a phone or tablet browser — you can join and complete calls entirely from a mobile device. On smaller screens, the calling screen reorganizes so everything stays within easy reach:

• Always-visible call controls: the voter’s name, the call timer, and the mute, keypad, and hang-up buttons stay pinned to the top of the screen during every call.

• Three simple tabs: the script, the survey, and voter information are organized into Script, Survey, and Info tabs. The Survey tab shows a badge with how many questions still need answers, and opening a survey takes you to it automatically.

• Action buttons at the bottom: the most important buttons — Call and Skip Voter in the Power Dialer, the call-outcome buttons after each call, and Leave Voicemail — appear in a bar at the bottom of the screen, so you never have to scroll to find them.

• Tags and notes: add tags and notes from the Info tab, which also shows the voter’s details and phone numbers.

Everything works the same as on a computer — only the layout changes. Calls, survey answers, tags, and notes are recorded identically.

5. Leaving a Phone Bank

When finished calling:

1. Click Leave Session (top right)

2. Choose to:

   • Join another phone bank using a new code

   • Return to Vottiv